food australia Journal, Vol. 76 (1) January - March 2024

ISSN 1032 5298 • PRINT POST APPROVED PP241613/00096 VOL 76 ISSUE 1

JANUARY – MARCH 2024

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF AIFST

A sustainable and resilient future for the Australian agrifood sector

Transformative potential of AI for the agrifood industry

ARC Research Roundup

Role of indigenous knowledge, gender, and culture in the Pacific food system

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January – March 2024

10

27

44

30

IN THIS ISSUE

REGULARS

08

Standard 3.2.2A serves up new tools for food retailers

05

By the Numbers

New food standard aims to help food businesses serve safe food

06

People

10

16

Food Files

AI in the food industry: the next industrial revolution from farm to fork

The transformative potential of artificial intelligence will benefit all stages of the

14

Global trends in the food and beverage sector: implications for

Australian businesses Researchers identify major trends driving changes in consumption and production 18

ARC food research roundup

Recently funded ARC projects 22

Gender, diversity, culture, and the Pacific food system: exploring sustainability

ISSN 1032 5298 • PRINT POST APPROVED PP241613/00096 VOL 76 ISSUE 1

agrifood system

JANUARY – MARCH 2024

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF AIFST

A sustainable and resilient future for the Australian agrifood sector

Transformative potential of AI for the agrifood industry

ARC Research Roundup

Recognising the complexities which underpin the Pacific food system 25

From waste to resource: transforming wine waste into high-value nutrient product

Investing in innovation transforms waste into new products 27

Role of indigenous knowledge, gender, and culture in the Pacific food system

Increasing sustainability and nutritional functionality of plant

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protein-based analogues

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A review of current challenges facing plant-based alternatives and potential strategies to address them 30

Preparing Australian agriculture and food systems to thrive in a more volatile world

Australia’s agrifood systems need to be agile and prepared for multiple potential futures 33

COVER ALS – right partner, right solutions

Open Access in Australia: where we have come from - where we are going

Open access to research publications is a key component of open science 36

Indigenous communities taking the bushfood industry high-tech

Using technology to create a native food value chain to ensure communities and businesses benefit 38

Global consumer close-up

A look at emerging market opportunities for food and beverage companies in 2024 44

What does a food engineer do?

Insights into the world of the food engineer 46

Spotlight on mentoring

The AIFST Mentoring Program - cultivating the next generation of food science heroes

food australia 3

Published by The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology Limited.

Food for Thought

Editorial Coordination Melinda Stewart | aifst@aifst.com.au

Contributors Dr Virginia Barbour, Dr Edgar Brea, Janet Caterrall, Dr Andrew Costanzo, Dr Lavaraj Devkota, Dr Sushil Dhital, Dr Dan Dias, Dr Nichole Georgeou, Francesca Goodman-Smith, Dr Charles Hawksley, Dr Pablo Juliano, Dr Kai Knoerzer, Dr Djin Gie Liem, Natalie MacGregor, Erin McClure, Dr Janet McColl-Kennedy, Dr Seeseei Molimau-Samasoni, Dr Yada Nolvachai, NSW Food Authority, Dr Martin Palmer, Sarah Pennell, Dr Jordan Pennells, Dr Rose Roche, Dr A. Elizabeth Sloan, Frank Sperling, Dr Dai Suter, Dr Peter Watkins, Dr Colin Wrigley, Dr Katherine Wynn, Dr Danyang Ying.

Advertising Manager Clive Russell | aifst@aifst.com.au

Subscriptions AIFST | aifst@aifst.com.au

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2024 Subscription Rates Australia $145.00 (incl. GST); Overseas (airmail) $225.00.

Single copies (Australia) $36.50 (incl. GST); Overseas $56.50 food australia is the official journal of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology Limited (AIFST). Statements and opinions presented in the publication do not necessarily reflect the policies of AIFST nor does AIFST accept responsibility for the accuracy of such statement and opinion.

Editorial Contributions Guidelines are available at https://www.aifst.asn.au/ food-australia-Journal.

Original material published in food australia is the property of the publisher who holds the copyright and may only be published provided consent is obtained from the AIFST. Copyright © 2018 ISSN 1032-5298

AIFST Board Acting Chair: Dr Michael Depalo Non-executive directors: Mr Marc Barnes, Ms Julie Cox, Dr Heather Haines, Dr Gregory Harper, Ms Bronwyn Powell.

Welcome to the Summer edition of food australia, our first journal for 2024.

As we look toward the future, food scientists will need a combination of traditional skills and knowledge, to adapt to emerging trends and technologies. Here are some key skills and knowledge areas for food scientists in the future: • Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering: understanding genetic modification and gene editing technologies for crop improvement, disease resistance, and food quality enhancement.

• Data Science and Analytics: proficiency in data analysis and interpretation to extract meaningful insights from large datasets, including applications in precision agriculture, supply chain optimisation, and consumer trends.

• Sustainability: knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices, resource-efficient food production, and eco-friendly packaging solutions to address environmental concerns and meet consumer demands for ethically sourced products.

• Food Safety and Quality Assurance: expertise in advanced food safety protocols, traceability systems, and quality control methods to ensure the safety and quality of food products.

• Nutrition Science: knowledge of functional foods, nutraceuticals, and the development of health-promoting products to manage the impact and benefits of food on health.

• Emerging Ingredients and Food Technologies: familiarity with novel ingredients, alternative protein sources, and cutting-edge food processing technologies such as 3D printing, nanotechnology, and precision fermentation.

• Regulatory Compliance: evolving food regulations and standards at the local, national, and international levels, including those related to food labeling, safety, and sustainability.

• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: ability to work collaboratively with professionals from diverse fields to address complex challenges in the food industry.

• Culinary Science: understanding the sensory aspects of food, culinary techniques, and flavour development to create innovative and appealing food products.

• Communication Skills: effectively communicate scientific findings to non-experts, including consumers, policymakers, and stakeholders.

• Ethics and Social Responsibility: a strong understanding of ethical considerations related to food production, distribution, and consumption. This includes addressing issues such as food waste, fair trade, and social responsibility.

Continuous learning and adaptability will be essential for food scientists to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2024, and beyond, AIFST will continue to focus on providing a range of opportunities for our members and the food science community to grow, learn, connect and champion.

AIFST National Office PO Box 780 Cherrybrook NSW 2126 Tel: +61 447 066 324 Email: aifst@aifst.com.au Web: www.aifst.asn.au

Fiona Fleming B. App Sc (Food Tech); MNutr Mgt; FAIFST Chief Executive Officer fiona.fleming@aifst.com.au

BY THE NUMBERS

Young, employed high earners going hungry Food insecurity in Australia during 2023

Words by Sarah Pennell A total of 3.7 million households across Australia went hungry at some point in the past year, according to the Foodbank Hunger Report 2023. That’s more than all the households in Sydney and Melbourne combined.

Foodbank Australia's research highlights one glaringly obvious cause as to why 36% of Australian households are experiencing food insecurity - the cost-of-living crisis.

Food insecurity is now being experienced in homes it has never touched before, with 77% of food insecure households encountering hunger for the first time in the past year.

The report confirms the face of hunger is changing. More than half (60%) of food insecure households have someone in paid work, and those experiencing food insecurity for the first time are younger, with mid to higher incomes.

The research highlights that food is the pressure valve for the many households doing it tough, with food the most likely item to be sacrificed to make ends meet. Almost all (94%) of food insecure households tried to mitigate rising cost-of-living pressures by reducing their spend on food and grocery items. Tactics included looking for sales, discounts and cheaper alternatives, and reducing eating out.

In a move that may have future public health consequences, nearly half said they reduced their purchasing of fresh produce and protein.

References: 1. https://reports.foodbank.org.au/wp-content/ uploads/2023/10/2023_Foodbank_Hunger_ Report_IPSOS-Report.pdf

Sarah Pennell is Chief Operating Officer at Foodbank Australia Ltd.

3.7 million

households in Australia experienced food insecurity in 2023

383,000 more

households struggled to put food on the table in 2023

No. 1 reason

households in Australia struggle to meet their food needs is the cost-of-living crisis

60% of all

food insecure households had someone in paid work

50% of all renters and all mortgage holders 33% of are struggling to put a meal on the table

77% of

households that struggled to meet their food needs in the last 12 months, did so for the first time

81% of households struggling

for the first time to put a meal on the table are more likely to be aged under 45

food australia 5

PEOPLE

The 2023 F B Guthrie Grain Science Medal Words by Dr Dai Suter and Dr Colin Wrigley Dr Ferenc (Frank) Bekes has been awarded the Australasian Grain Science Association’s (AGSA) 2023 F B Guthrie Grain Science Medal.

Frank has enjoyed a remarkable career spanning more than five decades. Born in Hungary in 1947, he earned a BSc in chemical engineering in 1972 and an MSc in cereal chemistry in 1976 from the Technical University of Budapest.

Subsequently, he obtained a PhD in cereal chemistry in 1981, followed by a DSC in chemistry in 1990, both from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

Frank's research journey commenced in 1972 when he joined the Department of Biochemistry at the Technical University of Budapest as a research associate, rising to the position of Assistant Professor.

In 1980, he became a development engineer at the Hungarian Grain Trust in Budapest, making significant strides in varietal identification through advanced electrophoretic data analysis.

In 1983, Frank became a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Manitoba in Canada, focusing on wheat lipids. Returning to Hungary later that year, he assumed the role of Associate Professor at the Technical University of Budapest.

A pivotal moment arrived in 1987 when he was invited to take up a position of excellence at the Division of Plant Industry in North Ryde Sydney at the CSIRO Wheat Research Unit here in Australia.

There, he implemented his innovative loaf volume prediction method, marking the start of a prolific phase until 2011, with roles including program leader in the Wheat Quality CRC. Frank has a special connection with Guthrie having initiated and organised the re-housing of Guthrie’s model mill back from Australia to the Ganz Museum in Budapest in 2011.

Throughout his career, Frank explored diverse research areas,

6 food australia

including pre-biological evolution, wheat lipids, protein-lipid complexes, and dough formation. He developed predictions for loaf volume based on wheat flour lipid data, aiding Canadian wheat breeders.

Notably, at the CSIRO Wheat Research Unit, Frank pioneered microscale dough-testing equipment, revolutionising wheat quality research. His tool evaluated gluten polypeptides and their contributions to wheat quality, facilitating a scoring system for wheat breeders.

In retirement, Frank focused on dietary wheat sensitivity, explaining spelt tolerance and gluten avoidance due to bread fermentation changes, fructans and gluten in the food industry.

Frank also consulted with George Weston Foods, offering his unique perspectives. His IT skills enabled the development of NIR-based quality evaluation systems for Australian wheat breeders.

With more than 500 publications, patents and significant contributions to the RACI Cereal Chemistry Division and AGSA, Frank's accolades include the CSIRO Chief's Award, the Harold Perten Prize, and memberships in many esteemed institutions.

Frank has considerable experience in teaching and training cereal The F B Guthrie Medal is the Australasian Grain Science Association’s highest award honouring the contribution of pioneer cereal chemist F B Guthrie to grain science research in Australia.

It recognises outstanding scientific achievement and contribution to knowledge in the field of grains.

Past winners include: 1974 J W (Wilson) Lee 1976 W L (Lew) Jones 1979 E E (Eric) Bond 1982 H J (John) Moss

2023 F B Guthrie Medal winner, Dr Frank Bekes.

scientists having supervised more than 20 postgraduate students in both Australia and Hungary.

He is currently an editor of Cereal Research Communications, the International Journal of Food Science and a former editor of Food Chemistry.

Dr Ferenc (Frank) Bekes has made an indelible mark on grain science across Hungary, Canada and Australia. His achievements merit the 2023 F B Guthrie Medal for Grain Science, and his legacy inspires future generations.

1985 1988 1991 1993 1994 1997 2000 2001 2003 2006 2009 2011 2012 2017 2020

B A (Bruce) Stone C W (Colin) Wrigley A B (Tony) Blakeney F (Fin) MacRitchie B V (Barry) McCleary L (Lindsay) O’Brien R J (Robert) Henry G B (Geof) Fincher D M (Di) Miskelly R L (Bob) Cracknell R I (Rod) Booth I L (Ian) Batey G B (Graham) Crosbie M J (Mike) Gidley L (Les) Copeland and J F (Joe) Panozzo

Associate Professor Hafiz Suleria receives Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research Dr Hafiz Suleria has been promoted to Associate Professor in Food Chemistry at the School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences at the University of Melbourne (UoM) and, in recognition of his exceptional performance and strong commitment to advanced research in food science, he was awarded the 2023 ‘Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research (Mid-Career)’.

Dr Hafiz has emerged as one of the youngest and most successful researchers in Australia, receiving four highly competitive and prestigious fellowships, including the ARC DECRA Fellowship (UoM), McKenzie Fellowship (UoM), Alfred Deakin Fellowship (Deakin University), and US Postdoctoral Fellowship (Kansas State University, USA).

Dr Suleria completed his PhD at the University of Queensland (UQ) in collaboration with the Translational Research Institute (TRI), the UQ School of Medicine, and CSIRO and was the 2017 recipient of the UQ Dean’s Award.

Dr Suleria has solidified his reputation as a young leader in the fields of food science and nutrition, particularly in the characterisation of phenolic compounds and their bioaccessibility, bioavailability and potential bioactivities using cutting-edge analytical technologies including chromatography and mass spectrometry, high-throughput screening technologies, cell-based bioactives and animal studies.

Dr Suleria has a strong passion and commitment to continue his advanced research on functional foods and nutraceuticals to address and minimise the challenges associated with their extraction, purification, characterisation, formulations, stabilisation, product development, bioaccessibility, bioavailability, absorption, targeted delivery systems, marketing strategies and regulations.

He showed strong leadership to bring multiple industries on board to work on these challenges and has received more than $10 million in funding including fellowships, national and international competitive grants, industrial research contracts and funds to establish world-class facilities for quick screening and characterising bioactive compounds.

Dr Suleria is engaged in developing strong international links and uplifting young members of the food science community in Australia. He is a member of national and international food science societies and an editorial board member of a number of reputed food science and nutrition journals.

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food australia 7

FOOD SAFETY

Standard 3.2.2A serves up new tools for food retailers Words by NSW Food Authority

New requirements to help food businesses serve safer food are now in effect throughout Australia.

Standard 3.2.2A of the Food Standards Code applies to food service and retail businesses that serve unpackaged, potentially hazardous, ready-to-eat food.

It delivers a nationally consistent approach to strengthening food safety management, with the aim of reducing rates of foodborne illness.

While the vast majority of food in Australia is safe, a Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) risk profile for food service and related food retail businesses found the sector accounted for about twothirds of reported foodborne illness outbreaks nationally.

Food handling errors, such as improper temperature control, poor personal hygiene and cross contamination, were consistently identified as contributing factors.

FSANZ identified more was needed to address the unique challenges of the sector which is fast paced, with a highly mobile, diverse and largely untrained workforce. It also noted introducing training and record requirements typically led to improvements in food safety.

The Standard Standard 3.2.2A introduces three food safety management tools: • Food safety supervisor • Food handler training • Substantiation of critical food safety controls.

It classifies businesses into two categories depending on their food handling.

A ‘category one’ business is a caterer or food service that processes potentially hazardous food into a food that is potentially hazardous and ready-to-eat. Category one businesses must implement all three tools.

‘Category two’ businesses offer for retail sale unpackaged, potentially hazardous, ready-to-eat food they have not made themselves. These

8 food australia

businesses may slice, weigh, repack, reheat, or hot-hold the food, but do not process it in any other way.

Category two businesses must implement two tools – food safety supervisor and food handler training.

The tools Food safety supervisor A food safety supervisor is someone associated with the business who is certified in the past five years to have skills and knowledge in food safety.

Training is delivered by registered training organisations.

Most food service businesses in NSW, ACT, Queensland and Victoria were already required to have a food safety supervisor. The Standard brings a national approach, with some differences between jurisdictions on its implementation.

A food safety supervisor must have the authority and ability to manage and give direction on safe food handling, and be reasonably available to do so.

Food handler training Anyone in the business who handles unpackaged, potentially hazardous, ready-to-eat food must have either completed a food safety training course or have appropriate skills and knowledge of food safety and hygiene for their duties.

A range of training options can be utilised, including internal training tailored to suit the business’s activities.

If opting for a food safety training course, it must incorporate safe handling of food, food contamination,

cleaning and sanitising of food premises and equipment and personal hygiene.

