Taking Academic Research to Market

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Taking Academic Research to Market

• Presented
• By
• Dr John F. Kerry
• Managing Director
• Global Food Ingredients International Ltd.

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Company Structure
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Global Food Engineering StructureStrength
Through Partnerships
USA, Canada, Scandinavia
South America Mexico
Western EU Russia, Eastern EU
Australasia
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Global Food Ingredients StructureStrength
Through Partnerships
The Complete Solutions Provider to the Food
Industry
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Global Food Ingredients Intl. Ltd.

• GFI evolved as a food technology and ingredients
  (software) provider to support EFSI our
  food processing equipment (hardware) Division
  (GFI a very young dynamic Company)
• Use of existing EFSI marketing and sales
  infrastructure GFI markets and customers
  readily identified (via our hardware Division).
  WE DELIVER PRACTICAL FOOD SOLUTIONS, NOT
  EQUIPMENT (competitive advantage delivering
  practical end user process supports)
• Roll out of EFSI (and GFI) licenses globally have
  increased our critical mass (EU 8 agents,
  Global 49 agents with Regional HQs via
  licensees and support test facilities 4 Regions
  1 pending license)
• Customers are bluechip companies, equipment
  designed for high capacity (500Kg/hr
  4,500Kg/hr)
• Ingredient manufacture is sub contracted to
  approved blending sites we deliver the optimised
  blends and IP from remote RD sites

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EFSI/GFI Focus and Customers
Arena Italy Atria Finland Furrucci
Italy Forresters Germany Gilda Norway Hazelwood
Greencore, UK Ito Ham Japan Kerry Group,
UK Mitsui Japan OSI Moypark Craigavon N.
Ireland OSI Moypark Hienin France OSI Padleys
UK Perdue USA Queally Group Ireland, UK Sadia
Brazil Smithfield Campofrio Lisbon Portugal
Tello Teledo Spain Yerkylling Norway

• We are currently operating within the Meat
  Poultry, Ready Meals and Snack Food, and meat
  ingredients Industries as a service and hardware
  provider. We plan expansion into the Added Value
  fish and Bakery Specialty Industries.
• The meat industry (protein industry) is still
  considered as our primary market and will remain
  so for the foreseeable future.

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GFI The Supply Chain

• Much of our business today is focussed on
  delivering innovative cost effective
  solutions to our customers in order to facilitate
  and supply Chain Retail (buyers).
• Chain Retail places new demands on traditional
  business
• Focus on a Return on Fixed Assets (ROA)
• An ongoing stream of new, higher margin products
  (novelty)
• Extreme pressures on price (foods being reduced
  to commodities)
• Exceptional service, value and consistency (right
  first time!)
• Unquestionable quality and health safety
  (Branding)
• Points of Difference (security of market share
  and product shelf life)
• Opportunity Delivery of practical food solutions
  during the Decision making phase of key project
  (approaching customers at the right time in the
  decision making process). Average installation
  costs 1 2 million

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GFI The Supply Chain

• Linkages with Universities and research centres
  of excellence deemed as
  important to the ongoing success of Global Food
  Ingredients Intl Ltd.
• GFI has the ability to deliver practical
  International marketplace challenges (as
  projects) to the Universities / Institutions.
• Academia has the ability to supply innovative
  solutions, resources (infrastructure, specialised
  analytical apparatus etc), qualified researchers
  pre and post project delivery
• Effective collaboration is positive and symbiotic
  for all parties
• Research and development is constantly in a state
  of flux, market demands and requirements can
  change rapidly. Research projects need to reflect
  this fact. (flexibility post reportage reviews
  etc)
• Need for a practical vision in the setting up
  initial projects and adequate scope to follow
  novel developments that arise

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Research Programs
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Science, Art Business

• Scientists in their search for a unified theory
  revel in the diversity of the fields in which
  they work. Their ability to see what everyone
  has seen and to think what no one has
  though...Innovation
• Artists live for the high they attain in creating
  and performing new works ..Creativity
• Business People strive to create centres
  ........Excellence

Lord Andrew Stone (Marks Spencer plc)
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UCC Projects (completed and ongoing)EI Projects
completed under Applied Research and Innovation
Partnerships 1992 - current)

