Scottish Food Innovation Centre Launches

In Edinburgh, Queen Margaret University (QMU) has opened the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation, which will use a range of nutritional analysis, shelf life testing, consumer focus groups and taste panels to help businesses develop healthier products.

The new centre has been designed to offer support and business solutions to Scotland's £14 billion food and drink industry, with facilities including a dedicated microbiology laboratory; fully-equipped sensory suite; chemistry laboratory, and a room where execs can test new technology.

QMU's team of food innovation experts will provide a particular focus on the development of health enhancing products and ingredients, including healthier alternatives to fat, salt and sugar. In addition, the team will use the facilities to help identify sources of raw materials and novel ingredients.

Academic Lead for Food & Drink Dr Jane McKenzie, comments: 'Facilities like this are currently unavailable elsewhere in Scotland, so research work is often sent to England or Northern Ireland instead. The new facilities combined with QMU's academic knowledge and expertise in food, nutrition and biological sciences is already offering companies in Scotland's food and drink industry an unrivalled opportunity to innovate and develop new products which are underpinned by QMU's scientific research.'

Web site: www.qmu.ac.uk .