Ciara Dunne
Project Title: Enhancement of Nutritional and Functional Qualities of Herbal-Infused Beverages
Biography: Ciara grew up on her family’s beef and sheep farm in Co. Offaly where her interest in agriculture and the agri-food sector first developed. She graduated from the University of Limerick with a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Health in 2026, where she developed an interest in food chemistry, functional ingredients and the potential to develop healthier, value-added foods.
Ciara began her Walsh Scholarship research master’s in September 2026, focusing on the extraction of phenolic compounds from herbal plants, including wild Irish native herbs. Her research explores how different solvents can be used to optimise the extraction of these naturally occurring compounds, with the aim of incorporating the resulting herbal extracts into a functional dairy beverage.
Ciara has experience in food chemistry, laboratory analysis and quality control and is gaining expertise in solvent extraction and dairy product development.
Teagasc email: ciara.dunne@teagasc.ie
University email: CIARA.DUNNE.2027@mumail.ie