The EIT Food Seedbed Pre-Accelerator Programme supports aspiring entrepreneurs to determine whether there is a market for products or services that utilise innovative agri-food technologies. This multi-location pre-accelerator programme will train and support up to 20 teams over a 4-month period. Selected teams will be provided with the tools, connections, mentors and expertise to help them better understand the needs of their customers and validate their business idea. At the end of the program, participants with have the opportunity to pitch their idea to a panel of industry experts to not only receive constructive feedback but also the chance to win one of three equity-free cash prizes.

Application deadline: 26th April 2019

Click here for more information

IGFS is to host a doctoral training programme in partnership with Belfast-based international agri-tech company Devenish, offering two PhD studentships in research areas at the cutting edge of agri-food innovation. The Devenish Doctoral Training Programme offers four-year PhD studentships. We are seeking enthusiastic students to join this dynamic programme, which will develop the skills needed to tackle research challenges across all of the Devenish Core Research Areas.

Each student will receive Professional Skills Development training within Devenish Nutrition; Biosciences Skills Development training within IGFS; and Personal Development and Transferable Skills training within the QUB Graduate School. Years 2-4 will focus on the PhD Research Project.

Applications are sought across a wide remit with particular focus on the following Devenish Core Research Areas:

• Soil health & sustainability management.
• Optimised Animal Nutrition: e.g. the efficiency, health and function of the animal digestive processes; the use of targeted delivery systems for nutrients.
• Optimised Human Nutrition: e.g. maximising the nutritive value of animal derived foods for human consumption.
• Technology Systems for sustainable agriculture: e.g. sensor development; improving receipt of real time, quality data from animals or the environment.
• The final title for the PhD Project will be agreed during Year 1 of the Programme.

Entry requirements

We invite applications from Science graduates who have, or expect to obtain, a first or upper second class degree and have a strong interest in one of the Core Research Areas. The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants.

Funding

The Studentships will be fully funded by Devenish. Each studentship will be for four years and will commence 1st October 2019.The stipend will be a minimum £17,000 for 2019/20.

Deadline for applications 

The closing date for applications is 29 March with interview in April.

How to apply

Candidates must submit an application via the University’s Direct Applications Portal. All successful applicants will be registered with the School of Biological Sciences (select when submitting application) for the duration of the degree programme

Food and drink companies across the province are invited to enter the 2019 Northern Ireland Food and Drink Awards. Sponsored by Ulster Bank, the awards are recognised across the industry as an indicator of commercial success for manufacturers and processors. Held biennially, they offer companies a unique opportunity to showcase their commitment to excellence in front of key stakeholders and customers.

Continue reading

The Food Standards Agency’s Chief Executive Jason Feeney CBE has announced his retirement from the department after more than two years in the role. He will continue to oversee the most critical phase of the FSA’s preparations for EU Exit before stepping down from the role in June.

Continue reading

A greater awareness of nanotechnology – understanding and exploiting materials at the atomic and molecular level – could offer food innovators a useful tool to drive R&D, Professor Kathleen Groves, a Fellow at the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), tells FoodNavigator.

Continue reading

Under the EPA Co-funded Scholarships Scheme, funding is available for a small number of awards, as per the following:

• 48-month PhDs (indicative budget of €96,000);
• Limited to new and innovative projects;
• Co-funded by an Irish host research institution on a 50:50 basis;
• EPA is to be consulted in the drafting of the proposed PhD scope, as well as in the selection process of the candidate (i.e. interview panel)
• All co-funded PhDs would have to adhere to the EPA’s funding rules and reporting requirements.

Submission deadline is 29th March 2019. See EPA Website for full call details.

Campylobacter, Salmonella and non-O157 Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC) cases increased in the United Kingdom in 2017, according to a report. The U.K. Zoonoses Report found Listeria and STEC O157 cases declined. Zoonoses are diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Campylobacter remained the most commonly reported human gastrointestinal pathogen and cases increased in 2017 after a decline over the previous two years.

Continue reading

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), based in Parma, Italy is looking for a Senior Scientific Officer: bioinformatician (Temporary Agent, Grade AD8)

Please send us your application by no later than 28 January 2019 at midnight (local time), following the instructions in the ANNEX.

