Food Business & Technology

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A Comparison of Agricultural Farming Methods and their Impact on the Environment
(2022) Watters, Sinéad
The agricultural industry faces many challenges today, with one of the primary challenges being its impact on the environment. An increasing population size combined with increasing world hunger, environmental issues, greenhouse gas emissions, reduced land and water availability are all key drivers for the development of alternative, sustainable farming solutions. Sustainable farming solutions such as advanced farming are still in relatively early stages of development, and require a lot of work to make these methods economically viable and accessible to farmers around the world. While a lot of theoretical, scientific and development work has taken place in this area, many challenges still remain in reduction production and development costs of sustainable methods of farming. This research aims to eestablish the current state of the agricultural industry in terms of farming methods used globally and to find out if the use of alternative methods of farming could reduce the environmental impact of the agricultural industry. Other aspects have also been explored, fertiliser use, pesticide usage, the use of genetic modification and how these can also impact the environment. A comparison of all farming methods used in the top agricultural producing countries was also carried out to identify the impact risk each method of farming had on the environment.
A nutritional and commercial evaluation of using novel food ingredients as sugar replacers in cake recipes.
(2021) Crudden, Caroline
The current global obesity crisis has resulted in Government agencies at a global, European and national level introducing initiatives to reduce overweight and obesity rates and Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Sweet bakery products such as cake are considered high contributors to added sugar in the diet. Excess sugar consumption can lead to weight gain, overweight, obesity and resultant NCDs. Government agencies are challenging the cake manufacturers to reformulate to reduce the sugar content of cakes, as part of these initiatives. Barriers to cooperation of cake manufactures with reformulation include the failure of government agencies to consider the financial implications of increased ingredient costs and potential commercial failure if the consumer demand for reformulated cakes is not prevalent. Sugar reduction in cakes is highly challenging, as no one ingredient can replace the full functionality of sugar in cake applications. Previous studies on sugar reduction in cake have concluded that the replacement of sugar with sweeteners or sugar alcohols has posed challenges. Cake manufacturers are looking to food technologists to develop innovative new ingredients to help solve these challenges without compromising the consumer experience, or business profit. Novel food ingredients are foods that have not been traditionally consumed by the general population, potentially involving new production processes, innovative foods, new technologies or foods traditionally consumed in other global regions. Novel food ingredients can also include valorised by-products from other food production processes. This thesis investigated whether novel food ingredients would make suitable sugar replacers in cake applications, if they were commercially viable and would achieve consumer acceptability in terms of best fit texture, volume and sensory criteria. The results indicate that novel food ingredients cannot replicate the functionality of sugar in cake recipes to achieve consumer acceptability in terms of this criteria. Some novel food ingredients demonstrated consumer acceptability on most metrics and therefore future research is recommended to ascertain if the addition of emulsifiers, enzymes, flavour modulators etc. could achieve consumer acceptability. Assessment of the commercial viability of novel food ingredients in terms of global availability and market price, concluded that they were not commercially viable for cake manufacturers. Further studies could consider economic incentives such as valorisation grants, to reduce the financial burden on cake manufacturers of reformulation.