• Development of cured meat products using dairy
  based ingredients (Dairygold
  Co Operative Soc. Ltd) led to an AIR EU 4th
  Framework Prjt
• Development of novel fish (surimi) based products
  using underutilised meats (Irish South and West
  Fishermens Assoc, Cork Dairygold Co Cork,
  Redbrook Ingredient Services Ltd Co Dublin)
• Development of alginate using novel processes
  (Kerry Algae Co Kerry)
• Development of Dry Cured Ham product (Callan
  Bacon Co Tipperary)
• Development of novel packaging systems for primal
  cuts (Cryovac Europe, in assoc with Dawn
  Midelton, Co Cork Galtee Meats Dairygold Co Cork)
• Development of ostrich value added products
  (Irish Ostrich Products Ltd)
• Development of novel ingredients for meat
  applications (Redbrook Ingredients Services Ltd
  Co Dublin)
• Development of novel antioxidants for food
  applications (Redbrook Ingredient Services Ltd Co
  Dublin)
• Value added Fish based products (Canestar Ltd
  Cork)
• Development of ice cream products and least cost
  formulations (Macs Ice Cream Ltd Co Kerry)

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GFI Novel Ingredients Project

• Development of functional proteins and
  polysaccharides for use in
  avian based value added cooked meat systems.
  (GFI)
• Project has focused on the optimisation of EFSI
  equipment using novel ingredients and blends
  thereof. Development of natural phosphate
  replacers for use in poultry meat was a primary
  objective
• Student Ms Eileen Healy is currently in the
  process of completing her MSc under this project.
  
• Eileen recently won the IMS (International Meat
  Society) Gold Medal 2005 based on this work. A
  First for Ireland!
• Ingredients delivered to two major bluechip
  companies in N Ireland and UK and have been
  proven on commercial lines
• Novel ingredients allowed for 50 reduction in
  cooking times (target core temperatures of 90ºC
  in whole chicken), increased yields while
  maintaining meat quality, enhanced colour,
  flavour over commercial controls containing TPP)

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Optical Fibre Sensor System with Artificial
Intelligence
Data from the Spectrometer
Custom Built Optical Fibre Probe
2.5-3.7mm Guides the light from the light source
to the food (6 outer fibres) and takes the
reflected light back to the spectrometer (central
fibre)
Host P.C. Contains Software for controlling the
spectrometer and pre-processing the data.
Artificial Neural Networks and Principal
Component Analysis (PCA) is used to extract
features and interpret trends and changes in the
spectral pattern and relates this to colour.
Intensity errors, which are often found in
colorimeters, are minimised to reduce metamerism
PCA Raw Red Rare Blue Correct Green Fat
Yellow
www.ofsrc.ul.ie
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Publications and Awards
Awards

• Best Student Paper Award at European Workshop
  on Optical Fibre
  Sensors, Santander, Spain, June
  2004

Recent First Class Publications

• C. Sheridan, M. OFarrell, W. B. Lyons, E.
  Lewis, C. Flanagan and N. Jackman,Monitoring
  food quality using an optical fibre based sensor
  system - a comparison of Kohonen and
  backpropagation neural network classification
  techniques, Measurement Science and Technology,
  17 (2), pp229-234, February 2006
• M. OFarrell, E. Lewis, C. Flanagan, W.B. Lyons
  and N. Jackman Combining principal component
  analysis with an artificial neural network to
  perform online quality assessment of food as it
  cooks in a large-scale industrial oven Sensors
  and Actuators B Chemical , 107(1) , pp 104-112,
  2005
• M OFarrell, E. Lewis, C. Flanagan, N. Jackman
  Comparison of K-NN and Neural Network methods in
  the classification of Spectral Data from an
  Optical Fibre-Based Sensor System used for
  Quality Control in the Food Industry Sensors and
  Actuators B Chemical, 111-112, pp 354-362, 2005
• M. O'Farrell, E. Lewis, C. Flanagan, W. Lyons,
  N. Jackman, "Design of a System that uses Optical
  Fibre Sensors and Neural Networks to Control a
  Large-Scale Industrial Oven by Monitoring the
  Food Quality Online" IEEE Sensors Journal, 5(6),
  pp 1407- 1420, Dec 2005.
• M. O'Farrell, E. Lewis, C. Flanagan, W. Lyons,
  N. Jackman, "Using a Reflection based Optical
  Fibre System and Neural Networks to Evaluate the
  Quality of Food in a large-scale Industrial
  Oven", Sensors Actuators A. Physical, 115, pp
  424-433, 2004
• M. O'Farrell, E. Lewis, C. Flanagan, W. Lyons,
  N. Jackman, "Intelligent Processing of
  Spectroscopic Signals obtained using an Optical
  Fibre Based System for Food Quality Control"
  International Journal of Smart Engineering System
  Design, 5(4), pp 409-416, October-December 2003

www.ofsrc.ul.ie
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EFSI/GFI Research Areas of Interest