Additional training may not be needed if food handlers already have appropriate skills and knowledge.

Many government agencies provide a free online course for food handlers on food safety and hygiene.

Substantiation of critical food safety controls Businesses that undertake higher risk food handling (category one) need to be able to demonstrate safe food practices to ensure they are actively monitoring and managing critical food safety risks.

This requirement can be met by keeping records, however, records are not needed if the business can show in another way that risks have been managed, for example following standard operating procedures, or being able to walk-and-talk an authorised officer through practices and processes.

There are nine ‘prescribed provisions’ the businesses must substantiate: receipt, storage, display, transport, pathogen reduction during processing, cooling, and reheating of potentially hazardous food, and cleaning and sanitising. These are outlined in Standard 3.2.2 of the Code.

Standard 3.2.2A was gazetted 8 December 2022 and became enforceable from 8 December 2023. For more information visit foodstandards.gov.au and search “Standard 3.2.2A”. f

FUTURE FOOD

AI in the food industry: the next industrial revolution from farm to fork Words by Drs Jordan Pennells, Peter Watkins, Danyang Ying and Kai Knoerzer

T

he world is currently in the midst of an artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, akin to the first industrial revolution in its potential to transform industry and daily life. The rapid development of intelligent algorithms promises a transformative impact across almost every industrial sector, with the food industry emerging as a notable beneficiary.

Innovative capabilities are being created across the agrifood system, from farm to fork, transforming the way we approach agricultural production, product development, process optimisation, quality control, food safety, consumer interaction with food and waste minimisation.

However, while the hype surrounding AI technology may make

it feel like a sudden leap forward, it’s important to recognise that AI is not a novel concept. Current innovations are building upon a rich history in statistics and computational mathematics. The concept of artificial intelligence has been around for almost 70 years, first coined at a conference at Dartmouth College in 1956 by Dr John McCarthy, who is known as one of the ‘founding fathers’ of AI.2 But what has led to the explosion in capabilities, interest and hype around AI over the last decade?

The convergence of increased computational power, the availability of ‘big’ data, and advancements in machine learning algorithms have enabled the application of AI from theoretical frameworks to practical,

"AI is the new electricity. Just as electricity

transformed almost everything 100 years ago, today I actually have a hard time thinking of an industry that I don't think AI will transform in the next several years.

"

Andrew Ng, 2017, Co-founder of Coursera and Google Brain1

10 food australia

real-world uses in the food industry.3 In this article, we will explore the potential applications of AI across the food industry, with a focus on food product development and manufacturing - highlighting companies that are currently utilising AI to enhance their endeavours and present key challenges limiting the adoption and expansion of AI technology for food production.

Applications of AI across the food industry The agrifood industry as a whole is an incredibly broad sector, with AI presenting opportunities across the following stages: 1. Agricultural production: By using data from satellites, drones and ground sensors, AI-driven tools can help farmers analyse soil health, weather conditions and crop viability to make informed decisions about optimising planting cycles and improving yields. Image recognition systems can identify plant diseases and pest infections, allowing for early intervention.

AI-powered intelligent machinery can help automate various timeconsuming tasks such as harvesting

2. Personalised nutrition and product development: Leveraging AI, companies can create personalised nutrition plans and products based on individual dietary needs and preferences.

AI can analyse consumer data, food trends, and advanced ingredient analytics to suggest new product developments or flavour combinations 3. Food manufacturing: AI can help optimise food manufacturing through minimising energy and water consumption, waste generation and downtime, automated sorting and packaging to ensure product quality and safety, enhanced cleaning efficiency and predictive maintenance 4. Supply chain management: Using data-driven algorithms to predict demand, optimise inventory and delivery planning, and suggest pricing strategies, in order to reduce waste and improve efficiency. AI algorithms optimise routing of deliveries and improve the efficiency of the supply chain 5. Retail point of sale: Price optimisation, managing customer

interactions and feedback, and enabling personalised recommendations. In food service, AI-enabled robots and kiosks can take orders and, in some cases, even prepare and serve food 6. Food waste minimisation: Besides waste reduction during processing and point of sale, AI can also predict the expiration of food products more accurately, helping stores reduce waste by optimising the sale of older products. AI platforms can assist in redistributing excess food to food banks or discount outlets rather than it going to waste. AI may enable more efficient downstream utilisation of food waste for alternative uses such as animal feed and energy generation 7. Blockchain for traceability: AI, combined with blockchain technology, can provide detailed, immutable records of food origin, processing and delivery, improving transparency and traceability from farm to fork While the scope of potential impact is vast, the focus of this article is on the opportunities for the food manufacturing area.

AI opportunities for food manufacturing

Companies leading the way

with health and sustainability benefits. Current targets for their bioactive peptide include muscle health, inflammation, anti-ageing and diabetes management.7 Gastrograph AI (USA): Using a sensory perception AI model, Gastrograph AI is predicting the success of food and beverage products based on consumer taste preferences across different demographics.8 TOMRA (Belgium): This company utilises advanced AI algorithms integrated in their sorting equipment to enhance food safety and quality while maximising yields.

Their cutting-edge optical sorting equipment, equipped with sensors, cameras and machine learning algorithms can detect, and remove, defective food items from the production line.9

ImpactVision (USA): A machine learning company that integrates AI with hyperspectral imaging to provide non-invasive, real time food quality analysis and decision making.

Their real-time analysis detecting foreign bodies and assessing properties such as freshness of fish and ripeness of fruit and vegetables.10 Augury (Israel): This AI-driven machine health solution provider, which acquired Seebo’s processcentric AI capabilities in 2022, is using machine learning to analyse the entire production process, looking for patterns and anomalies that could indicate potential problems. Their platform provides insights and recommendations for preventive measures to minimise waste and operational costs.11

NotCo (Chile): NotCo's AI algorithm, codenamed Giuseppe, analyses molecular structures of food ingredients to find plant-based substitutes that can convincingly mimic animal products for milk, meat and mayonnaise applications.5 Spoonshot (USA): Spoonshot leverages their AI-driven platform that analyses an array of data source types across the web (>20 different types) to create structured databases that uncover insights and solve problems for the food and beverage industry.6 Nestlé (Switzerland) + Nuritas (Ireland): In 2018, Nestlé partnered with biotechnology startup Nuritas to leverage their AI technology platform for the identification of bioactive food-derived peptides that can be turned into food ingredients

Ingredient identification AI tools are using advanced pattern recognition to sift through extensive databases containing information on flavour profiles, nutritional content, and environmental impact of potential food ingredients. Using these insights, AI can then make recommendations such as selecting plant-based proteins that mimic the taste and texture of meat, or to discover herbs that can replace salt without compromising flavour.

Product development AI is making inroads into the area of food product development. By linking data on consumer preferences and nutritional requirements with food molecular composition and sensory characteristics, AI algorithms can assist in developing new food products. The use of AI in product development can lead to more innovative and tailored products. For example, AI algorithms can analyse data on consumer preferences for texture, colour and flavour to develop new food products likely to be more successful in the market.

food australia 11

FUTURE FOOD

Process optimisation and automation By analysing vast amounts of data in real-time from sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) devices along the food production line, AI systems can identify patterns and correlations in this data that might be too complex or subtle for human operators to notice. To ensure peak efficiency, AI algorithms have the potential to dynamically adjust processing conditions in response to changes in the production environment or raw material quality. AI-driven process optimisation can also aid in resource allocation, ensuring that raw materials and labour are utilised in the most efficient manner and machinery is arranged in an optimal configuration.

Predictive maintenance Predictive maintenance is another area where AI is making significant advances. By analysing data from machinery and equipment, AI algorithms can predict when a machine is likely to fail, allowing for timely maintenance and reducing downtime and saving costs, which is particularly important in the food industry where delays can lead to spoilage and waste.

Food safety and quality Ensuring food safety and quality is paramount in the food industry.

Traditional methods of quality control

12 food australia

often involve manual inspections, which can be time-consuming and prone to human error. Machine learning models are revolutionising this process, identifying signs of spoilage or contaminants in food products with greater speed and consistency than human inspections, thereby ensuring compliance with food safety standards.4

Challenges for AI in the food industry Data quality and accessibility Without comprehensive and reliable data, the potential of AI is significantly constrained, as the algorithms depend on this data to make accurate predictions and optimise processes.12 Companies need to invest in sensors, IoT devices, and other data collection tools to fully harness the power of AI. Furthermore, companies should also invest in data management systems to store, manage, and analyse the vast amounts of data generated.

Existing system integration There's also the challenge of integrating these new technologies into existing systems, which can be complex and costly. It requires a substantial investment, not just in the technology itself, but also in training personnel and establishing protocols for data management and analysis.

This is particularly true for small and

medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which may lack the resources for such an investment.12 Alternatively, this may be addressed by forming partnerships with tech firms and startups that specialise in AI and data analytics.

Ethical and security considerations Ethical and regulatory issues, including data privacy and security, will also be critical to ensure that data collection and analysis practices comply with relevant regulations and do not expose the company to any commercial risks in the form of cybersecurity attacks. Additional challenges may include data architecture scalability, customisation over time and decision-making transparency.

Conclusion The AI revolution will be a journey from empirical to predictive, from uncertainty to precision, enabling us to make smarter, more sustainable choices throughout the agrifood system. The technology offers myriad possibilities across the food system, including for agricultural production, food manufacturing, supply chain management, point of sale and waste minimisation.

However, despite the exponential rise of AI development and applications, many companies are still grappling with identifying the right applications for them,

or facing challenges such as high implementation costs, skill requirements and ethical or regulatory considerations. This struggle is not a sign of technological inadequacy, but rather an indication of the vast range of possibilities that AI offers.

With the possibilities of AI in mind, the CSIRO Food Program is undertaking an AI strategy process to enhance internal capabilities and gain a greater understanding of what AI can offer the food industry.

Through conducting internal reviews, comprehensive literature analyses and industry engagement, we are aiming to promote pragmatic application of AI in the food industry.

If your company is ready to explore AI's potential in the food industry, CSIRO is open for dialogue.

As AI technologies mature and become more accessible, we can expect a more widespread adoption of AI in the food industry, leading to significant improvements in efficiency, safety and sustainability.

In the end, it's not a question of 'if'

but 'when' AI will become an integral part of the food industry.

References 1. Lynch, S., Andrew Ng: Why AI is the new electricity. (2017, March 11). Stanford Graduate School of Business. https://www.gsb.stanford. edu/insights/andrew-ng-why-ai-new-electricity 2. Wikipedia contributors. (2023, August 2).

Dartmouth workshop. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia. org/w/index.php?title=Dartmouth_ workshop&oldid=1168445773 3. Xu, Y. et al., (2021). Artificial intelligence: A powerful paradigm for scientific research. The Innovation, 2(4).

4. Chen, K., 2019. Predictive Modeling of Food Quality and Safety Using Machine Learning: An Overview. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 18(5), pp.1435-1456.

5. NotCo, 2023. The Not Company's Approach to Plant-Based Food Development Using AI. https://notco.com/en/technology 6. Spoonshot, 2023. How Spoonshot's AI Works. https://spoonshot.com/how-it-works 7. Nuritas, 2018. Nestlé and Nuritas to work together on discovery of Food-Derived Bioactive Peptides through Artificial intelligence. https://www.nuritas.com/nestleand-nuritas-to-work-together-on-discoveryof-food-derived-bioactive-peptides-throughartificial-intelligence/ 8. Gastrograph.ai, 2023. Gastrograph.ai | Optimize your products for consistent market wins. https://www.gastrograph.com/ 9. TOMRA, 2023. Food spotlights artificial intelligence and demonstrates sorting, grading, and packing solutions at Fruit Logistica Berlin. https://www.tomra.com/food/media-center/ news/2023/tomra-food-at-fruit-logistica-berlin 10. Sawers, P. (2018, December 13). How ImpactVision is using AI to detect unripe or

contaminated food. VentureBeat. https:// venturebeat.com/ai/how-impactvision-isusing-ai-to-detect-unripe-or-contaminatedfood/ 11. Augury. (2023, October 5). Predictive, prescriptive AI for industrial manufacturing | Augury. https://www.augury.com/ 12. Leong, Y. M. et al., (2023) Transforming agriculture: navigating the challenges and embracing the opportunities of artificial intelligence of things. IEEE International Conference on Agrosystem Engineering, Technology & Applications (AGRETA). pp. 142147.

Dr Jordan Pennells is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Food Engineering team at the CSIRO Food Innovation Centre.

Dr Peter Watkins is a Senior Experimental Scientist in the Food Chemistry team at the CSIRO Food Innovation Centre.

Dr Danyang Ying is a Principal Research Scientist/Engineer and team leader of the Food Engineering team at the CSIRO Food Innovation Centre.

Dr Kai Knoerzer is a Principal Research Scientist/Engineer in the Food Innovation team at the CSIRO Food Innovation Centre and Science Strategist at CSIRO Company Creation. f

ROSEWOOD RESEARCH

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ROSEWOOD RESEARCH ROSEWOOD RESEARCH We offer collaborative partnerships and funding to academic institutions and business for research projects that advances Innovation in baking & grain foods Partnership Program innovation in baking, cereal and grain foods.

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food australia 13

TRENDS

Global trends in the food and beverage sector: implications for Australian businesses Words by Drs Edgar Brea and Janet McColl-Kennedy

T

he Australian food and beverage sector has experienced significant pressures from the global pandemic, inflationary pressures, geo-political conflicts, as well as changes in weather patterns.

In addition, there have also been shifts in the way food and beverages are consumed and produced through new technologies. Taken together, these shifts present considerable opportunities for the Australian food and beverage sector to be optimistic about the future.

In order to equip businesses to respond appropriately and plan ahead, it is important to deeply understand these key global trends and their potential impact on Australia’s food and beverage sector.

Researchers from Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) systematically collected insights from a variety of market and industry data sources. In addition, they reviewed food and beverage market reports from government, major players and research organisations to derive consumer sentiments and demand

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patterns. These insights were organised into themes. They were then corroborated and complemented by assessing specialised reports for the industries related to the food and beverage sector in Australia.

Drawing on natural language processing techniques, the researchers identified 10 major trends driving changes in consumption and production, organised by five distinct themes.

Theme 1 – Sophisticated demand The first theme relates to growth in consumer sophistication towards food and beverages.

• Trend 1 is the emergence of consumer demand for more personalised, functional and convenient products without compromising health.

• Trend 2 involves a growing demand for enhanced customer experiences while consuming food and beverages. There is evidence of growing demand among certain target markets for premium and

luxury food products. Flavour remains a key influencing factor in food and beverage consumption, especially for snacks, dairy products and prepared meals.

Theme 2 – Healthier products The second theme concerns the health-related aspects of food and beverages.

• Trend 3 involves a growing demand for more natural and ‘fresh’ products.

• Trend 4 demonstrates increased demand for products aligned with healthier and more nutritional diets.

Theme 3 – Environmental concerns The third theme relates to the environmental impact of food and beverages.

• Trend 5 involves a growing demand for sustainable production and consumption.

• Trend 6 relates to a growing interest among consumers for environmentally conscious choices when buying and consuming food and beverages.

Theme 4 – Technoeconomic forces

addresses the viability of different Dr Edgar Brea and Professor Janet market segments as well as taking into McColl-Kennedy are from the The fourth theme concerns major account the competitive landscape.

Innovation Pathways program at techno-economic forces.

Just because a product can be made, the Food and Beverage Accelerator.

• Trend 7 involves a growing demand doesn’t mean it should be made!

FaBA is hosted by The University of for transparent, safe and responsible This article is based on the newly Queensland, in collaboration with production. released report: Brea, Edgar; partners QUT and the University of • Trend 8 comprises a growing McColl-Kennedy, Janet R.; Hine, Southern Queensland, as part of the availability of enablers, such as Damian C. and Derbyshire, Ellen.

Federal Government’s Trailblazer digital technologies, AI and biotech.

(2023), Global Food and Beverage Program to build new research Trends Report: Opportunities to capabilities, drive commercialisation Theme 5 – Business unlock innovation in the Australian and invest in industry engagement resilience food and beverage sector, Australia’s opportunities. For more information Finally, the fifth theme relates to Food and Beverage Accelerator contact Dr Edgar Brea: business resilience amid volatile (FaBA). 56pp. e.brea@business.uq.edu.au f environments. https://faba.au/wp-content/ • Trend 9 concerns the increasing uploads/2023/12/2023.12.07-Globaloccurrence of adverse weather Trends-Report.pdf R+K_AD_2023_Cheese_118x162 Australian.qxp_Layout 1 16.04.23 19:22 Seite 1 events.

