Food Safety
The safety and the integrity of food is fundamental to the sustainability and continued development of the Irish Agri-food sector and a ‘risk based total chain approach’ to food safety management is essential to reduce level of food borne illness.
Programme Aim:
The aim of the Food Safety programme is to provide the science to underpin a total chain risk based approach to food safety focusing on microbial and chemical contaminants in the “farm to fork” food chain.
Programme Objectives
- To understand the transmission, behaviour, virulence potential of key and emergent microbial pathogens and to a lesser extent, spoilage organisms in Irish food.
- To develop predictive microbial models and quantitative risk models which can be used to assess and manage microbial risk.
- To develop novel controls for microbial pathogens and spoilage organisms.
- To develop state of art methods to detect and monitor for chemical contaminants including residues from veterinary drugs, environmental contaminants and natural toxins in the food supply.
- To develop quantitative risk models and exposure models for key chemical contaminants in the Irish food supply