Prof. Declan Naughton

Prof. Declan Naughton, Professor Emeritus of Biomolecular Sciences at Kingston University London, has a distinguished career in food safety, nutrition, drug discovery, and endocrinology. His extensive research interests have provided him with a broad understanding of the various factors that influence food safety and public health.

Declan’s passion for Safe to Trade is driven by his commitment to advancing food safety standards and protecting consumer health. He recognises the importance of a standardised audit approach in ensuring consistency and clarity in food safety inspections. By reducing the reliance on individual auditors’ professional judgment and providing clear guidelines, Safe to Trade helps to minimise the risk of inconsistencies and enhances the effectiveness of food safety audits.

As a member of the Certification Body Impartiality Committee, Declan is dedicated to maintaining the impartiality of certification decisions. He brings a wealth of academic and practical experience to the role, ensuring that certification decisions are based on robust evidence and adhere to the highest standards of fairness and transparency. Declan is committed to ensuring that the Safe to Trade scheme remains a reliable and trustworthy benchmark for food safety standards.

Declan believes that Safe to Trade has the potential to make a significant impact on global food safety. By providing a clear and consistent audit standard, the scheme helps to improve the risk profiling of food business operators and allows regulatory resources to be targeted more effectively. This, in turn, can lead to a reduction in food safety contraventions and enhance consumer confidence in the food they purchase. Declan is particularly excited about the scheme’s potential to influence policy decisions and contribute to the modernisation of food control systems, ultimately improving food safety standards worldwide.