What are the Expertise Clusters?
The issues and opportunities within R&D today can only be addressed by combining the skills from a number of different scientific and commercial disciplines. Although IFR does not have the solution to every scientific problem in the food industry, it can make a definitive contribution to many of the most important issues. We add real value by assembling these skills around key industrial scientific issues - to form what we call Expertise Clusters. In a Cluster IFR scientists meet with Food Industry professionals to draw on both skill bases to provide new insights into the issue or opportunity.
The ways in which the Clusters collaborate to follow through on these ideas depends on the nature and the membership of the cluster. Some progress by direct funding of a piece of work by the industrial members on a confidential basis, some are being addressed on a consortium basis with matching funding from external funding bodies - the goal remains the same - to improve the transfer of scientific knowledge to create wealth.
The basic proposition of each of the Clusters
Co-Product ExploitationIn this cluster we are contributing to new methods of analysing food processing waste and the development of novel, economically feasible methods of upgrading waste to increase its value. Cluster Leader & Co-ordinator - Keith Waldron |
Food Safety ClusterExploring current advances in predictive microbiology and risk analysis and develop improved decision support systems to manage microbial food risk. More.. Cluster Leader - Mike Peck Cluster Co-ordinator - Sandra Stringer |
Gut HealthA multidisciplinary group of scientists aimed at understanding how the intestinal gut functions as an integrated system. Topics include:
Cluster Leaderr - Simon Carding Cluster Co-ordinator - Nathalie Juge |
Plants Food & HealthThis 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.. Cluster Leader - Richard Mithen Cluster Co-ordinator - Charlotte Armah |
Structuring Food for HealthCurrent research is focussed on the behaviour of colloidal and polymeric food structures in the gastrointestinal tract. Leader - Pete Wilde and Alan Mackie Co-ordinator - Mike Ridout |
FHN DirectConfidential discussions between FHN Members & IFR scientists. More... Leader - Tim Brocklehurst Co-ordinator - Elizabeth Saggers |
FHN InternationalFHN International is concerned with networking on an International basis, attending Conferences and Events throughout Europe and the rest of the world, recruiting FHN Members; networking; disseminating IFR science, forming alliances and partnerships with organisations to enhance and further develop collaborative working. Leader & Co-ordinator - Tim Brocklehurst |
FHN International HubThe 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. Leader & Co-ordinator - Tim Brocklehurst |
The nature of the Clusters is evolutionary as opportunities are investigated, or new clusters are identified. Members of FHN play a key part through our periodic consultation exercises in defining the focus for new clusters.