Students visit Teagasc centres

MORE than 500 secondary school students have visited Teagasc food and agricultural research centres as part of the organisation’s busy programme of activities for Science Week 2006.

Open days to encourage more school pupils to develop an interest in science were held at four Teagasc centres. The events were aimed at promoting the science of food and agriculture to potential young scientists of the future.

Students were given a Taste of Food Science at Teagasc Ashtown Food Research Centre in Dublin. Minister of State for Children Brian Lenihan also visited the centre.

Some of the foods of the future were on display and students were shown the science of sensory analysis when they tried their hand at being professional food tasters. Students also had the opportunity to participate in a brainstorming game on foods they would like to eat in the future.

In Co Cork, schools from Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Lismore and Kanturk visited Teagasc Moorepark Research Centre to get an insight into the world of food and dairy research.

Each group heard how different young scientists ended up in their chosen careers and what academic qualifications and work experience they needed.

The groups were also shown a number of laboratories and got a flavour for the type of research being carried out at both the Moorepark Food Research and Dairy Production Research Centres. They also toured the state of the art milking parlour facilities and Moorepark Technology.