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| NEW ZEALAND FOOD & BEVERAGE
RESEARCH & EDUCATION NEWS: |
 Food
safety top of the menu for new joint venture
(28 Jul 10) New Zealand’s first food safety centre will soon be serving up a
smorgasbord of courses catering for the needs of the country’s food producers.
The Food Safety Centre, a joint venture between the University of Canterbury
and Lincoln University, has been established to respond to the needs of the food
industry to create courses to support and aid the development of New Zealand’s
food products. It was set up with funding support from the Tertiary Education
Commission.
Canterbury University academic Professor Ian Shaw, who is Director
of the new centre, said courses on the menu could cover a range of topics – from
bacterial and chemical contamination and the effect on consumers, to safety issues
relating to the development of new food products. “What we want to do is work
with the food industry to find out what they want and tailor what we do to meet
their needs,” said Professor Shaw. “We want industry to be involved in developing
the programmes it wants. We can train new staff, help make people more aware
of the issues involved in food production and keep the industry up-to-date with
the latest research.” Professor Shaw said the centre, which is based at Lincoln
University, would have two lecturers to deliver and develop the courses but would
also draw on the knowledge of food safety experts from other organisations. Lincoln
University academic Associate Professor Jim Morton, who is working
with Professor Shaw on the new initiative, said it was “a really exciting opportunity
for industry and the two universities to work together towards a common goal”.
In the long-term, Professor Shaw said the centre would develop a research programme
and planned to offer a masters degree in food safety.
 Second wine industry scholarship awarded
(22 Jul 10) After an initial pledge of $80,000 over five years in 2005, the Liquorland
International Wine Competition has repeated its offer, awarding a further
$80,000 through to 2014. Recipients of the first scholarships were the Auckland
Wine Science Programme and the Marlborough Wine Research Centre while this year sees The
New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research and Wine Marlborough receive funding.
Delighted with the outcome, Marcus Pickens of Wine Marlborough said, “We are thrilled to be able to launch our exchange programme in association with the NZ-UK Link Foundation and John Avery MW.” He explains, “This is an opportunity to build and promote strong commercial relationships with one of our most important markets.”
New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research scientist Dr Sara Jaeger applied for the funding to conduct an in-depth analysis of how wine fits into the lives of adult New Zealand consumers. Her research will include examining eating and drinking practices and how they influence each other, in order to gain insight on the behaviours and practices of consumers.
Commenting on the scholarship, Liquorland International Wine Competition Director, Belinda
Jackson said, “Through the sale of bottles of wine not required during the competition’s judging process we are able to raise significant funds which are then given back to the industry.” Liquorland Merchandise Manager Andrew
Bartley adds, “Liquorland is delighted to assist the industry through the offer of scholarships, it further demonstrates our commitment to the successful future of New Zealand wine.”
 Vitamin C blocks tumour growth: study
(20 Jul 10) New Zealand researchers have established that vitamin C can help
to block the growth of cancer cells - an important experimental finding they
expect could be quickly adopted into cancer treatment.
A team from Otago University at Christchurch, in a paper published in leading
international journal Cancer Research, say their study of tumorous
and normal tissue samples from women with cancer of the uterine lining provides
the first direct evidence of a link between vitamin
C and a protein called HIF-1.
HIF (hypoxia inducible factor)-1 is considered a key protein in tumour survival.
High activity of it promotes tumour growth and resistance to chemotherapy and
radiotherapy and is linked with a poor prognosis for patients.
The Christchurch study, led by Associate Professor Margreet Vissers,
of the university's Free Radical Research Group, found that high-grade tumours
had around 40 per
cent less vitamin C than matched, adjacent, normal tissue.
The researchers say their study suggests that restoring the vitamin C levels
in tumours would limit factors that promote tumour growth, and recommend animal
trials to test the hypothesis.
Professor Vissers said the study suggested it would be beneficial for people
with cancer cells to have more vitamin C. However she warned, "Just supplementing
people may not actually have the effect that you want because you haven't done
it in
the
right
way".
