Theme 6: Nutrition

Phase II continues the work from Phase I to investigate the role of unprocessed beef and lamb in the current diets of the Irish population aged 5 to ~90 years (using food consumption data from three new nationally representative dietary surveys 2020-2022) and compare to the MTI-generated estimates covering the period 2003-2010. Utilising the findings from Phase I the project aims to develop and test practical strategies focussed on incorporating fresh meat into the diets of young children. The project will examine the amino acid kinetics of various sources of red meat compared to commercially-available protein alternatives and compare the amino acid kinetics and anabolic potential of various sources of red meat in males versus females. The researchers also aim to apply a Lead User Method-style approach within a cohort of recreationally active young adults to gain an understanding of the practises, perceived priorities and product preferences of these individuals in terms of the use of fresh beef as a part of a food-first option to high-quality protein supply.

Programme Lead

Dr Janette Walton is a Lecturer in Human Nutrition and Head of NutRI research group at Munster Technological University in Cork. With over 25 years of experience in food industry and academia, she is currently a principal investigator for national dietary survey research in Ireland as part of the Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance (IUNA). She completed her BSc, MSc and PhD in the School of Food & Nutritional Sciences at University College Cork where she continued her post-doctoral training and undertook a senior research role before moving to Munster Technological University in 2017 to take up a permanent academic position in the Department of Biological Sciences.

Her major research interests are the dietary intake of the Irish population and its impact on health. As part of this, she has an on-going interest in the improvement of methodologies for collection, analysis and interpretation of dietary data. She leads a large research team including 2 post-doctoral researchers, 1 research assistant and 10 postgraduate students in the collection of national food consumption data and secondary analyses relating to nutrition and food safety across the lifespan. She has published over 100 peer-review papers and has been awarded external competitive funding of >€2M. She is a member of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Public Health Nutrition sub-committee and has on-going consultancy roles with food, nutrition, and health industries.