Linda Nicolaides
+44 (0)1634 88 3476
Food safety and quality management systems specialist with over 49 years working in the food supply chain in developing and developed countries. Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health and a member of RSPH's the Food Sector Advisory Panel. Recognised trainer and co-ordinator in RSPH Hygiene and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems- established NRI as a training and examination centre for the RSPH in 1996. Trained third party auditor to ISO 9001:2015, the British Retail Consortium Global Standard (Food - version 8) and Safe and Local Supplier Approval (SALSA).
Specialist knowledge of safety and quality attributes of agricultural and horticultural produce, fish and fishery products, meat and meat products, milk and dairy products, cereals and pulses, roots and tubers, tree nuts, herbs and spices. Knowledge of EU and global food law and skills in strengthening National Food Control Systems (NFCS). Experienced in the development of new food products, novel ingredients and environmentally friendly packaging.
Extensive skills in the design, implementation and management of appropriate safety and quality management systems for the food and feed sectors based upon Codex Food Hygiene Basic Texts, HACCP. Skills in laboratory based research and routine conformance inspection and testing for food and feed. Familiarity with the establishment of systems to comply with ISO 17025. NRI quality assurance manager, led the NRI team in the design and development of the NRI quality management system to the requirements of ISO 9001 in 1997, maintained and upgraded in line with revised standards over the years and the system is now compliant with the ISO 9001:2015 requirements.
Research interests include lactic acid fermentation as a low cost preservation method; understanding the effects of climate change on food systems and associated hazards; novel antimicrobial agents for use in food preservation, the effect of food on the microbiome and human susceptibility to rare neurological conditions.
Developed and managed three MSc food programmes offered by NRI of the University of Greenwich since 2001: MSc Food Safety and Quality Management (2001 - 2013); (MSc Food Innovation 2013 - present) and MSc Food Safety and Quality Management e-learning (2017 - present). Designed and taught many short courses for continuing professional development (CPD) and specific client requirements, e.g. food safety management systems for food aid systems; strengthening NFCS, safety and quality management systems for a range of food commodities and products; RSPH recognised HACCP and hygiene courses.
Extensive overseas experience in Latin America (Mexico, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Brazil,Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay Ecuador, Colombia), Africa (Egypt, Tunisia, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Togo, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda), Asia (Japan, Thailand) and Europe. Fluent Spanish and Greek.
- Main areas of interest include the effect of climate change on foodborne hazards. Linda developed and teaches on a module entitled “Environmental foot printing and climate change” and has supported students with their coursework over the years investigating the effects of climate change on issues associated with the food supply chain.
- Linda has provided consultancy and support to local food businesses and leads a successful research project with a local confectionary business to extend the shelf-life of their main product.
- Linda has worked on the antimicrobial activities of plant extracts over her years at NRI. This work continues in MSc student research projects.
- Linda also has extensive knowledge on the lactic acid bacteria and their use in the low-cost preservation of food, as well as beneficial effects to man through probiotic properties.
- Linda is interested in research into constraints which prevent the uptake of appropriate safety and quality assurance systems by stakeholders in SMEs in the developed and developing world.
- Linda is a member of the Food and Markets food research group.
- Linda’s research experience is used to provide case studies and anecdotes for her teaching activities on NRI’s Food programmes, as well as in the development of training courses.
Developed, lead the validation and managed three MSc food programmes offered by NRI of the University of Greenwich: MSc Food Safety and Quality Management (2001 - 2013); (MSc Food Innovation 2013 - present) and MSc Food Safety and Quality Management e-learning (2017 - present). Designed and taught many short courses for continuing professional development (CPD) for governments and institutions globally to meet specific client requirements, e.g. food safety management systems for food aid systems; strengthening NFCS, safety and quality management systems for a range of food commodities and products; RSPH recognised HACCP and hygiene courses.
Over the past 5/6 years Linda has focussed her research activities on the support of MSc students studying on the MSc Food Innovation.
Linda has been involved in NRI’s and the Faculties outreach work and met a range of food business owners with the intent to develop collaboration and to access funding for knowledge transfer partnerships.
Linda’s main areas of research are reflected in the following publications and development of legislation on behalf of the St Helenian government:
- Import standards: fresh meat, meat products, fishery products, dairy products and feed certification. Draft legislation for POAO. (2016) Black, R., Groothius, R and Nicolaides, L.
- Design of re-usable biomaterial packaging systems for the chilled fish/seafood and meat industry sectors (TSB ref 131380) (2013). Coles, R., Thorpe, C., Song, J., Nicolaides, L., Collins M. and Hart, A. Technical report funded by the TSB.
- Compliance of imports of fishery and aquaculture products with EU legislation (2013). Palin, C., Gaudin, J., Espejo-Hermes, J. and Nicolaides, L. Directorate General for Internal Policies. Fisheries. European Commission.
- Import standards: fresh meat, meat products, fishery products, dairy products and feed certification. Draft legislation for POAO. (2016) Black, R., Groothius, R and Nicolaides, L.
- Design of re-usable biomaterial packaging systems for the chilled fish/seafood and meat industry sectors (TSB ref 131380) (2013). Coles, R., Thorpe, C., Song, J., Nicolaides, L., Collins M. and Hart, A. Technical report funded by the TSB.
- Compliance of imports of fishery and aquaculture products with EU legislation (2013). Palin, C., Gaudin, J., Espejo-Hermes, J. and Nicolaides, L. Directorate General for Internal Policies. Fisheries. European Commission.
- External examiner for the University of Lincoln. MSc Food Science and Technology and BSc Food Science and Technology (Apprenticeship degree), both by blended learning.
- Member of the Faculty of Engineering and Science Learning and Quality Committee
- Member of the Faculty of Engineering and Science Partnerships Committee
- Member of the RSPH Food Sector Advisory Panel