Dr. Harris Steinman (MB.Ch.B., UCT; D.Ch., SA, D.Av.Med.), the director of the company, is a medical doctor and a researcher on allergy, intolerance, additives, preservatives and general food safety. He received his medical education from the University of Cape Town, and further training at the Red Cross Children's Hospital and in Prof. Paul Potter's Allergology Unit at Groote Schuur Hospital. He has received a variety of research awards, and he has published articles in leading journals on sulphur dioxide preservatives and pollution, hidden allergens, and the spread of allergic sensitisation in Africa, among other topics.

He has been the Allergy Society of South Africa's (ALLSA's) representative on the South African Department of Health's Food Advisory Legislative Group(FLAG) since inception.

He was an invited member of the United Nations Joint Food Agricultural Organisation/World Health Organisation Expert Consultation on "hidden"allergens in 1996. In January 2001 he was elected vice-chairperson at the United Nations Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on the allergenicity of foods derived from biotechnology (GMOs). He is an advisor to the Department of Agriculture for the assessment of the allergenicity of GMO's. He is the author of a number of allergen reference books published by Phadia/Pharmacia Diagnostics, Sweden, the leading international allergy testing company.

Karen Horsburgh (B.Sc. Dietetics, Stellenbosch) is a registered dietitian that assists companies with labelling and consumer food reactions.

She lectures at the university level on adverse reactions; consults to the public, dietitians and the food industry; and is a member of the ADSA (Association for Dietetics of South Africa) Executive Committee.

Carine Davies (B.Sc. Dietetics, Natal) manages the marketing and communication functions for F.A.C.T.S. Carine managed the Heart Mark for the South African Heart Foundation and assisted members of the public with queries on healthy nutrition.

Carine has worked in sales and marketing and as a private practising dietitian; has assisted in the development of weight loss and disease prevention programs.

Donna Cawthorn is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Animal Science (Stellenbosch University) and works as a consultant food scientist for FACTS. She obtained her BSc and MSc degrees in Food Science (cum laude) at Stelllenbosch University in 2005 and 2007, respectively, and this year completed a PhD degree which focused on the molecular identification of fish species in South Africa. Through this work she developed a particluar passion for fisheries science and sustainability, fields in which she intends to continue working in the future. At FACTS, Donna is responsible for the testing laboratory, where the focus is predominantly on food allergen testing and species identifications.

Donna was awarded the SAAFoST prize for the Top Academic Achiever in Food Science in 2004 and 2005, as well as the SAAFoST/Orley Foods prize for the Best Food Science Seminar presented to the food industry in 2005. She also received Honorary Colours for Academics from the University of Stellenbosch (2006), the Dreosti Award for the best oral presentation at the 19th biennial SAAFoST congress
(2007) and the Brian Koeppen Memorial Scholorship (2008). In her spare time (of which there is very little), Donna enjoys spending time outdoors, socializing with friends and fishing (strictly tag and release).

Debora van der Merwe [B.Sc., M.Sc. Food Science (cum laude), Stellenbosch University] is a member of the FACTS labeling department which assists our clients with food labeling projects. Following her M.Sc. degree she held a position at the PROMEC Unit of the Medical Research Council of South Africa investigating the mechanisms involved in antimugagenic and potential anticancer properties of the South African herbal teas: rooibos and honeybush. She is currently completing her PhD in Food Science (Biochemistry; Stellenbosh University), which is part of a project investigating the bioavailability and metabolism of major phenolic compounds and known antioxidants present in rooibos and honeybush. While conducting her PhD research, she lectured part-time at CPUT in 2006 and 2007 and assisted with lectures on food packaging at Stellenbosch University and was asked to initiate and chair the Tea Research Club since 2006 (TRC; quarterly meetings by a group of researchers conducting investigations on South African herbal teas). Debora presented at the first ever Rooibos Science Café in 2007, have presented her work nationally and internationally and was awarded the Dreosti Award for the best oral presentation by a young South African Scientist at the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFOST) 2010, 15th World Congress of Food Science and Technology in Cape Town.

Corrien Odendaal (née Hugo) (B.Sc. Food Science Stellenbosch) works as a consultant food scientist at FACTS, mainly in the area of labelling evaluations. Corrien previously worked at Tesco UK, At Source Hand Made Foods (Dried Fruit processing) and Nfinite (R&D Company). Her daily responsibilities were food safety and quality systems, including HACCP; GMP; Woolworths and Pick n Pay’s Quality Manual). She was also responsible for new product development as well as packaging and label developments.