The prestigious Elsevier/Stanford University World Rankings of Researchers has named 11 academics from the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences at University College Cork experts among the global top 2% of academics most cited in their fields.

FITU are now recruiting for 3 Programme Manager Positions (1 full-time role and 2 part-time roles). 

We look forward to welcoming Dairy professionals to partake in the Summer School & Symposium, learning events which will be hosted by the Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, 24-28 June 2024. The symposium is targeted at researchers, academics, industry, teachers and anyone with an interest in learning about the latest discoveries in Dairy Science, delivered by 12 keynote speakers. Additionally, each afternoon will feature a number of flash presentations from early career researchers. 

To submit an abstract for consideration, please see the information on the abstract submission page (Deadline: April 15th 2024)

The development of a sustainable waste-to-protein biorefinery system is among the UCC projects that have received funding through Science Foundation Ireland’s (SFI) National Challenge Fund.

Six graduates from the Dairy Science Class of 1963 celebrated their 60th reunion at UCC recently. The group were reunited by their classmate Denis O’Mahony and, with support from Máire Murphy of Alumni and Development, they gathered on campus for a day.

Today, University College Cork (UCC) and Taste for Success Skillnet have announced the establishment of new upskilling and talent development learning programmes for professionals in the Dairy sector.

The 50th Annual Food Science and Technology Conference, hosted by UCC and the Institute of Food Science and Technology of Ireland (IFSTI) took place at UCC on 6 and 7 December.

We were delighted to welcome North Cork Creameries to the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences earlier this week to meet with our undergraduate and postgraduate students.

The conference focuses on providing opportunities for young scientists (postgraduates) to present their research and is a unique event in that regard. At this event, early-stage researchers will be given insights into the exciting opportunities available in the food area and how to avail of them, through networking and knowledge exchange. This year marks a special occasion for the conference as we are celebrating 50 years of supporting its initial objective of growing our future food/beverage scientists.

Kerry Group is to sponsor two Masters students in 2022 through the innovative MSc in Dairy Process Technology at UCC. The students will be employed by Kerry Dairy Ireland while completing their Masters at the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences.

The future success of Ireland’s dairy industry is dependent on the sector adopting a ‘value not volume’ approach to production, according to Professor Seamus O’Mahony who takes up his new role as Professor of Dairy Science at the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, UCC.

The European Commission has launched a €4M investment to establish a Dairy Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) under the Erasmus+ scheme. The programme is led by the Association of European Dairy Industry Learning (AEDIL) and will establish nine regional Centres, including one based in UCC. The centres will contribute to a transnational European Dairy Learning Hub, which will be led by Professor Seamus O’Mahony, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences.

Principle Investigators in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences have been awarded funding from the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, under their FIRM 2021 programme.

On Tuesday 6th December to Wednesday 7th December 2022, we will be hosting the 50th IFSTI Food Science and Technology Conference here in University College Cork.

Thanks to all the team at the Carbery Group Ballineen Co Cork who hosted our Food Science students for a factory tour,  presentation and cheese tasting. Students were highly impressed by the wonderful facilities and were very grateful for this opportunity.

Many thanks to all involved.

Following on from a very successful Dairy Science and Technology Training Initiative in January of this year, the Aurivo Co-operative partnered again with University College Cork (UCC) for a  focused course on Butter Science and Technology

Academic and research staff from the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Prof Mairead Kiely, Prof Joe Kerry, Dr Seamus O’Mahony and Dr Emanuele Zannini were delighted to welcome Minister of State Martin Heydon TD to visit the extensive, world-class research facilities in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences at UCC earlier this week.

FoodlineUCC, located within the Food Industry Training Unit (FITU), School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork in partnership with Taste 4 Success Skillnet are delighted to host Professor Purnendu Vasavada and Professor Alan Kelly in this industry focused webinar. 

