RP3: Meat Safety
Ireland’s Foodwise 2025 report highlights that a foodborne outbreak is a key threat across all commodities, which could impact on growth opportunities for Irish food. Meat safety is critical to the sector and to Ireland’s agri-food economic success and global reputation. Access to new global markets will be supported by scientific evidence of the highest standards of safety in Irish meat, but may also require the Irish industry to meet different sets of food regulations in the new markets.
To avail of commercial opportunities in new distant export markets may also require the industry to significantly extend the shelf-life of fresh vacuum packed beef and lamb. The research plan undertaken in the MTI will be to apply, validate and transfer a series of intervention and management strategies, giving the meat industry new solutions that will enhance and assure meat safety, reduce spoilage events and extend shelf-life of fresh and vacuum packaged beef and lamb. These will take account of the current regulatory environments in Europe, and in relevant export markets, as well as the current commercial operating conditions in Irish meat plants.
