A network that is trying to tackle the main foodborne risks in the United Kingdom has received further funding.
The Food Safety Research Network (FSRN) is hosted by the Quadram Institute and led by Dr. Matthew Gilmour and Dr. Maria Traka.
FSRN was established in 2022 with £1.6 million ($2.1 million) in funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Food Standards Agency (FSA).
The network has now been awarded £650,000 ($863,000) over three years, which will speed up translating research into real-world food safety solutions, strengthen connections across the food system, and boost investment to tackle emerging and evolving risks.
Four areas of focus
Every year in the UK, foodborne illness causes more than 2.4 million cases of food poisoning and costs the economy about £11 billion ($14.6 billion).
The next phase of the plan for the network has four priority areas. The first is to reduce the risk from pathogens such as E. coli in ready-to-eat foods, biofilms and look at pathogen surveillance. The second is understanding novel and emerging risks, such as climate change, plant-based and insect sources of protein and guidance for vertical farming.
The third area is concerned with how to apply food safety knowledge and technology to traditional practices. This ranges from certified training to supply chain mapping and ways to share microbial data across the industry. The final area is looking at domestic food safety and understanding storage and preparation risks and the beliefs and behaviors of consumers. The aim is to find effective ways to improve food safety in the home.
Dr. Gilmour, FSRN co-director and Quadram Institute research group leader, said: “The Food Safety Research Network has shown what’s possible when you bring food businesses and researchers into the same room to solve real-world problems.
“From day one, our model has been built on listening to understand what businesses genuinely need to manage risk and stay ahead of emerging challenges. Building on those insights, we’ve forged partnerships that deliver practical benefits, while also giving government a clearer view of the wider food safety research landscape.”
Progress so far
The network includes almost 500 members from 290 organizations. It has run 11 workshops and supported 42 projects, distributing £1.88 million ($2.5 million) of funding to unite scientific researchers with industry and policymaking perspectives. It has also offered training and help to early career researchers and SMEs.
Supported projects include how to reduce the risk of microbial pathogens, understanding risk in novel foods and processes, and applying new knowledge to food safety, including for consumers at home.
In response to outbreaks of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), FSRN, with the Chilled Food Association, are playing a role in coordinating a response across businesses, food testing labs and the government, to develop a fit-for-purpose STEC test and clarify STEC-related reporting regulations and practices.
Alec Kyriakides, a food safety consultant, said: “FSRN has proven to be one of the most value-adding research networks for food safety professionals where today’s food safety challenges can be explored and targeted solutions developed.”
Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, executive chair of BBSRC, said: “Ensuring a safe, resilient and future-ready food system is a national priority and one that depends on strong collaboration between science, industry and government. By uniting academic insight with real-world expertise, the network has already demonstrated its power to drive practical solutions to complex food safety challenges.”
The network involves the Quadram Institute, Newcastle University, University of Southampton, Fera Science, University of Leeds, Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, FSA, Alec Kyriakides, the Fresh Produce Consortium, Samworth Brothers, Queen’s University Belfast, UK Edible Insects Association, Asda, and Chilled Food Association.
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