Building on significant recent capital investment in their dairy processing infrastructure, Aurivo have partnered with University College Cork (UCC) for their Dairy Science and Technology training requirements

University College Cork (UCC) is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Mark Fenelon as Adjunct Professor in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences.

University College Cork (UCC) is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Jonathan O’Regan as Adjunct Professor in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences.

As a recent graduate of BSc. Food Marketing and Entrepreneurship, Marion continued to study and completed a postgraduate Diploma in Nutritional Science, specialising in biofilms in UCC. She was lucky enough to be selected as part of the class of Ignite 2020, an accelerator program, again based in UCC and received great assistance in getting her company off the ground. 

The Forum will hear from leading industry experts and thought­ leaders on innovating for sustainable growth, emerging megatrends and insights in food and beverage on 27th May 2021 - 14:00 to 16:00.

The Handbook of Molecular Gastronomy, of which Prof. Alan Kelly is co-editor, will be published on 26th May, preceded by a special online event on 12th May to launch the book, introduced by the French Ambassador to Ireland and featuring some of the contributors.

Please register at Food and Nutritional Sciences to receive Zoom link.

The College of Science, Engineering and Food Science presents a panel discussion which will showcase our prestigious School of Food and Nutritional Sciences. Our panelists will represent just some of the research themes within the School and will highlight why our programmes should be top of your list.

The Local Enterprise Office South Cork are holding their third annual AgriTech conference online on Wednesday 3rd March.

In March of each year our Food Science and Nutritional Science students are available to undertake a six-month work placement. Our dedicated Work Placement Officer is available to assist with the organisation of placements in a broad range of settings.

The enzymology of milk and other products is of enormous significance for the production and quality of almost every dairy product. Milk itself is a complex biological fluid that contains a wide range of enzymes with diverse activities, some of which have identifiable functions while others are present as an accidental consequence of the mechanism of milk secretion. Over time milk enzymology has become an incredibly essential component of milk and other dairy product production, and with advancing technology and processing techniques, its importance is at its peak. 

According to the most recent Irish census data, the workforce participation rate for women aged 35 to 55 is 72% – 20% lower than for men. Significant numbers of highly educated, experienced, professional women take a career break for a variety of reasons, planning to return to the workforce when the time is right.

In this video, we will show you some of our learning, teaching and research spaces and give you a flavour of what it is like to study Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science and IT, Engineering and Architecture, Food and Nutritional Sciences, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Maths and Physics in the UCC College of SEFS.

Join School of Food and Nutritional Science researcher Ritika as she tells us how almost all baby milk formula contains cow's milk and how food companies do it! 

https://youtu.be/aImCG3blwTY  

John O’Connell of Skibbereen-based West Cork Distillers, is a graduate and postgraduate of UCC graduating with a BSc and PhD in Food Chemistry. 

As part of Science Week Ireland 2020, events have gone online with recordings for delivery at a number of science festivals which allow for audience interaction. Megan Ross and Professor Alan Kelly of the School have participated in ‘Baking In Space – Bake to the Future'. It includes a presentation by Alan and Megan on 3D printing of food, including video footage kindly prepared by Megan and Dave Waldron.

‘Baking In Space – Bake to the Future’ is a Science Week Ireland 2020 programme funded by Science Foundation Ireland and created in partnership with British Council Ireland.

For research to have an impact on the world beyond the laboratory, it has to be communicated effectively.

- Do you know a professional woman looking to return to work? Would they be interested in an award winning free course, accessible nationwide?

Beginning on Monday 12th October at 6pm, five UCC Societies will host a week-long conference with a roster of amazing speakers who will be sharing their stories of working during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.

There have been numerous rapid and innovative advancements in many areas since COVID-19 arrived in Ireland and now we are going to give those at the forefront of these developments a chance to share their stories with us.