She said vitamin C levels in the body could be raised only to a certain level
by oral supplementation.
Intravenous injections could achieve a higher level.
"That's the question: what's the best way to deliver vitamin C to the tumour."
More at NZ
Herald.
 Science
Festival wraps up with ‘science idol’
(13 Jul 10)
New Zealand’s first ever science idol competition took place as part of the seventh New
Zealand International Science Festival, themed ‘Everyday Science:
Food for Thought’. The festival began on Tuesday 6 July and culminated in a Fun & Food Fiesta on Sunday July 11, 2010 in Dunedin.
The inaugural Fun & Food Fiesta was held at the Lion Foundation Arena, Edgar Centre and was organised by Cadbury, the Dunedin City Council and New Zealand International Science Festival.
Workshops were held during the week of the festival with visiting science rapper from the US, Tom
McFadden helping twelve young competitors aged between 8 and 15 years to develop their rap music songs about an aspect of science and perform on the day.
The festival featured over 200 events opening up the world of science to everyone. Highlights of the festival included the search for the ‘ultimate’ southern cheese roll competition, a dining in the dark experience, Dante’s Laboratory – science of sin live theatre, and popular workshops for kids including extracting DNA from a tomato; incredible edible gardens and the ‘Feed
the Mind’ University of Otago Science Expo.
Sue Clarke, Festival Director said the response and numbers attending the six day food themed festival had been incredible with visitors from Invercargill to San Francisco, USA. “Many of the workshops were booked out well in advance and the ‘science of’ events including beer, curry, seafood and wine had been extremely popular. Our events were deliberately designed to be entertaining experiences but also thought provoking - giving people a taste of how science plays a part in our everyday lives.”
The festival included interactive events and workshops with visiting experts; Tim Jarvis AM, a British environmental scientist; Tom McFadden, a biologist and ‘science rapper’ from Stanford, USA; Mr Andrew Greensmith, a Melbourne-based plastic and craniofacial surgeon; NZ chef and author Julie Biuso and Julie Woods (aka ‘that blind woman’) and an Australian science educator and performer, Chris Krishna Pillay.
“Thousands of hours have gone into organising the festival. The hard work, commitment and support from the festival team, external event organisers, volunteers and a range of local and national sponsors and funding partners has been has been paramount to the success of the festival,” Festival Director Sue Clarke said.
The winners of the ‘science idol’ competition in the 8-10 age group were; Kate
Truman and Helen Knott, both 9 years and from George Street Normal School, Dunedin. The winner of the 11-15 age group was Ella
Cameron, 11 years from St Clair School, Dunedin. Winners receive a print revealing a map of their own DNA by sponsors The Otago Institute and Genetics Otago.
The winner of the Cadbury dessert competition judged by Pier 24 chef Greg
Piner was Ironic Bar and Restaurant, 2nd place Dunedin City Hotel and third place Mecure Hotel, Princess Street, Dunedin. The Cadbury fun colouring in competition 5-8 year group was won by Luca
Holloway and the 9-12 year group by Khata Pearce, both receiving a Cadbury World Family Pass.
 Dr Tom Richardson appointed AgResearch CEO
(18 Jun 10) The current head of the Rotorua-based CRI, New Zealand Forest Research Institute Ltd, trading as Scion, Dr
Tom Richardson, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of AgResearch Ltd, after the resignation of Dr Andrew West.
Dr Richardson will take up his new role from 15 September 2010. His appointment was announced today by AgResearch Chairman Sam Robinson, following an international search.
Mr Robinson said that Dr Richardson was a science innovation sector leader, and would bring to his new position the strategic and commercial qualities that had underpinned his success at Scion.
“Over recent years the role and position of AgResearch in the pastoral sector has been re-established, and the Board anticipates that as the new CEO, Dr Richardson will strengthen further this positioning for the benefit of New Zealand, the organisation itself and its key stakeholders.
“Our Board was genuinely thrilled at the quality and calibre of the applicants for the CEO position, which is a measure of the esteem in which AgResearch is held internationally.”
