John Fagan works as a Food Technologist at the National Food Centre, Dublin, Ireland

Name

John Fagan

Title

Food Technologist

Individuals Company

National Food Centre, Dublin, Ireland

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Educational background

On completion of my school Leaving Certificate, I studied for a National Certificate in aquaculture and a National Diploma in applied aquatic science at GMIT. I followed on from this with an Honours degree in Environmental Science at the University of Wolverhampton and went on to take my MSc in the Effect of Freeze-chill Technology and Modified Atmosphere Packaging on the Quality of Whiting (Merlangius merlangus), Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and Salmon (Salmo salar) portions.

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Did you go through any training while going to school that was beneficial

My school Biology, Chemistry and Communications courses were beneficial and gave me direction for my future pursuits.

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Do you have any recommendations for individuals currently studying

Try to get experience in areas that are of commercial interest.

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Does the career field have potential to expand in the future? Is the career field a good option for both students and professionals considering a career switch?

Seafood research is an up and coming area in Ireland. Previously, the majority of aquaculture fish and shellfish were exported unprocessed. There is a shift taking place towards adding value to seafood to maximise profit.

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Tell us about a typical day in your job

Work varies significantly from day to day. Some days consist entirely of lab-work, while others might be spent dealing with industry enquiries, collecting samples or writing publications.

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Can you explain your best experience in the profession ?

Recently I held a workshop at The National Food Centre to show companies the products I had been working on and to give them an opportunity to discuss further work. All participants thought the products I developed were interesting and tasty and we have had many follow-up enquiries from companies looking for information on seafood production.

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What are you reading or watching to stay abreast on industry/market changes, improvements, challenges, etc.?

I subscribe to the Intrafish website, which provides me with the most up to date seafood information and reports. I read the Irish Skipper, Irish Seafood.com and Food Science Journals with articles about fish and seafood.

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Do you collaborate with other professionals in Europe or internationally?

I speak each year at the WEFTA / TAFT conference which is a platform for international debate on all aspects of seafood.

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		See also
		Occupational profile of Food Technologist
		Other careers