A Psychobiotic Diet For the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety & Depression
(2024-04) Regan, Faye
Mental health disorders are a leading cause of the global health-related burden, with depressive and anxiety disorders the main contributors to this burden. While pharmacologic treatments exist for the treatment of anxiety and depression, up to 30% of people with depression do not respond to pharmacological therapy. There is a need therefore for additional methods to help individuals experiencing stress, depression and anxiety. The gut microbiota is the collection of individual micro-organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa that live in the human gastrointestinal tract. The gut, the microbiota and the brain communicate extensively with each other through direct neuronal transmission as well as indirectly via hormonal and immune signalling metabolites. This connection is called the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) and has a profound impact on mental health. The microbiota and the MGBA is strongly influenced by diet. The psychobiotic diet is a diet which is high in prebiotic and probiotic rich fermented foods which is designed to support the gut microbiota in order to exert positive effects on the brain and mental health via the MGBA while avoiding or reducing consumption of foods which have a negative effect on gut health such as sweets, processed meats, fast food and particularly ultra-processed foods. The effectiveness of the psychobiotic diet in the treatment of stress, anxiety and depression was investigated through critical evaluation of recent, peer-reviewed scientific literature. The psychobiotic diet itself is hugely under researched, with the results of only two research studies published to date investigating a psychobiotic diet or a diet high in prebiotic-rich fruits and vegetables. These demonstrate that a psychobiotic diet or a diet rich in prebiotics are an effective treatment for stress, anxiety and can improve mood. The majority of research to date has investigated the effect of psychobiotic supplementation with probiotics, prebiotics or synbiotics. There is strong evidence that psychobiotics can improve stress, depression and anxiety. Psychobiotics were found to improve mood in healthy individuals, individuals with mild to moderate distress and individuals with clinical depression. There is evidence for these effects using psychobiotics alone and in conjunction with anti-depressant therapy. There is strong evidence that psychobiotic bacterial strains can protect against worsening mental health in individuals experiencing chronic stress, this suggests that the consumption of psychobiotics can have a beneficial, mental health protective role. A wide range of variables can influence the effectiveness of psychobiotics, such as individuals’ activity levels, mental health at baseline, proclivity to healthy behaviours and genetic background. Further well-designed, large-scale, long-term research studies are required to provide greater evidence for and to quantify exactly the effectiveness of the psychobiotic diet in the treatment of stress and anxiety.
A Review of Omnivorous and Plant – Based Diet Health Effects, Environmental Impacts and Alternative Solutions
(2022) Gyimesi, Norbert
The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the omnivorous meat - based, and plant – based food options, nutritional compositions, health effects, consumption motivations and mainly the environmental impacts. The global population is set to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. The growing demand for potable water, nutritious food, fertile lands are inevitable. Parallel to the population growth, the requirement for meat protein source is growing. However, the animal agriculture is known to be one of the biggest causes of the global warming, green – house gas emissions. The excessive meat, particularly red meat consumption is a cause of serious health issues like obesity, cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, cancer and stroke. The question has been arisen and to be answered. What will nearly 10 billion people eat, how the food will be produced when the only way to mitigate the climate change impacts are to reduce carbon, water and land related emissions and a significant red meat consumption decrease. People used to consume meat for centuries. The liking factor and the belief of healthiness of meat became the main motivations for consuming meat and meat products, while plant - based products are also consumed for the liking factor, but essentially for animal welfare and environmental sustainability. Meat alternatives with a similar nutritional value and satisfying factors like Impossible Burger can offer a more sustainable option to mitigate the rapidly growing climate change caused by green – house gas emissions. A detailed comparison of a regular beef burger and the Impossible Burger showed, that the consumer who chooses the plant – based vegan option, reducing the environmental impact by 87% to 96%. In conclusion, meat has always been the main source of the food intake and it will always remain as the most desired food to eat, however the rise of the global warming makes the meat consumption re-assessed as proven to be one of the biggest causes of the climate change.
A Solution to Increased Consumption of UltraProcessed Foods in The EU and the Risk of Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
(2022) Alabi, Ifedayo
The objective of this research was to evaluate the association between the rise in consumption of ultra-processed foods and drinks, as defined by the NOVA classification system, and the associated risk in the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and cardiovascular disease(CD) in the European Union (EU). The findings from the research were then used to provide a more effective solution to reducing the risk and rate of onset of these diseases by 2030, in line with current EU strategy. The dietary habits of human beings have evolved over the past 2.5 million years, from the paleolithic hunter gatherer era to the modern-day western diets ubiquitous in highly processed foods, propelled by the industrial revolution in the 19th century. We now see an unbalanced nutritional profile, high in refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, sugars, salt, and low in fibre. Simultaneously, since the industrial revolution, there has been a global rise in non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Six highly reputable studies, investigating the relationship between consumption of ultra-processed foods and the risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases were analysed across 9 EU countries, including a total of 896,225 participants. All studies showed significant correlation between increased consumption of ultra-processed foods and increased risk of development of obesity, T2D and CD, with significant increase in associated risk with an increment of 10% increase in ultra-processed foods. Ultra-processed foods are ingrained in society, and this is unlikely to change. A lot of functional and clean label foods are ultraprocessed pre-packaged foods. Therefore, a more impactful solution on reducing the risk and rate of onset of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases needs to come from the food industry. Food manufacturers must implement smart reformulations that considers the whole impact of a food formulation as opposed to partially focusing on specific ingredients that drive health and wellness claims to promote their foods. True to health formulations considers the nutritional composition, food matrix, processing conditions, functional ingredientmapping and the incorporation of more functional foods into more food products. All these factors can feed into the determination and use of specific deterrent marketing claims. The use of deterrent marketing will ensure that food manufacturers carry out thorough research and development into suitable ingredient substitutions and processing techniques that do not propagate further disease risk, while also ensuring consumers receive more balanced information, and are more aware of the true impact of foods, compelling more accurate food choices, reducing the risk and rate of onset of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases by 2030.