Originally from the United States, Dr Richardson has worked in New Zealand science for 20 years. He has spent 18 years with Scion, 13 as a practising scientist and science manager, and the past five as CEO. He has had frequent assignments on advisory boards, external review panels and international science and trade delegations.
His science background is in genetics, and he established the genomics research group at Scion and a spin-out company, SignaGen, which brought high-throughput DNA testing to the New Zealand ag-bio sector. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Bucknell University and a doctorate in Botany from Pennsylvania State University.
In addition to his role as Scion’s CEO, Dr Richardson holds a number of science-related directorships including the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, Future Forests Research Limited and Science New Zealand of which he is also Deputy Chairman.
Aged 48, Dr Richardson is married with two sons, 10 and eight. Both he and his wife have previously enjoyed success in athletics at an international level. In his new role the family will relocate to Hamilton.
 Multi-million investment for new apples and pears
(9 Jun 10) New Zealand and Australian pipfruit growers have
recommitted to a multi-million dollar joint venture to produce new apple and
pear cultivars. Together, Australasian growers will invest NZ$11.5 million over
the next five years through
their established joint venture company, Prevar™ Limited.
Prevar™ was formed in 2004 to commercialise new apple and pear cultivars from the pipfruit
breeding programme at Plant & Food Research. The programme develops new cultivars that
meet consumer demand for novel, great tasting, healthy and convenient apples and pears for
domestic and export markets.
The $11.5 million investment will be shared equally between Pipfruit New Zealand (PNZ) and
Apple & Pear Australia Limited (APAL). Plant & Food Research has also recommitted to the
joint venture agreement, as a 10% shareholder, and the Associated International Group of
Nurseries (AIGN®) has been appointed as a key service provider for global cultivar
distribution and evaluation.
“This reinvestment in Prevar™ demonstrates the strong foundation the company has built
over the past five years,” says CEO Dr Brett Ennis. “The skills and expertise of our partners
will allow us to build on the lessons we have learnt and deliver new, exciting cultivars to
Australasian growers.”
PNZ and APAL will provide access to apple and pear growers in New Zealand and Australia
for late stage commercial trials, as well as marketing and management of new cultivars.
“PNZ remains very committed to Prevar™. The New Zealand pipfruit industry will continue to
benefit from the new cultivars with growers having the first supply opportunities in world
markets,” says Ian Palmer, Chairman of Pipfruit New Zealand.
“APAL believes that Prevar™ has made good progress in developing world class apples and
pears,” says Tony Russell, General Manager of APAL. “In the six years since its inception,
Prevar has demonstrated the quality of its commercial pipeline, and we are excited to provide
support into the future.”
Australian investment in Prevar™ has been facilitated by Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL)
in partnership with APAL. It is funded by apple and pear levies as well as voluntary
contributions. The Australian Government provides matched funding for all HAL's R&D
activities.
Plant & Food Research will provide research and intellectual property to the joint venture, as
well as reinvestment of royalties derived from cultivars developed in the breeding
programme.
“Plant & Food Research has an established track record in pipfruit breeding, with a number
of successful cultivars already available in the global marketplace,” says CEO Peter
Landon-
Lane. “Prevar™ has great potential to deliver new, exciting cultivars for premium export
markets, and we look forward to building on the strong partnerships established over the past
six years.”
AIGN®, a founding partner in Prevar™ Limited, will continue to provide the linkages and
logistics necessary for new cultivar global distribution, testing, intellectual property
management and propagation.
Lynnell Brandt, president of AIGN®, says, “AIGN® continues to be very proud of its role with
Prevar™ as it moves forward on the world stage. Growers will continue to see the benefits
from this on-going relationship in their orchards in the years ahead.”
“Prevar™ has released five new apple cultivars and three new pear cultivars since 2005 with
additional licenses to be concluded in the very near future,” says Dr Ennis.
Prevar™ gratefully acknowledges the New Zealand Foundation for Research Science and
Technology for co-funding the related science discovery that underpins the commercial
breeding programme. “There is little doubt that the success of the programme is attributable
to the investment that FRST have made,” says Dr Ennis.
