News
News
January and February 2012
The laboratory and some of the work carried out within it, will be featured in a number of news reports and current affairs programs during January and February.
These include:
Trading Standards press release
Central News
Food Inspectors
November and December 2011
Illegal Alcohol Seized
Staffordshire Scientific Services have been at the centre of a local and nationwide campaign to identify and remove counterfeit and potentially dangerous alcoholic spirit beverages from stores.
Our laboratory has been involved in the rapid testing of a significant quantity of suspect drinks recently seized by, among others, Trading Standards organisations of Staffordshire, Stoke-On-Trent and Greater Manchester.
A significant proportion of bottles investigated during this period have failed testing due to either a high/low alcohol content or contamination with industrial chemicals such as methanol, tert-butanol and chloroform; which may pose potential harmful effects to the public.
The results from the testing by ourselves and others have resulted in the arrest and detention of a number of individuals responsible for the manufacture and distribution of these illegal products.
As part of our commitment to public protection and increased safety awareness, a number of Scientific Officers, together with Trading Standards Officers and local councillors have taken part in documentary news and current affairs programs highlighting the dangers of these and other harmful products recently tested here in Staffordshire.
September and October 2011
Electric Blanket Safety Testing
Staffordshire Scientific Services have tested over 20,000 blankets in the county during the last decade. Funding from Staffordshire Fire Service and Staffordshire Trading Standards have allowed us to successfully completed a further county wide electric blanket safety campaign, aimed at the over 60’s.
In 2011, 1142 blankets have been tested over a 6 week period during September and October. An average blanket failure rate of 34% was found and with funding from Staffordshire Fire Service all failed blankets was destroyed and replaced with new ones.
Scientific Services have also been working closely with other organisations during this fire safety awareness period, including among others; Sandwell Trading Standards, Berkshire Trading Standards and Solihull Age Concern.
We aim to continue to offer this service in 2012. Please contact us for further information about testing dates during September and October.
April 2011
What is the point of 'best before' dates? BBC News Online
March 2011
Sugary soft drinks linked to high blood pressure BBC News Online
September 2010
Legionnaires' fear as woman dies in south Wales BBC News Online
August 2010
The day I ate as many E numbers as possible BBC News Online
Artificial meat may be required to feed the world in 2050 The Guardian
Supermarkets roll out greener milk packaging The Guardian
Barbecue meals contain excessive calories The Guardian
Kelloggs is to cut the sugar content in its cereals BBC News Online
Meat from cloned cows offspring has entered the foodchain in the UK BBC News Online
Wheat bags could burn your house down. Mail Online
Cloned cows' milk is on sale in Britain Mail Online
July 2010
The unpalatable truth about supermarket bread Mail Online
Contaminated Aloe Vera Juice leaves two people seriously ill Leicester Mercury
Junk Food Mountain: The amount of rubbish one child eats every year Mail Online
Food Standards Agency to be abolished by the Health Secretary The Guardian
Global carbon emissions steady for first time since 1992 The Guardian
World talks on salt reduction in food Food Standards Agency
High levels of e-coli found in eco-friendly shopping bags Mail Online
June 2010
A US Consumer group sues McDonalds for using toys to promote Happy Meals as 'unfair, deceptive and illegal' Mail Online
Changes to convenience foods could save thousands of lives The Guardian
Nice calls for ban of trans-fats in food BBC News
Farms for children need to do more to protect visitors, an investigation concludes BBC News
Risk of legionella from windscreen water BBC News
Tackling campylobacter bacomes the Food Standards Agency's priority Food Standards Agency
Lidl faces legal action over the 7 deaths in Germany due to listeria in cheese Food Quality News
How healthy is your lunch? Daily Mail
UK given final warning over London air quality The Guardian
Supermarkets shun seasonal produce The Independent
Honey is not safe for babies warns the Food Standards Agency Food Standards Agency
May 2010
The 'unhealthiest drink in America' Mail Online
