National Science Week: Celebrating the science behind your food standards

What does science mean to the people who develop Australian and New Zealand food standards? During National Science Week, team members from across Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) shared their answers, offering a glimpse into the expertise, curiosity and collaboration that underpin our work. Their reflections showed that science is much more than laboratories and data. It is about asking questions, weighing evidence, solving problems and making informed decisions in the face of uncertainty. For some, science is a lifelong passion. For others, it is the foundation that guides their work each day. Whether they are assessing risks, analysing data, developing standards or communicating complex information, science helps our people turn evidence into outcomes that benefit consumers. One message came through clearly; no food standard is developed by one person alone. Dietitians, toxicologists, microbiologists, food technologists, biotechnologists, risk analysts, communicators and many others work together, bringing different perspectives and expertise to every stage of the process. There was also reflection on an often-overlooked aspect of food safety. Some of the most imp...