Establishment of New Steering Committee and Operational Group for the Phytosanitary and Food Irradiation Platform (PFiP)
The Phytosanitary and Food Irradiation Platform (PFiP) is pleased to announce the establishment of a new Steering Committee and Operational Group to guide and strengthen the Platform’s activities as it enters its next phase of development.
This new governance structure reflects PFiP’s expanded remit and its commitment to advancing the global application of irradiation technologies for both phytosanitary treatment and food safety and quality enhancement.
The newly formed Steering Committee (SC) will provide strategic direction, oversight, and leadership to support PFiP’s mission of promoting science-based, internationally harmonised approaches to irradiation. The Committee will focus on identifying priorities, fostering international collaboration, and supporting engagement with regulatory authorities, industry stakeholders, research institutions, and international organisations.
| Name | Organisation | Key Focus |
| Carl Blackburn | Retired Food Scientist ex IAEA/FAO, Austria | Steering Committee |
| Peter Roberts | Retired Food Irradiation Consultant, New Zealand | Steering Committee |
| Murray Lynch | Retired CEO Steritech – Australia | Steering Committee |
| Arved Deecke | Member of the Board, Benebion – Mexico | Operational Group |
| Ben Reilly | Fresh Produce Manager Steritech – Australia | Operational Group |
| Ariadnne Vargas Rivadeneira | New Applications Product Manager – IBA Belgium | Operational Group |
| Peng Wei | ThreeRays and iia China/Asia Representative | Operational Group |
| Paul Wynne | iia Chairman and PFiP Lead – UK | Operational Group |
The Operational Group (OG) has been established to coordinate implementation activities, drive technical initiatives, facilitate information exchange, and support the practical delivery of the Platform’s objectives.
Note; The Steering Committee includes experts plus all members of the Operational Group
Together, these groups will strengthen PFiP’s aim to:
- Advance awareness and understanding of phytosanitary and food irradiation
- Support technical and regulatory harmonisation
- Promote best practice and knowledge sharing
- Encourage wider commercial adoption of irradiation technologies
- Facilitate collaboration across the global irradiation community
The creation of these groups marks an important milestone following the Platform’s recent transition from the Phytosanitary Irradiation Platform (PSiP) to the Phytosanitary and Food Irradiation Platform (PFiP), reflecting a broader vision to support the full potential of irradiation technologies in international trade, food protection, and sustainable supply chains.
The PFiP website has been refreshed and will continue to be enhanced. IMRP has already communicated a “Call for Abstracts”. Murray Lynch is a member of the IMRP Program Committee.
Further information on committee membership and upcoming initiatives will be shared in due course.