UK Food Safety Research Network secures US$881K to tackle emerging food safety risks

UK – The UK Food Safety Research Network (FSRN) has secured £650,000 (US$881,552) in new funding from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

This funding will extend the network’s work for another three years to develop practical, science-driven solutions to food safety challenges.

It will enable the FSRN to focus on four key priorities, among them, reducing the risk from pathogens such as E. coli in ready-to-eat foods, combating biofilms, and improving pathogen surveillance. 

The network will also investigate novel and emerging risks linked to climate change, alternative protein sources such as plant-based or insect ingredients, and the development of best-practice guidance for vertical farming.

In addition, the FSRN will work to translate scientific knowledge into real-world applications, from supply-chain mapping and certified training to new methods of sharing microbial data across industry stakeholders, while enhancing domestic food safety practices.

“At the FSA, science is at the heart of everything we do,” said Dr. Rick Mumford, Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser at the FSA. “The network plays a critical role in helping us stay ahead of emerging food safety risks and shaping an agile, evidence-based approach to regulation.”

This collaborative model enables regulators and industry to anticipate risks across the food system rather than merely reacting to them. 

Hosting by the Quadram Institute, renowned for world-class research in gut health, food innovation, and microbial threats, anchors the FSRN in practical, cutting-edge science. 

The joint funding with BBSRC, the UK’s leading supporter of non-medical biological sciences, underscores the strategic value of linking fundamental research to industry application.

Since its inception, the FSRN has delivered 42 collaborative projects and distributed £1.88 million (US$2.5 million) in research funding. 

Building on this track record, the network, comprising nearly 500 members from 290 organisations, including researchers, businesses, and policymakers, aims to strengthen proactive risk identification before issues escalate to public-health crises.

Dr. Matthew Gilmour, FSRN co-director and Quadram Institute research leader, said: “We are hitting the ground running with real energy and purpose. The Food Safety Research Network has shown what’s possible when you bring food businesses and researchers into the same room to solve real-world problems.”

The renewal signals a continued drive toward a forward-thinking, science-led regulatory environment for UK food safety.

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