Food Research Ireland - Department of Agriculture

The food innovation system is driven by the targets set in Food Harvest
2020 which have been based on consumer trends and societal challenges
such as climate change, sustainability and food security.
Future food research programmes should ensure the integration of key
investment areas including food chemistry, food structure, food
formulation science, food processing technology, sensory science,
nutritional research, consumer science and food safety and quality. Each
of the investment areas presented in Figure 4.1 make an important
contribution to the pipeline of new product development. Integration
of the investment areas is critical as individually they will not deliver
innovative food products, nor will they enhance the competitiveness of
the Irish food industry or differentiate our produce in global markets 23 .
There are two important points to note about the key investment areas
depicted above and described in detail in this Chapter. Firstly, they are
all interlinked and incorporated within the Plan; this integration must
continue to be fostered if research is to be translated into tangible food
products and services which in turn are driven by consumer needs.
Secondly, in some areas, particularly those of nanotechnology and food
bioactives, Irish research, while being globally competitive, remains
relatively underdeveloped. Fostering research excellence in the areas
where there exists a high level of competence and the development of
competencies in new and emerging research areas, is a key component
of the Plan. The Plan comprises six main research themes, all of which
are linked to research strengths 24 within Irish research organisations. The
six thematic research areas are:
23 Primary agriculture and fisheries (incl. catching and aquaculture) production research is not considered in
this Plan. Both are considered separately through the Agriculture Research Expert Advisory Group (AREA)
which has considered agriculture production research issues and through Sea Change in respect of fisheries and
aquaculture related research issues. Food Research Ireland considers all research issues identified by the food
■ Food Product Development & Innovation
■ Food Processing Technologies
■ Food & Health
■ Food Business & Consumer Science
■ Food Chain Integrity and Sustainability
■ Food Safety & Quality
Each thematic research area is aligned with the industry sectoral research
agendas and consumer drivers and is underpinned by fourteen
investment areas which are described in detail in Sections 4.1 to 4.6. The
relationship between each research area and its underpinning key
investment areas is presented in Table 4.2.
It should be noted that no attempt has been made to prioritise the
overall thematic research areas, the key investment areas within each of
the thematic areas, or the research objectives. Implementation of the
Plan is considered in Chapter 5.
Food Research Ireland
processing sector as well as those identified by regulatory authorities with responsibility for food. Where
research is required to address the whole food supply chain, specific recommendations have been made.
24 Further details on Irish food research infrastructure and strengths is presented in Appendix 1 of this document.
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