School of Food and Nutritional Sciences


UCC's one hundred year history in quailty education of students in food and nutrition is recognised and acclaimed both nationally and around the globe. We welcome you to our website.


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Undergraduate Programmes


Read more on our BSc (Food Science) CK505, BSc (Nutritional Sciences) CK504 and BSc (Food Science and Technology) programmes


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Postgraduate Programmes


Our School offers both taught and research postgraduate opportunites in Food Science and Nutritional Sciences.


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CAO - FAQs

Why Study Food Science in UCC?

10 great reasons to study Food Science (CK505) in UCC

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Your Questions Answered

FAQ's on Food Science and Nutritional Sciences at UCC.
If you have any further questions please email us at foodandnutrition@ucc.ie

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Transition Year Programme 2024

Learn more about our week long, immersive Food and Nutritional Science programme for Transition Year students.

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Staff Research Profiles

Learn of our School Research - led by our Academic staff

Our research is mainly in the fields of vitamin D and food fortification, maternal and child nutrition; currently investigating the evidence for healthy, sustainable diets throughout the life course.

Professor Mairead Kiely BSc (Nutrition), PhD, RNutr (Public Health Nutrition);

Head, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences; Co-Director, Cork Centre for Vitamin D and Nutrition Research,
Principal Investigator, Irish Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research (INFANT)

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My research interests focus on public health areas of vitamin D, population distributions of serum 25(OH)D and related metabolites, dietary requirements for vitamin D and food-based solutions

Professor Kevin Cashman BSc, PhD

Professor of Food and Health

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Cereals, malting and brewing science specifically focussing on gluten free foods and beverages, starter cultures, functional beverages, rheology and food structure are the areas of my expertise

Professor Elke Arendt MSc, PhD, DSc.

Professor in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences and APC Microbiome Centre
https://www.ucc.ie/en/cerealscience/research-team/arendt/

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We have an active research group on the chemistry and processing of milk and dairy products with many national and international collaborations

Professor Alan Kelly BSc, PhD

Professor in the School of Food Science and Technology

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Our primary research interests address food packaging, shelf-life stability, food composition and food quality, particularly in relation to muscle food

Professor Joe Kerry BSc PhD

Professor in Food Technology

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Chemistry/biochemistry of muscle-based foods; physicochemical aspect of processed meat and fish; functional properties of muscle proteins; chemistry of cereal/cereal products are my research interest

Dr. Eileen O'Neill BSc, PhD

Senior Lecturer in Food Chemistry

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Our research focuses on food ingredients, particularly dairy, spanning techno-functionality and formulation through to bio-functionality, involving extensive international collaborations.

Prof. Seamus O'Mahony BSc, PhD

Lecturer in Food Science
Programme Director MSc Food Science
Food Ingredients Research Group Leader
Pillar Leader in Dairy Processing Technology Centre
Funded Investigator in Vistamilk and APC Microbiome Research Centres

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Our research focuses on clinical nutrition & dietetics, specifically nutrition and cancer prevention, cancer-associated wasting, body composition assessment by CT, cachexia and nutrition support.

Dr. Aoife Ryan, BSc, PhD, PGDip TLHE and CORU Registered Dietitian DI021735

Senior Lecturer in Nutrition & Dietetics; Programme director MSc Human Nutrition & Dietetics; Programme Director Post Graduate Diploma in Nutritional Sciences

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Our specialist skills are in the area of sensory and product reformulation, working on sensory and flavour based projects involving a diverse selection of products

Dr. Maurice O'Sullivan BSc, MSc, PhD

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My main research interests include assessing the relationship between body composition (sarcopenia and cancer cachexia) and health outcomes in patients with malignant disease.

Dr. Samantha Cushen BSc, PhD

Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences

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Alice leads research in the area of nutrition, food bioactives and health, specifically, the design of innovative food-based solutions to support health and well-being.