A study into the use and proliferation of Lean Six-Sigma principles in the food industry
(2022-12) McElroy, Paul
Ever since the time when the hunter-gatherers began to abandon their nomadic ways and embrace agriculture, the organised production, processing and storage of food has been one of humankind’s most important endeavours. Those who remained static to till the land, and keep animals for food, began a process that remained largely unchanged until the 18th century. At this stage, the large-scale production and processing of food became a necessity in the then-developing world, to feed the populations who had migrated from the land to operate the new processes brought about by industrialisation. In this manner, food production and food processing also became industrialised. While continuous improvement (CI) methods began to creep into the non-food sector of industry around the commencement of the 20th century, it was much slower to take off in the food industry. Since the onset of the 21st century, the CI concepts of Lean and Six Sigma have taken more of a foothold, Lean more-so than Six Sigma. These sets of tools, which endorse the benefits of reducing waste at all stages of processing, can currently be witnessed playing catch-up across the industry, and are gaining ground. CI is not, however, as universally applicable to the food industry as to other sectors, due to the unique set of quality requirements in food production, where food safety, food hygiene and security of supply are more highly prized than are absolute-precision factors, such as perfect product size, shape or weight
An Assessment of Snail Farming and The Perceptions of Snails in Ireland
(2023) Rattigan, Debbie
As the global population is on the rise and a growing demand for protein sources, there is an increasing need to explore alternative protein options and evaluate their acceptability among consumers. Snail farming and consumption is one such way to support this. There is a lack of research published on snail farming practices in Ireland or on consumers perception of snails as a food source. The study aims to gain an insight into the snail farming industry and practices utilised in Ireland and to identify the factors that affect the willingness to consume snails among the Irish population. The study used a mixed method approach. A questionnaire was developed to determine the Irish population’s perception on snails and their willingness to consume snails, which was disseminated online to the Republic of Ireland. The study revealed that 81% of the Irish population had not eaten snails and 41% were willing to eat snails. Participants willingness to consume snails were impacted by taste and texture, safety and sanitation concerns and insufficient knowledge and information on snails. Incorporating snails into a food that participants enjoyed, showed greater willingness to consume snails, whereas participants were less willing to consume snails as an alternative to meat. Participants exhibited a greater willingness to use skin care products that contained snail slime (74%). Interview questions were developed to interview snail farmers on the production methods and challenges within the snail farming industry in Ireland. The results from the interviews identified that snail farming is currently not viable and there is a need for more information and support from government bodies. Snail farming in Ireland is laborious and requires significant financial investment for setup and maintenance. There are no processing facilities for snails in Ireland, leading to a disadvantage within European markets. To encourage snail consumption, taste testing and education are recommended, while government support is necessary to aid Irish snail farmers.
An Evaluation of the Current Strategies Employed in Reducing the Sugar Content of Cakes
(2023) Dowling, Niamh
Prevalence of non-communicable diseases is increasing globally. With incidence of overweight and obesity continuing to increase in Ireland, the government has launched a voluntary food reformulation framework to encourage the food industry to take responsibility for the nutritional status of the food supply. The Department of Health aims to achieve a 20% reduction in sugar in cakes by 2025, however it is recognised that sugar plays an important role in the physical and sensory attributes of cakes. Results from studies analysed in this thesis strongly demonstrate that food additives and sourdough technologies may help replace the functionalities of sugar, in sugar-reduced cakes. Results from the nutritional analysis of 234 cakes in Ireland, show that cakes still contain large amounts of sugar per 100g. Results also show that manufacturers are not using nutrition claims, which may help their product stand out from competitors. Further work is needed to assess the overall cost and efficiencies of using food additives and sourdough to reduce the sugar content of cakes.
