Minister for Agriculture and Food Mary Coughlan has called on the food industry to increase its investment in research and development to create Irish-owned intellectual property in this area and enable the industry to move up the value chain.
Speaking at the launch of the Supporting Food Innovation booklet, which carries highlights of the research carried out by the Food Institutional Research Programme between 2001 and 2004, the Minister said much had been achieved by the programme.
Funded by the Exchequer under the National Development Plan 2000-2006, she said almost €55 million had been awarded to date to 115 projects in 20 research institutes.
Ms Coughlan said the work highlighted in the brochure showed the range of development of foods or quality improvements in food including:
r better products for coeliacs,
r nutritionally-enhanced infant foods,
r bio-cheese that aids dental health,
r improved quality of ready meals,
r and healthier low-fat convenience foods.
She said research carried out in the areas of food safety, environmental protection, ingredients innovation, new technologies and market analysis were also prominently featured in the publication. Most of the projects were selected for funding on the basis they would provide assurance on food safety and quality.
Ms Coughlan said the food sector must research and develop not only the products for today's consumer but also to anticipate those which will be demanded in a few years.
She said health-motivated consumers were driving demand for food with health benefits.
Functional foods or "food for health" was forecast to become a major growth area.
"Researchers and the food industry must play ... roles in addressing lifestyle factors and societal concerns around issues such as obesity and nutrition," Ms Coughlan said.
The Minister said she hoped the publication would stimulate partnerships between industry and research institutions and create greater public awareness of the valuable research work under way.
There was also a need to encourage young people towards careers in science, she added.
The institutions involved are Teagasc's Moorepark facility in Co Cork and its National Food Centre in Dublin; all the universities on the island of Ireland; St Vincent's University Hospital; the Cork, Dublin and Sligo Institutes of Technology; the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory; the Health Protection Surveillance Centre; the National Diagnostics Centre; Bord Bia; and the Food Safety Promotion Board.