60 Minute Science Event on Food Sustainability
At this event, which took place on Tuesday, 15 November, as part of Science Week, host Jonathan McCrea was joined by Teagasc speakers who addressed questions of food sustainability, safety and environmental effects. There was five-minute talks, each followed by time for audience questions.
Watch the recording of the event below
How can horticulture be any greener? Why moss-peat is used and what are the alternatives?
Eoghan Corbett
Peat has many attributes that make it an important material for growing commercial food and decorative crops in Ireland, but there is a need to find more sustainable alternatives. Eoghan will talk about his work to find these alternatives, with a focus on resources that are renewable or drawn from waste streams. He is particularly interested in how technologies and processes can be used to transform organic wastes into materials suitable for growing plants and mushrooms.
Sense & Sustainability: Healthy Eating for body and planet
Sinead McCarthy
Is it possible to eat foods that are both healthy for us and have minimal environmental impacts? This is a difficult balancing act. Not all healthy foods have a low carbon footprint and not all foods with a low carbon footprint are considered healthy. Sinéad McCarthy will discuss how to get the balance right so we can eat healthily, both for our bodies and for our planet.
Seaweed for Life
Diane Purcell-Meyerink
Global demands on food have risen with global population. Food shortages are now of major concern. Seaweeds are a sustainable, rich source of useful nutrients. They can provide alternative food ingredients for animals and humans. They have a wide variety of other uses, from cosmetics to medicines and plastics. These seaweeds are native to our seashores here in Ireland. Diane will explore the role of seaweeds in our future.
Two birds with one stone: blood-based films, from environmental concern to sustainable solution
Carlos Alvarez
Petrol based plastics have a negative impact on the environment, and they need to be replaced by sustainably sourced materials. There are also environmental issues related to blood disposal from meat processing. Carlos will explain how one environmental issue can provide a smart solution to help solve the other issue, using technology developed by Teagasc. This uses unused blood proteins to make bioplastics for packaging. This will reduce our reliance on petroleum-based plastics and contribute to the circular bioeconomy.
Ensuring food safety in the face of climate change
Elena Alex
Climate change poses a significant challenge for food safety. Changes in temperature, humidity, rainfall patterns and the frequency of extreme weather events will not only affect how we grow and produce food but also the microbial communities of foods. This will change the risk profile for foodborne diseases. Here we look at the challenges faced and steps that can be taken to provide continued food safety assurance.
Teagasc invites you to join us for an unmissable series of virtual and in-person events for Science Week 2022 as part of ‘The Festival of Farming and Food’ November 13-20, 2022.
The festival is an educational, inspiring and fun week, packed full of amazing science activities, experiences, talks and exhibitions, for children and grown-ups alike.
We’d love to hear from you. Be part of The Festival of Farming and Food journey on Social Media:
@Teagasc @ScienceWeek #FestFarmFood #ScienceWeek