FSA to fund Meat Hygiene Studies

- Published: 09 November, 2007

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is to fund postgraduate research scholarships in meat hygiene to start next October.

Each year the Agency funds up to three scholarships at either doctoral or research masters level to help train the next generation of scientists in areas relevant to its future needs.

Applications this year are invited in food hygiene and meat hygiene. In the food hygiene area, the FSA is welcoming proposals that address the impact of milder food processing conditions on microbiological safety of food, or assessment of the risk posed by Norovirus in shellfish.

In the area of meat hygiene, proposals on methodology to reduce salmonella in pigs, in particular pre-, pro- and syn-biotic dietary interventions and pre- and post-harvest bacteriophage control would be welcome.

Applications should come from academic and research institutions rather than individuals although institutions can nominate a particular individual in their application.

The main criteria on which the Agency assesses proposals are the quality of training provided, scientific quality and relevance to the Agency's policies. Preference is also given to proposals expected to lead to practical outcomes that benefit consumers.

The closing date for applications is 29 February 2008.

For further details go to www.food.gov.uk