Are Plant-based Meat Alternatives a Better Choice? Comparing the Consumer Perceptions, Among Other Factors of Plant-based Meat Alternatives Against Animal Origin Products
(2022) Perez, Joseph de Andrade
Meat consumption is a substantial contributor to the damaging impacts that are caused to the environment. Alternatives to meat that are derived from plants have been on the market for some time and can now be found with relative ease at supermarkets in Ireland. This study was conducted with the intention of identifying the Irish population’s perceptions and attitudes around eating meat substitutes and their likelihood of switching or using them in the future. The rationale around this research was due to the fact that the consumption of such plant-based meat alternatives is now fairly low in the Irish population and globally in general. In order to accomplish these goals, an online survey of Irish consumers (N = 136) was carried out to examine the lifestyles of customers and their opinions about plant-based meat alternatives in terms of consumption, environmental impact, processing, and nutritional value. A tasting session was performed to determine the organoleptic differences between the various products in order to provide additional findings regarding the preference of consumers for traditionally produced meat products over plant-based alternatives to traditional meat products. The findings suggest that despite meat's reputation for having favourable organoleptic qualities such as its look, texture, taste, and smell, this association is not entirely justified. Traditional meat products have a worse reputation when it comes to issues of environmental responsibility and sustainability. This would imply that replacement needs to have comparable favourable organoleptic characteristics, but also provide a good healthy product. In point of fact, plant-based alternatives to meat were thought to be more environmentally friendly, and also an opportunity to provide a healthier option to meat if the nutritional qualities were found to be favourable. When it came to promoting this plant-based product on shelves, naming was a significant element. Instead of linking to meat names, the customer preferred clarity when calling the product, such as soy-based burger instead than beefless burger. In conclusion, the findings of this study indicate that alternatives to meat have the greatest potential to successfully displace meat when, in terms of both taste and texture, they are most similar to highly processed meat products and when they are sold at prices that are comparable to those of meat.
Economic Viability of Cultured Meat
(2021) McConville, Lauren
Cultured meat is a promising prospect in the food industry. An increasing population, combined with a correlating increase in meat consumption, further facilitated by sustainability and food safety concerns in the meat industry have been the key drivers for development of cultured meat. Cultured meat is still in its early stages of development and requires much work in its scalability to bring it to the marketplace and to make it an economically viable food product for human consumption. While much theoretical and scientific background work has been completed in this field, huge challenges remain in reducing production costs. This research outlines the current state of the industry and presents the key cost contributors to cultured meat production. Such costs include medium components, bioreactors, building and equipment and labour, among many others. Other technical aspects of the production process have been explored, such as cell source and cell doubling time as they will ultimately contribute to overall efficiency and production costs. Currently, cultured meat is not being produced at a scale or cost that is affordable to the consumer and so, key areas for cost reduction have been explored and presented as a means of making cultured meat a more economically viable alternative to conventional meat.
