Dr. Michelangelo Anastassiades, Chief Scientist of the CVUA Stuttgart, is honored in the United States for his lifelong scientific achievements. The award demonstrates the high level of expertise of the scientific experts in the Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Offices of the country.
„The health protection of consumers is of great importance in Baden-Württemberg. In order to achieve and maintain this, it is necessary for the scientists of the Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Offices (CVUA) to implement new ideas and introduce innovative measuring methods as part of application-oriented research. Only in this way can the food monitoring in the country continue to meet the challenges of global trade,“ said Minister for Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection (MLR), Peter Hauk, on August 28th, 2023, on the occasion of Dr. Michelangelo Anastassiades‘ award by the Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC) in New Orleans, USA.
In this context, food chemist and analyst Dr. Michelangelo Anastassiades from the CVUA Stuttgart revolutionized the analysis of pesticide residues at the beginning of the 2000s. During his post-doctoral stay in the United States, he developed the so-called Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe method, abbreviated as the QuEChERS method, which stands for fast, easy, cost-effective, effective, robust, and safe.
Only through this QuEChERS method was it possible to effectively analyze a wide range of pesticide active ingredients in a variety of food. „It can be used to analyze all types of fruits and vegetables, grains, spices, but also simple, low-fat animal products such as eggs or milk,“ said Dr. Michelangelo Anastassiades.
„Due to international standardization, the QuEChERS method is now used by around 90 percent of laboratories worldwide in the field of pesticide analysis. It has found its way into many other areas, such as the analysis of contaminants and additives. This is a great advantage because when food produced all over the world is properly and comprehensively analyzed, the local consumer receives flawless products,“ emphasized Minister Hauk.
Groundbreaking progress in the detection of pesticide residues
Since 2006, Dr. Michelangelo Anastassiades has used his innovative power and energy as head of the European Reference Laboratory for Pesticides, which is based at the CVUA Stuttgart. In this role, he has made further groundbreaking progress in the residue analysis of polar pesticides. This was crucial for the fact that in recent years, new pesticide residues have been discovered, particularly by the Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office in Stuttgart. Valuable synergy effects can be achieved not only at the level of the European Union (EU) and beyond, but also for official food monitoring in Baden-Württemberg through close networking with the central laboratory for the analysis of pesticide residues in plant-based food.
Dr. Michelangelo Anastassiades is an internationally sought-after expert and contact person. His outstanding contribution in this field has now been recognized by the Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC) International. On August 28th in New Orleans, USA, he received the Harvey W. Wiley Award of the Year 2023, the highest award given by AOAC International for lifelong scientific achievements.
Consumer Protection Minister Peter Hauk said, „I congratulate Dr. Anastassiades sincerely on this award. This recognizes your outstanding achievements and successes in the field of pesticide residue analysis in food.“
In summary, Dr. Michelangelo Anastassiades‘ QuEChERS method has revolutionized the analysis of pesticide residues in food, enabling a comprehensive examination of various foods. His contributions have had a lasting impact on food safety and consumer protection both nationally and internationally. The Harvey W. Wiley Award is a testament to his exceptional scientific achievements and his dedication to advancing the field of analytical chemistry.
