Staff from the University of Aberdeen Rowett Institute had a busy time last week, taking part in the Royal Highland Show.
The annual event at Ingliston, Edinburgh, is the pinnacle of the agricultural calendar, involving over 1,000 trade exhibitors and around 2,150 livestock competitors.
A team from the Rowett were based in the show’s Discovery Centre, which offers an education programme for children of all ages. Here youngsters were able to find out more about gut health in a fun and engaging interactive exhibition called ‘Microbes and me’. Together with other members of the SEFARI collective (Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutes) Rowett researchers gave visitors a fascinating insight into the role of bacteria in the gut
Dr Alexandra Johnstone also teamed up with the ‘Kilted Chef’ Craig Wilson in the ‘Aberdeenshire Village’, part of this year’s `President’s initiative’ and entertained the crowds with some healthy cooking demonstrations. Vegetable bhuna with monkfish, and spicy beef flatbreads were among the delicious dishes cooked and discussed by the dynamic duo.
Professor Peter Morgan, Director of the Rowett Institute and Chair of SEFARI1, spoke at a key Reception hosted by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity, Fergus Ewing. The Reception, coordinated by SEFARI highlighted the vital role of research in supporting Scotland’s food and drink industry. At the reception, the Cab Sec launched a new collaborative innovation fund to promote translation of research into the industry.
Professor Morgan commented: “The Royal Highland Show is an exceptional annual event in the calendar of the agricultural and food and drink industries and I am delighted that the Rowett was once again able to showcase the work of the Institute. In addition, we were able to show how, the Rowett as part of the SEFARI collective, is important to the success of Scotland’s food and drink industry.
“Our team put a lot of hard work and effort into their demonstrations and exhibits and I would like to thank them for this.”