 Chill
and save the sav' flavours
(4 Jun 10) Scientists have now proven that keeping sauvignon blanc
on
ice
helps
retain
its
flavours.
The research, part of the Sauvignon Blanc Programme, a collaboration
between Auckland and Lincoln universities and Plant and Food Research, shows
that keeping the wine cooler reduces the loss of its characteristic tropical
fruit aromas.
Professor Paul Kilmartin of Auckland University's
chemistry department, who is working on the research, said it was widely accepted
that intense tropical fruit and herbaceous aromas were lost with age and the
wine, which has traditionally been stored at room temperature, was best enjoyed
young.
But the research shows that storing the wine in a cooler environment retains
the aromas for longer.
"Well-managed refrigeration could help to improve the consistency of quality
wines sold here and overseas, and allow the wine industry to cope with changes
in supply and demand from year to year," Dr
Kilmartin said.
Earlier research showed that two aromatic compounds, called thiols, which impart
passionfruit, grapefruit and herbaceous aromas, are found in high levels in NZ
sauvignon blanc.
When wine was stored at room temperature, chemical tests detecting the presence
of 3MHA, the least stable of the two thiols, showed it declining by about 40
per cent in the three months after the wine was
bottled. It was almost undetectable after two years.
The rate of loss of 3MHA and other fruity esters wasfound to be three times slower
at
5C
than at 18C.
Waiheke winemaker Chris Canning said 70 per cent of New Zealand's wine was sauvignon
blanc, the "single variety produced on a factory scale".
"So to refrigerate the enormous 100,000-litre tanks is a very costly exercise
and probably, for the winemakers, no longer possible because most of those tanks
are outside."
More at NZ
Herald.
 New Ministry of Science and Innovation
(2 Jun 10) The Government has announced the roles and functions of the new Ministry
of Science and Innovation - the organisation that will be formed as
a result of the amalgamation of the Ministry of Research Science and Technology
(MoRST)
and the Foundation for Research, Science
and Technology.
The roles and functions include:
 Advising the Minister of Research, Science and Technology on New Zealand's
science and innovation system
Managing science funding
Driving knowledge transfer to businesses and other research users
A new function advising shareholding Ministers on the performance of
Crown Research Institutes
The Government has also announced measures to ensure that research funding decisions
will be independent. Under forthcoming legislation, the Minister will appoint
boards that will make independent funding decisions based on published criteria.
The Minister won't be able to direct decisions on individual research proposals.
Cabinet's approval of the roles and responsibilities of the new Ministry means
the State Services Commission will begin the search for a Chief Executive. The
Government expects that legislation establishing the new Ministry will be passed
by the end of 2010.
The new Ministry will assume its duties and begin operating at a date after that,
once staffing and systems are in place. There will be opportunities for industry
to comment on the legislation establishing the new Ministry in the process run
by
the Select Committee.
The Cabinet paper detailing these decisions will shortly be available from the
State Services Commission website www.ssc.govt.nz
 One taste, instant carbo boost
(5 May 10) Researchers at The University of Auckland have shown for the first
time that the mere presence of carbohydrate solution in the mouth immediately
boosts muscle strength, even before it is swallowed.
The results suggest that a previously unknown neural pathway is activated when
receptors in the mouth detect carbohydrate, stimulating parts of the brain
that control muscle activity and producing an increase in muscle strength.
Previous research had shown that the presence of carbohydrate in the mouth can
improve physical performance during prolonged activity, but the mechanism involved
was not known and it was unclear whether a person must be fatigued for the
effect to be seen.
“There appears to be a pathway in the brain that tells our muscles when energy
is on the way,” says lead researcher Dr
Nicholas Gant from the Department of Sport and Exercise Science.
“We have shown that carbohydrate in the mouth produces an immediate increase
in neural drive to both fresh and fatigued muscle and that the size of the effect
is unrelated to the amount of glucose in the blood or the extent of fatigue.”
The current research has been published in the journal Brain Research and
has also captured the attention of New
Scientist magazine.
