UCD Centre for Food Safety
Welcome to the website of the UCD Centre for Food Safety, University College Dublin, Ireland
Our research programmes apply both conventional and molecular approaches to food safety.
As the largest third-level college in Ireland, University College Dublin is uniquely positioned to successfully contribute to the wider Food Safety agenda both in Ireland and internationally.
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) at University College Dublin (UCD) was set up in September, 2002 following the appointment of Séamus Fanning to the Chair of Food Safety & Zoonoses. Originally a tri-partite structure was created which included the Faculties of Agriculture, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, with equal rights for all and reflecting the complete food chain. It was envisioned that the UCD-CFS would drive an evolving research agenda using the expertise available from all three faculties. Further, the centre would develop strong visible links with the Irish food industry and regulators alike.
Such an inter-disciplinary approach has the inherent capacity to succeed at solving problems in food safety where other approaches have failed. Engaging experts with varied technological backgrounds from across the University, the search for knowledge can be enhanced by a combination of fact-finding with applied solutions and rapid sharing of information with specific stakeholders.
This unique academic development ensures that the UCD-CFS provides a focal point where external agencies can seek expert opinion and academic support facilitating an inter-disciplinary collaboration with all stakeholders to achieve common goals in the national interest.
More recently, the UCD Institute of Food & Health (IFH) was launched. This is an all inclusive collaboration extending from veterinary medicine through to public health, allied with food law. This newly formed Institute has seven major pillars of activity, one of which is Food Safety. Other pillars include Risk Analysis, Food & the Consumer, Food Regulation among others.
Science-based food controls are essential for the protection of public health.
Food Safety is an essential public health issue for all. The potential threat to public health from foodborne disease continues to increase with expanding urbanisation and the global distribution of food. The consequences for a failed food safety policy are costly with impacts not only on public health but also on the economy.
Assessing the safety of our food has resulted in a paradigm shift to risk-based methods of analysis. Assessment and management of these risks must be scientifically evaluated, requiring input from a range of experts.