Congratulations to Prof Alan Kelly, who has been named Research Communicator of the Year. Two School of Food and Nutritional Sciences papers have also been nominated in the new category of Most Cited Publications Worldwide. A paper on the impact of loss of muscle mass during chemotherapy on survival rates of patients with cancers of their upper gut, which was co-authored by Dr Aoife Ryan, was nominated as one of Top 1% of cited papers first published in 2018, as was a paper on the effect of 3D printing on the structure and textural properties of processed cheese co-authored by Profs Joe Kerry and Alan Kelly.

Professor Kelly has recently published the book How Scientists Communicate, with Oxford University Press. 

The UCC Research Awards ceremony can be viewed online from 6pm on Thursday 8th October at the following link: https://www.ucc.ie/en/live/

The IWC is a unique forum which brings together everyone involved in whey processing, from around the world, for an interactive dialogue on the most relevant aspects of whey production, processing and applications.

We are looking for people who have been living in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic to take part in an anonymous online survey about SMELL and TASTE perception

UCC’s Prof Sarah Culloty explains why now, more than ever, is an exciting time for anyone thinking of pursuing a career in STEM.

Congratulations to Dr Seamus O’Mahony and his Food Ingredients Research Group in their successful bid, through the Dairy Processing Technology Centre. 

The Blas na hÉireann Awards are known as the Irish Food Oscars

UCC is working with Business News on the 2020 Women in STEM IE campaign. 

'Taste Cork' newsletter discusses CAO options for Food Science and Nutritional Sciences programmes 

Professor Joe Kerry, Food and Nutritional Sciences, UCC has worked with a small food business, and has helped it to grow in these challenging times. The business has pivoted during the COVID crisis - with the help of three students studying 4^th year Food Science at UCC.

In December 2019, Minister Creed, TD, announced awards of almost €20 million in funding across 38 research projects arising from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s 2019 Competitive Call for Research.

UCC Dy Science Graduate (1985) Ross Lewis is a Michelin Star chef and the owner of Chapter One restaurant in Dublin for the past 27 years.

The physical properties (e.g., particle size, shape and mechanical integrity) of nutritional powders need to be tightly controlled. To this end Abbott Nutritionals and UCC have collaborated to better understand, predict and control mechanical integrity of agglomerated nutritional powders during transport, storage and packaging in the factory. 

The School of Food and Nutritional Sciences is proud to announce that it has been accredited with an Athena SWAN Bronze Award in the latest round of applications

Innovative new protein foods to be made from plants, fungi, and byproducts

The School of Food and Nutritional Science is delighted to take part in ‘Cork Discovers – A World of Research,’ a series of free, exciting and interactive events for all ages taking place in venues across Cork City on Friday, September 27th, 2019.

University College Cork is celebrating its 12^th anniversary working alongside Blas na hÉireann, Ireland’s largest blind-tasting food awards, designed to recognise and celebrate the very best Irish food and drink.

Food has been an integral part of human society and culture for millennia, but cultures of another kind have long been key to production of many much-loved products.

The School of Food & Nutritional Sciences in conjunction with Breakthrough Cancer Research are delighted to launch their latest free cookbook for cancer patients: 'Healthy Eating for Cancer Survivors'. Written by Dr Aoife Ryan (Senior Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences) and Dr Éadaoin Ní Bhuachalla (Senior Dietitian in HSE Community care and UCC PhD graduate).  

University College Cork is celebrating its 12th anniversary working alongside Blas na hÉireann, Ireland’s largest blind-tasting food awards, designed to recognise and celebrate the very best Irish food and drink.

On the 27^th June, Inka Spread, a team of two UCC PhD students and two students from other Universities, took part in the Grand Finale of the Rethink Protein Challenge hosted by Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, winning the Wildcard for the Dutch 4TU Impact Challenge.

The demand for innovative plant-based infant formulas is growing, especially with the increasing vegan and vegetarian communities seeking healthy and sustainable plant-based alternatives for themselves, as well as their babies.

In May 2019, Professor Alan Kelly of the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences published a book entitled Molecules, Microbes and Meals: the Surprising Science of Food (Oxford University Press). 

