Partner 49: Ashtown Food Research Centre, Teagasc

Ashtown Food Research Centre, Teagasc ( AFRC) is a world class food research centre with a dynamic R&D programme serving the Irish food industry and also certain elements in the agri-food sector. The AFRC is one of the research centres of the larger organisation, Teagasc, the Irish Agricultural and Food Development Authority.  The mission statement of the AFRC is ‘To support the development of the Irish food industry by excellence and leadership in research, training and consultancy’ while the Quality Policy Statement lays down management’s commitment to maintain a high degree of excellence in research and scientific services that reflects the status of the organisation. This policy is communicated to, and understood by all staff. Within Teagasc, the AFRC also has a sister food centre, i.e. the Dairy Products Research Centre in Cork, Ireland which focuses on dairy foods.

The AFRC has a staff of circa 153 (61 scientists, 24 technicians, 46 research students, 22 support staff) in five Departments:

Prepared Foods,

Food Safety,

Meat Technology,

Food Quality Services,

Marketing.

The AFRC is located on its own 10 hectare state-of-the-art campus 4 km from dowtown Dublin, and comprises a laboratory building, technology hall, bakery, sensory unit, abattoir, cooked meats facility, class 3 pathogen laboratory and an administration building.

 

 

Key person

Dr. Ronan Gormley (Project 4.4 CONSUMERPRODUCTS).