The history of FRPERC is long and varied.

We historically trace our start to September 1967, when investigations were started on a programme of research into meat refrigeration and processing at the new Meat Research Institute (MRI) under construction at Langford near Bristol.

Over the next 42 years that programme was extended to cover the refrigeration, thermal processing, and handling of all foods and continued on the same site until July 2009.

For the last 18 years this work was carried out under the auspices of the Food Refrigeration & Process Engineering Research Centre (FRPERC), founded by our Director Stephen James, as part of the University of Bristol. Based in the heartland of the food processing sector and therefore with a vested interest in food process engineering, from the 1st August 2009 FRPERC was re-established at The Grimsby Institute (GIFHE).