• Trend 10 relates to the recent emergence of geo-political and economic turbulence.

These 10 trends are described in detail in the FaBA Global Food and Beverage Trends Report: Opportunities to unlock innovation in the Australian food and beverage sector, released in December 2023.

The report also provides specific recommendations for businesses seeking to leverage the trends and align their innovation efforts with the shifts, outlining key opportunities and challenges.

In the recommendations, the researchers emphasise the need to: 1. Embrace a data-driven mindset 2. Collaborate nationally and internationally, where appropriate, to accelerate innovation 3. Practice customer-centric innovation 4. Re-think business models 5. Recognise the importance of establishing transparent customer and stakeholder relationships THE NATURAL COLOUR CHALLENGE Embracing a data-driven mindset shifts decision making Our distributor in Australia from hunches to more rational evidence-based decisions that consider market and consumerI N D U S T R I E S based needs, wants and preferences. This approach also

food australia 15

SENSORY & CONSUMER SCIENCE FEATURE

FOOD FILES

Drs Djin Gie Liem, Dan Dias, Andrew Costanzo and Yada Nolvachai

To beef or not to beef Have you ever wondered how plant-based burgers compare to the real beef ones? A new study from the US tried to find out by asking consumers to taste and rate four different kinds of burgers: two made from plants, one made from a mix of meat and mushrooms, and one made from 100% beef. The plant-based burgers were either made from peas or a special protein that looked and tasted like meat. Some consumers were told what they were eating, and some were not.

The study found the plant-based burger that looked and tasted like meat was the most popular among the consumers, even more popular than the beef burger. The beef burger came second, followed by the pea burger and the meat-mushroom burger. The study also found the consumers could tell which burger was the beef one when they did not know what they were eating, but they still liked the plant-based ‘meat-like’ burger more. The study suggested there were other reasons why consumers preferred the plant-based burgers, such as health, environment or animal welfare.

However, the study had some limitations in its design, so the results may not apply to everyone. But the

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study showed that some plant-based burgers can be a good (sensory) alternative to meat burgers in terms of taste and enjoyment...but maybe just not for everyone.

Sogari, G., Caputo, V., Petterson, A. J., Mora, C., & Boukid, F. (2023). A sensory study on consumer valuation for plant-based meat alternatives: What is liked and disliked the most?. Food Research International, 169, 112813. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. foodres.2023.112813

Thermal processing: impact on the aroma and taste of plant-based beef versus real This study aimed to validate improvements in the flavor profile of plant-based beef analogues (PBBAs) by investigating differences in the volatile profiles and taste properties compared to traditional beef. The authors' research examined three distinct PBBA types (PBBA-B, PBBA-C, and PBBA-D) as well as beef prepared in raw, fried, and steamed styles.

By applying solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS), combined with the electronic nose (E-nose), electronic tongue (E-tongue), and a sensory assessment, the authors identified a total of 126 volatile compounds in both PBBAs and beef. Intriguingly, 2,3-butanedione (391.22–517.28 μg/

kg in beef) and octanal (41–96.24 μg/kg in beef) were absent in all PBBAs. This disparity was attributed to markedly elevated levels of acids, hydrocarbons and heterocyclic compounds in PBBAs (several fold to hundred times) compared to beef, preventing an accurate simulation of beef aroma across various cooking methods.

The E-nose and sensory analysis indicated a noticeable reduction in aroma for thermally processed PBBAs compared to beef.

Additionally, the E-tongue analysis highlighted PBBAs being more bitter and sour in taste compared to beef.

The presence of a fat-like aroma in PBBA-D potentially contributed to its closer similarity to beef in the sensory evaluation.

The aromatic profiles and taste characteristics of PBBAs exhibited a noticeable distinction from beef, including: • An abundance of spice and condiment-derived compounds in PBBA-B and PBBA-C • The absence of a fatty aroma in PBBAs but a pronounced beef-like aroma • A reduction in several volatile aromas in PBBAs following thermal processing in contrast to beef • A tendency for PBBAs to display

heightened bitterness and astringency.

To achieve a more accurate replication of beef's flavor profile, it was recommended to reduce the proportion of spices, soy sauce and other condiments in the ingredients, introduce elements that enhance fat aroma, and cautiously incorporate beef essence. Incorporating substances that evoke meaty aromas post-heat treatment could also prove beneficial.

Zhang Z, Zang M, Zhang K, Wang S, Li Dan and Li X (2023) Effect of two types of thermal processing methods on the aroma and taste profiles of three commercial plant-based beef analogues and beef by GC-MS, E-nose, E-tongue, and sensory evaluation, Food Control 146, 109551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109551

Exploring the influence of cultural background on wine preferences Have you ever wondered why your favourite food or wine might not be as enjoyable to someone from a different cultural background? Food preferences can be influenced by a variety of factors, such as gender, age, body weight and cultural background.

Culture, especially, has a strong influence, shaping the tastes and traditions we're accustomed to.

To gain a better understanding of this phenomenon with wine, a study invited wine enthusiasts from Western and Chinese cultural backgrounds to share their wine preferences.

The results revealed that Western panellists preferred wines with stronger 'floral' notes and did not find 'sweet,' 'woody' and 'smooth' characteristics desirable, while the Chinese group favoured 'earthy' and 'umami' wines with low acidity.

During wine tasting, the perception of wine aromas through orthonasal and retronasal olfaction is considered highly influential for rating wine quality. Aroma compounds interact with the retronasal pathway, where saliva plays a facilitating role in these interactions. The analysis of the proteins in the panellists' saliva revealed significant differences in specific protein composition,

including proline-rich proteins (PRPs) and lipocalin-1 (LCN-1).

These differences could be a key factor contributing to the diverse preferences between the two cultural groups.

These findings suggest that our saliva and cultural background have more significant impacts on our food preferences than might have previously been thought. This insight may also apply to other foods and beverages. Such knowledge could prove valuable for wine producers seeking to cater to diverse consumer groups.

Luo J, Ruan X, Ang C-S, Nolvachai Y, Marriott PJ, Zhang P and Howell K. (2023) Variation of wine preference amongst consumers is influenced by the composition of salivary proteins. npj Science of Food 7:51. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-02300222-1

The sound of taste The food context is important to understand, as a range of contextual factors can influence taste perception and enjoyment. A recent study looked at how ambient music can influence the taste of a passionfruit mousse dessert in a restaurant setting.

A focus group of professional musicians helped select the most appropriate music and two classical musical pieces were selected to match the taste profile of the dessert: Nocturne Op.9 No.2 in E flat major,

by Fryderyk Chopin for sweet taste; and Capriccio No.24 in A minor by Niccolò Paganini played for sour taste. Forty-nine adult participants were recruited into the study to eat the dessert under each of the

following conditions in a randomised, balanced order: • In silence • While listening to sweet music • While listening to sour music.

Music had a significant impact on sour taste perception. Participants perceived the dessert as more sour when listening to sour music compared to silence. In addition, the sweet music decreased the perceived sourness of the dessert compared to silence. Surprisingly, neither musical piece changed the sweetness of the dessert. This study validates the influence of music on the tasting experience, particularly that unpleasant music can heighten the unpleasant aspects of a food.

This study offers one way in which music can be used to create an innovative multisensory gastronomic experience. In food service and health-related contexts, for example, playing pleasant music during a meal may increase the likelihood of consuming healthier but disliked foods. It may also improve the eating experience in contexts where the palatability and acceptance of foods can be challenging, such as in aged care facilities or hospitals.

Campinho J, Sousa P, Mata P. The influence of music on the perception of taste. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science.

2023; 31:100669. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. ijgfs.2023.100669

Dr Djin Gie Liem is Associate Professor, Dr Dan Dias is Senior Lecturer, Dr Andrew Costanzo is Lecturer and Dr Yada Nolvachai is Post-Doctoral Fellow. All are at CASS Food Research Centre at Deakin University. f

food australia 17

RESEARCH ROUNDUP

ARC food research roundup Words by Dr Martin Palmer

T

he Australian Research Council (ARC) funds numerous research projects in diverse fields of food production, food processing, food science and nutrition. Project summaries are publicly available and provide an interesting window on current, university-based food research in Australia. In addition to the new ARC Centre of Excellence for Plants in Space (reviewed in detail in food australia, Oct-Dec 2023) the total ARC funding for new, food-related research projects announced over the last year exceeded $8m. These included:

Industry co-funded Linkage Projects Sustaining chicken-meat production with alternative protein sources LP220100292 – Dr Sonia Liu et al., University of Sydney with Industry partner: Evonik Operations GMBH. Aims to secure sustainable chickenmeat production by the reduction or elimination of imported soybean meal as the primary protein source in Australian broiler diets by its replacement with feed-grade amino acids and local feedstuffs.

This project will expand our comprehension of starch/glucose and protein/amino acid digestive dynamics in poultry diets based on wheat, the primary feed grain in

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Australia. Expected outcomes include affordable and environmentally viable soybean meal-free feed formulations for the Australian chicken-meat industry, coupled with improved bird welfare and flock health.

Regional Australia skills shortages and high-skill refugee employment LP220100286 - Professor Massimiliano Tani et al., University of New South Wales, with Regional Australia Institute and Talent Beyond Boundaries.

Focusing on SME’s producing food and beverages, this project aims to determine whether refugee employment (i) is a strategic resource (ii) can alleviate chronic regional skill shortages, and (iii) can be integrated in immigration policy.

It will provide critical empirical evidence on the possible need to separate policy measures aimed at rural versus urban employers.

Outcomes will contribute to reducing critical skill shortages and wastage in rural Australian industries, key drivers of the country’s food exports.

Chemicals in compostable food contact paper packaging materials LP220100200 – Dr Emma Knight et al., University of Queensland, with seven industry and government partners.

Aims to better understand the presence of persistent chemicals in recyclable and compostable food

contact materials. These types of products are destined for recycling or bio-waste streams that bridge the gap from take-make-dispose and into a circular economy. Currently, the knowledge of the chemicals in these products is limited, but we need to ensure they are safe and do not contaminate resource recovery streams. This will provide a framework for use by industry and government to prevent chemicals of concern persisting in a circular economy, providing environmental and economic benefits through reduced risk of chemical exposure and remediation costs.

Greening the production of peptides and proteins LP220100091 - Professor Richard Payne et al., University of Sydney, with Novo Nordisk A/S. Aims to develop a green and sustainable synthetic platform for the production of peptide and protein molecules. The synthetic methodology will have the potential to solve a major technological gap in the field by providing an efficient and cost-effective method for manufacturing peptides and proteins with a substantial reduction in reagent and solvent waste over currently employed methods. This breakthrough green technology is expected to benefit

Australia’s growing biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors.

Utilising novel Pongamia trees to decarbonise Australia’s beef valuechain LP220100090 - Dr Sarah Meale et al., University of Queensland, with seven industry partners.

Aims to develop a framework for the integration of Pongamia into beef production systems, to maximise emissions reductions and support carbon capture and farm system resilience. This project also seeks to determine the impact of Pongamia meal on cattle production efficiency, meat quality and methane emissions.

Through quantification of carbon sequestration potential in tree plantations, whole-farm modelling will elucidate production scenarios capable of achieving the reductions needed for a carbon neutral Australian beef industry.

Discovery Projects Sustained innovations to promote healthier food in the retail environment DE240100616 - Dr Miranda Blake, Deakin University.

Aims to provide empirical evidence to drive retailer change in favour of healthier food offerings. Australian food environments can drive unhealthy diets and are a major cause of social, productivity and wellbeing loss. Using implementation science applied to real-world trials and policy collaborations, the project will test the effectiveness of innovative methods for sustaining organisational change across a range of retail settings. Outcomes would deliver significant benefits by enabling retailers, governments and public health advocates to make the lasting changes to food retail environments needed to improve productivity and population wellbeing.

Causal relationship between taste, smell perception and eating behaviour DE240100014 - Dr Liang-Dar Hwang, University of Queensland.

About half of all Australians have a poor diet, a leading cause of many chronic conditions costing more than $70 billion annually. This project aims to develop and apply novel statistical methods for determining the genetic basis of human taste and smell perception and its causal effects on eating behaviour. Expected outcomes include new insights underlying individual differences for a wide range of taste and olfactory traits, advanced analytical methods to assess causality, and a causal network of these sensory traits across more than 100 foods. Benefits will be new strategies for improving food flavours and eating behaviours to enhance agri-food industry growth.

Assessing climate risk for future food supply DE230101652 - Dr Arunima Malik, University of Sydney.

Aims to develop an Integrated Assessment Modelling Lab - a collaborative research platform for comprehensive assessment of the effects of extreme climate events (bushfires/drought/floods/cyclones) on Australia's food supply. This new capability will be used to assess impacts on Australia's national and international supply chains, industry sectors and on socio-economic groups. Outcomes will offer opportunities to improve national responses to the changing climate and build resilience by designing adaptation plans to safeguard national and international food supply chains.

Food for thought: identifying dietary influences on decision making DE230101025 - Dr Michael Kendig, University of Technology, Sydney.

Cues that signal food are abundant in the environment, yet their ability to stimulate food consumption remains poorly understood. This project seeks to identify how food cues influence decision-making processes.

It will also test how dietary habits alter responding to food cues, and explore the underlying neural mechanisms of these effects.

Behavioural neuroscience techniques will be employed in a validated rodent model of the modern diet. Expected outcomes include new interdisciplinary knowledge identifying how nutritional choices influence cognition and the brain.

The project should inform how the modern environment shapes dietary habits.

Regulating the future of protein DE230100135 - Dr Hope Johnson, Queensland University of Technology.

Australia needs to produce more protein, sustainably into the future.

This project aims to determine how this can be achieved by developing optimal ways of regulating alternative proteins. This project combines an innovative mix of empirical and legal analysis to understand the full range of expectations, opportunities and risks regarding alternative proteins and their regulation. It will use this new knowledge to determine how to regulate for healthy, sustainable and prosperous future food systems.

Expected outcomes include a new approach to food regulation and the creation of new pathways for stakeholder engagement for better food futures.

Integrating food and nutrition into fisheries and aquaculture management DE230100069 - Dr Anna Farmery, University of Wollongong.

Aims to provide knowledge to improve fisheries and aquaculture food systems, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Food and health outcomes are not well integrated into fisheries and aquaculture policy or management, despite global expectations that aquatic foods will help address current and anticipated food system challenges. Expected outcomes include new knowledge on implementing food- and nutritionbased management objectives in fisheries and aquaculture, to improve human health through diets while also achieving environmental, economic and other socially positive outcomes.

food australia 19

RESEARCH ROUNDUP

Fungi power: designer fungal cell factories for advanced biomanufacturing IM230100154 - Dr Yit-Heng Chooi, University of Western Australia, with Microbial Screening Technologies, Natural Meditech and Nourish Ingredients.

Aims to build an advanced biomanufacturing platform based on filamentous fungi. Using synthetic biology, the project expects to engineer superior fungal host strains customisable to the needs of industry and address their technological gaps.

Expected outcomes include the basis for cost-efficient and sustainable fungal-based bioprocesses for commercial products, such as fine chemicals, pharmaceutical actives and food ingredients.

Hunger for change: student food insecurity and youth agency in Australia DP230102527 - Professor Craig Jeffrey et al., University of Melbourne.

This project will examine the causes, consequences and nature of food insecurity among university students in Australia via interviews, focus groups and participant observation.

It will contribute to debates on food security and youth agency by highlighting the ways in which young people are developing responses to food insecurity. It will offer the Australian government, state governments and universities opportunities to build upon studentled solutions to food insecurity, enhance capacity for research on food and youth issues, and heighten public understanding of the issue.

To what extent does Australian food policy consider its health impact?

DP230102151 - Professor Frances Baum and Professor Dora Marinova, University of Adelaide.

This project will examine the contribution of Australian diets to consumer health, as well as the environmental impacts of Australian agriculture, food processing, manufacturing and marketing sectors. The research will analyse policy documents and interview key

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people involved in each sector to determine their views on the ways in which our food supply affects our health. It will result in policy recommendations advising how the Australian food sector can be made more supportive of health and equity.

Policy makers will be engaged with our findings through a Food Policy Summit.