In the first of two experiments, 16 healthy young men who had been doing biceps
exercises for 11 minutes were given a carbohydrate solution to drink or an identically
flavored energy-free placebo. Their biceps strength was measured before and immediately
afterward, as was the activity of the brain pathway known to supply the biceps.
Around one second after swallowing the drink, neural activity increased by 30
percent and muscle strength two percent, with the effect lasting for around three
minutes. The response was not related to the amount of glucose in the bloodstream
or how fatigued the participants were.
“It might not sound like much, but a two percent increase in muscle strength
is enormous, especially at the elite level. It’s the difference between winning
an Olympic medal or not,” says co-author Dr
Cathy Stinear.
As might be expected, a second boost in muscle strength was observed after 10
minutes when carbohydrate reached the bloodstream and muscles through digestion,
but no additional boost in neural activity was seen at that time.
“Two quite distinct mechanisms are involved,” says Dr Stinear. “The first is
the signal from the mouth via the brain that energy is about to be available
and the second is when the carbohydrate actually reaches the muscles and provides
that energy,” says Dr Stinear.
“The carbohydrate and placebo solutions used in the experiment were of identical
flavour and sweetness, confirming that receptors in the mouth can process other
sensory information aside from the basic taste qualities of food. The results
suggest that detecting energy may be a sixth taste sense in humans,” says Dr
Gant.
In the second experiment, 17 participants who had not been doing exercise and
were not fatigued simply held one of the solutions in their mouths without swallowing.
Measurements of the muscle between the thumb and index finger were taken while
the muscle was either relaxed or active.
A similar, though smaller effect was observed as in the first experiment, with
a nine percent increase in neural activity produced by the carbohydrate solution
compared with placebo. This showed that the response is seen in both large powerful
muscles and in smaller muscles responsible for fine hand movements.
“Together the results show that carbohydrate in the mouth activates the neural
pathway whether or not muscles are fatigued. We were surprised by this, because
we had expected that the response would be part of the brain’s sophisticated
system for monitoring energy levels during exercise,” says Dr Stinear.
“Seeing the same effect in fresh muscle suggests that it’s more of a simple reflex – part
of our basic wiring – and it appears that very ancient parts of the brain such
as the brainstem are involved. Reflexive movements in response to touch, vision
and hearing are well known but this is the first time that a reflex linking taste
and muscle activity has been described,” she says.
Further research is required to determine the precise mechanisms involved and
to learn more about the size of the effect on fresh versus fatigued muscle.
 UV
rays may give our sav's the edge
(2 May 10) New Zealand's high level of UV radiation may help make our sauvignon
blanc
unique, according to on-going research by scientists from the Centre for Viticulture
and Oenology at Lincoln University.
They found increased exposure to UV boosts the presence of compounds that influence
ageing and amino acids, which form aromatic compounds and provide nitrogen for
the fermentation process.
Study
leader Professor Brian Jordan says New Zealand has up
to 50 per cent more UV than an equivalent latitude in the Northern Hemisphere
and
clear, unpolluted skies.
"So the potential for UV to influence the composition of the grape is undoubtedly
there."
Jordan and his team placed plastic filters over sauvignon blanc vines to limit
their exposure to UV. They removed leaves from other vines to expose the grapes
to more light.
UV causes accumulation of polyphenols (compounds that absorb the
UV radiation and therefore protect the plant) in the grape skins and this may
lead to changes in the properties of the wine, such as ageing and mouth feel.
Sauvignon
blanc is New Zealand's "premium wine", generating annual export earnings
of more than $1 billion. The Lincoln-based researchers on this project include
Professor Brian Jordan, Senior Lecturer, Dr Rainer Hofmann, Senior Lecturer,
Dr Chris Winefield with collaborators, Professor James Shinkle from the USA,
Dr Jason Wargent from the UK and Dr Mike Trought from Plant & Food Research.
Support has come from a number of different sources: Lincoln University, Plant
and Food Research, wine industry representatives and New Zealand Winegrowers,
the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST) and International
Travel Fellowships.
