Dr Derek Shrimpton, the distinguished biochemist and former Honorary Scientific Adviser to the HFMA, has died aged 83.
Dr Shrimpton read natural science at the University of Cambridge, specialising in biochemistry and was later awarded a PhD by the University of Aberdeen. Following senior university research posts he worked with Unilever for 17 years. He later became director general of the British Nutrition Foundation and an Honorary research Fellow in the Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bristol, an Honorary Research Fellow in the International Centre for Child Studies and a Member of the Court of the University of Surrey.
He was also an industry observer on the Food Standards Agency Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals, and until December 2002 was Honorary Scientific Adviser to the HFMA and then Scientific Adviser to EHPM, and a founder member of IADSA’s Scientific Group. In 2006 his special contribution to the positive development of this industry was recognised when he received the HFMA’s coveted Award of Honour.
HFMA chairman, Martin Last, said: “Derek was a great friend and supporter of our industry. He was one of the first to recognise how sound scientific arguments could be used to powerful effect, for example to promote the case for Maximum Permitted Levels, and almost single handedly he transformed the European regulatory convention of multiples of RDA to one of individual risk assessment of micronutrients. Derek was a true gentleman of the old school and a great scientist who continued to research, publish and present in support of our industry campaigns right up to the end. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.”
