Contract Research & Development with Teagasc

MTL is located on the campus of Teagasc Food Research Centre (TFRC), Moorepark in Fermoy with which it is formally linked through joint management. Our dual objective is to enable companies to build their capacity to innovate and exploit appropriate technology.

Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark has an international reputation for Research, Innovation and Technology transfer.

Working in conjunction with MTL on contract research and development projects, research scientists and technologists in Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark can provide clients with the expertise needed to successfully and effectively achieve your product development objectives and targets.

Teagasc researchers areas of expertise

Biotechnology: bioactive discovery and validation – proteins, peptides, carbohydrate and fatty acids.
Cheese technology – manufacturing and ripening.
Flavour chemistry – odours and volatiles.
Food cultures – enzymology, fermentation, genomics.
Food process technology – mathematical modelling, manufacturing, sensors.
Food safety – antimicrobials, biopreservation, dairy pathogens, milk quality.
Food structure – encapsulation, microstructure, rheology, texture.
Gut microflora and health.
Ingredient technology – ingredient development, formulation and functionality.
Technology transfer – analytical services, consultancy, pilot plant scale-up.

TFRC strategic equipment

Advanced microbial/genomics facility with integrated bioinformatics integrates microbiology, molecular microbiology and genomics/bioinformatic analysis.
Dual laser flow cytometer – analyses specific immunological responses and cell viability.
Encapsulator – Inotech droplet encapsulator IE-50 – for encapsulation of ingredients into gel beads or capsules; e.g. probiotics or sensitive bio-actives.
Gas chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with olfactometry capability – analysis of volatile and odour active compounds.
Gas chromatograph – fatty acid profiles, trans fat/CLA analysis.
High performance liquid chromatography with dual detector: ultra violet – proteins, peptides plus refractive index – sugars (oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, mono & disaccharides). Two HPLCs equipped with ultraviolet, Flourescence and/or Pulsed Amperometric electrochemical detectors specifically for qualitative and quantitative analysis of complex carbohydrates (sugars and oligosaccharides).
MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer – bioactive peptide, protein analysis.
SPS 11, dynamic vapour sorption (DVS) – measures the change in mass of a sample (e.g. cheese, powder) as a function of relative humidity (partial vapour pressure) at a given temperature describing the ability of the food to take up or lose water.
Dynamic Gravimetric Vapour Sorption Analyser (SPS11- DGVSA).

TFRC, Moorepark Facilities

Complementing the facilities at Moorepark technology ltd, on the same site Teagasc Food Research facility also contains the following;

Fermentation facility – 1 20L and 4x5L fermenters) with integrated microfiltration unit.
National Imaging Centre – characterises food materials from individual biomolecules up to complex foods. Microscopes include: field emission cryo scanning electron microscope (SEM), confocal scanning laser microscope (CSLM), atomic force microscope (AFM) and image analysis, management and database.
Protein structure facility – combination of Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR), fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy, HPLC and electrophoresis, for monitoring secondary and tertiary structural changes and aggregation of proteins.
Proteomic suite – detailed analysis of whole cell protein expression through 2D gel electrophoresis. Equipment includes- sonicator, nano-drop analyser, spectrophotometer, isoelectric focusing unit, SDS polyacrylamide electrophoresis unit, fluorescent protein gel scanner and difference in gel electrophoresis software, automated spot picker and digester.
Tissue culture laboratory –2 tissue culture laboratories serve as a platform for the culture, storage, manipulation and analysis of a wide range of mammalian cells including Caco2, HT29, Hep G2, HMEC, HPAE-26, HUVEC, CCL-2512, NIH/3T3, SW480, NCI-H716, MCF-7 etc. Sspecific bioassays are used to screen for immuno-modulators, modulators of cardiovascular health and obesity, bifidogenic prebiotics and constituents known to increase micro-nutrient availability and to affect gene expression.
Class 2 pathogen laboratory