In Memoriam Terence Roberts (4 October 2024)
The ICMSF mourns the passing of Terry Roberts who was ICMSF member (1978-2000), Chair (1991-2000) and Consultant (2000-2003).
Dr Terry Roberts OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) and former Head of Microbiology at the Institute of Food Research in Reading (UK), died following a short illness on 4 October 2024, aged 89.
Terry was a leading member and Chair of ICMSF and made an outstanding contribution to Microbiological Food Safety.
Terry was born on 30th of November, 1934, educated in Nanpean (Cornwall) and Plymouth and did his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the London School of Pharmacy (LSP) .
Terry then lectured at the LSP and during that time married his first wife, Ann, and had two children, Susan and Andrew.
In 1962 Terry began working on food safety with the eminent microbiologist Maurice Ingram CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire), at the Low Temperature Research Station (LTRS), in Cambridge. The station researched the properties and behaviour of foodstuffs, specifically the preservation and distribution of meat, eggs and poultry. Terry’s early research on heat and radiation resistance led to the development of an internationally recognised research group specialising in one of the most important pathogens for food safety, Clostridium botulinum.
In November 1967, Terry, together with a number of other researchers at the LTRS moved to the newly built Meat Research Institute (MRI) at Langford near Bristol. The MRI was officially opened on 19th April, 1968, by Her Majesty the Queen. At the opening ceremony, the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry sounded a Fanfare, The Roast Beef of Old England !
At the MRI Terry was appointed Deputy Head of the Microbiology and Radiation section under Dr Alan Kitchell. Terry was later appointed as Head of Microbiology. Terry continued to develop the research group at Langford during the late ‘70s and early 1980’s where other well-respected microbiologists including Dr Bernard Mackey, Dr Richard Dainty, Dr Gordon Shaw and Dr Geoff Mead facilitated in building an expertise base that was unrivalled in the science of meat microbiology. Terry worked closely with other experts at the MRI including Dr Hal MacFie, Dr Steve James and Dr Geoff Nute and developed collaborations with internationally-recognised microbiologists in other countries.
In 1981, a symposium was held at the University of Bristol to mark the 50th anniversary of the Society for Applied Bacteriology (later known as the Society for Applied Microbiology), where Terry and Dr Basil Jarvis presented a paper on Predictive Modelling of Food Safety, with particular reference to Clostridium botulinum in model cured meat systems. In this seminal article, Terry and Basil proposed that a new approach be used: “…to suggest ways in which we, as food microbiologists, might develop predictive microbiology so that we obtain the best value from what is widely considered to be an expensive, yet largely negative, science.”
The group at Langford, in collaboration with laboratories and research groups in the US, Australia, Denmark, Greece, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and other countries pushed hard to develop the concept of predictive modelling and predictive microbiology in food safety.
In the mid 1980s the MRI was renamed the Institute of Food Research – Bristol Laboratory, in partnership with laboratories at Reading and Norwich, consolidating the research programme of the Agricultural and Food Research Council in the UK.
In 1988, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food initiated a co-ordinated programme led by Terry on the growth and death of bacterial pathogens, giving predictive microbiology a huge impetus. Data were collected, modelled and the first validated, commercialised programme package, “Food MicroModel™, was built. The data underpinned the web-based ComBase package launched in 2004 that contains predictive models and data on growth survival and death of key foodborne pathogens and spoilage microbes. ComBase has been and continues to be a huge success, with an average of around 200 visits per day and has been estimated to deliver an economic benefit to the UK food industry of more than £20 million per annum.
Following the closure of the IFR’s Bristol Laboratory at the end of 1989, Terry and a number of other members of his group moved to the Reading Laboratory at Shinfield. In Reading, Terry recruited Dr József Baranyi who pioneered development of a mathematical basis for mechanistic modelling of bacterial growth – the extensively-cited ‘Baranyi-model’, which has become the most commonly used primary growth model. Terry retired from the Institute of Food Research in 1994.
One of the most significant contributions that Terry made to global food safety was through his membership and leadership of the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF). He became a member of the Commission in 1978 and was elected Chair in 1991 until his retirement in 2000. A long-term objective of the ICMSF has been to enhance the microbiological safety of foods in international commerce. Prior to Terry joining the Commission it was focused on uniform analytical methods and sound sampling plans and criteria. He joined the group when they had developed their first book on the microbial ecology of foods which was intended to familiarise analysts with processes used in the food industry and microbiological aspects of foods submitted to the laboratory
Whilst Terry was an expert microbiologist in his own right, one of his greatest strengths was his ability to work across disciplines such as microbiology, food production and statistics and to bring people together to further advance the safety of food.
At an early stage, Dr Roberts and the Commission realised that no sampling plan can ensure the absence of a pathogen in food. Testing foods at ports of entry, or elsewhere in the food chain, cannot guarantee food safety. This led the Commission to explore the potential value of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point system or HACCP for enhancing food safety and produced one of the seminal works of the use of HACCP in food safety.
The first major project that Terry championed as Chair of the Commission was ICMSF Book 5 which, at the time, was the most comprehensive review of the literature on growth, survival and death responses of foodborne pathogens. It is intended as a quick reference manual to assist making decisions in support of HACCP plans and to improve food safety. Without doubt, it was his visionary work with ICMSF and his ability to bring different experts together from across disciplines that eventually led to the development and use of predictive microbial modelling and quantitative risk assessment which today remains the cornerstone of global best practice in food safety risk management.
Terry Roberts has left a legacy for so many food safety scientists around the world. His research in the ‘60s, ‘70s and 80s and his initiatives in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s have played a crucial role in furthering our understanding of Cl. botulinum, and getting quantitative food science to arrive at the stage we are now. The well-known ComBase system and other essential tools in Food Microbiology would not exist today, without his efforts.
Terry Roberts is truly a legend who will live long in our memories and in his legacy of his many contributions to the advancement of food safety. Terry enjoyed the sport of lively debate during ICMSF meetings, and then the camaraderie that followed a good argument! Terry was always at the heart of a lot of fun, with a wicked sense of humour, a talented folk and ragtime guitar player and very good company. The group that he played with were called the “Rustic Muppets” ! He was also a talented football, squash and snooker player.
Those who worked closely with Terry owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his willingness to share his vast experience and knowledge. His ability to engage with people was tremendous, making him a very effective mentor, leader and spokesperson.
Terry married his 2nd wife, Marian in April, 2008. Following their retirement, Terry and Marian travelled the world visiting many of the colleagues that Terry and Marian had developed life-long friendships with.
As the Māori saying goes: “Kua hinga te tōtara o Te Waonui a Tāne” which broadly means “A mighty totara (large tree) has fallen in the forest”.
Peter McClure
Martin Cole, past Chair