Dr Clare Hazel and Sue Patel

The 2024 RSC Food Group Open Medal was awarded to joint recipients, namely Dr Clare Hazel and Sue Patel, both of Premier Analytical Services, part of the Premier Foods Group.

Sue Patel, left, Dr Clare Hazel, right and Dr Neslihan Goncuoglu Tas, centre. The RSC Food Group Committee is gathered behind the winners.

The award was presented in recognition of their pioneering work in Bioanalytical Chemistry, especially applied to the determination of natural toxins, including aflatoxins, trichothecenes, zearalenone and fumonisins. Their research not only allowed the levels of toxins to be measured in raw materials and finished products, but also provided critical information on how food processing impacts the levels of mycotoxins, what breakdown products were formed and the risks posed by these compounds. In their distinguished careers they participated in EU and UK concerted actions and undertook multiple studies on behalf of the Food Standards Agency. They developed, validated and published analytical methods for known and emerging mycotoxins in a very wide range of matrices, such as wheat, maize, bread, cakes and biscuits, dried fruits, wine, coffee, ethnic foods, infant formulae, cheese, rice, breakfast cereals and many others. By publishing their methods, they made them available to other scientists, thus it is probably fair to say that foods in the UK and Europe are safer to consume because of the work of the medal winners.

The medals were presented to Clare Hazel and Sue Patel at the RSC AGM and 50th Anniversary Celebration Meeting held at Burlington House on 11 December 2024. Dr Neslihan Concuoglu Tas received the Early Career Medal at the same event. The RSC Food group would like to thank the Journal Sustainable Food Technology for their sponsorship of the Open Medal and the kind donation of £2000 prize.