 Natural
compound found in blackcurrant may help asthma
(25 Mar
10)
A preliminary study by New Zealand company Plant & Food Research shows that natural chemicals from blackcurrants may help breathing in some types of asthma.
Researchers found a compound from a New Zealand blackcurrant may reduce lung inflammation with a multi-action assault in allergy-induced asthma. The compound was found in laboratory experiments to enhance the natural defence mechanisms in lung tissue by both suppressing inflammation-causing reactions and minimising inflammation.
The findings are published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.
Fruit consumption has been shown to reduce symptoms in allergy-induced asthma yet this research is the first to give insights into the mechanism by which this may occur. The researchers identified that the component, epigallocatechin, reduced inflammation in lung tissue. Epigallocatechin is a known antioxidant and a major component of proanthocyanidins found in blackcurrants.
In the Plant & Food Research study, led by Dr Roger Hurst, cells from lung tissue were used to test the effects on the immune system of a proanthocyanidin rich extract, from blackcurrant cultivars grown in New Zealand.
When the lungs are exposed to allergens, the body’s natural response is to attack the perceived foreign body which in some individuals results in long-term inflammation. Selective compounds found in fruit and vegetables may work together with the body’s own natural defence mechanism to suppress long-term lung inflammation.
This study shows that epigallocatechin, from blackcurrants, works in conjunction with other natural immune responses that occur at the same time to reduce inflammation. These actions are distinct from the inflammation-reducing activity of another group of compounds, anthocycanins, which are also rich in blackcurrants. Anthocyanins are known for their antioxidant properties and, interestingly, have been shown by Dr Hurst’s research group to also influence inflammatory mechanisms and complement the body’s own natural immune responses. The research shows some compounds in fruit thought to promote health with their antioxidant activity are keeping us well by other means.
“To find natural compounds that potentially reduce lung inflammation and complement the body’s own immune response is an exciting breakthrough,” says Dr Hurst. “Should we discover more about how this works we may eventually develop foods containing these compounds that could provide more natural alternatives to assist conventional drug treatments for asthma and even other allergic re-actions.”
The study is part of Plant & Food Research’s Food Innovation science platform that focuses on discovering the natural goodness in fruit, vegetables, grains and seafood and using this knowledge to develop fresh whole foods, ingredients and food concepts. Dr
Kieran Elborough GM Science Food Innovation says research is improving the understanding of food and its makeup, how it benefits us and the development of new value technologies, ingredients and products.
“Maintaining wellness in a natural way is a growing consumer trend that food companies recognise, “says Dr Elborough. “New Zealand is well known for its quality fresh produce and I am quietly confident our understanding of natural compounds in fruit, vegetables, grains and seafood has good potential for food and beverage companies.”
Plant & Food Research is a New Zealand government-owned science company. With over 900 staff based at sites across New Zealand as well as in the USA and Australia, Plant & Food Research provides research and development that adds value to fruit, vegetable, crop and marine-based food products.
Liquorland
International Wine Show launches second wine industry Scholarship
Programme
(23 Mar 10)
After contributing $80,000 to wine industry research projects over the last five
years, the Liquorland International Wine Competition is set
to run the Scholarship Programme again. Donating the money raised from auctioning
unused bottles of wine remaining after the judging of the Competition, funds
have so far been supplied to the Auckland Wine Science Programme and
to the Marlborough Wine Research Centre. Liquorland Merchandise
Manager Andrew Bartley explains, “This is a very simple and
effective way to contribute to the development of the New Zealand wine industry.” He
continues, “We also feel we have a responsibility to the industry with regards
to the surplus wine from competition entries – this activity means everybody
benefits.” Liquorland will again pledge $80,000 over the next five years of the
competition to various research projects. These can be wide-ranging from small
grants for students or funding visiting scientists to specific research projects.
