Ensuring that raw materials and the foods produced from them are safe to eat and have the appropriate quality is a complex task. To do so requires a detailed knowledge of the chemistry and physics of the raw materials and how they are modified during processing. At the heart of food production is the need for appropriate analytical tools. New analytical methods continually need to be developed and existing ones modified to ensure that they provide comprehensive coverage for delivering safe food with relevant qualities. Traceability and authenticity also play major roles in delivering safe and wholesome food.

Because food production is complex and new issues emerge on a regular basis, QAS has a scope which embraces many aspects related to food quality. In addition to analytical techniques, food manufacture must also embrace socio-economic impacts, regulation and legal requirements, food security and sustainability. The quality and safety of food is multi-disciplinary with many global issues and it is these that QAS seeks to address.