Government Chemist Conference: 23-24 June 2026

Background information

The Government Chemist Conference will take place on 23-24 June 2026 at the Nexus, University of Leeds, as an in-person event.

The global food system faces increasing pressures from climate change, population growth and the need to ensure long‑term food security. Addressing these challenges requires innovation across the food system, alongside proportionate, evidence‑based and adaptable regulation.

The conference will bring together professionals from across science, industry and policy to explore how measurement science can support a modern and responsive regulatory food system.

Julian Braybrook, Government Chemist will host the conference. The conference will feature keynote lectures by Professor Ian Young, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Food Standards Agency, and Dr Justine Betja, Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The conference will cover four themes focused on regulation, innovation, food production and environments:

• Responsible regulation for food

• Measurement for evolving food systems

• Engineering our future food

• Protecting our environment

Day 2 will also feature a networking session focused on engineering biology for food and will be hosted by the EngBioMet network.

Remote attendance will be possible for those that cannot attend in person.

Event details

• Date: 23-24 June 2026
• Venue: Nexus, Discovery Way, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 3AA
• Cost (Prices exclude VAT):
  • Full in person event: £300 (conference dinner included*)
  • 1 day in person event: £175
  • Online event £100/day

*Attendance to the conference dinner is allocated on a first come first served basis as spaces are limited.

Programme

Please note that the programme and information about the speakers will be updated regularly on the event page. Follow links for further information about the speakers and talks.

23 June, Session 1: Responsible regulation for food

• 09:45: Registration

• 10:30: Chair’s introduction- Julian Braybrook, Office of the Government Chemist

• 10:35: Welcome address by the Government Chemist Julian Braybrook

• 10:50: Keynote: Future food- importance for society and the economy- Ian Young, Food Standards Agency

• 11:20: Review of Government Chemist referee cases 2023-26- Paul Hancock, Office of the Government Chemist

• 11:40: Port health regulatory environment and technology- Anthony Baldock, Association of Port Health Authorities

• 12:00: Measuring tomorrow’s table- Navigating testing approaches and regulatory challenges in modern food systems- Wing-yan Winnie Chum

23 June, Session 2: Measurement for evolving food systems

• 13:20: Chair’s introduction- Ian Lonsdale, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• 13:25: Keynote: Innovative food production in a regulatory environment- Justine Betja, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• 13:55: Advancing the reliability of honey authenticity data- Selvarani Elahi, Office of the Government Chemist & Adrian Charlton, Fera Science
• 14:15: From Data to Action- How shared industry intelligence strengthens food integrity- Ruth MacDonald, Food Industry Information Network (Fiin)
• 14:35: Break
• 14:55: Regulation of innovative food products- Thomas Vincent, Food Standards Agency
• 15:15: TBC
• 15:35: Advancing STEC diagnostics to support risk management- Matthew Gilmour, FSRN
• 15:55: TBC- Jane Parker, University of Reading
• 16:15: TBC- Natalie Howe, Ivy Farms
• 16:35: Closing
• 19:00: Drinks reception
• 19:30: Dinner

24 June, Session 3: Engineering our future food

• 09:15: Registration
• 09:45: Chair’s introduction- Linda Bedenik, BioIndustry Association (BIA)-Engineering Biology Advisory Committee (EBAC)
• 09:50: Microbial food systems- Karen Polizzi, Bezos Centre for Sustainable Proteins
• 10:10: Cellular agriculture manufacturing- Gary Lye, CARMA
• 10:30: Break
• 10:50: Cell Cultivated Products -methods review- Malcolm Burns, NML at LGC
• 11:05: FOOD-I -All Ireland Agri-Food Research- Gary Williamson, Queens University Belfast
• 11:25: Addressing metrics and standard challenges in alternative protein safety assessment leveraging in vitro digestion and machine learning- Taskeen Niaz, NAPIC
• 11:45: Speaker Panel Q&A- Linda Bedenik, BIA EBAC
• 12:00: Networking deep dive session hosted by EngBioMet network

24 June, Session 4: Protecting our environment

• 14:00: Chairs introduction- Gary Williamson, Queens University Belfast
• 14:05: A multi-method platform for detection and characterisation of microplastics- from QC materials to food- Dorota Bartczak, NML at LGC
• 14:25: Allergen detection in non-dairy milks- Christopher McElroy, NML at LGC
• 14:45: Break
• 15:05: The importance of soil health for food production- Simon Jeffrey, Harper Adams University
• 15:25: Sustainable packaging- carbon footprint methodology- Matthew Barker, WRAP
• 15:45: Closing remarks- Julian Braybrook, Office of the Government Chemist
• 15:55: Conference close