New biotechnological techniques have been identified as a factor determining the future success of industries as diverse as healthcare and agriculture. They have the potential to revolutionise primary food production and food processing activities. The primary objective of this research was to investigate the response of the Irish food industry to the technological discontinuity caused by the emergence of new biotechnological techniques. A three phase methodology was developed to achieve this objective. Phase one involved exploratory research of expert opinion to assist the development of a research design specifically tailored to the unique features of the Irish food industry in the context of the applications of new biotechnological techniques. The second phase involved extensive primary research of identified potential early adopters of new biotechnological techniques. Pivotal response factors investigated were: firms' technological capacity to apply the techniques, strategies used for involvement in R&D and attitudes to the emergence of the techniques. In phase three food firms' response to the technological discontinuity caused by the emergence of new biotechnological techniques was inferred through an appreciation of their performance with regard to the three factors examined in unison. In addition, a scoring system was developed that allows quantification of firms' responses to one of the topics at issue, technological capacity. The scoring system also allows comparison with international findings. Findings indicated responses were twofold. Most firms were nonresponsive to the emergence of new biotechnological techniques or were involved in a monitoring strategy only. The sole group for which possible future direct use was indicated were high value low volume ingredient supply firms.