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National Centre of Excellence for Food Engineering (NCEFE)

National Centre of Excellence for Food Engineering (NCEFE)

The Centre's vision is to be internationally recognised for excellence in sustainable innovations for the global food system. 

The Centre has a mission to drive vitality, sustainability and growth in the global food system working with our partners through research and innovation, aiming to deliver world-class capability, innovative sustainable food systems, technology-led solutions and sector competitiveness.

Delivering across four distinct research themes - Digital connectivity / Food system sustainability / Healthier lives / Feeding a growing population - we are at the centre of an expanding network of business, industry groups, academics and engineers, working together to solve specific business challenges within the food and drink sector. We are working with businesses across the sector to deliver creative solutions to industry challenges through our leading expertise and cutting edge facilities and equipment.

Based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, the research-led centre includes pilot-scale production facilities, laboratories, workshops and teaching spaces. Partners and students can also access the plant room — the beating heart of the facility — to control and study the building's bespoke environment.

A TORS media production

Work with us

Greencore and Arla cheese

Our research themes

Discover our four research themes and who leads them

Our themes
Food engineering processes

Our research expertise

Explore our broad range of research & innovation expertise

Our specialisms
Food processing tool

Our team of experts

Meet the dedicated and passionate members of the NCEFE team

Our colleagues
Food engineering students graduating

Education & development

Learn about the many ways we are developing future food engineers

Future engineers

Featured projects

Working on Dext Heat technology: Dr Gareth Evans and Dr Pete Weston

Dext Heat Recovery

Turning the food industry's waste heat into energy

Read more
Rice on a wooden spoon

Koolmill

Enhanced rice milling and maximised valorisation of rice milling byproducts

Read more
A ripe soft rind cheese

Greencore

Reducing salt and fat content of baked cheese products

Read more

NCEFE building at Sheffield Hallam University

Cutting-edge facilities

Our research-led centre, includes pilot-scale production facilities, laboratories, workshops and teaching spaces

Find out more about our Facilities


Part of the Industry and Innovation Research Institute

Drawing on talents, expertise and facilities from across the university, the vision is to be the leading provider of applied research excellence delivering materials, computing, science and engineering innovations meeting the development needs of industry. 

Sheffield Hallam University Industry and Innovation Research Institute logo