Evaluation of public policy interventions in the food retail environment on diet and health
(2023-08) Scott, Laura
Across the world countries have introduced a variety of public health policies to improve diet and nutrition among their populations. This study aims to understand best practices in public policy interventions and the impact they have had on diet and health within the food retail environment. The following study identifies public health and nutrition policies across European countries which have proven to be most impactful. It identifies any advancements that have been suggested in literature for future policy makers to consider. This study focuses on policy which impacts the food retail environment explored through the marketing 4 P’s. Food retail provides insight into consumers nutritional purchasing behaviours and is an extremely influential environment. This study will focus on nutritional policies which impact purchasing decisions in food retail stores. The nutritional policies discussed were classified using the marketing “4P’s” approach Price (taxes and subsidies), Product (reformulation and food labelling), Place (food retail) and Promotion (food retail advertising). Price: The results are mostly positive while introduced differently, some countries tax sugar other countries tax salt. Usually, these taxes impact industry more and manufacturers absorb most of the cost or reformulate their products. Most subsidies target children through schools not instore. The WHO have suggested new subsidies concepts which could increase consumption of fruit and vegetables. Research has suggested a red meat tax could positively impact diet and health. Product: Product reformulation is widely suggested as a successful measure which will help reduce obesity. Research has shown a modest impact as voluntary reformulation is most common and often hinders real results. Food labelling, information and nutritional guidelines are extremely common but with meek results. Countries across North and South America have seen best results with warning labels on food and drink products. Place: Retailers control the space in which food is sold and often use tactics to entice the sale of one product over another. Studies have shown that when space is prioritised for healthier food products instore consumption increases. Utilising various ‘nudging’ tactics may encourage the sale of healthier foods. Promotion: Several steps have been taken to protect children across traditional media but regulations for social media are lacking. Research highlights the urgent need for an improvement on mandatory policies. Some in store measures have been taken by some retailers to protect children against enticing product packaging. Research suggests nutrient profiling as possible solution to regulate advertising. All the “4 P’s” have a varying degree of influence on the food retail environment and consumer purchasing decisions. Overall public policy was found to be most effective when mandatory guidelines and targets were set. Fiscal policies were more effective than informative strategies but met with the most opposition from industry. Education is a key interlinking factor to policy success. Most European countries are engaged in implementing policies to improve diet and health. However, some countries including Ireland have fallen short in implementing effective policies across all the 4 P’s. Currently, much work needs to be done to implement powerful public policy to improve diet and health to reduce obesity. This study has found that change happens when several mandatory policies are introduced which dictate food retailers’ behaviour. The food retail environment plays a key role in consumers purchasing decisions and provides a key backdrop to educate consumers and bring about real change.
Exploring the Influence of Cream Processing Parameters on Butter Quality
(2022-12) O'Loughlin, Aidan
This thesis was set out to explore the potential to improve the quality of winter cream, for the purposes of producing higher quality butter during the winter period. Understanding how cream processing parameters can be altered to produce a more desirable butter during the winter period was the key concept. This is an important topic for butter manufacturers as it can help add value to winter cream. The thesis topic was evaluated through peer reviewed data. The characterising factors investigated were fatty acid composition, FFA, butter hardness and the milk fat crystalline structure within butter and cream. These areas were picked as they are the strongest indicators of butter quality. The key finding was that there is a relationship between the alteration of cream processing parameters and the final results of the key characteristics of butter. Firstly, for the fatty acid composition, a shorter cream ripening time resulted in higher levels of UFAs such as oleic acid which are associated with the development of a softer butter. For FFA in milk, the lowest values were found from milk cooled at 4℃ and pumped without incubation after cooling. For butter hardness the combination of lower ripening temperatures, high agitation, longer ripening times and the addition of LMP milk fat fractions was seen to have the biggest impact of reducing butter hardness. Lastly, in the milk fat crystallisation section, desirable β' milk fat crystals were found to develop during the first hour of cream ripening while a combination of maturing cream at 5℃ along with a high agitation rate was seen to produce the highest amount of β' milk fat crystals. In conclusion, the quality of winter cream can be improved through the alteration of cream processing parameters to produce a more desirable final butter. Future work that’s recommended to be undertaken includes the usage of a spinning cone column which could help remove volatile compounds from cream.