The only criteria are that the activity proposed must benefit the New Zealand
wine industry. To determine how the funds are awarded Liquorland is now inviting
interested parties to submit a paper of no more than 1,000 words outlining how
they would
use any allocated monies. The submission must include the following:
Name of the organisation
Amount of funding requested
The specific activity the funding is required for
How this activity will benefit the New Zealand wine industry
Proposed timing of this activity
Name of individuals responsible for the activity and for how any awarded
funding
would be spent
Submissions must be received by Monday 31st May 2010 to Director
of the Liquorland
International Wine Competition, Belinda Jackson at belinda@liquorland.co.nz .
The committee to decide which submissions will benefit from the funding will
comprise Belinda Jackson, Andrew Bartley (Liquorland Ltd) Stuart Smith, Chairman
of New Zealand Winegrowers and Dominic Pecchenino, Chair of Research, New Zealand
Winegrowers.
 For any further information, call Belinda Jackson, Competition
Director on 027
444 8 666
 AgResearch study confirms spray chilling minimises venison
weight loss
(23 Mar 10)
Spray chilling deer carcasses minimises weight loss without reducing the tenderness
of venison, according to a recently released AgResearch study funded by DEEResearch
and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST). Spray chilling
involves the intermittent spraying of cold water onto carcasses.
An AgResearch report "Spray chilling of deer carcasses" by Eva Wiklund,
Robert Kemp, Guill LeRoux, Yi Li and Guojie Wu shows results that confirmed the
positive effect of spray chilling which significantly minimises weight loss in
deer carcasses, compared with conventional (air) chilled carcasses. While spray
chilling has been used on beef and other meats, some assurance was needed for
venison regarding effectiveness and meat quality.
"Maintaining a kilo of meat weight of venison adds up to a significant benefit
to both the supplier and the processor,"said AgResearch"s Dr Katja
Rosenvold. "AgResearch
undertakes a significant amount of work on meat and meat quality across beef,
lamb, venison and pork. This study, and other research on venison, is an important
part of the value we add to New Zealand."
Alliance Group's Kelvin Ashby, Exporters and Processors appointee to the DEEResearch
Board, has welcomed the research and says Alliance has now introduced spray chilling
to their venison chain. "Reducing weight loss overnight via spray chilling
during the 'post-slaughter' phase equates to a significant yield improvement
when venison is processed. As a result, revenues are higher for the processor
which translates into improved returns for the supplier - a win/win outcome".
An important meat quality attribute is the ability to hold water in the meat
structure. Loss of water in the form of drip affects the appearance of vacuum
packaged chilled meat when it reaches the retail market and therefore consumer
acceptability of meat at the point of purchase. Drip is also important in relation
to the juiciness of cooked meat for table purposes, and the yield of processed
meat products.
It is thought that in air chilling, as the air removes moisture from the surface
by evaporation, internal moisture replaces it. With spray chilling, the wet
surface allows for evaporation to take place without affecting the moisture content.
 $21m
funding boost for Food Innovation Centres
(12 Mar 10)
The government says it will re-hash existing budgets to provide up to $21 million
over five years to set up four centres for food and beverage development at Manukau,
Hamilton, Palmerston North, and Lincoln.
The hubs, called Food Innovation
Network New Zealand (FINZ), will be a collaboration between the government,
industry, research and education providers and local government, first proposed
under the
previous Labour government in 2004. Economic Development Minister Gerry
Brownlee announced the funding yesterday.
"New Zealand's export base is reliant on our food and beverage industries. The
government wants to encourage them to create more value from their products to
help raise our economic growth rate," Mr Brownlee says.
"Small and medium sized companies need access to facilities that allow them to
develop, test and prove new products but it is uneconomic for these companies
to individually build such facilities and purchase all the required equipment."
By providing the infrastructure such as laboratories and high-tech equipment
that companies needed to develop new food and beverage ingredients and consumer
products, the hubs could speed up development of a high-value food export industry,
Brownlee said.
The food and beverage sector was responsible for more than half of export earnings,
and provided jobs for a fifth of the working population.
The processed foods sector had shown strong compound annual growth of 18% over
the past decade and now accounted for $2.1 billion of exports.
"This has potential to at least double in the next few years," Brownlee said.
