New Teagasc Food Training Centre Opened
The new Teagasc Food Industry Training and Conference facility at Ashtown Food Research Centre was officially opened by the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mary Coughlan TD, today, Wednesday 7 March.
Teagasc provides technical and specialist food training programmes for technologists and managers in the food industry. The training programme is focused on strategically important areas such as food safety, quality and new product development.
About one thousand managers and technologists are trained each year from approximately one hundred food businesses. Training is provided both in food companies and at various locations around the country. In addition, each year technical training is provided for inspectors from the various Government regulating food inspection departments. Teagasc is a national leader in the provision of specialist food safety training.
On her visit to Ashtown Food Research Centre today, Minister Coughlan also launched the 7th EU Framework Programme for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology. This programme provides funding for research in these sectors. Collaborative research is at the core of this new programme, with themes that are closely aligned with Ireland’s research priorities.
Details of a ProSafeBeef project, which is funded under the EU 6th Framework Programme were outlined by Declan Troy, Head of Teagasc Ashtown Food Research Centre. The ProSafeBeef project begins this month and Declan and his team at Ashtown were selected to co-ordinate this five year project which involves 42 partners. Universities and research organisations from all over Europe, as well as Brazil, New Zealand, Australia, the USA and Canada are all involved in the research project which focuses on beef quality and safety.
