Food@LIT aim to provide a centre capable of substantive and scientific development and innovation within the food arena.

Food@LIT offer a range of services such as food research studies, shelf life testing, sensory analysis, focus group/consumer studies, recipe development, recipe analysis, nutritional analysis, bench top testing, process assessment, food handling training, labelling, food styling and photography.

The team which is led by Agnes Bouchier-Hayes & Dr Tracey Larkin is located in the Hartnett Enterprise Acceleration Centre on the Moylish Campus of Limerick Institute of Technology.

Food@LIT is a centre of excellence in food research, capable of food development and innovation that provides solutions to specific problems that food producers can encounter. The benefits for businesses that avail of our services are wide ranging and far reaching in terms of their impact on the clients’ commercial success, whether they are start-up companies or established enterprises.

Food@LIT is an innovative and multidisciplinary team of researchers and commercial specialists who provide a centre of excellence in food research. Food@LIT is a synergy between food, consumer needs and science with biochemist Dr.Tracey Larkin and home economist Agnes Bouchier-Hayes.

Meet The Food@LIT Team

Agnes Bouchier-Hayes B.Ed, M.A.,G.D.B.S.
Agnes Bouchier-Hayes B.Ed, M.A.,G.D.B.S.
Agnes began her career in the food industry with BIM- Bord Iascaigh Mhara- the Irish Sea Fisheries board. The focus of this role was to support product innovation and generate now seafood products for the market both nationally and internationally.
Dr. Tracey Larkin
Dr. Tracey Larkin
Dr Larkin completed a post doctorate with the Life Science Dept. of the University of Limerick in the area of food biochemistry and modified atmosphere packaging. Dr Larkin then worked with Olympus Diagnostica in clinical research and development as a project/program manager for a number of years.
Dr Liam Brown, Development Office
Dr Liam Brown, Development OfficeVice-President for Research, Enterprise and Development
Dr Brown has a proven track record in strategic development and operational management in research and enterprise engagement with significant public and private sector experience. His previous role was as programme manager for Enterprise Ireland’s largest collaborative R&D programme: Technology Centres, which builds significant collaborations between the enterprise and the third level sectors and is operated in conjunction with the IDA. He previously represented Ireland at the European Commission as one of the national delegates for the EU Framework programmes – FP7 and Horizon 2020. He now leads the Research, Enterprise & Development team at LIT – an agile, responsive, creative, inclusive and collaborative Institute.

LIT’s commitment to the mid-west region and beyond is unrivalled and Dr Brown intends to deliver on the further development of LIT, both nationally and internationally, through world leading impactful research and enterprise engagement and development.

Patrick Murray, Ph.D.
Patrick Murray, Ph.D.Head of Research and Technology Transfer, Dept. of Applied Science
Dr. Patrick Murray is a lecturer in Department of Applied Science, Principal Investigator, Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre and senior researcher of CHIMERA (CHemIcal and Molecular microbial biotEchnology ReseArch) Research group at LIT. He graduated first in his in BSc. (Hons. 1.1 degree) Biochemistry class from NUI Glway.

Dr Murray has responsibility for Limerick Institute’s flagship research centre “Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre” (Shannon ABC) has an ongoing programme to explore natural products for novel bioactive substances of value to wide industry sectors. The Centre it is based on a symbiotic relationship between research and industry with industry driven research strategies at the forefront of the gateway ideal. Natural products embraces a diversity of materials derived from waste streams, marine, plant, animal, mammalian and microbial sources. Shannon ABC focuses on developing, enhancing and commercializing biotechnology by collaborating with industry to promote product diversification and enhancement, increase market growth and aid competitiveness.

Yvonne Doyle
Yvonne DoyleDevelopment Unit Administrator
Yvonne worked in the hospitality industry in the UK, before returning to Ireland where she took up a position in Marketing & Events for a Fund Management company. Yvonne joined LIT in 2004 and is involved in a number of projects including Enterprise Ireland Innovation Vouchers, the Leonardo da Vinci funded HEATPlus up skilling programme for Plumbers.

Yvonne has been involved in organising many events for LIT including www.gamesfleadh.ie and http://www.lit.ie/ictedu and holds a degree in Hotel Management & Business Studies from Dublin Institute of Technology, as well as a Diploma in Marketing, Advertising & PR from Dublin Business School.