• Current Research Areas
• Colour and Temperature Monitoring System A novel
  hybrid system (patented technology) temperature
  detection physical contact in combination with
  an imagery based system to determine core
  temperature in largest cooked product on the line
  and to allow calibration of the imagery system
  (based on actual core temperatures). Colour
  determined using imagery systems
• Belt cleaning hybrid systems Another new
  development which allows for more effective
  cleaning of the belt (the primary contact surface
  with the product) using food grade sanitising
  systems in combination with effective validation
• Underutilised meat technologies for the
  generation of novel functional ingredients that
  can be used as phosphate replacers in processed
  meat products. This falls into the category of
  allergen free, natural and meat based.
• Oil and fat recovery systems for the efficient
  recovery of oil from our existing oven lines
• Fast acting Marinade systems Development of fast
  acting marinade pastes Tikka, Tandori, Chinese
  etc- that can marinade in lt2min versus 120min!

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Challenges and Opportunities
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Challenges and Opportunities

• Project costs mean 85K for 2 year project
  ability to extend projects
  or research programs. Flexibility on tasks that
  may change in focus. TIME!
• Students work as good as the students employed.
  (adequate salaries and wage rates for
  undergraduates). Issues with Third country
  students (China, India etc, costs of student fees
  etc 12 15K over 2 year project) Grant aid to
  be realistic and reflect this. Excellent program
  to give young researches an opportunity to make a
  mark (accreditation of workers).
• University overhead costs (going forward on open
  market these could be considered a serious threat
  in terms of competitiveness value for money-)
• Consumables and Equipment costs A need more
  flexibility and scope to encompass these (could
  be considered a variable cost)
• Overseas Collaboration Opportunities to attract
  overseas investment in R D. Mechanisms to
  attract this investment to Ireland (EI Innovation
  Partnerships research template a possible model).
  Similar issues with overseas research institute
  collaboration (e.g. University of Guelph Canada
  Dr Dough Goff, Georgia Tech University Dr Wayne
  Daly etc)

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Challenges and Opportunities

• Contracts Practical terms and conditions on
  research. Major issues
  regarding IP and licensing (effective model to
  protect all parties). Urgent need for harmonised
  licensing and contracts between institutions and
  industrial partners (currently an ad hoc
  systems).
• Expectations Understanding the objectives, needs
  and wants of key players and the limitations and
  bottlenecks. Industry needs to understand
  academic limitations.
• Remote Sites Need for remote sites and
  confidentiality. Institutions cannot provide this
  in some instances. Potential to set up RD remote
  sites in Ireland that act as a neutral platform
  RD hub for research (overseas interests)
• External Pressures challenge on industrial
  partners to deliver on commercialisation in
  applied projects (need to focus minds). Projects
  are only as effective as the input from both
  parties
• Timing maturation of research is not linear.
  Innovation can take time. Academia needs access
  to real time commercial data in order to keep
  pace and address practical challenges (i.e.
  outdated solutions to outdated problems) this is
  especially true in applied research. Fundamental
  versus Applied research (keep industrial
  attention)

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Summary

• Going forward, Ireland will not be seen as the
  Food Island, nor will it competitively sell
  overseas as the Green Island. The challenge is
  to elevate Ireland to the status of Information
  Island where high value RD programs are key.
  Irelands resource will be its research/innovation
  and researchers
• The Innovation Partnerships research program is a
  positive program that has served Irish SMEs well
  in the past, especially where RD resources are
  limited.
• The EI Innovation Partnership program holds
  significant potential going forward and has the
  ability to expand its scope and encompass
  overseas investment and collaboration with EU and
  third Country industry and other research
  institutions going forward (international
  perspective)

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GFI International

• Many Thanks!