The Cork Centre for Vitamin D and Nutrition Research won Food Lab of the Year and the top prize of Research Academic Lab of the year at the 2019 Irish Laboratory Awards.

On Thursday 14^th February, the UCC School of Food and Nutritional Sciences took part in the annual Dawn Meats Great Agri-Food Debate hosted by Waterford Institute of Technology

On Thursday 6^th and Friday 7^th December 2018 the 47^th Annual Food Science and Technology Conference was hosted by the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, UCC. Over 160 delegates heard and viewed oral and poster presentations from early postgraduate research students.

Megan Ross, who is at present studying for her PhD in Food Science, under the supervision of Professor Alan Kelly, was awarded the highly prestigious Bronze Award for her presentation at the Global Food Science Student competition in Jiangnan Unviersity, Wuxi, China.

Tegasc Walsh Fellowship 4th Year PhD Food Science student Orla Power, wins Institute of Food Science and Technology Ireland (IFSTI) medal for Best Food Science and Technology Presentation.

The School last night celabrated its inaugural undergraduate awards ceremony and start of term event. 

Our BSc Food Science has just received formal accreditation from the (UK) Institute of Food Science and Technology - the first programme outside the UK to be so recognized.

We launched our book today 'Making the most of every bite' which is a high protein, high calorie resource for the estimated 145,000 Irish people who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. It was launched by Minister for Health Simon Harris. 100,000 free copies are available through the HSE.

Day of debate covers Brexit, consumer behaviour and sustainability, CAP and Ireland’s environmental responsibilities

Holly Clarke, PhD student has been selected for one of six ‘Giract’ (European PhD Flavor Research Awards Programme) bursaries.

Article selected as an 'Editors Choice'

The Cork Centre for Vitamin D and Nutrition Research, based in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences at University College Cork, hosted an international conference entitled Vitamin D & Health in Europe: current and future perspectives on the 5^th and 6^th September, 2017.

One of the most exciting areas of food processing globally at present is 3D printing, with food companies, chefs and consumers alike seeing great potential in the ability of this technology to tailor and personalize food shapes, structures and formulations using this highly innovative technology.  The principle of 3D printing is that a material is extruded (printed) through a suitable nozzle onto a flat surface, with the position of the nozzle being controlled by a computer into which a particular target shape or configuration has been programmed, such that layers of material can be built up into a vast range of shapes and designs, once the material being printed has the property of solidifying enough on printing to retain its shape and position.

The School of Food and Nutritional Sciences congratulates its students Thomas France (BSc Food Science), Sarah Kate Walsh (BSc Nutritional Science) and Michaela Crosbie (BSc Nutritional Sciences). All three were honoured on Friday as SEFS Undergraduate Quercus College Scholars and Michaela is also a Quercus University Scholar. The ceremony took place in the Creative Zone in the Boole Library on Friday 31st March 2017.

University College Cork (UCC) is celebrating its proud tradition of teaching and research in Dairy and Food Science over the last nine decades.  As part of this celebration, Professor Patrick F. Fox has written a book ‘Faculty of Food Science and Technology University College Cork: A History’, which provides a description of the history of the Dairy/Food Science Faculty at UCC since 1924 and how it came into being during the turbulent period from 1880 to 1926.  

University College Cork, which has a proud heritage in Dairy Education in Ireland and recognised as an international centre of excellence in Dairy Research, is the venue for the 2017 Spring Conference. 

Lord Mayor's visit to School, 2nd November 2016

With 70-98% of new product launches failing, UCC sensory scientist Dr Maurice O’ Sullivan’s book focused on consumer-led product development has been hailed as “a critical update to the food and beverage sector.”

A 90% employment record for our graduation class of 2016 at this stage of the year is a good news story by any standard, so there were many happy graduates and indeed parents at the Food Science graduation ceremony on Tuesday last.

On 24^th May, teams of students from the BSc Food Science and BSc Food Business degrees programmes at UCC displayed their work during the year to develop new food products and commercialisation strategies as part of their final-year research projects.  

