Food Regulatory Group

Chair: Melanie Bulger

Vice-chair: Bruce Lambourne

Secretary: Su Zhang

Communications: Dima Faour-Klingbeil

Events: Eugenia Choi

Other Members: Ruth Birt, Andrew Guttridge, Jean Marshall, Luke Murphy, Vanessa Richardson, Mark Tallon, and Lewis Wallis.

Ruth Birt FIFST has over 30 years of experience in the food industry and holds a Food Science degree and a master’s in food law. Ruth spent 15 years in a blue-chip specialist foods company before setting up her consultancy, Regulatory Solutions Ltd. Her company offers regulatory advice in the areas of infant foods, foods for special medical purposes, and other dietetic foods. Ruth is the Chair of the IFST Scottish Branch.

Melanie Bulger MIFST After qualifying with an MSc in Food Science and Nutrition, Melanie has worked for: a2 Milk Company,  Mead Johnson Nutrition and Clasado Biosciences and The Bountiful Company,  in nutrition and regulatory.  Melanie is now Head of Regulatory Affairs for Danone UK and Ireland.

Eugenia Choi CSci MIFST graduated as a nutrition and food scientist and has a background in food law. She has spent over 10 years working in various regulatory affairs positions across the food and drink as well as nutritional healthcare industries covering the UK, EU, and other international markets.

Dima Faour-Klingbeil Dima is an academic researcher, an international consultant in food safety and regulatory systems, and a compliance auditor for diverse food categories. She has over 20 years’ experience in managerial and leadership positions in the food and health industries, including competencies in research, training and capacity building, and national guidance and policy advice. Member of the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Meetings on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA).

Andrew Guttridge MIFST holds a BSc in Food Technology. He has experience in technical and quality roles in a range of manufacturing sectors, including flavourings, ambient, and dairy. He is currently working in a regulatory role for a large snacks company.

Bruce Lambourne FIFST has 27 years of experience working internationally in the food industry and holds two Science degrees (Food Technology and Quality Management) and an MBA. He is also a Chartered Manager with Chartered Management Institute. He has worked with Defra and the FSA and has served as a committee member on a number of industry trade bodies. His consultancy company, Food Technology & Integrity Consulting, offers specialist technical support to food businesses.

Jean Marshall is the Regulatory and Policy Manager for Waitrose, leading a team of regulatory experts covering all aspects of product legislation and legal trading.  She is also responsible for the Regulatory Policy Framework. With 30 years’ experience in the food and feed industry, she likes to think she has touched regulatory affairs from farm to fork.  Starting with animal feed additives, working for Danisco Animal Nutrition, through consulting food regulations with TNO Bibra and Leatherhead Food International, manufacturing with Mars and retail with Waitrose, there is never a dull moment. 

Luke Murphy MIFST heads the commercial side of the scientific and regulatory affairs at Leatherhead Food Research, having previously worked as a manager and advisor in the team for 10 years. He helps companies solve strategic and compliance-related food law issues, and manages Leatherhead client accounts in the UK, Ireland, Benelux, Scandinavia, Switzerland, and the USA. Before this, he worked in R&D and technical roles for Unilever, Mars Petcare, Dupont, and Leathams Ltd.

Vanessa Richardson FIFST is Deputy Director-General at the UK Potato Processors’ Association, which represents the interests of the processed potato and snacks manufacturers in the UK . Vanessa has nearly 20 years’ experience in the food industry, with 15 spent in regulatory roles for various businesses, consultancy companies and, more recently, trade associations.  Vanessa is a food technologist by background and also holds a Masters’ degree in Food Regulatory Affairs.

Mark Tallon FIFST is an expert in EU food law and past chair of the IFST Food Regulatory Group (formerly known as ‘Food Law Group’). With over 20 years of experience, his role as Managing Director at Legal Foods Ltd has resulted in the review and assessment of over 1,000 products covering multiple EU markets. He holds master’s Degrees in European Law and Food Law and a Doctorate in Nutritional Biochemistry.

Lewis Wallis is a Regulatory Affairs Advisor at Campden BRI. He graduated from the University of Leeds with a Master's degree in Natural Sciences, specialising in Food Science, Nutrition and Biochemistry, and decided to pursue a career in Regulatory after carrying out an industry placement at Danone. He has also been awarded the Leeds Doctoral Scholarship to pursue a part-time PhD at University of Leeds researching digital food environments and the application of nutrient profiling models. 

Su Zhang is a Regulatory Affairs Manager at Innocent Drinks with over 10 years’ experience in regulatory affairs. Before joining Innocent, she worked as an international regulatory advisor covering EU/UK and various jurisdictions in Asia. She has also worked as a food technologist in a highly international environment, after completing a MSc in Food Science.     

Each SIG is run by a small committee of volunteer members, who meet both face-to-face and virtually. As part of the committee, members are actively involved in organising and attending meetings in relation to setting up activities, events and webinars across the year. Open our Events page to attend our upcoming events or access the Webinar Hub to watch previous webinar recordings.

We value the important contribution that volunteers bring to the work and life of the Institute. Without the contribution of the volunteers who serve on committees, branches and special interest groups, we would find it difficult to achieve the strategic priorities set out by the Board of Trustees. The Impact Award is an opportunity for volunteers to showcase an innovative activity that has been undertaken that meets the set criteria.

Find out more about the previous winners, entry criteria and submissions here.