Faecal Microbiota Transplantation: Alteration of the Gut Microbiome for the Effective Treatment of Crohn’s Disease and Colitis
(2023) Phillips, Ciara
The Gut Microbiome is a community of microorganisms that colonise together in the gastrointestinal tract to play a crucial role in the body’s immune defence, behaviour, and metabolism. The Gut Microbiome has been linked to the development of many gut dysbiosis related diseases including Crohn’s disease and Colitis. As there is currently no cure for these diseases, treatment for the alleviation of associated symptoms is crucial for patient quality of life. Faecal Microbiota Transplantation is a restorative therapeutic technique involving the transplantation of healthy donor faecal bacteria to a receiving patient with the aim of altering their Gut Microbiome to resemble that of their donor’s. The objective of this research was to investigate how alteration of the Gut Microbiome with Faecal Microbiota Transplantation can be used in modern Western medicine as an effective disease treatment method for Crohn’s Disease and Colitis. This thesis compared the effectiveness of Faecal Microbiota Transplantation to current, conventional disease treatment methods via secondary research through analysis of recently published scientific journals and other reliable government and non-governmentbased sources. A major observation from this research was that patients undergoing Faecal Microbiota Transplantation showed higher success rates when higher levels of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii were present in their Gut Microbiome post treatment. Going forward, an extra step should be added to the donor screening process to help determine the presence of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii in the donor sample before its acceptance as suitable for donation. This will help increase both the receiver’s treatment success rate and patience acceptance of the disease treatment method. In conclusion, this thesis adds to the overall collective knowledge of the use of Faecal Microbiota Transplantation and gives evidence to its massive future potential as an effective main-stage, first-time disease treatment method in modern Western medicine for the alleviation of Crohn’s Disease and Colitis symptoms
Feasibility Analysis of Incorporating Insects into the Circular Economy
(2021) Murphy, Leanne
Insects became an innovative food source when in 2013 a report entitled "Edible Insects: The Future Perspectives of Food and Nutrition Safety" was released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Due to the minimal necessity for water and land, low ecological footprint, and high-quality protein provision, insects have been highlighted as a potential food source. Insects can transform lowvalue waste streams into high-quality proteins. Despite increased interest from entrepreneurs, there is little information on the economics of commercial-scale insect farming. Farmers trying to create "mini livestock" enterprises, banks seeking to offer finance, and governments considering policy interventions all need insight into the potentially lucrative realities of insect farming. Recent peer reviewed papers were examined. Limitations existed due to the scarcity of financial based papers related to insect farming. Regulatory frameworks are evaluated and identified as a possible stumbling block. The limited profitability and underlying economic data to produce Hermetia illucens, Alphitobius diaperinus, Tenebrio molitor, and Acheta domesticus are discussed in this thesis. An overview of the worldwide insect industry is provided to aid data interpretation, with special focus paid to the present state of insect farming, health and environmental advantages, barriers that exist, and the integration of edible insects within a Circular Business Model. The major goal was to figure out how insect farming might promote virtuous circular economic processes given their many nutritional and environmental benefits and circular economic concepts. From a circular economic standpoint, a circular business model strategy was presented to cover the full insect-based feed and food supply chain. The results highlight that insects are a feasible food and feed source, but certain pressing economic research concerns may need to be tailored to boost cost effectiveness and economical effectiveness from a circular economic viewpoint. Additional investigations on the financial component of the insect production industry are required to enhance food security for future generations, minimize waste, and offer a sustainable and nutritious protein alternative to conventional sources
Food Literacy: The Link Between School-Based Food Literacy and Dietary Patterns in Young Adulthood
(2024) Scur, Isabella
In response to Ireland's high rates of overweight and obesity, this thesis examines the urgent need to integrate food literacy into the school curriculum. The significant prevalence of these health issues both in Ireland and across Europe highlights the necessity for a comprehensive educational approach that empowers individuals to make informed and healthy dietary choices from an early age. This research is based on a survey conducted in May 2024, involving 99 young adults aged 19 to 24. The survey explored their attitudes and perceptions regarding food literacy, dietary habits, food label knowledge, and motivations behind their food choices, and what they had learned about food in school. The findings indicate a noticeable willingness among participants to embrace food literacy within the curriculum. Participants identified several key motivators for supporting food literacy in schools, including public health concerns, and the cultivation of responsible and mindful eating habits. A significant portion expressed a desire for a more comprehensive understanding of nutrition, food labels, food components and, the long-term consequences of dietary choices. The survey also revealed barriers to understanding food labels, highlighting the need for higher consumer education efforts. In conclusion, the results underscore the importance of incorporating food literacy into school curriculums as a proactive measure to address the challenges of overweight and obesity and the diseases that they can cause. Implementing targeted educational campaigns, policy advocacy, and curriculum development focused on food education can significantly contribute to the promotion of healthier lifestyles, sustainable food practices, and overall population well-being in Ireland. This thesis advocates for policymakers to prioritize food literacy in schools, recognizing its pivotal role in shaping the future health and economic sustainability of the nation.
