January 7, 2008 - SFB Staff — Stephen Sundlof last week was named director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Sundlof has served as director of FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine for more than 10 years and has extensive experience in food safety and protection. He also participated in the development of the FDA’s Food Protection Plan issued in November 2007.

“It is more important than ever that the American public feel confident in the safety of the food they eat and feed their loved ones,” FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach said in a prepared statement. “[Dr. Sundlof] is a world-class scientist and leader with the dedication, vision and expertise needed to tackle challenges and enhance the science involved in assuring the safety and nutritional value of something so vital to healthy life; namely our food.”

Sundlof has a background in toxicology and was a professor of toxicology at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He currently serves as chairman of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods.