UCC School of Food and Nutritional Sciences Researchers Secure Major Funding

15 May 2026

Twelve colleagues from the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences have secured significant backing across seven pioneering projects under a new €37.5 million national research investment. Read more about these collaborative initiatives driving a sustainable food system.

On the 30th April, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon TD, and Minister of State with special responsibility for Research and Development Noel Grealish TD, announced funding of €37.5 million for 30 projects to support research across 19 institutes.

Commenting on the announcement, Minister Heydon said:

‘’This €37.5 million in awards is an investment in the future of Ireland’s agri-food, forest and bioeconomy sectors. Cutting-edge research and innovation are essential to ensuring that these sectors remain competitive, resilient and sustainable in the years ahead.’’ 

Collaborative Research Success

Within our School, 12 colleagues secured funding in this call as Project Co-Ordinators, Principal Investigators and Collaborators across 7 projects. These projects will be conducted in collaboration with South East Technological University, Teagasc, University College Dublin and Atlantic Technological University:

Mapping the footprint of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) across Ireland

Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) Fibre-Based Packaging with Enhanced Barrier Properties for Shelf-Life Extension of Perishable Horticultural Produce

FIELD2FLOUR Ireland: Cultivating a Sustainable Future

Development of novel functional foods to meet the protein requirements in weight management and ageing cohorts

Valorising Innovative Plant Ingredients - Naturally Generated Resource Extracts, Delivering Indigenous & Essential Nutrition Through Sustainability

Protein-I-2 – Advancing Ireland’s Sustainable Protein Transition

A new GENeration of Irish MILK products based on optimisation of diet and GENetics in Irish dairy cows

Advancing a Sustainable Food System

These projects and new funding enable us to advance our core thematic research focus areas in securing a sustainable food system:

1. Food Production Systems and Bioeconomy

2. Food Processing and Transformation

3. Nutrition, Health and Disease

Congratulations to Our Researchers

Congratulations to Dr Eileen Ryan, Dr Tom O’Callaghan, Dr Aylin Sahin, Prof Elke Arendt, Dr Elaine McCarthy, Dr Majella O’Keeffe, Prof Joe Kerry, Prof Seamus O’Mahony, Dr Nilu Sivapragasam, Prof Emanuele Zannini, and Dr Aine Hennessy.

We will keep you updated about these projects, outcomes and impact – watch this space!