Fellowships Transforming harvest surplus into nutritious meals for food relief IM230100527 - Professor Svetlana Bogomolova, Flinders University, with Foodbank of South Australia and Green Industries SA. Aims to transform currently wasted harvest surplus into nutritious shelfstable plant-based products for the food relief sector. It integrates novel social enterprise models with advanced food manufacturing and training and volunteering opportunities for food insecure individuals, to facilitate their pathway out of food insecurity. The project will tackle the major problems of food insecurity and food waste through systems thinking and leveraging underused resources, while building collaborations across academia and multiple industry sectors.

Reinventing compostable packaging IM230100008 - Associate Professor Rico Tabor, Monash University, with Varden Process.

Aims to develop a new generation of home-compostable packaging materials, focused around meeting immediate and future needs for food packaging. The materials used will be of sustainable origin, helping to decarbonise our packaging industry, thus presenting a new paradigm in protecting consumer goods in a more responsible way. This will enable a reduction in our reliance on single-use plastic packaging in foods and the environmental problems it causes, without compromising on food safety or freshness.

These condensed descriptions have been edited from the official full project summaries available on the ARC website: https://www.arc.gov. au/grants/grant-outcomes. For more detailed information, readers are encouraged to contact the project leaders directly.

Dr Martin Palmer is a Principal Fellow in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Melbourne. f

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SUSTAINABILITY FEATURE

Gender, diversity, culture, and the Pacific food system: exploring sustainability Words by Drs Nichole Georgeou, Seeseei Molimau-Samasoni and Charles Hawksley

I

n 2021 the Pacific Community came together to outline a strategy for advancing Blue Pacific Food Systems that is built on an understanding of linkages between the Pacific and the rest of the world, as well as within the Pacific region between its 22 Pacific Islands Countries and Territories (PICTs). The Summary Brief notes Pacific societies have a “…long history and culture of sustainably managing the ocean and land, which has supported Pacific communities for generations.”

This traditional sustainability is now under threat. The PICTs face growing development challenges - climate change, urbanisation, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), risk of pathogens and pests, and overfishing - that affect how they obtain sufficient nutritious food to feed their populations.1 This article explores the diversity of the Pacific region, the current Pacific food gap and the important roles of culture and gender in shaping a sustainable Pacific food system.

Pacific diversity The PICTs are home to diverse indigenous cultures with more than 1,000 distinct languages and

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traditions. The terms ‘Polynesia’, ‘Micronesia’ and 'Melanesia' denote some cultural similarities, but there are also many historical and cultural differences within these subgroupings.

The Pacific region is politically diverse with independent states, states in free association with other states, and dependent territories. The PICTs range in size with the smallest Melanesian state, Vanuatu, being four times larger than the largest Polynesian state, Samoa. More than half of the PICTs have land areas under 1,000km2, while the smallest PICT (Tokelau) has just 12km2.

Any data on the PICTs is affected

by Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) size and population. PNG has three quarters of the PICTs’ population and 83.5% of all PICT land area. All other PICTs have populations less than one million, and several are below 100,000.2 Population concentrations also vary. Despite heavy-to-extreme urbanisation in both Micronesia (75.5%) and Polynesia (49.3%), due to the size and settlement patterns of Melanesia, the PICTs are on average 77% rural.4 The PICTs have enormous

Exclusive Economic Zones. These large sea areas provide potential to gain income from fisheries rights, as well as providing for local food needs. Outside of PNG, 90% of people in PICTs live within 10km of the coast, and coral fishing is an important part of many local food systems.

The Pacific food system: a macro understanding The intricacies of the Pacific food system are multifaceted.

They are influenced by the PICTs’ diverse geography, demography and histories as well as their social, political, technological and environmental linkages and contexts.

Around 80% of all Pacific Islanders still rely on agricultural produce from their own gardens or from smallholder farmers to support or to supplement their diets.5 Past political linkages affect PICT development trajectories and their contemporary trade, including food imports. From the 1970s, the Pacific underwent integration into the global capitalist market, its food systems and regimes. The global shift to liberalised trade from the 1980s saw a dramatic increase in imports,

The PICTs, their Exclusive Economic Zones and culture groupings.3 Creative commons 4.0. especially from the formation of the World Trade Organisation in 1995.6 The free trade agenda continues through regional trade agreements such as the 2017 Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus (PACER Plus).

Trade dynamics, commodity prices and external market shocks affect food availability, consumption and health. As PICTs have become more reliant on imported foods, their peoples have become less healthy.

There's now a notable link between imported foods and the NCD crisis in the Pacific.

The Pacific food gap The PICTs have a concerning 'food gap' - the amount of locally produced food is not sufficient to meet demand with a significant shortfall in the production of fruit and non-starchy vegetables (FNSV),7 essential for maintaining good health. Imports of low nutritional value make up the difference. A growing dependency on imported foods is evident between 1995 and 2018. The main PICT food import is cereals.8 An increasing reliance on low nutrition, processed, imported foods contributes to diabetes and obesity.

Climate change and urbanisation Climate change has adversely affected agriculture and fisheries, while urbanisation has pushed the

demand for imported staple foods. In smaller PICTs such as Guam or Nauru, rates of urbanisation are close to 100%. Urban drift takes people away from their food gardens causing reliance on shops and supermarkets, local produce markets, or gifts of food from relatives.

Trade and inter-island dynamics Trade between PICTs is far smaller than trade with the outside world due to historical factors such as distance, and high shipping and fuel costs. These factors also affect intraisland trade and food distribution in individual PICTs.9

Toward a sustainable Pacific food system The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) defines a sustainable food system as one that maintains economic profitability, offers broad societal benefits and positively impacts the environment.

Achieving this type of sustainability in the Pacific is challenging. A sustainable Pacific food system might involve some combination of growing and consuming more local foods, reducing imports, buying better quality local or imported food and increasing PICT regional trade.

Growing more food might be possible in Melanesia, but available arable land in Polynesia and Micronesia is often not adequate

to feed growing populations.

Agricultural production remains a vital part of community social and cultural life. The aid donor-supported niche export products bring income for some but are not enough to fund equitable or sustainable development.

PICTs have a mix of paid and unpaid labour, forming mixedlivelihood portfolios. While wage labour enables food purchase, it also makes people reliant on the market.

Remittances can be a double-edged sword: while the money can assist in local development, it can also lead to local labour shortages as people rely on remittances and opt not to work.

The rise in seasonal workers is also causing local labour shortages.

The Pacific community has called for a better balance between regional and global trade. Regional efforts are focussed on expanding the role of trade within PICTs. The legal and economic architecture exists for increasing inter-island trade with the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) formalising free trade in 2007.

A sustainable Pacific food system?

Achieving a sustainable food system requires a thorough understanding of the social and cultural dynamics of PICT societies. A focus on the macroeconomic and market dynamics of Pacific food systems neglects the important traditional and cultural activities related to food production and consumption. Instead, we argue for a deeper recognition of the important role of intangible and cultural capital in creating community and food system sustainability.

Age, gender, religion, education and ethnicity all play a pivotal role in accessing and enhancing foodrelated livelihoods, while gender and identity are crucial determinants of experiences and contributions to the food system.

In the Pacific, food transcends its mere economic value, often serving as a medium of social and cultural expression. Gift-giving of food among Kanak peoples in New Caledonia

food australia 23

SUSTAINABILITY FEATURE

plays a central role in social cohesion within and between communities.10 Gender dynamics in food systems A gendered perspective on food systems in the Pacific reveals distinct roles played by men and women in agricultural decisionmaking, production and market sale, but there are also diverse gender identities. The fa’afafine (Samoa), pinapinaaine (Kiribati), fakaleitiī (Tonga), vakasalewalewa (Fiji), mahu (Tahiti) and ‘akava’ine (Cook Islands), challenge the Western binary understanding of gender.11 Recognising that these identities exist, and understanding their roles in social life and production, is vital for a comprehensive understanding of how local food systems work.

The introduction of high-value cash crops often reinforces male dominance in certain spheres. The cultural significance of taro for men and women in Tonga12 exemplifies the gendered dimensions of food production. In some PICTs women are landowners and have rights that extend into coastal fisheries, a fact increasingly observed in coastal fisheries management.13 Indigenous knowledge Indigenous peoples form the majority

24 food australia

of the population in the PICTs. Any sustainable food system will need the knowledge of indigenous people to cope with the changing climate, and to map strategies of resilience when trying to replant after a cyclone.

Indigenous practices, like smoking and storing breadfruit in Vanuatu for post-cyclone sustenance, underscore the importance of traditional knowledge in enhancing food system resilience. Indigenous knowledge can also identify useful plants for sale in the global market.14

Conclusion While Melanesia has sufficient land to be the Pacific’s food basket, getting fresh food to all of the PICTs requires a pivot to local solutions and a regional approach, but such a reliance would have important implications for Polynesian and Micronesian food sovereignty.

As the Pacific region grapples with the challenges of sustainability, recognising the roles of indigenous knowledge, gender diversity and cultural practices is crucial. Only by acknowledging and incorporating these elements can the Pacific plan for a truly sustainable food system.

References 1. Pacific Community, ‘Summary Brief: Advancing Blue Pacific Food systems’, July 2021, https://

pacificsecurity.net/resource/summary-briefadvancing-blue-pacific-food-systems/ 2. C. Hawksley & N. Georgeou, ‘Small states in the Pacific: Sovereignty, vulnerability, and regionalism’, in T. Kolnberger & H. Koff (eds), Agency, Security and Governance of Small States: A Global Perspective, Routledge, 139-157.

DOI: 10.4324/9781003356011-12 3. N. Andrew, E. Allison, T. Brewer, et. al, ‘Continuity and change in the contemporary Pacific food system’, Global Food Security, Volume 32, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2021.100608 4. P. Farrell, A.M. Thow, J. Wate, et al. ‘COVID-19 and Pacific food system resilience: opportunities to build a robust response’. Food Security, 12, 783–791 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571020-01087-y 5. N. Georgeou, C. Hawksley, N. Wali et al (2022) ‘Food security and small holder farming in Pacific Island countries and territories: A scoping review’, PLOS Sustainability and Transformation 1(4): e0000009. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pstr.0000009 6. Pacific data hub ‘2018 imports’, https:// pacificdata.org/pacific-food-and-beverage-trade 7. Andrew et al. Continuity and change.

8. Pacific data hub ‘2018 imports’.

9. N. Georgeou, C. Hawksley, J. Monks, M. Ki’i. 'Food security and asset creation in Solomon Islands: gender and the political economy of agricultural production for Honiara Central Market’, PORTAL Journal of Multidisciplinary International Studies 16 (1/2): 101-118.

10. S. Bouard & J. M. Sourisseau. ‘Stratégies des ménages kanak: hybridations entre logiques marchandes et non marchandes’, Natures Sciences Sociétés, 2010, 18(3), 266-275.

11. C. Kenny & F Tapu-Quilho, Exploring the access to, and experiences of people of diverse sexual orientation and/or gender identity engaged in fisheries: A scoping study, ACIAR, openpublished/ExploringKenny2022Report.pdf 12. M. Filihia, ‘Men Are From Maama, Women Are From Pulotu: Female Status in Tongan Society’, The Journal of the Polynesian Society, December 2001, 110 (4), 377-390 13. S. Manghubai & S. Lawless, ‘How is gender included in small-scale fisheries management and development? Exploring approaches, barriers and opportunities in Melanesia’, in Pacific Community, Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems, https://coastfish.spc.int/en/ publications/bulletins/women-in-fisheries/518 14. S. Molimau-Samasoni, V. H. Woolner, S. T Foligaet et. al. (2021). ‘Functional genomics and metabolomics advance the ethnobotany of the Samoan traditional medicine “matalafi”’.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(45). https://doi.org/10.1073/ pnas.2100880118

Dr Nichole Georgeou is Professor and Director, Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative (HADRI) at Western Sydney University. This article is adapted from Nichole’s presentation to the AIFST Sustainable Food Systems Symposium, 24-25 October 2023.

Masuisuiolemalietoa Dr Seeseei Molimau–Samasoni is Manager, Plant and Postharvest Technologies at the Scientific Organisation of Samoa (SROS).

Dr Charles Hawksley is Associate Professor, Politics and International Studies at University of Wollongong. f

FEATURE

FOOD WASTE

From waste to resource: transforming wine waste into high-value nutrient product Words by Francesca Goodman-Smith

L-R Enzo Palombo, David Filipenko and Russell Brown standing next to Viridi Innovation’s processing equipment.

A

ustralia wastes a staggering 7.6 million tonnes of food every year - that’s enough food to fill the Melbourne Cricket Ground to the brim nearly 10 times over - with food losses totalling a massive $36.6 billion each year.

The financial costs of food waste are also matched by the social and environmental, with two million Australian households going hungry regularly in the last year, and impact on the planet with nearly 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions coming from food waste.

We’re working on cutting edge innovation at End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (formerly Fight Food Waste CRC) along with our research and industry partners, that highlights the scale of opportunity for the food waste to be used as a resource if we invest in innovation to transform waste into new products.

For one such project the End Food Waste CRC collaborated with research partners Swinburne University of Technology, Viridi Innovations and Austeng to transform wine waste into high-value nutrient products for industry partner Swisse Wellness.

The challenge Australian vitamin and health supplement companies together spend approximately $1.1 billion a year importing internationally processed extracts for their vitamins and supplements.1 For the industry, sourcing local Australian nutraceutical ingredients has been an expressed preference but a challenge. Meanwhile, the opportunity to transform volumes of Australia’s 7.6 million tonnes of annual food waste into high-value nutrient products had not been successfully explored.

The Australian wine industry crushed 1.7 million tonnes of wine grapes to produce wine in 2022,2 resulting in the generation of approximately 350,000 tonnes of grape skins and seeds (also known as grape marc). A range of nutraceutical bioactives can be derived from horticultural products and byproducts, one ingredient being grape seed extract.

Industry partner Swisse Wellness imported grape seed extract as it was not yet available in Australia but were interested in exploring avenues for local supply of the ingredient.

The research team sought to develop an engineering process to produce grape seed extract locally.

The team identified and isolated high-purity polyphenol antioxidants from grape seeds, which include relatively high proportions of proanthocyanins – among the most powerful polyphenol antioxidants in the plant world. For Swisse, it was important to achieve consistency of quality across batches for commercial use in a consumer product and stability of the ingredient in formulation.

The research found that the antioxidant extracts could also be powderised in high purity, making the material more accessible, shelfstable and easily packaged and transported. This opens local and global opportunities for Australia.

The impact The project was able to produce Australian polyphenols derived from locally-sourced grape seeds, creating a local raw material rather than relying on importing material for complementary medicine products...

Local sourcing also reduces the cost and emissions associated with transporting material globally. These benefits help to build a powerful

food australia 25

FOOD WASTE

sustainability story for the consumer.

Implementation of this research has the potential to reduce grape marc waste by around 35–40% per annum by converting this into highvalue nutraceutical products. Other projects are underway to target the remaining fraction in order to utilise the whole waste stream.

Australia is now able to produce high-quality polyphenols that are considered ‘green’ and sustainable, so there is the potential for harnessing global demand for this premium Australian product. Within a diverse market, the exact dollar return will depend on the target market and the degree of purity required. Using green tea extract as a comparison, it sells for US$30 per kilogram and the approximate return is US$20,000 per tonne of grape seed extract. The return depends on the demand for polyphenols and the cost of production, hence the need for a detailed economic study.

26 food australia

What’s next?

Given the new knowledge of the plant and process parameters, the next steps will include undertaking a business case/ economic study to evaluate: The size of the local and global markets and price point maintainable for local provenance The best way for the plant to be optimised and scaled up to produce commercial quantities This could help create new business opportunities for the horticulture industry focussed on grape marc extraction. Potential business models are still to be explored, but ideas include mobile plant deployed direct to wine-making facilities to treat the marc onsite, or establishing a centralised plant that processes all the marc within a region.

Nick Mann, CEO for ANZ and Asia of global health and wellness company Swisse Wellness and industry partner on this project, said:

“We have been proud to support this wonderful initiative in partnership with Viridi Innovations, Swinburne University of Technology and Austeng, converting a former waste stream into usable raw materials, for complementary medicine. This further supports our commitments to our sustainability strategy and principles.”

This project illustrates how collaboration between researchers and businesses can help to solve industry challenges and food waste problems at the same time and lead to step-changes in viewing food waste as an opportunity not to be wasted.

References 1. Samapano Pty Ltd (2019). A Roadmap for building the value chain for the nutraceuticals industry in Australia.

