New Food Research Communications Initiative Launched
Issued 29th January 2002
Details of a major national initiative involving the communication of the results of research by food research institutes and universities to all sectors of the Irish food industry were unveiled to food industry executives in Dublin today, (Tuesday, 29th January).
The initiative, called RELAY, is aimed at ensuring maximum update by food companies of the new technology emanating from the national food research programme. A total of 15 research institutes and universities, who are benefiting from the €70 million Food Institutional Research Measure (FIRM) funding under the National Development Plan, are participating in the communications initiative. All food companies, ranging from the giant Irish based multinationals to farmhouse cheese and cottage food manufacturers, are the target audience.
The three-person communications team is based at the Teagasc Dairy Products Research Centre at Moorepark, Fermoy, with a satellite office at the Teagasc National Food Centre in Dublin. Team leader, Derbhile Timon, told over 200 food industry executives attending today's launch of the FIRM project that information has now been assembled on the results all public-funded food research projects since 1994.
"Our aim is to ensure that the new technology is transferred in the most effective way to the right people in the food industry. Through intensive contact with food manufacturers, our aim is to convert the research findings into new processes and new value-added products which will further grow the Irish food industry and enhance its competitiveness," she said.
A central feature of the communications initiative is a new RELAY website which was launched today. Derbhile Timon said the website, www.relayresearch.ie, will contain all food research information and will also highlight the areas of expertise of the research institutes and universities and of individual research scientists.
"This will enable companies to source the leading expert in a particular area. The website is also linked to a number of European databases on food research and we intend to build up an extensive library of publications and other technical information, making the site an important focus for food research information," she said.
