Joint Press Release: RIKILT - Institute of Food Safety and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM)
RIKILT no. 07 – 2009
With effect from 1 January 2010, policy-oriented research into food and food safety in the Netherlands will have a more efficient set-up. RIKILT – the Institute for Food Safety (part of Wageningen UR) – and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) have redistributed the tasks, ensuring that no double work is performed. This will result in a simple and transparent laboratory infrastructure in the field of food and food safety. The task exchange is aimed at the analytical chemistry, microbiology and risk assessment.
Partly at the request of RIKILT and the RIVM, the ministries of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and of Health, Welfare and Sport commissioned an investigation into the distribution of tasks and the efficiency of the laboratory infrastructure in the field of food safety. On the basis on the outcomes of this investigation, both ministers have decided to implement a task exchange.
From now on, it will be clear which institute is responsible for which field of expertise. At the RIVM, microbiology and risk assessment (with the exception of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will be combined. At RIKILT, analytical chemistry and GMO research will be brought together. The exchange of tasks also means an exchange of employees. They will move where their tasks take them. The task exchange will give rise to high-quality, efficient laboratory support, with a guarantee of optimum food safety.
RIKILT and RIVM are convinced that bringing together knowledge and expertise will benefit the efficiency and quality of the research. Both institutes will also continue to work closely together in the future.
More information about the distribution of tasks can be found on www.rivm.nl/rikilt and on www.rikilt.wur.nl
Note for editors:
For further information, journalists can contact Coen Berends, press officer at RIVM, telephone number: +31 (0)30 – 274 4082, or Jeannette Leenders, press officer at RIKILT, telephone number +31 (0)317 – 480245.