Dr Roger L Cook

Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand

Member since 2017

Dr Cook is manager food risk assessment and, since 1995, principal food microbiologist for New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). He leads New Zealand’s regulatory microbiological food safety risk assessment initiatives; designs research projects to support development and verification of New Zealand’s food safety regulations and to evaluate outcomes and consequences of overseas market access requirements; develops monitoring programmes for domestic and export assurances; and provides microbiological advice to the vast array of New Zealand’s domestic and export food industry. He is actively involved with New Zealand’s shift to whole genome sequencing (WGS) technologies, works closely with the providers of New Zealand’s human health surveillance system and PulseNet Aotearoa New Zealand, and provides expert advice to foodborne illness outbreak investigations, to food production compliance failures and associated legal proceedings. Dr Cook has a close working relationship with overseas regulatory authorities and science providers, and is a member of the FAO/WHO JEMRA Working Group on STECs in foods. Dr Cook was honoured to be the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Ivan Parkin Lecturer in 2011, and has recently been elected to the IAFP Executive Board.