Today we have a short Q&A with Meabh Manning, a recent graduate from our MSc in Food Business & Technology. We will explore their dissertation, discover why they focused on their particular topic and ask them to share some lessons for future MSc students!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you tell us a little about yourself?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hi there! My name is Meabh Manning and I am from Kildare. I originally studied Nutraceuticals in Health and Nutrition for my undergraduate degree in TUD. From there I entered a graduate programme with O\u2019Brien Fine Foods who are best known as the producer of Brady Family pre-cooked meats. My graduate programme was split into rotations covering branded NPD, quality, process improvement and own label NPD. Recently I have moved into a new role in O\u2019Brien Fine Foods as a branded innovation technologist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Why did you choose to study with Innopharma and TU Dublin?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Since moving into the area of food production and business, I felt my own knowledge of the management of a food business was lacking particularly as my own degree was mostly science based. This master;s degree allowed me to continue with my graduate programme while also improving my own knowledge on the management of a food business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you provide a brief overview of your thesis?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n My thesis centred around the implementation of recyclable packaging within the pre-cooked meats business. While it is readily accepted that recyclable packaging is the direction future food packaging innovation must move towards in order to achieve a circular economy, the impact on the food business and the potential for greenwashing techniques must also be examined. This thesis compared the ethical vs the economic viability for a pre-cooked meats business to implement a recyclable base web into their branded range. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What inspired you to choose this particular research topic for your thesis?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sustainability is incredibly topical and is not always heavily associated with the pre-cooked meats industry. I was inspired by the efforts to offset the carbon footprint of the production of pre-cooked meats through the introduction of a recyclable base web. I was also interested about how changing one element of a product can have effects in multiple areas such as product quality, shelf life and raw material costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Did you encounter any challenges or obstacles during your research and, if so, how did you overcome them?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The time in which you carry out your research is quite short. I had to focus in on certain areas in order to fully investigate them in the time given.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What are the key findings or results of your study, and how do they contribute to the existing body of knowledge in your field?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The key findings of this study were that while ethically it is essential for recyclable food packaging to be placed on the market in order to achieve a circular economy, the challenges facing the food business through its implementation are a major roadblock. Challenges such as achieving shelf life, operational difficulties and cost of raw materials were established as the central obstacles to the implementation of the recyclable substrate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What are your goals after graduation?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n My goal after graduation is to continue to learn. The food industry is vast in its opportunities for learning, there are so many areas and products to explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking back, what advice would you give to other students embarking on a similar dissertation in the field?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I would advise for students to conduct interviews with people in industry in order to get a more well-rounded idea of the challenges of implementing packaging changes in the pre-cooked meats industry. Particularly focus on areas which may see the most impact from a packaging change such as operations, quality and commercial. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today Meabh, some great insights there. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today we have a short Q&A with Meabh Manning, a recent graduate from our MSc in Food Business & Technology. We will explore their dissertation, discover why they focused on their particular topic and ask them to share some lessons for future MSc students! Can you tell us a little about yourself? Hi there! 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