The Institute of Environmental Science and Research
- ESR
The Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) provides a range of scientific services that underpin the Health and Justice systems in NZ. We service government and research organisations and commercial companies in NZ and the Asia-Pacific region. ESR has almost 400 staff and an annual turnover of $40 million. We live by our motto: to protect people and the environment.
The ESR Food Safety Programme has a strong public health focus and specialises in the chemistry and microbiology of foods, enabling clients to assess and control hazards arising in the food supply. Risk analysis underpins and directs our work to best effect. We use this broad mix of skills to investigate food in a holistic manner, assessing both the good and bad aspects and addressing the balance in a food safety context. These skills are brought together as appropriate to address client (especially Government) needs, and include addressing prevailing acute or emerging public health issues in a very short time frame. The group has extensive IANZ-accredited analytical capability in microbiology, molecular biology and chemistry that is underpinned by research and development in emerging areas.
The Food Safety Programme works at an international level and participates in three EC-funded 6th Framework projects: Moniqa (standardisation and harmonisation of detection methods for hazards in the food chain), ProSafeBeef (methods for producing safer beef), and FOOD-FRENZ. Many staff are internationally recognised experts in their field and often contribute to WHO and FAO programmes. We have active collaborations with many peer organisations throughout Europe, the US and Canada and are actively engaging research and health organisations in the Far East.
Major areas of research at present include:
Risk modelling of sources of human campylobacteriosis in NZ;
Development and harmonisation of detection methods for microbial and chemical food hazards;
Rapid genotyping methods for, and molecular epidemiology of, bacterial enteric pathogens;
Total diet studies in NZ, Fiji and elsewhere, to help understand the influence of components and residues in the total diet on human health and well-being;
Pathogenicity and survival strategies of Salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter; and
Novel biocontrol methods for foodborne pathogens, notably E. coli O157.
Researchers from Europe with interests in any of the above research topics are especially encouraged to apply to visit our organisation.