Dr Alice Lucey, BSc (Nutritional Sciences), PhD, RN (Public Health Nutrition), PG Dip (TLHE)

Lecturer in Nutrition

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Maternal and paediatric nutrition, focusing on micronutrients, especially iron, and brain development in term and preterm infants and nutritional biomarker research are my main areas of expertise

Dr. Elaine McCarthy BSc, PhD

Lecturer in Nutrition

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My research interests are in the areas of food process engineering; food physico-chemistry; food design principles; philosophy of food technology and critical food studies

Dr. Shane Crowley BSc, PhD

Lecturer in Food Processing

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My particular emphasis is on dairy chemistry, technology and processing with focus on all aspects of milk and dairy product production, quality and characteristics across the supply chain

Dr. Tom O'Callaghan BSc, PhD

Lecturer in Food Science

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My research interest is on the prevention and management of obesity, particularly maternal, child and adolescent obesity.

Dr. Majella O'Keeffe

Dr Majella O’Keeffe is a graduate of the BSc Nutritional Science at UCC; PhD at Cardiff University; Columbia University Research fellow New York Obesity and Nutrition Research Centre; Diploma in Dietetics from King’s College London - recipient of the Van Der Bergh prize

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My research interests are in the area of sustainable food systems, including upcycling of side streams, alternative proteins, and life cycle assessment focusing on technological and nutritional aspect

Dr Aylin Sahin

Lecturer in Sustainable Food Systems

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My research focusses on the impact of nutritional exposures and health behaviours during pregnancy/early life on later health outcomes, with emphasis on analysis of dietary patterns and diet quality.

Áine Hennessy

College Lecturer: Nutritional Sciences

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Our research focuses on nutritional intake and appetite control across the lifespan, particularly exploring where changes can improve the health and sustainability of older adults diets.

Dr Miriam Clegg, BSc, PhD, RNutr (Nutrition Science), SFHEA
Senior Lecturer in Human Nutrition

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“My research interests aims to produce alternative proteins, food ingredients, bioactive, and biobased products, for improving resources efficiency, food security, and implementing circular bioeconomy

Dr. Gaurav Rajauria, SUSBioRef: Sustainable Bioprocess Technology and Biorefinery Research Group

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Careers

Read the stories of some of our students who graduated with BSc (Food Science), BSc (Nutritional Science) and BSc (Food Science and Technology) degrees. They are happy to share their career experiences with you and hope that this will help you with your career choice.

Attention to detail, being a cross functional team member and organisation are key to success

Deirdre O'Carroll - Blender, Irish Distillers

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Be patient – a career takes time to develop

Dr. Tom O'Callaghan, College Lecturer, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, UCC

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Change is good. Be a team player. Always remain curious’

Rachel O’Brien, RDA Technologist II- Primary Dairy, Kerry Europe & Russia

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Make connections and conversations. Keep learning.

Anne Parle MPH BSc, Nutritionist & Site Leader, Food Choice

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Never throw away your university notes - you will go back to them again and again...

Teresa Daly, Business Development Manager (Kerry Group- Enzymes Europe)

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Food Science at UCC has opened many doors and opportunities in my career linking technical content, innovative thinking and teamwork seamlessly. A global food network (..and many friends along the way

Dr. Eve Mulcahy - Product Manager for Glanbia

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I am a practicing Nutrition Consultant with a particular interest in nutrition for sports performance and health.

Shonagh Harpur - The Nutrisho, Emmett Place, Kinsale, Co. Cork.

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Research opens the door to an unexpected and exciting journey

Dr. Ursula Kenny, Lecturer and Senior Researcher, Department of Clinical Sciences and Nutrition University of Chester

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‘This is a fantastic programme that links colleges internationally and provides great opportunities for students to understand different cultures and educational systems.’

