The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has partnered with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to deliver £650,000 of funding to the Food Safety Research Network (FSRN) to assist with its research.
Established in 2022, the FSA co-created the FSRN with the aim to “bridge the gap between research, industry and policy” and support the UK food safety system. Hosted by the Quadram Institute, the network now enters a new phase focused on anticipating risks, accelerating innovation, and protecting public health.
Since its inception, the FSA and BBSRC co-funded network has:
- Delivered 42 collaborative research projects
- Distributed £1.88 million to multidisciplinary research consortia
- Hosted 11 targeted workshops across the UK
- Provided support to early-career researchers and small to medium-sized enterprises.
By co-developing research projects that tackle real-world food safety challenges, FSRN stated that it supports the FSA’s science strategy and “ensures that decision making remains evidence-led and future-focused”.
“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.”
Dr Rick Mumford, deputy chief scientific adviser at FSA, commented: “At the FSA, science is at the heart of everything we do. Our continued partnership with BBSRC to support the FSRN underlines our commitment to being a science-led and forward-thinking regulator.
“The network plays a critical role in helping us stay ahead of emerging food safety risks and in shaping an agile and evidence-based approach to regulation. We are delighted to be able to continue to support this important work.”
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. That’s why BBSRC is proud to continue our partnership with the Food Standards Agency to support the Food Safety Research Network as it enters its next phase.”
FSA said FSRN helps it to identify emerging risks, ranging from microbial threats in ready-to-eat foods to challenges posed by novel proteins and vertical farming.
It went on to say that the next phase of the network will focus on home food safety, evolving food production practices and the impact of climate change while ensuring the UK food system remains safe.
