Danish Food Research Ranking among the Best in the World
The purpose of surveying Danish food research is to get an overall and up-to-date view of Danish food research, both in the public and private sectors, and also to determine how Danish food research is doing in an international context.
The survey shows that food research is a medium-sized field of research in Denmark. Food research thus represents about 6 per cent of the total full-time equivalents spent on R&D within the public and private sectors.
The survey also shows that food research in the public sector can mainly be related to the first part of the chain from soil/sea to the table, i.e. agriculture, plants, livestock, fishery and aquaculture and the research supporting this, while a smaller part of our research can be related to the last part of the chain, i.e. research in processing, packing, storage, distribution, trade, consumption etc.
In addition, the survey shows that Danish food research is doing quite well by international standards. For example, Denmark is the OECD country having the greatest publication activity relative to its size, and at the same time Danish food research has a high impact measured in number of citations received.
– The food sector is of great importance to Danish economy and employment, and it is therefore essential that Danish food research should be able to support the sector, so that Denmark can retain and enhance its international position in the area, and so that we can create more growth in society, says Science Minister Charlotte Sahl-Madsen.
– I am therefore pleased to see that this analysis has confirmed that Danish food research ranks among the best in the world and represents one of Denmark's core strengths in the field of research.
– However, we have to prioritise our efforts. In this context, it may be necessary to strengthen research in areas such as processing of foods and other biological products and strengthen our focus on the relationship between food, health and welfare, says the Science Minister.
The survey also shows that Danish food research has a very international outlook. 75 per cent of all Danish scientific food publications have thus been prepared in collaboration between a Danish author and a foreign co-author. For comparison, 55 per cent of publications in the field of health science, life science and natural science have at least one foreign co-author.
– Denmark is a small country, and if Danish research is to remain in the international class, it is important that we cooperate with the best. So it is a positive thing that Danish food research has a very international outlook, even much more than other fields of research, says Science Minister Charlotte Sahl-Madsen.
Further information:
For questions to the Minister, please contact Communications Manager Anders Frandsen, phone +45 40 75 33 24, e-mail anf@vtu.dk.
For questions on the analysis, please contact Anette Dørge Jessen, Head of Division, Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation, phone: +45 35 44 63 82, e-mail andj@fi.dk, or Claus Beck-Tange, Special Consultant, phone: +45 33 95 52 26, e-mail clbt@fi.dk.
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