2. Wine Australia (2022) National Vintage Report.

Francesca Goodman-Smith is TRANSFORM Research Program Leader at End Food Waste Australia. f

FEATURE

FOOD SCIENCE

Increasing sustainability and nutritional functionality of plant protein-based analogues Words by Drs Lavaraj Devkota and Sushil Dhital

O

ver the past decade, there has been a significant surge in the demand for plant protein, driven by various factors such as concerns about health, environmental sustainability, animal welfare and dietary preferences.1 Consumers are actively seeking out plant-based alternatives to traditional animal products such as meat, dairy and eggs.

Despite the overall upward trend, there might be indications in certain markets or regions that the growth rate of demand for plant protein is slowing down, as evidenced by lower investment and a decrease in market shares of pioneer brands like ‘Beyond’ and ‘Impossible Foods.2 This could be due to various factors, but not limited to the challenges in imitating meat structure and taste, oversupply or shifts in consumer preferences.3 Plant-based alternatives are often perceived as healthier options compared to their animal-based counterparts. They tend to be lower in saturated fats, cholesterol and

sometimes calories. Additionally, the environmental impact of plant protein production is generally lower in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption, contributing to a more sustainable food system. However, there are a few ongoing challenges facing the plant-based meat and dairy industry, such as the need for a sustainable, nutritious and clean label ingredient and the difficulty in delivering the right sensory experience.

Here, we provide a brief review of current challenges facing the plantbased alternatives and offer possible strategies for overcoming those impediments:

Sustainable production While plant protein production is generally more sustainable, there are still challenges in sourcing raw materials and processing. The production of certain plant-based ingredients, such as soy and palm oil, has been linked to deforestation and habitat destruction, thus demanding

a focus shift from traditional raw materials to underutilised crops and by-product streams. Furthermore, strategies need to be in place for cutting down production or utilisation of by-products stream of plant protein production. Research has shown the potential of lupin, faba, mungbean and lentils as an alternative to soy and pea4-7 and commercial production of these proteins in Australia has already been started by Australian Plant Protein Pty Ltd and Wide Open Agriculture.

The most common method for protein production is alkaline extraction, followed by isoelectric precipitation due to its simplicity and high yield. However, this process generates sodium salts and results in the loss of about 20% of albumin proteins. Ultrafiltration, combined with reverse osmosis, can improve both protein yield and quality while providing clean recycled water for other processes.8 Another hurdle in sustainable protein production is the utilisation of by-product streams. Protein is often a minor constituent of most grains with higher amounts of starch and fibre.

For instance, for every kilogram of dry protein produced, another 3kg of dry waste, mainly containing starch and fibres, is generated.9 Due to wet extraction, most of this waste is suspended in water and prone to microbial spoilage, thus demanding immediate action. With better utilisation of waste streams, plant protein production becomes more sustainable. Dry fractionation, which separates components in cereals and legumes based on density and charge, offers a less energyintensive alternative to wet alkali solubilisation. It avoids using water and chemicals, preserving the native state of protein. Although protein purity typically cannot exceed 80%, the benefits, including albumin

food australia 27

FOOD SCIENCE URE FEATURE

recovery, protein in its native state, stable by-product streams, clean label protein and reduced energy and resource use, outweigh this limitation. The protein-rich fraction from dry fractionation can be used in plant-based meat or dairy product formulations where a mixture of starch and fibre is desired for better structuring. A hybrid process involving dry and wet fractionation can be designed to obtain highpurity protein isolates, while when protein concentrates are desired, the dry fractionation can be solely employed.10 To ensure sustainable plant protein production, it is crucial to move away from soy and pea-based sources that compete with food and feed. This can be achieved by valorising by-product streams and reducing anti-nutritional components in byproducts such as canola and sunflower de-oiled cakes.

Innovations in sourcing proteins from non soy/pea and by-product sources pave the way for a low-cost and more sustainable future.

Improving nutritional value While plant-based alternatives have made significant strides in nutritional content, there is still room for improvement. Strategies are required to improve the digestibility of plant proteins, expand essential amino acid balance, reduce salt content and keep clean labels on plant proteins and plant-based meat and dairy alternatives.

Plant-based alternatives are naturally low in B vitamins, especially B-6 and B-12 and minerals like copper, iron and zinc, which can limit consumers who strictly follow plantbased diets. While some nutritional improvement can be achieved by fortification of these products with essential nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids, other interventions are required to use a raw material set rich in a variety of macro- and micro-nutrients.

The lower digestibility and bioavailability of plant proteins pose a significant challenge to their widespread adoption. This is

28 food australia

mainly due to the presence of antinutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitors, alkaloids, phytoestrogens and the limited availability of sulphur-containing essential amino acids. To address this, it's possible to complement the lower sulphurcontaining amino acids with sources rich in these amino acids.

For example, combining legume proteins with cereal proteins can balance the methionine and cysteine amino acid content in legumes.

Another approach to enhance protein digestibility is through functional modification, achieved by hydrolysing plant proteins into smaller fractions. This hydrolysis can occur through natural fermentation or direct enzymatic action, resulting in smaller protein fragments with improved functionality and digestibility.

The current protein production process involves the use of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for protein solubilisation, and during isoelectric precipitation, an acid solution (HCl) is employed. Subsequently, sodium hydroxide solution is used to neutralise the acidic pH, bringing the product's pH closer to 7.0.

Unfortunately, this process results in excessive salt formation, significantly increasing the salt content of the protein powder. It is estimated that the current wet extraction process can yield protein powder containing up to 1g of sodium per 100g of protein, which can become even more pronounced during cooking.

One straightforward solution to this issue is replacing sodium hydroxide with potassium hydroxide, eliminating salt formation, and increasing potassium intake for consumers.7 Plant-based alternatives are facing reputation challenges due to the inclusion of numerous additives in product formulations.

Maintaining a clean label is crucial, especially as consumers worldwide are increasingly concerned about ingredients and their potential health implications. Plant-based meats often contain additives like colouring agents, preservatives such

as potassium sorbate, and binding agents like methyl cellulose and carrageenan, which can compromise their overall health appeal. The ongoing quest is to identify natural plant-based replacements for these additives, with some success achieved through testing various alternatives that provide similar functionality while maintaining a clean label.

Improved sensorial perception Consumers of plant-based alternatives often doubt their taste and texture, which can be validated by a beany or bitter taste, gritty texture, reduced juiciness, and mouthfeel. Improving the taste and texture of plant-based meats remains a significant obstacle to wider acceptance among non-vegetarians.

Texture plays a crucial role in food satisfaction, and mimicking animal-based product mouthfeel and consistency is key to greater acceptance. However, replicating the texture of meats such as beef steak, lamb chop, pork loin, or chicken breast is challenging, as globular plant proteins require significant modification to resemble collagenlike animal proteins. Combining plant and animal components in hybrid products could attract more meat enthusiasts. A gradual transition from real meat to plant-based alternatives is advisable for a healthier and more sustainable shift.

Thermoextrusion, a process involving physicochemical modification of plant biopolymers, is used to create meat-like structures, often using protein alone or in combination with other polysaccharides. Different textures can be achieved by varying protein blends, starch, fibre sources and ratios. Complex conformational changes and molecular interactions among protein, carbohydrate and other components occur during the extrusion process.

Using protein concentrates instead of isolates can improve texture and overall sustainability. The extrusion

nutritional profiles, refining textures and ensuring sustainable production.

Although this might be a period of correction or setback, it would be wise for researchers and innovators to use this period to invest in innovations to solve the ongoing challenges. Continued research and innovation in plant-based food technology are vital to meeting these challenges and creating plantbased alternatives that are not only appealing, but also contribute to a healthier and more sustainable food future.

References

Figure 1: Current challenges facing the plant-based alternatives and potential mitigation strategies. process can be customised to create various meat structures by adjusting cooling die dimensions and flow patterns. Innovative extrusion technologies, like Buhler's protein aeration technology, can create a microporous structure resembling meat, enhancing mouthfeel, juiciness and flavour retention.12,13 Texturised vegetable proteins can substitute meat products while providing an economical, functional, and highprotein food ingredient, or can be consumed directly as meat analogues.

The characteristic beany flavour often deters consumers from switching to plant-based alternatives.

This flavour is associated with plant proteins and can result from the release of volatile compounds during processing, such as extrusion or cooking.14 Novel food processing technologies, including ultrasound, radio frequency treatment and pulsed electric field treatment can reduce or eliminate off-flavour compounds by targeting enzymes responsible for generating these

compounds.15 Enzymatic breakdown of flavour compounds associated with the beany flavour, by using enzymes like alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase, can improve the flavor profile. Fermentation has also historically been used to reduce or enhance flavours in plant-based alternatives, and modern precision fermentation is expanding the possibilities for creating specific flavour compounds. Additionally, efforts are underway to develop raw materials through plant breeding programs that are naturally low in flavour compounds. A summary of current challenges facing the plantbased alternatives and their possible mitigation are presented in Figure 1.

Conclusion

1. The Good Food Institute: https://gfi.org/ resource/plant-based-meat-eggs-and-dairystate-of-the-industry-report/ 2. Food Frontier: https://www.foodfrontier.org/ why-beyonds-struggles-dont-define-the-plantbased-meat-landscape/ 3. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 2020.

102: p. 51-61.

4. Food Hydrocolloids, 2023. 143, 108904 5. Food hydrocolloids, 2022. 135, 108142 6. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 2021. 116, 928-939 7. Foods, 2023, 12 (5), 908 8. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 2010. 11(1): p. 162-168 9. Fight Food CRC: https://fightfoodwastecrc. com.au/project/transformation-of-plantprotein-processing-waste-into-high-valuehealth-promoting-food-ingredients/ 10. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 2021. 72.

11. International Journal of Biol Macromolecules, 2023. 226: p. 1332-1340.

12. Buhler Group; Available from: https://just-food. nridigital.com/just_food_jul22/buhler_group 13. Current Research in Food Science, 2023 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crfs.2023.100580 .

14. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 2022. 21(3): p. 2898-2929.

15. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 2021. 112: p. 336-347.

Dr Lavaraj Devkota and Associate Professor Sushil Dhital are from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Monash University, Victoria, Australia. They carry out fundamental and applied research in plant proteins and extrusion and can be contacted at sushil.dhital@monash.edu or 0422421143 for further information and research collaboration. f

The global demand for plant protein remains a significant force in the food industry, driven by health and sustainability concerns. However, the industry must remain vigilant in addressing challenges such as potential shifts in demand, improving

food australia 29

PERSPECTIVE

Preparing Australian agriculture and food systems to thrive in a more volatile world Words by Frank Sperling, Dr Katherine Wynn, Erin McClure and Dr Rose Roche The growth of Australian agriculture Australia is the world’s driest inhabited continent. It encompasses regions with some of the highest annual and inter-annual rainfall variability in the world. Much of its interior and most of its landmass is either classified as arid or semi-arid.

The remainder is characterised by a great diversity of climates ranging from tropical to temperate and associated agroecological zones.1 Within these given environmental settings, Australian agriculture has succeeded in producing more food than its population requires. In 2022-23, supported by favourable rainfall patterns and commodity prices, farm gate output climbed to a new record high at more than $92 billion, placing the ambition of realising $100 billion by 2030 within reach.2,3 More than 70% of the agricultural produce is destined for overseas.4 This international focus has also shaped the evolution of the agricultural system. The vastness of the landscape and demand for bulk commodities has led to intensified farming at scale, with the number of Australian farms persistently declining, while the average farm size is increasing.4

Taking a systems perspective on food While on aggregate the performance of Australia’s agricultural system can be viewed as a success story, a more systemic perspective on how food is produced and consumed reveals a range of challenges. Agriculture

30 food australia

is exerting a significant footprint on Australia’s natural resources, amounting to more than 55% of landuse, 24% of water extraction and 11% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020-21.4 Soil loss and environmental degradation are undermining the productive potential of land in several regions, while also threatening Australia’s biodiversity.5 Despite being one of the world’s wealthiest nations with the capacity of its food system to feed more than 80 million people and being deemed as one of the most food secure countries in terms of aggregate production, food and nutritional security is not a given for every Australian. More than 48% of households experienced anxiety about having enough food, and 3.7 million households (36%) faced either moderate or severe food insecurity during the last year.6 This means that these households had to limit the variety and quality of their food choices or even skip meals. Access to healthy diets is uneven.7 Obesity and diet related illnesses are on the rise.8 Food loss and waste is higher per capita than in other comparable high-income countries,9 while transportation bottlenecks present challenges for farmers to get their produce to markets or for remote and rural communities to consistently access affordable and healthy food.

A shifting risk landscape The risk landscape continues to evolve and become more complex as Australia’s agri-food systems increasingly face challenges beyond

past experiences. Australia’s catastrophic 2019-2020 bushfire season was followed by the disastrous 2021 and 2022 eastern Australian floods. The El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) exert a strong influence on the inter-annual variability of Australia’s climate, with recent years witnessing repeated shifts between the El Nino and La Nina phases of ENSO. Drier-than-usual conditions and increased drought risk during El Nino, in conjunction with a positive IOD, created favourable conditions for the widespread bushfires in 2019-2020.10 Subsequently, La Nina brought above-average rainfall, contributing to flood events. The impacts of climate change are already visible and superimposed on existing climate variability, exacerbating temperature and other climatic extremes.11 For example, attribution studies conclude that the fire risk during the 20192020 bushfire season was further increased due to climate change.12 The recent climatic disaster events were intersected by the shock and economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and volatilities associated with market disruptions and geopolitical instability. This required pivoting the market orientation for some of the affected food commodities. Reviews during and following the pandemic highlighted Australia’s reliance on importing value added food ingredients and the concentration of food processing infrastructure.13 This reliance creates connectivity

challenges and associated vulnerabilities, particularly for remote regions.

Overall, recent years have seen a confluence of biophysical and socioeconomic shocks, which are superimposed on existing stressors, and have uncovered the interdependencies embedded in Australia’s agri-food system.

Changing global outlook for development The need to comprehensively manage risks and build more resilient food systems, comes at a time when food systems globally are confronted with multiple and competing demands and long-term development gains are being eroded.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were formulated and then endorsed as part of Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015,14 in the wake of the great strides that were made towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).15 The end of poverty and hunger seemed within reach, if enough resources and continuous commitment were provided.16,17 The spirit of international collaboration towards a better future was further exemplified by the Paris Agreement on climate change reached in the same year, where the international community committed itself to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to confine warming 1.5°C, while strengthening adaptation to climate change.18 The outlook has changed since then. From 2015 onwards progress towards zero hunger (SDG 2) first stagnated and then began to reverse. As a result of a series of climate and environmental shocks, the proliferation of conflicts and war, the impacts of the pandemic, rising food prices and other factors, relative and absolute hunger levels are now higher than they were in 2015 and an additional 122 million people suffered hunger in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, thereby remaining at similar level as in 2021.19

UN estimates also suggest that 75 million more people suffered extreme poverty in 2022 than before the pandemic, while the Ukraine war and other conflicts and the cost-of-living crisis further push millions more into poverty.20 Meanwhile, the drop in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) due to travel restrictions, lockdowns and reduced economic activity during the pandemic was short-lived.21 Global emission levels and atmospheric GHG concentrations have reached new record levels. Recent revised estimates suggest that the carbon budget to stay within the 1.5°C global warming limit will be used up within the next six years if current trends in emission rates continue.22 This places the world on a warming trajectory which together with pollution and the continuous erosion of the natural resource base, increasingly threatens global food security and human welfare.

Food systems are pivotal to sustainability The transformation of the global food system is generally recognised as pivotal for sustainable development.

The global food system at present is a primary driver of land use change, biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change while also being vulnerable

to these changes.23,24 Resolving the tension between delivering food and nutritional security, economic, social and environmental objectives through improved production practices, consumption behaviours and enabling conditions holds the key to regaining momentum towards the SDGs and Paris Agreement.

Being strongly embedded in the global context, this presents both challenges and opportunities to Australia’s agri-food system.

A multi-stakeholder consultation process led by the CSIRO identified a portfolio of measures and entry points of action to reshape Australian food systems.25 These are focused on enabling access to healthy and sustainable diets, minimising waste and improving circularity, facilitating Australia’s transition to net zero emissions, aligning resilience with socioeconomic and environmental sustainability and increasing value and productivity. This roadmap is intended as a contribution to deepening and integrating the stakeholder dialogue across the components of Australia’s food systems.

