Given the links the ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre has with the food industry in Wales, the research group frequently conducts research projects with Welsh food and drink manufacturing and processing businesses in relation to different areas of food safety. Recent and current projects have focused on: identifying the barriers to obtaining and maintaining food safety scheme compliance; waste reduction; application of lean manufacturing principles; industry experiences relating to food-product reformulation and assessing food handler compliance with hand hygiene protocols. Additional research outputs include food science and technology skills development; innovation; growth; market research, sustainability and value chain evaluation and analysis.
Research outcomes (that often have implications for local, national and international food businesses) are frequently presented to the Welsh Government to inform policy such as the consultation paper Our ambition to further Develop Wales’ food and drink sector and interventions to achieve growth in the Welsh food industry in line with Towards Sustainable Growth: An Action Plan for the Food and Drink Industry 2014-2020.
Support and Collaboration
The Research Unit supports undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD, Post Doctorate and Professional Doctorate studies and has national and international collaborations within the sector to include:
- KESS2 Funded PhD programmes
- Georgia Pacific, USA
- Charm Sciences, USA
- EIT Food
- WRAP
Academic Industry research collaborators:
- International Institute of Nutritional Sciences and Applied Food Safety, University of Central Lancashire
- Holchem Laboratories
- Global Food Safety Initiative Food Safety Culture Working Group
- Salus food safety science research group
Key Publications and Conference Contributions (full list of Publications and full list of Conference Contributions)
Evans, E.W. & Redmond, E.C. (2019) Video Observation of Hand-Hygiene Compliance in a Manufacturer of Ready-To-Eat Pie and Pastry Products. International Journal of Environmental Health Research. 29:6, 593-606
Evans, E.W. & Taylor, H.R. (2019) Understanding the barriers to food safety scheme certification in the food and drink manufacturing industry in Wales, UK., International Journal of Environmental Health Research, [published online ahead of print]
Redmond, E.C., Facey-Richards, R., Ellis, L., Mayho, S. and Lloyd, D. (2019) Food safety and technical upskilling in the Welsh food industry: impact of the KITE project 2008-2015. Poster Presentation at the 1st World Congress Food Safety and Security; Leiden, the Netherlands; 24-28th March 2019
Ellis, L. and Evans, E.W. (2019) Industry perceptions regarding the potential impact of Brexit on the food and drink manufacturing industry in Wales. Poster presented at The 11th International Conference on Culinary Arts and Sciences (ICCAS), Cardiff, Wales, UK, on 26th -27th June 2019