Organic Food has no extra health benefits say researchers Mail Online
April 2010
Biggest Study on mobile phone health effects launched Independent
'Toxic Sofa' customers to receive up to £20m Independent
A diet full of sugar - the hidden sugar in the foods we eat Daily Mail
Healthier meals for Leicestershire nurseries Leicestershire County Council
Banning trans fats 'could save thousands of lives' Daily Mail Independent BBC News
National survey into meals provided by nurseries BBC News
Animal health campaigners welcome delay of 'battery farm' dairy The Guardian
Doctors warn of an obesity and tooth decay epidemic among Britain's children The Telegraph
Five a day...why? Independent Online
A quarter of off-licenses in Leicester sold alcohol to underage test-purchaser BBC local news
Plans for a new 'super dairy' with more than 8000 cows have been withdrawn BBC local news
New fish labelling rules Food Standards Agency
Scientists call for ban of bisphenol-A (BPA) The Independent
The Advertising Standards Agency has no problem with (35% sugar) Coco Pops adverts promoted to children at bus stops The Guardian
The Food Industry and the next big crisis The Guardian
Study finds that five-a-day has little impact on cancer rates BBC News
Hundreds of food serving premises in Leicester have failed their environmental health inspection Leicester Mercury
March 2010
Big name tinned food contains bisphenol A Independent online
Chocolate can 'cut blood pressure and help heart' BBC News
Banned Chinese medicine still on sale BBC News
Food Standards Agency recommends reducing fat and sugar in sweet foods Food Standards Agency
Leicestershire Chip Shop found selling hoki as cod Leicester Mercury
One in ten items of childrens clothing sampled in EU member states was unsafe EU Business News
More than a million baby slings are recalled in America due to suffocation risk BBC News online
Britain. A breath of foul air The Independent Online
MPs report saying more could be done to tackle the effects of air pollution on health BBC News
Counterfeit Goods raids in London - BBC video online
The McDonalds 'Happy Meal' with that 'does not go off' Mail Online
European Food Standards body - EFSA alarmed at high levels of Camphylobacter in chicken carcasses Food Quality News
Professor Pennington urges that food safety is prioritised over price BBC News online
New York politician proposes £600 fine for restaurants using salt Guardian Online
Man jailed for 'organic' and 'free range' egg scam BBC News Online
'British Classics' made with meat from the other side of the world The Independent Online
Health claims on foods may adversely affect the customers perception of the product Food and Drink Europe
Calories on menus do they work? Times Online
A Blog on Britains 'first milk factory' Guardian Online
Health warning over calories and fat in cinema snacks BBC News Online
Battery farm for 8000 cows planned for a site in Lincolnshire Mail Online
Pollution levels over EU limits on roads in Leicester Leicester Mercury
High levels of antimony found in fruit juices Mail Online
February 2010
The cartons of soup with as much salt as 16 bags of crisps Mail Online The Guardian
EFSA to examine the safety of non-plastic food contact materials Food Quality News
The Truth about factory farming of animals by Jonathan Safran Foer The Guardian
France wine producers guilty of selling fake pinot noir in the US BBC News
The 'Cancer Risk' of frying steak on a gas hob Mail online
TAKE PART in a public debate at the British Library on Tuesday 9 March on food, food information and food misinformation Food Standards Agency
Chinese medicine practitioner guilty of selling a banned substance to lady, now seriously ill BBC News
A quarter of the meat sold in the UK comes from countries with lower animal welfare standards The Guardian
APA President's critique on the FSA review on Food Safety (Sampling and Qualifications) APA website
Our Credentials
Leicestershire and Staffordshire Scientific Services is an efficient and reliable scientific service offering testing and analysis, advice and support to customers in the public and private sector.
We have four Public Analysts, thirty-five well-qualified, experienced staff and two laboratories, based in Leicester and Stafford, accredited to UKAS Quality Standard ISO/IEC 17025 which are both Official Food Enforcement Laboratories
View UKAS accreditation schedule for Leicestershire for Staffordshire.
Getting In Touch
Staffordshire Scientific Services
14 Martin Street
Stafford ST16 2LG
T: 01785 277 825 F: 01785 277 812Email: county.analysts@staffordshire.gov.uk
Staffordshire County Council website
