Letters: December 2025

A farewell to the Association of Public Analysts

The Royal Society of Chemistry’s accommodation at Burlington House in London, UK, offers iconic spaces, but in common with public analysts of my generation and younger it is a special place for a very specific reason. Most of us sat the written parts of our Mastership in Chemical Analysis (MChemA) exams there, usually tucked away in the Hinshelwood Room. The MChemA is the statutory qualification for those who want to practice as a public analyst in the UK. Although not required for the appointment, all the country’s agricultural analysts are also MChemA holders. Those applying for the qualification must be RSC members (AMRSC, MRSC or FRSC) and obtain MRSC or FRSC by the time of applying for Part C (the final stage) of the exam process. Public analysts are appointed by local authorities and play a key role in the enforcement of regulations made under the Food Safety Act 1990.