Preparing for multiple futures The Ukraine war, the Middle East conflict and shifting geopolitical alliances are a further illustration that we are confronted with deep

food australia 31

PERSPECTIVE

uncertainties about the future. In the face of pressing global challenges will we live in a more fragmented world or will international collaboration ultimately prevail in the future? Will larger scale energy transitions gain sufficient traction to limit global warming close to 2°C or will we have to prepare Australia’s food system for a much warmer world and the associated consequences? Are we ready to contain another pandemic or other shock events?

Preparing for one scenario and ignoring the probability of other possible, high-impact futures will be insufficient. In an uncertain, multipolar world, Australia’s agrifood systems need to be agile and prepared for multiple futures. What are the key attributes and targets for Australia’s agri-food system and how will our ability to reach these targets be influenced under different national and global scenarios?

To help answer some of these questions and inform the discourse CSIRO is exploring through Ag2050,26 a new transdisciplinary multi-year initiative engaging diverse stakeholders, a range of narratives and scenarios and their implications for the evolution of Australia’s farming systems until 2050. This will require aligning resource availability, food and fibre production across the value chain to optimise the economic, social and environmental

32 food australia

sustainability of Australia's agri-food system.

The benefit of acting now By strengthening the capacities of our agri-food system to anticipate, absorb, adapt and transform to diverse change scenarios, Australia can position itself as a national and international solution provider. The need to improve risk management and sustainability practices is globally recognised and evident in processes and collaborations emerging around the first ever United Nations Food System Summit (UNFSS) held in 2021.27 The UN Secretary-General’s report of the two-year stocktake summit in 2023 (UNFSS+2) highlighted that 126 countries had submitted food system pathways in the context.28 The climate conference (COP28) of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in the United Arab Emirates in late 2023 included a dedicated focus on the relevance of food systems to mitigating and adapting to climate change resulting in a declaration by 159 countries.29 Australia recently updated its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the UNFCCC, detailing its ambition for economy-wide emission reductions by 43% in 2030 relative to 2005 and achieving net zero by 2050.30

Through identifying opportunities and enabling contributions, our agri-food and land-use sectors will be important in turning these ambitions into reality. Advancing and supporting sustainable and resilient practices and innovation will not only benefit Australians but also be an opportunity to export solutions abroad, given that Australia’s agrifood system operates from the tropics to the temperate region.

Acknowledgements This article benefited from reviews given by Dr Pablo Juliano and Dr Patrick Mitchell. The authors are also grateful for helpful comments provided by Dr Javier Navarro Garcia.

Frank Sperling is a Senior Principal Research Scientist with CSIRO Agriculture and Food.

Dr Katherine Wynn is Lead Economist and Agriculture and Food Lead at CSIRO Futures.

Erin McClure is a Senior Strategy Consultant at CSIRO Futures.

Dr Rose Roche is Principal Research Scientist and Lead of Ag2050, CSIRO Agriculture and Food.

This article, with references included, is available here: https://www.aifst.asn. au/resources/Documents/Perspective_ Preparing_Australian_agriculture_and_ food_systems_to_thrive_in_a_more_ volatile_world.pdf. f

OPEN SCIENCE

Open Access in Australia: where we have come from - where we are going Words by Dr Virginia Barbour and Janet Catterall

O

pen access (OA) is a set of principles and practices through which research outputs are distributed online free of cost or other access barriers.1 Traditional models only allow access after a subscription is paid. OA allows sharing and reuse of scholarly knowledge for the benefit of all.

The internet was the catalyst for open access. In 2001 global stakeholders drafted the Budapest Open Access Declaration: “An old tradition and a new technology have converged to make possible an unprecedented public good”.2 Since then, OA has developed into a concrete range of initiatives and business practices, utilising open licences (usually Creative Commons3) and other infrastructure such as Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) impacting every part of the global publishing ecosystem. This complex system is dominated by a small number of global publishers.

OA is more than just free access to articles, and the benefits of open access are well documented.

Compared with subscription content, OA outputs are more read and cited and used by academics and policymakers. Nonetheless, prior to 2019, less than half of academic research was legally open access.

The COVID-19 pandemic was an immediate, though patchy, accelerator of OA. During the pandemic virtually all COVID-19 content became open access, collected into a massive online database called CORD-19.4 Open access rates in other disciplines did not increase.

The key initiatives that are currently driving OA globally are Plan S, from cOAlition S,5 OA20206 and the UNESCO Open Science Recommendation.7 cOAlition S, an international consortium of research funders, launched Plan S in September 2018. Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is a member of cOAlition S. Plan S required that, from 2021, scientific publications that result from Plan S funded research must be made immediately open access with a Creative Commons licence allowing

reuse via journal-based ('gold’) or repository based ('green’) routes. cOAlition S has just released a new proposal for ‘responsible publishing’ and is inviting consultation from the research community.8 OA2020 is a global alliance, committed to achieving OA using negotiated agreements with publishers as their predominant model. Recently it has begun to explore other more equitable routes.

The UNESCO Open Science Recommendation was adopted by all UNESCO countries, including Australia, in November 2021. Open access to research publications is a key component of open science: “Open scientific knowledge refers to open access to scientific publications... that are available in the public domain or under copyright and licensed under an open licence that allows access, re-use, repurpose, adaptation and distribution under specific conditions.”7 UNESCO is working to develop tools for the implementation and monitoring of open science globally.

food australia 33

OPEN SCIENCE

Figure 1: Australia (left) and Indonesia (right) rates of open access 2000 to 2022.12 Key advocacy groups working globally for OA include the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), the Confederation of Open Access Repositories (COAR), and the ongoing Budapest Open Access Initiative group (BOAI). All of these groups emphasise ‘bibliodiversity’ ie. a diverse publishing ecosystem, including preprints (papers posted before acceptance in a journal), or publishing in no fee journals (‘diamond’), which are often academic led. Bibliodiversity is essential for a varied, equitable landscape not solely tied to the commercial publishing system. All these groups advocate for equity both to read and publish research.

This can be attained through national and regional infrastructure such as Scielo in Latin America.9 Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand demonstrated early open access initiatives: Australian National University with the first OA repository in the region, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), the world’s first OA policy for its repository, and Professor Tom Cochrane (from QUT) was a signatory of the BOAI. Koha opensource library system was developed in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2000.

From 2018 there has been increased OA activity from several peak bodies. In Australia, the NHMRC and the Australian Research Council (ARC) have had OA policies in place since 2012/13. In 2022 the NHMRC joined cOAlition S and aligned its policy with Plan S, now

34 food australia

requiring immediate open access to publications arising from the research it funds. Dr Cathy Foley, Australia's Chief Scientist, has worked towards OA since her appointment in 2021, advocating a national open access approach.10 In Aotearoa New Zealand, the Council of Aotearoa New Zealand University Libraries (CONZUL) has monitored OA since 2017. In 2022 the Aotearoa New Zealand Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor released a report which made a clear case for a national approach to open access.11 In November 2022 the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) introduced an open access to research policy for all new MBIE-funded research - the first national OA policy in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) has had an advancing open scholarship program since 2020 and negotiates with publishers for read and publish deals regionally. Open Access Australasia is the foremost advocacy organisation for OA, tracking and contributing to developments since 2013, raising awareness, supporting capacity in the region and working with local and international collaborators.

Despite this, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand are falling behind some of their neighbours in the Asia Pacific. Australia’s average rate of OA between 2000 and 2022 is 42%, compared with Indonesia’s average rate of 89%.

In 2022 Open Access Australasia undertook a cross-sector assessment

of OA practice across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, including universities, health, government and non-profit research active institutions.

The report, Open access initiatives by research active institutions in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand: a snapshot of the landscape in 202213 documents important findings including rates of OA uptake at an institutional level, the number of OA policies and a comparison of the rate of OA practices with achieved OA output - which revealed no direct association in any sector.

What’s next for open access?

Following COVID-19, there is increased momentum for OA, more experiments to diversify how scholarly research is disseminated, and a growing uptake for open science practices.

Those most successful in moving forward on OA and open science have taken coordinated national and regional approaches. However, the scholarly publishing system needs reorganisation. If we are to move to a more open world, equitable for both readers and producers of research, we will need to address the consolidation of power in the hands of a small number of publishers and infrastructure providers and develop more coordinated national approaches.

References 1. What is open access? Open Access Australasia.

(2021) https://oaaustralasia.org/2021/05/25/ what-is-open-access/ 2. Budapest Open Access Initiative. (2023)

Figure 2: Open access practices by Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand research institutions in 2022. https://www.budapestopenaccessinitiative.org/ 3. About CC licenses (2019.) https:// creativecommons.org/share-your-work/ cclicenses/ 4. The COVID-19 open research dataset (CORD19). (2022) https://github.com/allenai/cord19 5. Plan S: Making full and immediate open access a reality. (n.d.) https://www.coalition-s.org/ 6. Open Access 2020. (2023) https://oa2020.org/ 7. UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science.

(2023) https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/ pf0000381148 8. cOAlition S. Towards responsible publishing: A proposal from cOAlition S. (2023) https://www. coalition-s.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/

AIFST24 SAVE THE DATE Food Science Navigating our Future

Towards_Responsible_Publishing_web.pdf 9. Scielo. (n.d.) https://www.scielo.org.

10. Open Access Week welcomed by Chief Scientist (2021) https://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/ news-and-media/open-access-week-welcomedchief-scientist 11. Saunders T. The future is open: Intern report on open access publishing in Aotearoa. (2022) https://bpb-ap-se2.wpmucdn.com/blogs. auckland.ac.nz/dist/f/688/files/2022/07/ OPMCSA-Intern-Report-Tom-saunders-TheFuture-is-Open-Final-Version-2.pdf 12. Curtin Open Knowledge Initiative (COKI) https://open.coki.ac/ (13 October 2023).

13. Catterall J. Barbour V. (2023) Open access

initiatives by research active institutions in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand: a snapshot of the landscape in 2022. https:// zenodo.org/records/8081167 .

Dr Virginia Barbour is Director, Open Access Australasia and Editor in Chief, Medical Journal of Australia.

Janet Catterall is Senior Project Officer, Open Access Australasia and health liaison librarian at James Cook University. f

Join us in Sydney in August to Grow, Learn, Connect & Champion Tuesday 6 - Wednesday 7 August 2024 www.aifst.asn.au

food australia 35

INDIGENOUS FOODS

Indigenous communities taking the bushfood industry high-tech Words by Natalie MacGregor

A

University of Queensland (UQ) project is using technology to create a native food value chain to ensure Indigenous communities and businesses benefit from the thriving bushfood industry.

Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa, director of UQ’s ARC Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods, said the food value chain brings together Indigenous knowledge, science and technology.

“We’ve been working on this project with our Indigenous Enterprise Group and software development company Smart Trade Networks,” Professor Sultanbawa said.

“This is a global first - enabling communities to take the lead, get a premium quality product and access to national and international markets.”

The value chain covers any bushfood product from conception, through the production process to delivery to the consumer.

“Traceability and provenance is something I have always been interested in and I was so happy this

36 food australia

was funded because it shows the government knew it was important to support the Indigenous communities in developing this so that they have a voice in trade,” Professor Sultanbawa said.

“It means the communities are recognised for the important crops they produce and we are giving the product the platform it deserves when it goes to market. Technologies like this where we develop ledgers ensures these products can compete in the mega nation mass market rather than just in a niche market.”

The project aims to ensure Indigenous businesses and communities have benefit sharing agreements in place, to give them capacity to upscale as demand increases.

Indigenous Enterprise Group chair, Jagera, Yugambeh and Githabul woman Madonna Thomson said the rest of the world was realising the commercial and economic viability of bushfood.

“Our communities need to be shaping this industry or there’s a risk they could become marginalised as others begin to buy and grow native

plants on a larger scale,” Ms Thomson said.

“It’s not just about how much money people can make but recognising the importance of Australia’s Indigenous communities and the cultural connection they have to the bush. Indigenous communities are very much connected to plants culturally, so it’s important that we have them leading what this industry looks like in Australia.”

She said the project was born out of discussions between members of Uniquely Australian Foods’ Indigenous Enterprise Group.

“We talked about the need to shape the culture of this market, online particularly, moving forward,” Ms Thomson said.

“The project has been developed with three primary principals in mind. The first was provenance – understanding where these ingredients come from, respecting culturally that those ingredients to those communities have cultural value to them, not just economic value.

“Secondly, understanding also that there was authenticity in terms

of ensuring people understand for example what different communities might want to call those native ingredients that are part of their country culturally.

“When being used or borrowed to enhance the commercial viability of someone else’s commercial products, it’s important there is a respect for the ingredients and that there is also benefit sharing that goes back to those communities for lending that cultural authenticity to other people’s products in terms of marketing.

“And the third one is ensuring there is economic value for Indigenous businesses and communities to allow them to increase the scale of their business to meet demand as that increases. If we allow commercialism to take the lead, then it leaves behind the Indigenous communities that are pivotal to increasing awareness as to how important Indigenous bushfoods are.

“Bushfood is not a new industry for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This project will create equity, provenance and protection for our communities and businesses that harvest native bushfoods,” Ms Thomson said.

Smart Trade Networks Chair Warwick Powell said his company had developed an app to allow communities to upload their knowledge on Country.

“Smart Trade Networks is a technology service provider that has specialised in the development of block chain-based technologies over the last five years,” Mr Powell said.

“We are dedicated to improving supply chain data integrity and saw this as a chance to bring something new to Indigenous community enterprise governance.

The digitalisation of Australian agriculture, particularly in areas where provenance value is central to the long-term competitive value proposition, is hugely important.

“It takes what we know about the raw bush material and uses current technology to present the information in a way that resonates with the expectations of

Madonna Thomson from Nyanda with UQ's Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa. today’s consumers. Having it done properly really elevates everything that we’re doing in Australia to a global standard and that’s the most important part,” Mr Powell said.

Ms Thomson said the ease of using the app was also vital to the project.

“We needed to make sure that the information captured is information that communities and Indigenous businesses can easily acquire and upload,” she said.

“Using an app means it is accessible to people wherever they are in the country. In addition, that means customers who want to buy from that community can be sure the community is harvesting that product, can see how it’s being processed and even follow the journey of that product to the finished jam or relish or other product that sits on a retail shelf.

Ms Thomson said the Indigenous communities she’s discussed the work with are happy to be involved.

“The more we communicate the advantages of why it’s important that we have that type of information, the more they are interested. What also sits behind this – which is a key difference – is the cultural authenticity associated to the

information in the interface.

“That authenticity is completely controlled by the Indigenous business and community. They also get to control what sort of information can be made available publicly, which is very appealing to them. We can also introduce authenticated keys to make sure the right people are putting in that information and they’re putting the right information into the public domain,” Ms Thomson said.

Professor Sultanbawa said it was exciting to see the project come to fruition.

“I’m very happy to have communities we have worked with over the past decade joining us on this journey and putting Australia’s Indigenous communities on the map,” Professor Sultanbawa said.

Acknowledgement This project is funded with a National Agriculture Traceability Grant from the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Natalie MacGregor is the Principal Media Officer at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) at The University of Queensland. f

food australia 37

TRENDS

Global consumer close-up Words by Dr A. Elizabeth Sloan

A

worldwide appetite for crossover cuisines, rapidly aging populations, and widespread budgetary concerns are creating new market opportunities for food and beverage companies.

Concerns about COVID-19 are no longer near the top of consumers’ worry lists, but around the globe, shoppers are prioritizing food and beverage products related to health with a focus on aging well, preserving appearance, optimizing everyday performance, and maintaining mental well-being. More than half of consumers globally are aggressively seeking out healthier foods, Euromonitor reports. COVID-19 has fallen to No. 17 on the list of global consumer concerns tracked by Ipsos, the lowest level the research organization has recorded since April 2020.

Inflation/high prices remain the top global consumer concern for the seventeenth consecutive month, per Ipsos surveys conducted in 29 countries, creating opportunities for value-driven product positioning.

People in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Poland, Singapore, the United States, and Turkey have the highest degree of concern about inflation. In this environment, it will be critical for food and beverage marketers to address consumers’ ongoing desire for quick and easy meal solutions that don’t break the bank—and also satisfy their appetite for products that deliver culturally authentic taste experiences.

Climate change ranks seventh among global worries, reinforcing the importance of planet-friendly fare.

Those in Singapore, the Netherlands,

"Together China and India compose 36% of the

world’s population, which topped 8 billion on Nov. 22, 2022, Ipsos reports.

