RIKILT Wageningen UR
RIKILT is a research institute at the Wageningen University & Research Centre in the Netherlands. It describes itself as 'the specialist organisation for food safety research'.[1] In addition to being part of Wageningen UR’s Agricultural Research Department (DLO) which undertakes research tasks for the government, RIKILT carries out more 'market-oriented' research as part of a holding company.[2]
The RIKILT was formed in 1975, following the merger of the Rijkszuivelstation (National Dairy Station) in Leiden and the Rijkslandbouwproefstation (agricultural research station) in Maastricht to become Rijks Kwaliteitsinstituut voor Land- en Tuinbouwproducten (Imperial Quality Control of Agricultural and Horticultural Products) - hence the abbreviation RIKILT which is still used today.[3]
Contents
Activities and affiliations
Statutory research tasks
Alongside several other research institutes, RIKILT is part of Wageningen UR’s Agricultural Research Department (DLO) which 'provides the framework within which Wageningen UR carries out legal research tasks for the government'.[4] On its website, the RIKILT identifies the following statutory research tasks:
- Research and advice: detection, identification, functionality and effects of substances in animal feed and vegetable, animal and compound nutrition. Advising national and international governments about violations of legal standards, incidents and crises, and about setting legal standards and permitting new agricultural additives and foodstuffs;
- Statutory research tasks: monitoring compliance with legal standards. RIKILT has been commissioned to perform these tasks by Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and it's executive departments, Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority and the Agricultural Inspectorate (AID);
- Advice and assistance during food-related emergencies. In case of an emergency the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture, Agricultural Inspectorate (AID), Innovation and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority can request assistance from RIKILT 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
- Research for third parties: RIKILT carries out research for business. We use the Protocol alarming results for business research.[5]
Transparency in statutory research
The RIKILT notes:
- The Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation has specified a number of additional requirements to the execution of the statutory research tasks which RIKILT has been commissioned to conduct. The financial and social interests which are at stake are very large. Statutory research must therefore be carried out in an independent, reliable and transparent manner.[6]
Market-oriented research
The 'more market-oriented tasks and assignments... are carried out within the holding company'.[7]
Research topics
The following research topics are identified on the RIKILT website:
- Authenticity and nutrients
- Chemical contamination
- GMOs
- Natural toxins
- New risks[8]
Research on GMOs
Describing how it 'carries out safety assessments of GMO products and advises governments about the use of GMOs', RIKILT identifies its research activities in this area as follows:
- Conducting safety assessments of GMO based food and feed
- Analysing samples for the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority
- Inspects animal feeds for the presence of authorised and non-authorised GMOs
- Detection of GMOs in the food chain to ensure proper labelling of GMO products and for tracking down prohibited GMOs
- Developing new methods for investigating the safety of complex foodstuffs
- Advising various national and international government bodies regarding the safety and detection of GMOs
- Evaluating the safety of GMOs for market authorisation[9]
The RIKILT notes:
- Research into genetically modified organisms (GMOs) at RIKILT focuses primarily on the safety assessment of foodstuffs and feeds derived from GMOs and the detection of GMOs in the food chain. The latter is important to ensure proper labelling of GMO products and for tracking down prohibited GMOs.[10]
GMO safety advice to the EFSA
In addition to its research on GMOs, the RIKILT 'advises various national and international government bodies regarding the safety and detection of GMOs. RIKILT also plays a leading role in this regard within the EFSA... [and] are responsible for providing recommendations when it comes to evaluating the safety of GMOs within the framework of market authorisation.[11]
Affiliations
International
As the RIKILT corporate brochure notes, 'We participate in a great many EU committees and are represented in various international panels and advisory groups for various bodies including the EC, EFSA, WHO, FAO, CEN, ISO, etc.'[12]
Partners
The RIKILT's 'most important partners' are identified as follows:
- Wageningen University & Research Centre
- The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM] (The Netherlands)
- Consumer Product Safety Authority (VWA)
- Netherlands Toxicogenomics Centre
- The Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA), an executive agency of DEFRA in the UK
- JRC/IRMM, Institute for Reference Materials (Belgium)
- CAAS, Institute of Plant Protection (China)
- Jiao Tong University, Shanghai (China)
- LABERCA, Ecole National Veterinaires de Nantes (France)
- Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt, Freiburg (Germany)
- EU network projects[13]
Funding
People
- Dr. Harry Kuiper
1983-1996: Head of Department and member of the Management Team of the Institute, Department of Risk Assessment and Toxicology of the State Institute for Quality Control of Agricultural Products (RIKILT-DLO), Wageningen; 1996-2001: Head of Department Food Safety and Health of the State Institute for Quality Control of Agricultural Products (RIKILT, UR Wageningen NL); 2002-present: Programme Leader and International Account Manager at the State Institute for Quality Control of Agricultural Products (RIKILT, UR Wageningen NL).[14]
Contact
- Address:
- RIKILT - Institute of Food Safety
- Part of Wageningen UR
- P.O. Box 230
- 6700 AE Wageningen
- Wageningen Campus, Building 123 (vITAe) Akkermaalsbos 2,
- 6708 PD Wageningen
- The Netherlands
- Phone:
- +31 (0)317 48 02 56
- Email: info.rikilt@wur.nl
- Website: http://www.rikilt.wur.nl
Notes
- ↑ Wageningen UR, Research institute RIKILT, accessed 12 January 2013
- ↑ RIKILT (2013), RIKILT's tasks, accessed 12 January 2013
- ↑ Wageningen UR (2013), Geschiedenis, accessed 12 January 2013
- ↑ RIKILT (2013), RIKILT's tasks, accessed 12 January 2013
- ↑ RIKILT (2013), RIKILT's tasks, accessed 12 January 2013
- ↑ RIKILT (2013), RIKILT's tasks, accessed 12 January 2013
- ↑ RIKILT (2013), RIKILT's tasks, accessed 12 January 2013
- ↑ Wageningen UR, Research institute RIKILT, accessed 12 January 2013
- ↑ Wageningen UR, GMOs, RIKILT’s activities, accessed 12 January 2013
- ↑ RIKILT (2010), Corporate brochure, p34, accessed 12 January 2013
- ↑ RIKILT (2010), Corporate brochure, p34, accessed 12 January 2013
- ↑ RIKILT (2010), Corporate brochure, p44, accessed 12 January 2013
- ↑ RIKILT (2010), Corporate brochure, p47, accessed 12 January 2013
- ↑ Curriculum Vitae, Harry Kuiper, accessed 12 January 2013
