In our society, we rely on scientific studies to tell us that our food is safe, our water drinkable, and our medications non-toxic. Yet how do we know if research results are accurate? Mistakes can happen and researchers make errors like the rest of us. As the ancient Romans used to say, who watches the watchmen? At the PEI Food Technology Centre in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Stephen Gould's job is to do just that.


As a Food Chemistry Quality Assurance Coordinator, Stephen, 38, makes sure that the lab’s instruments are properly calibrated so they give accurate results. He also develops standards and procedures for conducting experiments, ensures that lab technicians are accurately recording results, and audits the results of experiments to ensure the procedures are correctly followed. In addition, Stephen helps to develop and test new laboratory methods, as well as to run analyses on various samples. Working hands-on in the lab is one of the most exciting parts of his job, Stephen says. Very often, companies ask the Food Technology Centre to prepare a nutritional analysis of a food sample. The results - listing calories per portion, vitamins and minerals, fat content, etc. - are then listed on the package. It’s part of Stephen’s job to set up and run such experiments.

Stephen is also currently helping to develop a new method to help researchers test water for pesticides. He is using a special material and a new set-up that may eventually allow researchers to test for pesticides directly from the suspect stream of water. "It’s the problem-solving that makes my job so exciting," Stephen says. "Even when you’re tracking down an error, there’s a certain joy involved. And there has been a real attitude shift. People used to hide their mistakes, but now they are coming forward and saying when something isn’t working. It makes the job easier."