The purpose of this call is to establish a talent pool (reserve list) that may be used for the recruitment of staff when a position becomes available and will be valid until 31/12/2019. The validity of the talent pool may be extended.

Considering applying for a PhD in 2019?

The QUADRAT Doctoral Training Partnership brings together research and teaching centres of excellence in biological sciences and geosciences - Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Aberdeen. We are looking for outstanding students from the UK and EU. Project themes encompass Biodiversity, Earth Sciences, and Environmental Management.

A full list of projects is available here

A traditional Norwegian fish dish has been recalled due to a link with a case of botulism. Torpet Fiskeoppdrettsanlegg AS recalled rakfisk due to suspicions that consumption can cause botulism. Rakfisk is a traditional Norwegian fish dish made from trout or char, salted and then fermented for up to a year before being eaten without cooking.

Continue reading

Scottish food bodies have joined forces to “implore” the Government to avoid a no-deal Brexit situation that could cost the industry over £2bn in lost sales a year.

Continue reading

University College Cork is preparing for the formal launch of its Food Institute, with an official opening night taking place on Friday, 18th January. The Food Institute UCC is a collaborative research and learning institute which encompasses a spectrum of food-related activity within UCC, and represents the biggest concentration of food-related resources in the country. 

Continue reading

IKILT Wageningen University & Research and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA)’s Laboratory for Food and Feed Safety will merge into a new institute effective from June 2019.

Continue reading

A new European Court of Auditors report has stressed that although the EU food safety system for protecting consumers from chemical hazards in food is soundly based and respected worldwide, it is falling seriously short. This is because the system is vastly overstretched, with the European Commission (EC) and member states struggling to implement the system fully.

Continue reading

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced new standards for food safety. The federal regulatory body released a statement on Tuesday, saying that Canada’s food safety system is “meeting regulations that is consistent with international standards.” The agency is mandating that businesses obtain a safety licence if they import or export food. They also have to focus on preventative measures to avoid food safety risks, as well as increase the speed of food removal.

Continue reading

Early to mid-career scientists are invited to apply for the EU-FORA Fellowship Programme funded and organised by the European Food Safety Authority.

With the EU-FORA Fellowship Programme, EFSA offers motivated scientists an exciting opportunity to gain expertise in food safety risk assessment. The EU-FORA fellowship is a one-year programme, consisting of an on-the-job ‘learning by doing’ placement at a hosting site organisation outside the country where the fellow is currently employed. The placement is complemented by state-of-the-art training on different aspects of food safety risk assessment (for a total of six weeks). All hosting sites are organisations under Art. 36 with recognised expertise in areas relevant to food safety risk assessment.

Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity! Apply by 31 January 2019

For more information please click here

This post will be key in directing and undertaking Data Strategy implementation activities and the Data Manager will be the lead member of the delivery team for plans in this area. The job-holder will have overall responsibility for the day to day management of the Data Collection & Analysis Team, and will ensure consistent and timely data collection and reporting, system maintenance and improvement, accessibility and analysis for all stakeholders, internal and external. The job holder
will also ensure the team's involvement in Europe-wide campaigns (e.g. the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Commission (EC)), associated with data reporting, harmonisation, and other issues of relevance.

How to Apply
An application should be made by submitting your Curriculum Vitae with a comprehensive covering letter, outlining your suitability against the requirements of the position, by email to: recruitment@fsai.ie

Closing Date
The completed application must be submitted no later than 12:00 noon, Monday 28th January 2019.

For more info please click here

The government will today invite food redistribution organisations to apply for the first £5 million round of funding under a multi-million pound pilot scheme to reduce food waste.

Continue reading

Irish food producers have become more reliant on Britain as a market despite a growing threat from Brexit, new figures show. While the value of Irish food and drink exports fell by 4% in 2018, the agri-food sector became more dependent on the UK market which accounted for €4.5 billion, an increase of 2% compared to 2017, a Bord Bia report shows.

Continue reading

If you’re looking to work in the food and drink industry, or even if you’re already employed, then there’s a good chance that you’re going to need or have already undergone some kind of training. It could have been called food hygiene training; but it could also have been called food safety training. The question is, what’s the difference, and does it matter if you get the terms mixed up?

Continue reading