Health effects associated with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and how dietary treatments can help
(2022) Ahern, Meadhbh
The most common endocrine disorder worldwide is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. It has gained attraction in recent years due to more awareness and education concerning endocrine issues. PCOS is one of the main causes of infertility amongst females of childbearing age. PCOS is characterised by chronic inflammation, increased risk of metabolic syndromes, hyperandrogenism and hirsutism. Menstrual abnormalities, excessive weight gain and increased feelings of anxiety and depression are amongst symptoms commonly reported by individuals with PCOS. Evaluation of hormonal and inflammatory biomarkers and potential modifications to dietary patterns that can help in the regulation of these biomarkers is imperative to the management of this disorder. Many people are being influenced to follow a more natural lifestyle including the addition of unprocessed natural foods as staples in their diets. The influence specialised diets including the Mediterranean diet, the ketogenic diet and the macronutrient diet have all proven to be efficient in treating various symptoms associated with PCOS. The MD proved to be the most beneficial long-term treatment for those with PCOS and the incorporation on supplements into this diet provides further regulation of inflammatory markers and hormone levels. Body weight was most positively influenced by the KD, but this diet would be difficult to maintain longterm.
How Can Renewable Energy Reduce Methane Emissions from the IrishDairy Herd to Safeguard Future Production?
(2022) Brennan, Aodhan
Ireland must reduceits methane emissions by 30% from Agriculture by 2030.The purpose of this Thesis is to explore how Renewable Energy can reduce Methane Emissions from the Dairy Herd to safeguard future production.This is in line with legislation derived from the Paris Agreement and COP 26 and further supported by indigenous policy.Methane is one of the most significant Green House Gases derived from the Dairy industry in Ireland. It is a colourless and odourless gas with a significant global warming potential surviving in the atmosphere for up to twelve and a half years. In the absence of sufficient remedial action, a national cull and loss of production will present the only means of meeting these targets currently at an increase of 3.8%. The link between Renewable Energy sources and reduced methane emissions provides a means to help reach national emission targets whilst maintaining ongoing production with additional benefits to the economy. Anaerobic Digestion, in the conversion of biodegradablebiomass to biogas observed benefits to reduce methane production by 85% when stored as Digestate. Feasibility of construction is also observed in herds comprising of over 100 cows typical of an Irish Herd scenario, particularly where external investment is attained in the productionof energy. Pyrolysis, the decomposition of waste material facilitates the reduction in Methane through the beneficial production of biochar. Biochar is observed to reduce methane through its addition to stockpiled manure facilitating a reduction of 79%, its potential as physical barrier as a Biocover and Fertiliser as a saving of chemical fertiliser. Farmers, the primary producers, who are central to the implementation of remedial strategies portray a willingness to partake in sustainable practices and associate such practices as that of a good farmer. Further guidance, education and financial incentive is required to ensure ongoing participation.
Importance of Nutritional Food Labelling on packaged food items and consumers understanding in Ireland
(2023) Staunton, Sarah
Ireland is set to become the most obese country In Europe by 2030 due to the increase in unhealthy eating habits amongst the population. Globally, the consumption of processed and convenient foods has increased over the generations and this has led to an increase in diet related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. The implementation of the Nutritional Labelling Law in 2011, has had a positive effect on consumers food choices and purchasing behaviours. Nutrition food labels is an effective tool to make consumers aware of the nutrition content of pre-packed food products. Nutrition food labels provide the information to allow the consumer to make an informed decision about the food product before purchasing. This study aims to show the importance of nutritional food labelling and determine consumers understanding and perception of nutritional food labels in Ireland before purchasing pre-packed food products. A Quantitative methodology using an online survey was used to collect primary data in this study. A total of 103 participant responses were received within 3 weeks. Secondary data was collected from journals, articles, books and websites. 79% of consumers in Ireland reported to read nutrition food labels before purchasing food products. However, only 47.8% of consumers understand the nutrition information on pre-packed food products. Consumers find front-of-pack food labels easier to understand compared to back-of-pack food labels. Consumers that read nutrition food labels prefer to buy food products with nutrition claims such ad low-fat and high-fibre. Consumers are becoming more health conscious about their food choices and want to improve their health especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. Demographics such as age, gender, education level and income status influence consumers purchasing behaviours. More research is required in this area as people read and use nutrition food labels to make informed decisions about food products before purchasing however obesity levels remain high in Ireland. The Government need to step in and implement new strategies to educate people about nutrition food labels and increase consumers understanding as people want to improve their overall health. Nutrition food labels is the only form of communication between the food manufacturer and the consumer. Therefore, the manufacturer has iv a responsibility to make nutrition food labels displayed on their food products informative but simple for the consumer to understand. It is important that the information on the nutrition food labels is catered to all consumers so they can make an informed decision about the food product before purchasing and make long-term healthier decisions.