Jia Hou – Product Development Specialist, Nestlé Development Centre, Askeaton, Ireland

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"This course has allowed me to work in the fast-paced food and beverage industry that continues to innovate and to break boundaries everyday"

Sarah Browner - BSc (Hons) Nutritional Sciences, MSc Innovation in European Business

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On graduation with a wide spread of basic core knowledge, microbiology, nutrition, food chemistry, processing and engineering.. also, knowing I could pick up the phone for support was a huge bonus

Valerie Kingston - Glenilen Foods, BSc Food Science (1991)

Valerie Kingston and her husband Alan, are the founders of Glenilen Farm, an artisan, dairy-based food company located in West Cork. Valerie’s entrepreneurial journey began when she started selling home-produced cheesecakes at the local farmer’s market over 20 years ago. What originated as a cottage industry is now an award-winning commercial enterprise supplying dairy-based chilled products to major retailers in Ireland and the UK, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.

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All courses I have attended in UCC have benefited myself and my business immensely – be it from understanding supply chain and logistics, to nutritional composition

Marion Cantillon - Postgraduate Diploma in Nutritional Science

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Work Placement Stories

Susan is a credit to UCC School of Food and Nutritional Sciences!

Dave Savage- Pepisco R&D, Cork

Susan Aherne spent her Internship with Pepsico R&D in Cork working in the Concentrate Development Team.

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I was involved in bringing the product 'Velo Tandem' from idea to shelf. This was of course a huge success for a small local producer - suffice to say my workplace mentor was thrilled!

Jennifer Ramsbottom - 4th Year Nutritional Science student

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From the knowledge I had acquired while studying at UCC, I was able to put theory into practice by developing a “meat-like” sausage from plant based ingredients.

Kate Collins - 4th Year Nutritional Science student

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1880 - 1889 The 1880's

1880 Munster Dairy School - Model Farm Cork

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1880 Munster Dairy School - Model Farm Cork

Dr. Tolborn, a member of the Cork Agricultural Society, proposed in 1880 that a dairy school should be established at the Munster Model Farm in Cork. The Board for National Education supported the proposal and the Munster Dairy School and Agricultural Institute was established and opened in 1880. This was the first dairy school in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It introduced a course (two 6-week terms) for the training of 'dairymaids' for farm butter-making.

1890 - 1899 The 1890's

1893 Creamery Managers Course - Munster Dairy School Cork

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1893 Creamery Managers Course - Munster Dairy School Cork

Industrilization of the dairy industry created the need for trained personnel (creamery managers); to meet this need In 1893 a Creamery Managers (6 week course) was initiated in the Munster Dairy School Model Farm Road Cork. A similar course commenced in The Albert College, Dublin in 1894. 

1910 - 1919 The 1910's

1915 Transfer of Creamery Managers course to Royal College of Science for Ireland

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1915 Transfer of Creamery Managers course to Royal College of Science for Ireland

In 1915, the Creamery Managers course was transferred to the Royal College of Science for Ireland and was transferred in 1924 to University College Cork.

1920 - 1929 The 1920's

1923 First Professors of Dairying, University College Cork.

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1923 First Professors of Dairying, University College Cork.

Photograph top left to right: Professor Michael Grimes, Lecturer in Agricultural Bacteriology, 1923-1927; Lecturer (and later Professor of Dairy Bacteriology, 1927-1959: Professor Connell Boyle, Professor of Agriculture 1923-1964; Dean of Faculty of Dairy Science, 1926-1964: Professor Joseph Lyons, Dairy Produce Inspector, Department of Agriculture, 1921-1927; Lecturer (and later Professor) of Dairy Technology,  1927-1954: Lower left to right: Professor Frank McGrath, Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, 1923-1927; Lecturer (and later Professor) in Dairy Engineering 1927-1967: Professor G.T. Pyne, Lecturer (and later Professor) in Dairy Chemistry, 1924-1969: Professor Michael Murphy, Lecturer and later Professor of Dairy Accounting and Economics, 1928-1969.

