Welcome to the Food & Health Network

A Knowledge Exchange Network from the Institute of Food Research

The Food & Health Network (FHN) bridges the gap between the science of the Institute of Food Research and its application to industry. It is a forum for knowledge exchange and collaboration where science can make a real contribution to industrial effectiveness and sustainability.

The FHN International Hub – A worldwide Network of our partner organisations involved in the science of food, diet and health. By linking this Network with our FHN Members, the Hub aims to maximise access for Members to scientific and industry opportunities throughout the world. More info...

NEWS FOR FHN MEMBERS:

Friday 23 March 2012: -

The Technology Strategy Board (TSB,) in collaboration with DEFRA, BBSRC and the Scottish Government, announced a new funding call at a meeting in London last week. Up to £15 million will be invested in major R&D projects that increase the efficiency, sustainability and competitiveness of the food processing and manufacturing sector, focusing on increasing efficiency and reducing supply chain waste.
The competition aims to fund research that will encourage more efficient food processing, packaging and distribution in retail and food service sectors. In addition the call also hopes to boost the efficient recycling of manufacturing by-products and waste.
Projects must be business-led collaborative projects which can last for up to 3 years.

• The competition is a two-stage process with the first stage opening on 11th June 2012.
• More details are available at http://www.innovateuk.org/_assets/comp_agrifood_crd_final.pdf .

In addition a further 500K is being made available to SME’s and micro companies to help stimulate and promote innovation in the agriculture and food and drink sectors. Grants will be used to support the rapid development of an innovative idea and the demonstration of its practical ability in the relevant sector. Projects may be undertaken by a business alone or with one other business and should last between 3 and 6 months.

• The competition opens on 16th April 2012; further details are available at: http://www.innovateuk.org/_assets/comp_agri-food_feasibility_final.pdf
• If you would like more advice or help with putting together a proposal FHN is more than happy to help; please just contact us.

Our key activities include: 

Our Expertise Clusters, each led by an internationally recognised scientist and are managed on a day-to-day basis by our team of scientific experts, our Cluster Co-ordinators.

Food Allergy  We aim to explore problems and opportunities presented by food allergy including varying the allergenic nature of foods, risk management (including allergen monitoring), allergen-free foods, and emerging beneficial effects of microbes. More info...	Food Safety Exploring current advances in predictive microbiology and risk analysis and develop improved decision support systems to manage microbial food risk. More info....
Food Chain Sustainability Has moved to a web-based format and is now the Food Chain Sustainability SIG - Our ambition is to provide a one-stop-shop for information on sustainability in the food chain. Key areas of information available on the Food Chain Sustainability SIG are available on the SIG Website: More info...	Plants Food & Health This cluster will be of interest to agri-biotech companies developing plant derived products beneficial to health and those with an interest in enhancing nutrition through diet and plant derived natural products.  It will also interest those agencies concerned with giving dietary advice. More info...
Gut Health This cluster will be of interest to those interested in understanding how the intestinal gut functions as an integrated system to maintain and restore gut health. This cluster will be of interest to those involved in: Biomedical industries Biopharmaceutical companies Nutraceutical companies More info...	Structuring Food for Health This cluster will be launched at the forthvcoming NutraFormulate Conference on 7-8 March 2012, where Prof Peter Wilde & Alan Mackie will be speaking at the Conference. If you are interested in joining us at this event for the Launch of the NEW expertise Cluster please contact: Lesley.Swift@ifr.ac.uk

Additonal FHN Activities:

FHN Direct Confidential 1:1 Surgeries with FHN Members of issues they have raised. More info...	FHN International FHN International networks throughout the world, attending Conferences and Events globally, recruiting FHN Members, networking, disseminating IFR science, forming alliances and partnerships with organisations to enhance and further develop collaborative working.
The FHN International Hub The FHN International Hub is a worldwide Network of our partner organisations involved in the science of food, diet and health. By linking this Network with our FHN Members, the Hub aims to maximise access for Members to scientific and industry opportunities throughout the world. More info...