Investigating The Therapeutic Potential Of Whey Derived Bioactive Peptides As Antiviral Agents In The Prevention Of Viral Infections
(2022) Murphy, Kelly
The impact of infectious diseases have always been a concern globally. Now more than ever do we understand the devastating impacts that they can have on every aspect of our lives as we begin to emerge from the catastrophic impacts, at both a mortality and economical level, from the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. As we gain greater insights into the threat that emerging viruses have to human health, their mechanism of adaptation, combined with external factors that facilitate their proliferation around the globe, do we appreciate and understand the need for a wide range of strategies and therapies in order to counteract the spread of infection and their associated symptoms that can lead to increased mortality rates globally. While there are a number of strategies such as vaccines and antiviral medications already well established in order to reduce the devastating impacts of infectious diseases, there is a need for alternative, and more affordable approaches in order to better counteract their spread and devastating impacts of harmful viral infections; especially for those who find themselves to be immunocompromised or at risk of suffering from the side-effects and complications associated with traditional treatments. Thus, there is a need for a wide range of alternative therapies and more affordable approaches in order to better control and counteract the spread of harmful viral infections. With global volumes of bovine milk in the region of 714 billion kg per annum, the subsequent whey volumes generated from the cheese manufacturing industry offers an abundant source of whey derived bioactive peptides that warrant further investigation to assess their antiviral potential. Although whey was historically regarded as a problematic waste stream generated from the cheese manufacturing process, it has, over the past number of decades been valorised into a key nutritional ingredient within the food and beverage industry thanks to advances in both processing and analytical technologies within the dairy industry. The ability to identify, purify and concentrate the native protein fragments βlactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, Bovine Serum Albumin, Immunoglobulins and Lactoferrin has allowed researchers to conduct vast amounts of both in-vitro and in-vivo studies in recent years, which have displayed that these bioactive peptides have the potential to impart a wide variety of health benefits, which are increasingly gaining ground in clinical practice. In conclusion, the antiviral potential of the whey derived bioactive peptides: βlactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, and Lactoferrin in particular, is one such benefit that this study’s findings have displayed a growing body of evidence is supporting, thus showcasing them as a viable, widely available and more cost-effective option to work in conjunction with or as an alternative to traditional vaccines and anti-viral medication.
Reviewing The Potential Application of Bovine Dairy Powders in Supporting Healthy Aging of Humans
(2023-12) Hayes, Tom
By 2050, twenty-two percent of the world’s population will be over the age of 60. Of this cohort, 80% will reside in developing regions. The focus of this thesis is to review the potential application of bovine dairy powders in supporting healthy aging of humans. Due to the economic status of this cohort require an affordable product with a prolonged shelf life is required. The evaluation of dairy and its role supporting a healthy aging population was assessed through evaluation of peer reviewed scientific papers and studies. Healthy aging allows enables the wellbeing in an individual both physically and mentally to carry out daily functions free from disease and disability. Osteoporosis, sarcopenia and cognitive decline were the three most prevalent diseases associated with aging and are considered global health concerns. With the aging demographic increasing, these 3 diseases were the focus of this study. Bovine milk powders are the most affordable source of dairy nutrients and also have the longest shelf life. Through investigation it was found that a lack of bone density was the cause of osteoporosis, muscle weakness was the cause of sarcopenia and oxidative stress was a key factor in cognitive decline. Calcium and vitamin D combined in fermented dairy was shown to increase bone density. Whey protein was shown to increase muscle mass. Whey peptides and amino acids were found to reduce oxidative stress. The key nutrients required to mitigate all 3 disease was found in a whey protein isolate powder and fortified in line with the recommended daily intake of an elderly person and a manufacturing cost was calculated in order to assess affordability for developing regions which may require a government subsidy. Future work would include manufacturing the fortified whey protein isolate powder and conducting subclinical trials to examine its effectiveness.

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