The manufacture of food and beverage products is Ireland’s most important indigenous industry with a turnover of €27.5 billion. The beverage industry in Ireland is estimated to be worth approximately €1.5 billion. The sector employs over 250,000 people and supplies the majority of produce to Ireland’s €15 billion domestic food sector. Ireland is the largest net exporter of dairy ingredients, beef and lamb in Europe and the largest exporter in Europe of powdered infant formula. Photonics makes significant contributions to the research and development of a variety of different food applications.