This paper describes some of the current problems facing food processing companies with respect to their process control requirements. The establishment of a research project to address some of these problems is outlined The goal of the project is to develop a generic process control/simulation platform for the food industry. Process control/IT audits were carried our on a number of plants and from this information it was possible to identify specific requirements. Appropriate software and hardware tools have been identified and sourced. These tools provide a powerful but flexible platform from which a variety of common problems and requirements can be addressed. The necessity for the development of sensors specifically tailored towards the needs of the food industry is discussed together with ongoing work in this area.