"

38 food australia

France, Australia, Canada, Italy, and Japan are the most concerned.

Eating for health One of the factors driving interest in healthful eating is the aging of the global population. Lower fertility rates

Canadian company Blender Bites is bringing its 1-Step Smoothies, including this Tropical Glow variety, which is among the first functional food products said to support hair growth, to the U.S. market. (Photo courtesy of Blender Bites).

strength, gut health, healthier aging, enhanced mood, mental performance, heart health, and weight management also make the list of top health-related purchase motivators.

Eight in 10 consumers in the Asia-Pacific area now define “being healthy” as a combination of mental well-being and a healthy immune system, according to Euromonitor.

One in four Gen Zers around the world say stress/anxiety is having a

"One in four Gen Zers Ben’s Original 10 Medley side dish mixes tout their fiber content and the fact that they are “good for the gut.” and healthier living are causing the relative size of the older generations to grow in nearly all of the world’s largest economies, coming close to a majority in some Asian and European markets, according to Ipsos data.

One-third of China’s population is now over age 50. Italy, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States are among the countries where the fertility rate has been below the population replacement rate for decades. Ipsos reports that a new analysis shows that the population is already declining in 36 countries.

Targeting seniors with favorite foods and healthy aging solutions is among the food world’s largest untapped opportunities. Less than one percent of global food, drink, and dietary supplement launches between October 2017 and September 2022 carried a claim related to senior consumers, according to Mintel.

Two-thirds of global shoppers, led by those living in households with kids, are extremely or very interested in functional foods and drinks; 57% of those aged 40–49 and 45% of those aged 50-plus have that level of interest. HealthFocus reports that one in five consumers is buying more functional foods now than a year ago.

After general health, global shoppers are most likely to choose foods and drinks that improve their everyday performance, HealthFocus reports. Immunity, energy, bone

around the world say stress/anxiety is having a severe impact on their lives.

"

severe impact on their lives.

Mintel reports that Korean ginseng and ashwagandha were the most popular ingredients in global foods and drinks making a claim related to brain/nervous system function over the past two years. B vitamins, choline, and alternative caffeine ingredients are the ones to watch for mood/cognition.

After overall health and immunity, global consumers most often link the gut/microbiome to mental well-being, daily energy levels, and mood, HealthFocus says. More than half (56%) choose foods to improve digestion. Those in Southeast Asia and Latin America are most likely to do so.

Those living in Germany, Indonesia, France, and Italy are most likely to seek out probiotics for immune support, according to Euromonitor.

Innova Market Insights reports that the number of confectionery product launches with a prebiotic claim grew by 39% from 2021 to 2022. Prebiotic breakfast foods, such as 3 Bears Cherry Banana Prebiotic Porridge, which is available in Germany, are another fast-emerging category.

Euromonitor projects that the total volume of energy drink sales will grow 7% between 2022 and 2027.

Meal replacements, rapid hydration beverages, carbonated soft drinks,

Available in Australia, Norco P2 Pea Protein White Mylk is made entirely from pea protein and contains the same amount of protein as dairy milk, according to Norco dairy cooperative, which offers it. (Photo courtesy of Norco). coffees, and teas with gut health ingredients/prebiotics are other segments with explosive growth.

Expect carbonated, low-sugar yogurt drinks, including doogh, ayran, and lassi, to gain traction.

One-quarter of global consumers look for carbonated beverages fortified with vitamins or minerals, according to Innova Market Insights.

Mintel reports that 40% of Chinese consumers say they would buy juices with electrolytes. Gatorade, which is marketed in 80 countries, is introducing Gatorade Water with electrolytes for all day–hydration.

Innova also reports that one in five consumers is interested in weight management beverages. Latin America and parts of Asia are the only regions where consumers are now more focused on weight loss/weight management than they were two years ago, per HealthFocus.

More than half of consumers globally want more foods and drinks

food australia 39

TRENDS

"Targeting seniors with favorite foods and

healthy aging solutions is among the food world’s largest untapped opportunities. that help them feel fuller longer, HealthFocus says. Two products in the Australian market tout their ability to help consumers “feel fuller”—Uncle Toby’s Protein Muesli Bars featuring a “Yoghurty Drizzle,” which has 20% protein content, and Kellogg’s Sultana Bran Cereal, which contains 11 grams of dietary fiber per 100 grams of cereal.

High protein, high fiber, no added sugar, organic/natural, non-GMO, and gluten-free remain the most soughtafter healthy food claims, according to Euromonitor. Fibra, a UHT-processed milk drink from Central Lechera Asturiana in Spain, delivers 40% of the daily fiber recommendation per serving. Fibreworks Chocolate Cookies, offered in Singapore, contain probiotic fermented fiber to improve gut health, support satiety, and lower cholesterol.

Looking healthy is the new beauty trend in the Asia-Pacific region, per Euromonitor. Collagen is the most sought-after “inner beauty” ingredient.

Hair and skin edibles targeted to men and those linking appearance to gut health, sleep, and relaxation are new market directions globally. New Blender Bites Tropical Glow 1-Step Smoothie contains amla berry, an Ayurvedic ingredient associated with promoting hair growth, and biotin, a vitamin linked to healthy hair.

Products that target those with health risk factors like high blood glucose have a large potential audience; the International Diabetes Federation reports that 537 million people aged 20–79 worldwide are living with diabetes.

In 2021, 1.4 billion people had hypertension and 620 million suffered from heart/circulatory diseases, according to the British Heart Foundation. The World Health Organization reports that 650 million adults, 340 million adolescents, and 39 million children are obese.

40 food australia

"

Superfood condiments are on the rise. Oswald’s Chia Smash, available in the United States and the United Kingdom, is sweetened with dates and contains chia seeds. The company bills it as a “superfood jam” and notes that it’s diabetic friendly and Upcycled Certified.

Meal deals Consumers are paying close attention to food prices. At least six in 10 consumers in the vast majority of the 29 major markets Ipsos surveyed say that they expect food costs to rise over the next year. The expectation of price increases is particularly high in Great Britain, Argentina, and Australia, where about four-fifths of respondents feel that way.

Heightened interest in at-home meal prep that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t fallen by the wayside. Recent FMCG research found that more than three-quarters of consumers globally say they have cut back on spending in restaurants and cafés. And more than six in 10 are concerned that the higher cost of living (including food prices) will affect their ability to eat healthfully.

The global eating-at-home sector, which includes retail packaged food and delivery/takeout foodservice combined, reached $3.8 trillion in sales in 2022 and is projected by Euromonitor to reach $4.6 trillion by 2027. Euromonitor predicts that by 2027, one in three meals eaten at home globally will come from foodservice (i.e., takeout/delivery).

Four in 10 meal preparers in the United Kingdom want food marketers to teach them new cooking skills; more than half of consumers in New Zealand use a time-saving cooking appliance like an air fryer daily or weekly, according to Mintel data.

Mintel also notes that three-quarters of French consumers report making lunch from scratch more often

Pappardelle is among the eight uncommon pasta shapes included in the new line of Italian-made Giadzy Pasta products. (Photo courtesy of Giadzy and Giada De Laurentiis). because it is cost-effective.

Nestlé introduced a shelf-stable plant-based minced meat alternative for making dishes like tacos or spaghetti Bolognese under the Maggi Veg banner in Chile, Canada, Spain, and other global markets. Nissin Foods launched its signature shelf-stable spicy Geki Chili Infused Asian Noodles into the U.S. market.

Frozen food sales reached $226 billion worldwide in 2022 and are projected by Euromonitor to grow 2% per year through 2027. About half of the growth will come from ice cream and frozen food staples, including fruits and vegetables. Sales of ready meals in China and frozen pizza in the United States will account for the rest of the growth.

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s new frozen entrée line features UK favorites like shepherd’s pie and fish and chips.

Loblaw’s new private label PC Black Label frozen pizzas are handmade in Italy.

Meal kits (including those available via home delivery and at retail) are one of the fastest-growing meal categories, with sales reaching $14 billion globally,

Key Takeaways • Health-related concerns ranging from aging well to enhancing everyday performance are important market drivers.

• Product developers should focus attention on aging consumers who are an increasingly significant market segment thanks to declining birthrates around the globe.

• Consumers are seeking food experiences that take them outside their culinary comfort zones and allow them to experience foods that reflect cultures other than their own.

• With few exceptions, shoppers in major markets are concerned about inflation and food prices.

Marinated meat slowly cooked on a skewer and wrapped in pita bread is among the popular offerings from OSMOW’S, a North American fast-casual restaurant chain. (Photo courtesy of OSMOW’S). up 13% in 2022, per Euromonitor.

The markets in the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, and Spain are expected to enjoy strong growth; Australia and New Zealand have the highest penetration of meal kit use.

Australia’s Go! Kidz is one of the first child-oriented meal delivery services.

Nestlé’s ready-to-heat, shelf-stable plant-based meal kits in China feature local favorites like Mala Xiang Guo and Curry Chicken.

With nearly one-quarter (23%) of global consumers trying to reduce meat consumption, per Euromonitor, plant-based, vegetarian, and vegan ready meals will continue to be wellreceived. Each variety of Ben’s Original 10 Medley ready-to-heat side dish mixes, which are available in Canada and the United States, includes 10

different grains, vegetables, legumes, and herbs and provides least 10 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein.

The Gardein Supreme Falafel Burgers come two to a package and are available in Canada. Nestlé’s Garden Gourmet brand has enhanced its local appeal, adding a Weiner Schnitzel Style to its global plantbased brand, describing it on the package as “made for schnitzel lovers.”

Gourmet shortcut products like Ferns’ Butter Chicken Curry Paste, offered in India, or Italian-made CiboCrudo Organic Seaweed Salad pieces continue to command a premium price.

Entenmann’s new Refrigerated Ready-to-Bake Cookie Dough, available in the United States, and Well & Good Lemon Coconut Cake Mix with

"The use of foodservice for at-home occasions is

increasing, up from 19% of occasions in 2017 to 27% in 2022, per Euromonitor.

"

Goji Berry Icing, offered in Australia, are set to make home baking easier.

In 2022, 71% of global consumers snacked at least twice a day, according to Mondeléz. One-quarter ate a snack before breakfast; in the Asia-Pacific region, nearly one-third (32%) of consumers did so. Just over half (55%) say they make a meal out of snacks at least weekly; 64% of consumers report doing so in the Asia-Pacific region.

Frozen All-Day Breakfast Mini Quick Cook Hash Brown Patties from Cavendish Farms in Canada are a tasty snack any time of day. The popularity of Brazilian cheese breakfast bread has inspired U.S.-based Brazi Bites to introduce Cheesy Waffles. Vaalia Probiotic Kefir Vanilla Yoghurt, available in Australia, offers a healthful morning snack option.

Eight in 10 consumers globally snack on bread/rolls/wraps in a typical week; 65% snack on cookies/sweet biscuits; more than half snack on savory biscuits/crackers, crisps, popcorn, pretzels, and cake/bakery sweets, according to Mondeléz. Between 2021 and 2022, nuts/seeds, potatobased products, and fruit snacks were the kinds of snacks launched most frequently, according to Innova Market Insights.

One-quarter of global consumers say protein claims are a factor in their snack selection, Innova reports. Three-

food australia 41

TRENDS

Segmenting the Global Population* Pre-War Adults (Aged 79-95)

Generation Alpha (Aged 10 and Under)

Baby Boomers (Aged 58–78)

Millennials (Aged 28–43)

4% 17% 15%

22% 18%

24%

Gen X (Aged 44–57) Gen Z (Aged 11–27) * In 2022 with cohort as a percentage of population. Source: IPSOS quarters of Chinese snack consumers say they would love to try more snacks with exotic flavors, according to Mintel data.

Plant-based snack claims have posted an average annual growth of 62% over the past five years, per Innova Market Insights. Rauch Happy Day Family Pear Drink in Hungary, Pampa Vida Pecan Drink in Argentina, and Australia’s Norco P2 Pea Protein White Mylk are among the new plantbased drinkable snacks currently available.

Introduced in France, Lindt Pavola Framboise milk chocolate bars are filled with milk meringue and raspberry coulis. In Australia, Patons Dark Chocolate Macadamias come in a variety that is roasted with blood orange and chili.

Cuisine crossovers Whatever their geographic location, consumers have an appetite for foods that reflect cultures outside of their own. Nearly half (47%) of global consumers say they are increasingly looking for cuisines from other countries, according to a 2022 survey

by Innova Market Insights.

In the United States, nearly six in 10 Gen Zers (58%) ate globally inspired foods other than Italian, Mexican, or Chinese in a recent week; that’s versus 48% of millennials, 34% of Gen X consumers, and 19% of baby boomers, Datassential reports.

Italian is the most popular cuisine worldwide, followed by Japanese, Indian, Korean, Mexican, and Thai, according to a global survey by The Picky Eater website. After pizza, global barbecue styles (e.g., Korean

"Worldwide, more than half of consumers live

in urban areas, and one-person households are the fastest- growing household unit globally, according to Euromonitor.

"

42 food australia

barbecue, tandoori), brunch favorites, sushi, seafood, steak, and pub food are the world’s favorite foods, according to The Picky Eater.

Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis’ Giadzy pasta line is introducing Americans to lesser-known forms of pasta, such as pappardelle, paccheri, and bucatini, all made in Italy. Available in the United Kingdom, FullGreen Riced Sweet Potato is a lower-carb alternative to white rice.

Watch for more new global varietals, regional product descriptors, and seasonal flavors. Esselunga Top Sugo Tomato Sauce is made from handpicked Sicilian tomatoes. The United Kingdom’s Morrisons brand offers The Best Madagascan Vanilla Yogurt. South African Woolworths Food positions its new Christmas Gooseberry Jam with Gin & Mint Flavour as a special holiday treat.

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. consumers say they are familiar with and interested in sriracha, curry, or chili as a sauce or dressing flavor, according to flavor company T. Hasegawa. In addition, T. Hasegawa reports that four in 10 are also familiar with and interested in bulgogi (Korean beef barbecue) and peri-peri hot chile pepper sauce.

Black garlic/sesame, hoisin/Sichuan, kalamata olive, za’atar, and tikka masala are other emerging global dip and dressing flavors, per T. Hasegawa.

Labneh dip/spread, typically found in the Mediterranean diet, has the potential to become a snacking staple.

The global flavors U.S. consumers would most like to try at dinner are tomatillo, adobo, Thai chili paste, marjoram, paneer, curry, and chaat masala, per T. Hasegawa. Coconut, turmeric, shawarma, tamarind, harissa, miso, and togarashi are flavors consumers say they would enjoy on meat/protein, according to T. Hasegawa. In North America, the OSMOW’s fast-casual restaurant chain offers beef, chicken, lamb, and meat alternative shawarma-style wraps.

Demand for more vegetable flavors is on the rise. Santa Maria Carrot Tortillas are offered in Germany. Kallø Caramelised Onion Chutney Veggie

Cakes made with lentils and peas are available in the United Kingdom.

Western Family Tempura Pickle Chips are a new fried appetizer available in Canada. Greek spanakopita, Brazilian coxinha (chicken croquettes), Puerto Rican tostones (fried plantains), Filipino lumpia (pork egg rolls), falafel, and Italian arancini (fried risotto) are poised to move onto U.S. appetizer menus.

Mexican sopaipillas (fried pastries), Bolivian sarnitas (bread with a cheesy crust), South American marraquetas (crusty rolls), Norlander (dark rye bread popular in Northern Europe), Native American fry bread (fried flatbread), and Jamaican bammy (flatbread made from cassava) are among the globally inspired bread and rolls getting attention from foodservice operators.

UK-based Dina Foods created Tannour, which it describes as “authentic Middle Eastern flat bread” and touts as “high in vitamin D.” Country Harvest Everything Bread from Wonderbrands was introduced in Canada, inspired by the popularity of everything bagels.

Churros, pot de crème, mochi, and halwa are among the international desserts trending on U.S. menus this year. Limoncello, beignets, baklava, dulce de leche, fennel cakes, cannoli, and tiramisu also continue to post strong gains, per Datassential.

A coconut- and vanilla-flavored panna cotta mix is available under the Biovegan label in Germany. In China, Dehua ice cream bars come in a White Peach Cheese flavor.

Amaretti, madeleines, alfajores, småkager, and ma’amoul are among the most popular cookies in the world, according to TasteAtlas, which tracks flavors and menu items.

