Food Safety and Security

Our Research

Food safety and security is of crucial importance, as global supply chains and economic conditions change. Digital and extended connected capability support the evidencing of food security pathways, and data sensing and modelling systems allow for forecasting and the development of approaches to risk management inside the food and farming value chain.

Research Projects

Histories and futures of under-utilised crops ‘reimagined'

The purpose is to understand historical social-cultural changes in relation to why indigenous crops became under-utilised and to construct with farming and food communities the possibilities for new innovative approaches to sustainable food production and consumption. Our approach is to co-create knowledge that is grounded in local oral histories and extend these narratives and stories into the future. In doing so, we can facilitate the movement of new conversations, new assumptions, new evaluations, and new approaches into farming and food value chain practices.

Project Lead: Dr Lilian Korir

Co-Investigators: Matthew Hannaford, Ted Fuller

Funder: British Academy

Is cultured meat a threat or opportunity for UK farmers?

The project aims to help shape new policy, regulation, and investment, to mitigate against any serious risks, while also optimising any new opportunities that cultured meat offers to advance more sustainable and climate positive global farming and food systems.

Project Lead: Professor Louise Manning

Funder: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Progressive Agri-Robotics Regulatory Network

The aim of this project is to build a Regulatory Science and Innovation Network for the agri-robotics sector.

Project Lead: Dr Leonardo Guevara

Co-Investigator: Simon Pearson

Funder: Innovate UK