Ireland has been promoted as an ideal location for investment to Chinese dairy companies at seminars organised by Enterprise Ireland in Shanghai.
At the seminars Ireland was promoted as a location for dairy nutrition and infant formula manufacturing to Chinese companies.
During the seminars, which took place on February 13 and February 15, Teagasc outlined its dairy and nutrition research to Chinese food companies.
The seminars were planned to highlight Ireland’s dairy product offerings on the Chinese market and to promote Ireland as a location for Chinese investment in the industry.
Apart from Teagasc, presentations were also made by representatives from Moorepark Technology Limited (MTL), the APC Microbiome Institute and Food for Health Ireland.
Bord Bia, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Enterprise Ireland and the Irish Embassy in Bejing also made presentations.
The seminars provided an opportunity to outline to Chinese and IMF companies details of the areas of dairy and nutrition research happening in Ireland, according to Teagasc.
They also highlighted how Chinese companies can collaborate with Ireland’s Dairy and Nutrition Centres of Excellence, it said.
Speaking in China this week, Teagasc Director, Professor Gerry Boyle outlined some of Teagasc’s innovations in dairy technologies in its food research programme.
He spoke about the superior quality of dairy products produced from Ireland’s pasture-based system and recent developments in dairy processing technologies.
The integrated research, advisory and education functions of Teagasc were highlighted at the seminars, along with the benefits of having the animal and grassland research and innovation programme integrated with its food research programme.
Teagasc has a number of Chinese food researchers and PhDs working in Moorepark and is collaborating with similar research institutions in China.
Meanwhile, John Hunter, Chief Executive of Moorepark Technology Limited, showed the capacity of the pilot plant facilities available at MTL during the seminars.
Professor Catherine Stanton from the APC Microbiome Institute and Teagasc spoke about how intestinal microbiota can influence health and disease.
She also spoke about some of the latest findings from the Institute’s research programme.