The European Academy of Food Engineering (EAFE) led by Professor Yrjö H. Roos, Head of School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, UCC, organized an international Food Engineering for Life – Honorary Symposium for Professor Emeritus Marcus Karel at Samberg Conference Center at MIT on May 17, 2016. 

A cookbook for cancer patients experiencing difficulties in chewing or swallowing their food is available free of charge to cancer patients throughout Ireland. 

UCC has launched a new postgraduate qualification aimed at supporting the further education and training needs of people working in the dairy industry. 

Ireland is the 10^th largest dairy export nation globally, exporting 85% of all output produced. Butter, cheese, and dairy-derived products such as yogurts and dairy-based drinks have now been complemented with dairy ingredients including milk-fat, milk protein, and other nutritional ingredients to cater to markets including infant formula and sports nutrition.

Louise Daly (BSc Nutritional Sciences 2014) who is now a 2^nd year PhD student in the Clinical Nutrition Research Group in UCC won the overall research prize at the ‘New Horizons Medical Research Conference 2015’ held in UCC on 10^th Dec 2015

The ‘Good Nutrition for Cancer Recovery’ book published by The Clinical Nutrition Research Group at UCC won the ‘Best Patient Lifestyle Education Award’ at the recent Irish Healthcare awards ceremony in Dublin. 

The next time you visit the supermarket, spare a thought for how food technologists get omega-3 safely into milk, or make vitamins stable to bring health benefits to consumers.

Nutri-vive, an innovative functional beverage developed by students, clinched the UCC Food Innovation Prize at the Dragons’ Den-style event.

Kamil Drapala, Ph.D. candidate in the Food Ingredients Research Group in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences at UCC, received an award for best oral presentation in the Food Processing and Technology category from Dr Lisa O’Connor, Chief Specialist Food Safety, FSAI, during the 43^rd Annual Food Research Conference held at UCD, Dublin on December 2014.

The majority of patients with advanced cancer experience involuntary weight loss which is related to increased morbidity, decreased quality of life and poor survival.

Recipes for the book were submitted by dietitians, nurses, doctors, celebrity chefs and cancer patients. Many recipes in the book are family favourites, but the ingredients have been enhanced to maximise the calorie intake in small volumes.

Dr. Joseph Kerry of the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences - UCC has been Academic Director for the Blas na hEireann Irish National Food Awards since its formal initiation in 1998. 

Neven Maguire was presented with an award for the most inspirational Irish Food Personality by Irish food producers at this year’s tasting sessions for the Blas na hÉireann food and drink awards in Dingle.

Eve Mulcahy won 1^st place in the Young Scientist Competition at the 7^th International Whey Conference (IWC) held in Rotterdam on 7-9^th September.

Two Food Science students Grace Kelly and Lisa Zychowski have been awarded the 2014 Walsh Fellowship Short-term Overseas Training Programme to study abroad for a term of their postgraduate studies. 

MOCON, Inc, the world’s leading manufacturer of permeation instrumentation, is announcing its support of the Food Packaging Group, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork (UCC), Cork, Ireland.

Several of the Vitamin D Research Group within the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences presented at the international conference on Vitamin D and Health – from the gamete to the grave in London very recently. 

The Vitamin D Research Group at University College Cork, Ireland, who provide the centralized analytic platform for serum 25(OH)D measurement in the ODIN project as well as other EU and nationally funded vitamin D research projects are among the first of eight labs worldwide (two in Europe) to be certified by the CDC’s Vitamin D Standardization Certification Program (see,  http://www.cdc.gov/labstandards/pdf/hs/CDC_Certified_Vitamin_D_Procedures.pdf). 

Food Ireland Directory

News Archive 2013

Nourishing your body during pancreatic cancer treatment.

BIM Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) are looking for innovative graduates who are interested in career development opportunities, travel, and working within a dynamic team in a flexible work environment./UCC Business Graduate Placement Programme 2024