1924 Report of the Drew Commission

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1924 Report of the Drew Commission

April 11, 1924. The Report of the Drew Commission which was drawn up to advise the newly established Irish Free State Government, made numerous recommendations on aspects of agriculture, including the establishment of a Department of Agriculture at University College Dublin, University College Cork, University College Galway and Trinity College Dublin.

1924 Announcement of the Faculty of Dairy Science in UCC

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1924 Announcement of the Faculty of Dairy Science in UCC

At the meeting of the Governing Body of UCC on October 10th 1924, UCC President Merriman announced that following discussions with Government Ministers and Officials of the Department of Agriculture that the Cork College was to be granted a full Faculty of Agriculture. While the minutes of the Governing Body Meeting recorded the title “Faculty of Agriculture” the term “Faculty of Dairy Science” was recorded twice in the margins of the minutes. (apparently there was some confusion at to what was on offer). Professor O'Rahilly (pctured)  who was Registrar UCC at the time (1920-1944) and later President UCC, 1944-1954, had made a major effort to get a Department/Faculty of Agriculture in UCC. However a Faculty of Dairy Science was allocated instead.

 

1924 1st intake of students on the Certificate in Creamery Management Course

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1924 1st intake of students on the Certificate in Creamery Management Course

On 1st October 1924 it was decided by the Government and UCC to transfer the Creamery Managers’ Course from the Royal College of Science of Ireland, Dublin (RCSI) to UCC. On October 3rd 1924, the Assistant Secretary, Department of Lands and Agriculture, H.G. Smith wrote to nine students who had been due to enter the second year of the Creamery Manager Course at the RCSI informing them that they were being transferred to UCC and that they should report there on October 14 at 10:00. They were requested to confirm which all of them did. There was an intake in 1924 of 13 students, 11 of whom graduated in 1926 and a further 11 in 1927.

1928 Laying of the Foundation Stone of the New Dairy Institute

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1928 Laying of the Foundation Stone of the New Dairy Institute

Following much discussion the location of Fernhurst Avenue (now Donovans Road) was chosen as the location for the building of the New Dairy Institute. Work commenced on the building with the laying of the foundation stone by W.T. Cosgrave, President of the Irish Free State on July 20, 1928.  The building was opened in 1931.

1928 First BSc (Dairying) graduate conferred

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1928 First BSc (Dairying) graduate conferred

Jeremiah Doherty was the first graduate conferred with a BSc (Dairying) in 1928. He had started an Associateship in the BSc equivalent in the Royal College in Dublin and transferred to UCC to complete his degree. Mr. Jeremiah Doherty (front row, second from left) with President Merriman and academic staff, 1928.

1930 - 1939 The 1930's

1930 Experimental Creamery commences operations

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1930 Experimental Creamery commences operations

The UCC Experimental Creamery built as part of the Dairy Science Building commenced operation in April 1930. It was a semi-commercial operation with a capacity to process 20,000L milk per day.  It purchased cream from the small co-operative creameries, Ballinhassig CDS, Carrigaline CDS and Imokilly CDS. And surplus milk from liquid milk producers in the Cork area. It made made retail sales of cheese and butter under its own brand, “University Band”.

1936 First Postgraduate Students

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1936 First Postgraduate Students

Postgraduate degrees in MSc (Dairying) and PhD were introduced at an early stage.  First Postgraduate Students (seated l-r: Dr. A.J. Hennerty, Prof. Merriman, President, W. Finlay (MSc), (standing l-r:  T. Neville (BSc Dairying), Prof. Grimes, M. O’Shea (MSc later Professor of Dairy Technology).

1940 - 1949 The 1940's

1946 First female BSc(Dairy Science) conferred

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1946 First female BSc(Dairy Science) conferred

Ms. Elizabeth Fitzpatrick was the 1st female to graduate with a BSc in Dairy Science in 1946

1950 - 1959 The 1950's

1950 Introduction of Food Science and Technology

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1950 Introduction of Food Science and Technology

In 1950 postgraduate course in Food Bacteriology for graduates in Chemistry or Biochemistry was introduced. 1957 the US Counterpart Fund; Scholarships were awarded to: Tony O'Sullivan- Conrnell University- PhD 1962; Michael Mulcahy - MIT 1958/9; P.J. Gaffney - Institute of Food Technology, London; S.F. O'Donovan (Pictured) - Universiry of Reading 1958/9.