Planetary priorities Euromonitor reports that seven in 10 companies plan to launch products with environmentally friendly claims and 66% plan rollouts of sustainably packaged products. Other claims that food and beverage companies are prioritizing include low carbon/carbon neutral, sustainably sourced, vegan/

vegetarian, and plant-based.

A survey from Ipsos found that in addition to being sustainably positioned, products must have an additional benefit (i.e., be cheaper, easier to use, or healthier, or have a desired functional design feature) in order to drive purchase.

Available in Singapore, the new Cadbury Dairy Milk Marble Bar features a blend of milk and white chocolate with a hazelnut praline center and is made with 100% sustainably sourced cocoa.

Asia-Pacific consumers, led by those in China and Indonesia, are driving a growing movement to protect local natural resources and businesses, Mintel reports. Makers of The Pahadi Story Jamun Honey from India are tapping into the ethical beekeeping practices of a close-knit community of honey producers.

New Zealand’s Anchor brand offers organic butter that has been “carbon zero certified” by an independent certifying organization.

Arla LactoFREE Natural Fresh Cheese in Denmark is crafted using milk from Danish farmer-owned sources.

France’s Bjorg No-Sugar Almond Milk is made with “100% green electricity.” Britain’s Pukka Tulsi Clarity Herbal Tea uses vegetable-based inks on each sustainably sourced, recyclable tea sachet packet. Moreo Primo Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Australia comes in a 100% recycled plastic “eco bottle.”

Improved land use, nutrient management, soil health, and a reduced carbon footprint are all issues of importance in regenerative agriculture, which is becoming more of a priority to food companies and more familiar to consumers. Seeking food products that use less plastic is a top-of-mind concern for two-thirds of global consumers, per Euromonitor.

References ACSM. 2022. Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2023. Dec. American College of Sports Medicine, Indianapolis. acsm.org.

British Heart Foundation. 2023. Facts & Figures, British Heart Foundation, London. June. bhf.org.uk.

Brand Finance. 2023. Food & Drink. Brand Finance, London. brandirectory.com.

Datassential, Los Angeles. Aug. datasssential.com.

Euromonitor. 2022 Voice of the Industry Food and Nutrition. Aug. Euromonitor Intl., London. euromonitor.com.

Euromonitor. 2023. Voice of the Consumer: Lifestyles Survey. Feb. Euromonitor. 2023. Eating at Home: Opportunities in the New Consumer Landscape.March.

Euromonitor. 2023. Mastering E-Commerce Growth.

May. Euromonitor. 2023. A New Era in Frozen Food.

June.

Euromonitor. 2023. Need States: Understanding the Future of Functional Beverages.

Euromonitor. 2023. Cooking Ingredients and Meals 2023.

Euromonitor. 2023. How to Attract and Win Customers with Sustainable Products.

FMCG Gurus. 2023. Cost of Living & Price Sensitivity—Global Report 2023. FMCG Gurus, London. fmcgurus.com.

HealthFocus. 2022. HealthFocus. 2020. Global Consumer Survey. HealthFocus Intl., St. Petersburg, Fla. healthfocus.com.

IDF. 2021. Facts & Figures. International Diabetes Federation, Brussels. idf.org Innova. 2023. Innova Market Insights, Arnhem, the Netherlands. innovadatabase.com.

Ipsos. 2021. Global Views on Sports. Aug. Ipsos, Paris. ipsos.com Ipsos. 2023. We Need to Talk about Generations.

April.

Ipsos. 2023. Sustainability: What It Means to Consumers. July.

Ipsos. 2023. What Worries the World? Aug. Ipsos. 2023. Global Inflation Monitor. Aug. Ipsos. 2023. ESG Imperative Survey. Sept.

Mintel. 2023. Global Food and Drink Trends. Mintel Intl., Chicago. mintel.com.

Mintel. 2023. Ingredients to Watch for Mood and Cognition. July.

Mintel. 2023. Weatherproofed Provisions: Preparing Formulations for an Uncertain Future. July.

Mondelez. 2023. State-of-Snacking Global Consumer Snacking Trends Study. Mondelez Intl., Chicago. mondelez.com.

Picky Eater. 2023. “Most Popular Cuisines Around the World.” https://pickyeaterblog.com/popularcuisines-around-the-world/s T. Hasegawa. 2023. Flavor Flash: Dip and Sauce Trends 2023. T. Hasegawa USA, Cerritos, Calif. July. thasegawa.com.

T. Hasegawa 2023. 2023 Food and Beverage Flavor Trends Report.

TasteAtlas. 2023. The 10 Most Popular Cookies in the World. Sept. tasteatlas.com.

Technomic. 2022. Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report. Technomic, Chicago. technomic.com.

UNICEF. 2023. Data Monitor. UNICEF USA, New York, N.Y. unicef.org.

WHO. 2021. Obesity Statistics. World Health Organization, Geneva. who.int.

For a list of resources, visit: content.ift. org/nov-2023.

Dr A. Elizabeth Sloan, contributing editor to Food Technology Magazine, is president, Sloan Trends Inc., Escondido, California USA (lizsloan@ sloantrend.com).

This article is reproduced here with permission from IFT. f

Datassential. 2023. Mid-Year Trends Report.

food australia 43

FOOD ENGINEERING

What does a food engineer do?

Words by Dr Pablo Juliano Food plant design: Food engineers are also in charge of, or collaborate in, building new processing facilities or upgrading processing modules.

They may use digital twins and other design tools.

Quality control and assurance: Because of their understanding of food unit operations and processes, food engineers are often responsible for developing and implementing quality management and assurance systems to ensure food products meet specific standards for taste, texture, appearance and nutritional content.

A

food engineer is a professional who applies engineering principles to understand food properties and process unit operations, develops processes and optimises efficiencies. They design food manufacturing plants, use digital sensing systems to capture data, and employ models to redesign or improve raw material storage and processing, distribution, preservation, consumption, digestion and nutrient delivery. Their primary goal is to ensure the safe, efficient, cost-effective and sustainable production of food products while maintaining high quality standards.

Here are some of the key responsibilities and activities of a food engineer: Food material property characterisation: The engineer applies engineering principles to understand physical and chemical properties, characterises fluid flow through rheology, evaluates material properties for freezing through psychometrics, or heating and drying processes through heat and mass transfer.

44 food australia

Unit operations expertise: Food engineers have a broad understanding of, or specialise in, unit operations for food material conversion. These include cooling and freezing, fermentation, size reduction, separation, concentration, filtration, emulsification, thermal processing (pasteurisation, ultra-high temperature processing, retorting/ canning), drying, mixing, frying and extrusion, among other existing and emerging technologies.

Food process design and optimisation: Food engineers design and develop processes for the production of safe food products.

This includes selecting equipment, designing production lines and optimising manufacturing processes through material and energy balances and models to achieve economic, quality and environmental sustainability outcomes. For example, they work to reduce energy and water consumption in food processing facilities, making the production process more environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

Troubleshooting and problemsolving: They are responsible for identifying and resolving any issues that arise during the production process. This could include equipment malfunctions, ingredient quality problems, or production inefficiencies.

Food safety, sanitation and preservation: Food engineers work to develop and enforce sanitation, for example, by developing cleanin-place procedures and safety protocols to prevent contamination and ensure food products are safe for consumption. They develop and implement techniques for food preservation such as canning, pasteurisation, drying and other hurdle technologies to preserve nutrients and extend the shelf life of food products.

Ingredient selection and formulation: They are involved in selecting and formulating ingredients from existing and emerging raw materials to achieve desired product attributes such as taste, texture and nutritional content.

This may involve experimenting and optimising unit operations with

different combinations of ingredients to achieve the desired product outcome.

Packaging and storage design: Food engineers help design packaging solutions that protect food products from physical damage, spoilage and contamination and extend the shelf life of products. They also consider environmental sustainability in packaging and storage choices, including the implementation of biodegradable packaging solutions.

They may also work on developing new packaging solutions.

Sustainability and environmental considerations: They may work on initiatives to make food production more sustainable, such as reducing waste, conserving energy and exploring eco-friendly packaging options.

Digitalisation and robotics: Food engineers are implementing

digitalisation strategies to capture processing, quality, safety and maintenance data through sensors for maintenance and optimisation. They also implement robotic systems to improve efficiencies.

Food systems engineering: Food engineers are key in implementing food processing and preservation, which is pivotal for food security in remote regions and disaster zones.

They develop fit-for-purpose solutions to address specific needs in the value chain, including supply chain disruptions. Examples include modular containerised lines designed for fast installation in remote locations, locally made ready-to-use supplementary foods, and food (safety, quality or scarcity) incident management strategies. They also develop food systems that can model and simulate functions in the human mouth, stomach and bowel to understand digestion and nutrient delivery.

Collaboration: Food engineers often work closely with other professionals, including food scientists, microbiologists, packaging experts and marketing teams, to develop and launch cost-effective and successful food products.

Overall, food engineers play a crucial role in ensuring the food industry operates efficiently, produces high-quality products and meets regulatory standards for safety and quality. They combine engineering principles with food science knowledge to create safe, nutritious and appealing food products for consumers.

Want to know more about food engineering?

Visit the AFEA website: https://www.aifst.asn.au/AFEA Dr Pablo Juliano is Group Leader Food Processing and Supply Chains, CSIRO f

Call for contributions to food australia journal AIFST publishes the quarterly journal, food australia.

The journal has been published continuously since 1949, and 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of its publication - a testimony to its enduring relevance.

In each issue we publish articles on a range of food science and technology related topics including food safety, packaging, sustainability, food security, food engineering, human health and nutrition and sensory science.

We are particularly interested in articles which communicate recent research in a way that bridges the gap between basic research and industry practice.

An approach which works well is where authors re-present research which may have been recently published in a scholarly journal, with an industry audience in mind.

Papers are typically between 1,200 - 1,800 words, but we do publish pieces outside this range.

Articles published in food australia are readily discoverable online as the journal is indexed by several scholarly databases and by Google Scholar.

We welcome contributions from authors at all stages of their career who are working in industry, research

organisations, government and academia (including students and HDR candidates).

If you are interested in contributing to food australia, please contact AIFST by email: aifst@aifst.com.au for information and Author Guidelines.

Editorial submission dates for 2024 are listed below.

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF AIFST

Journal Issue

Editorial Deadline

Vol.76 (2) April – June 2024 (Autumn)

16 February 2024

Vol.76 (3) July – Sept 2024 (Winter)

3 May 2024

Vol.76 (4) October – Dec 2024 (Spring)

9 August 2024

Vol.77 (1) January - March 2025 (Summer)

25 October 2024

food australia 45

MENTORING

Spotlight on mentoring

I

n today's fast-paced, dynamic and competitive food industry, the pursuit of personal and professional development is more crucial than ever.

Food industry trends, technologies and consumer preferences are constantly evolving. As food scientists strive to navigate the complexities of their careers and the ever-changing industry, AIFST recognises the need for guidance, support and wisdom.

The AIFST Mentoring Program is designed to create a nurturing and collaborative environment where seasoned food science professionals share their knowledge, skills and experiences with those seeking guidance and growth.

AIFST encourages food scientists to join us in adopting a culture of mentorship and continuous learning, allowing our food science community to thrive, learn and contribute to the success of the agrifood industry.

Mentoring is not only about transferring skills and knowledge but also about cultivating the next generation of food science heroes who will lead the industry with a passion for food science and a commitment to shaping the future of food.

46 food australia

Mentoring can offer a wide range of benefits to mentees, including: • Personal and professional development: mentors can provide guidance and support to help you grow and develop in your career.

This can include teaching new skills, offering advice and providing constructive feedback. Mentors can also help with personal growth and development such as goal setting, overcoming challenges and improving communication skills Accelerate learning curves and increase confidence: the transfer of knowledge from experienced mentors can boost your confidence and self-esteem, setting you apart when applying for jobs and career advancement • Networking opportunities: mentors can introduce you to other professionals to build connections within the industry • Perspective and guidance: a mentor can provide a different perspective and offer guidance based on their own experiences, helping you navigate challenges and make better informed decisions Mentors also gain a range of benefits, including:

• Personal fulfilment: mentoring provides an opportunity for mentors to make a positive impact on someone else's career • Skill enhancement: teaching and guiding others can help mentors refine their communication, leadership and coaching skills.

Mentoring is a reciprocal relationship where both parties can learn and develop new skills • Leadership development: mentoring is a form of leadership and it allows mentors to hone their leadership skills • Personal reflection: mentoring often involves reflecting on one's own experiences and sharing insights gained over the years. This process of self-reflection can lead to personal growth and a deeper understanding of one's own career journey • Legacy building: mentoring can be a way to leave a positive and lasting impact on the food industry by contributing to the development of future leaders Some reflections from 2023 AIFST Mentoring Program mentors and mentees:

Anna Barlow During the AIFST Mentoring Program you will have the opportunity to learn from your mentor about the broad variety of roles on offer in the food industry and learn from their experiences.

Your mentor can help you explore how different career experiences and acquiring new complementary business and managerial skills can open up new and different career pathways that you might not have previously been aware of. They can help you identify the right roles to target for you to grow into and to help you prepare for food science and technical leadership and managerial roles.

Throughout the program you will be able to connect with fellow mentees, learn from a variety of mentors and develop a whole set of new skills that you can continue to develop throughout your career.

Cindy Romero The AIFST Mentoring Program can help you in any stage of your career to further understand the scope of the food and beverage industry in Australia.

The landscape to improve your existing set of skills, while also appreciating other transferable skills, is also quite extensive and you can learn to do this through the guidance of a highly experienced industry professional.

After the program you will find yourself more confident to take the next step in the career that you wish for.

Chanon Limpatiyagorn The AIFST Mentoring Program has played a significant role in my professional development and I am grateful to my mentor. With his 20 years of industry experience, he has helped me navigate the crucial phase of transitioning from university to my career.

Being an international student, it can be challenging to distinguish myself from other job seekers, but my mentor has been instrumental

in polishing my resume, facilitating networking with industry professionals, preparing for interviews and managing multiple job offers. We meet regularly to keep track of my progress, which I appreciate. I am proud to be part of this program which produces competent and highly skilled food scientists for the industry and plan to become a mentor myself one day.

opportunities within the field.

Through insightful guidance, mentees gain clarity on selecting the right path within the food industry, making informed decisions crucial for personal and professional growth.

The program is a powerful resource, combining mentorship, networking and industry exploration to propel individuals forward in their food science careers.

Stewart Eddie

Greg Holden

The AIFST Mentoring Program is an invaluable asset for advancing food science careers, offering a structured path for Continuous Professional Development. Participants forge direct connections with seasoned professionals, gaining personalised guidance beyond their workplace.

Focusing on professional and technical skill development, the program cultivates adept food scientists.

Mentors provide practical advice in a supportive environment with regular webinars creating a dynamic learning setting. The program benefits mentors, allowing them to hone leadership skills and contribute to mentees' growth. As a mentor, I appreciate the chance to work on skill development with mentees.

In essence, the program equips participants with essential tools and insights vital for navigating the evolving landscape of food science careers.

Most early career professionals have qualifications but very little experience to balance their CV and often don’t know how to approach their career and what is expected of them. The mentors in the AIFST program are passionate about developing the next generation of talented food scientists and willingly share practical experiences and learnings.

The program is structured to ensure mentees have support and guidance to articulate their career aspirations, build on their professional network, construct a suitable CV and enhance resilience as they start job hunting or reshape their early career. Above all, the program gives mentees first hand access to a mentor with a wealth of lived professional experience to share. Mentors offer a ‘safe space’ to ask questions and they join mentees on their journey for the period of the program (and often well beyond).

Magdalena Maziarz

Chetana Suvarna Ganatra

Participating in the AIFST Mentoring Program is a pivotal step for individuals at various career stages, catering to both recent graduates and those with prior experience. This initiative serves as a transformative platform, fostering connections and providing invaluable insights into the diverse and dynamic landscape of food science careers.

The program facilitates network building, connecting mentees with industry experts who generously share their knowledge. Navigating one's career becomes easier as mentors reveal a multitude of

Transitioning to a new career at a mature age comes with many insecurities, especially if one comes from a self employed background.

The program helped me put my new career path vision into the right perspective.

My mentor gave me invaluable industry insights and helped me to adapt and work towards my goal. I benefited greatly by sharing my work and career related initial hiccups and received very non-judgemental and constructive advice. I work in QA now and am so glad I signed up for the program. f

food australia 47

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