1954 First discussions on Food Science

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1954 First discussions on Food Science

Henry Atkins, President of UCC 1954-1963 attempted to establish a Faculty of Agriculture through a grant from The Ford Foundation, however funding was unsuccessful.  Funding obtained from The Kellogg Foundation allowed for the training of many postgraduate students in Food Science in the USA. President Atkins was a major force in the establishment of Food Science at UCC.

1960 - 1969 The 1960's

1961 First Academic "food" related appointment

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1961 First Academic "food" related appointment

Professor Tadhg O'Mullanae was appointed as Professor of Dairy and Food Microbiology in 1961.   This was the first appointment with the title of "food".

1970 - 1979 The 1970's

1970 Introduction of Human Nutrition to the Dairy Science Programme

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1970 Introduction of Human Nutrition to the Dairy Science Programme

The decision to supplement the BSc (Dairying) with Human Nutrition was taken following a review by Professor Harris of Massachusetts Insitiute of Technology in 1970. The first appointement in Nutrition was Dr. Frank Cremin (1974-1978). The 1st Professor of Nutrition was Professor Morrissey appointed in 1978, subsequently in 1979, a joint honours degree in Food Chemistry and Nutrition was introduced.

Photograph: Professor P.A. Morrissey, Lecturer in Food Chemistry and first Professor of Nutrition, UCC

1977 Construction of New Food Science and Technology Building

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1977 Construction of New Food Science and Technology Building

A new site was chosen for the New Food Science and Technology Building at College Road. The site included four properties. La Retraite, Lapp’s Charity, a private house (Cudmore’s) and a poultry merchant’s yard which were purchased. The New Food Science and Technology Building was completed and occupied in 1979. The new building included extensive pilot plant facilities with equipment for Dairy, Meat and Cereal Technology.

1990 - 1999 The 1990's

1993 Expansion of the Food Science and Technology Building

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1993 Expansion of the Food Science and Technology Building

Owing to lack of physical facilities the Food Science and Technology Building underwent a further expansion. The building was officially opened in 1993.

Photograph: Official Opening of the Food Science and Technology Building Left-Right:  Albert Flynn, Dean, Bernard Allen, TD, Joe O’Callaghan, Lord Mayor of Cork. Niamh Breathnach, Minister for Education, Michael Mortell, President, UCC.

1998 Establishment of the Department of Food Science and Technology

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1998 Establishment of the Department of Food Science and Technology

During mid 1990's, President of UCC Michael Mortell, embarked on a rationalization programme throughout UCC. This included the amalgamation of Departments within the Faculty of Food Science and Technology. Following consultation the Departments of Food Chemistry, Food Technology, Nutrition and Agriculture agreed to amalgamate to form a Department of Food Science and Technology.  This later became the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences and presently the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences with Professorships in Food Technology, Food Chemistry and Nutrition. 

2010 - 2019 The 2010's

2016 Faculty of Food Science and Technology: A History

A book outlining the history of the Faculty of Food Science and Technology was published in 2016. ... Read more

2016 Faculty of Food Science and Technology: A History

This book describes mainly the history of the Dairy/Food Science Faculty since 1924 and its antecedents during the period 1880-1924. The focus is on the events leading to the establishment of the Faculty, its physical facilities, course programmes and the staff involved.  The book contains numerous figures, photographs and appendices. 

All history presented in this timeline has been sourced from the book Faculty of Food Science and Technology University College Cork: A History, edited by Professor Patrick F. Fox with the assistance of Ms. Anne Cahalane. 

School of Food and Nutritional Sciences

School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Room 240 Food Science Building, University College, Cork

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