The strategy of requiring state science companies seeking taxpayer funding to
line up private-sector partners to transfer new research into the wider economy
had been a "great theory" but had not been completely successful.
The hubs will be much more basic.
"We could provide various grants here and there, but what is really required
is access to very expensive capital equipment," Brownlee said.
"Small- and medium-sized companies need access to facilities that allow them
to develop, test and prove new products."
Each hub will have a different focus, chosen according to the expertise in nearby
universities, and the kind of foods produced in those regions.
In Canterbury, where there was a considerable cropping industry, the Lincoln
hub will focus on plant-based ingredient and consumer food products.
Manukau will focus on processed foods, and the Waikato hub will work on meat-based
products and dairy ingredients.
Palmerston North, which already has a cluster of food technology research around
sites such as Massey University and Fonterra's dairy research, will build on
its strengths in food research and training food technologists to strengthen
connections between research and the industry.
The first of the four regional hubs will be operational later this year or early
next year, with the others phased in over the next two or three years, depending
on finding and appointing key staff. Katherine Rich,
Chief Executive of the New Zealand Food & Grocery Council (FGC) said
FINZ will create a significant
resource for the food industry, and encourage more product development to be
done in New Zealand
.
"Minister of Economic Development Gerry Brownlee has been a champion of this
project from the beginning. This investment shows his and the Government's commitment
to providing infrastructure to help the food industry grow".
"New product development is the lifeblood of all food companies, but many New
Zealand food companies are not of a size to warrant an in-house product development
resource. These open-access facilities will shorten the time it takes to get
products to market and reduce the risk and cost to small and medium-sized food
companies, in particular, associated with new product development."
The new centre being built in Manukau will be focused on processed food and will
go a long way to plug a commercialisation gap, which many believe has limited
practical development of new and existing products within the food industry.
"I would also like to pay tribute to the work of Professor Ray Winger. His vision
and tireless effort over the past eight years to provide these facilities for
industry has been the driving force behind the Manukau facility".
 Research & technology:
not a cost
(24 Feb 10)
Private companies must join the Government in increasing investment in research
and technology if knowledge-based industries are to transform New Zealand's economy
over the next decade, says the Prime Minister's chief science adviser.
Sir Peter Gluckman, speaking yesterday at a medical technology conference in Auckland, said private sector spending on research and technology was "dismally low".
"We're the only advanced country in which the Government spend [on research, science and technology] is actually higher than the private spend," he said.
Gluckman said the New Zealand Government spent 0.5 to 0.7 per cent of GDP on research and technology, while the private sector invested around 0.4 per cent "at best".
Conversely, he said, the private sectors of other advanced nations contributed as much as 2 per cent - out of a total spend of up to 3 per cent of GDP - on research and technology.
New Zealand had "paid the price" for failing to invest in knowledge-based sectors, he said. "For
many decades we've seen investment in research and science essentially as a cost
... rather than recognising it as a fundamental investment in the infrastructure
of our future."
More at NZ
Herald.
 AgResearch
CEO resigns
(4 Feb 10)
Today Dr Andrew West, Chief Executive of AgResearch Ltd, announced his intention to resign his position effective 30 June after six years in the role. AgResearch is the New Zealand Government’s principal research institute focused on this country’s dairy, red-meat and wool industries. AgResearch Chairman, Sam Robinson, has advised that the Board is not yet in a position to decide on the recruitment process for a new Chief Executive and will announce this in due course. Dr West has agreed to continue to lead AgResearch until mid 2010 to support the Board with the transition to a new Chief Executive.
“It has been fantastic to lead such an excellent and motivated group of staff for so long. It has been deeply fulfilling to bring an outstandingly competent institute closer to the industries that it was set up to serve. Likewise, I feel privileged to have worked with many others to assist in rebuilding recognition of the vital importance of New Zealand’s pastoral sector and more broadly the critical roles of science and technology,” said Dr West. “While it has been great to contribute in such ways, I believe that it has now got to the stage that AgResearch should continue to revitalise itself under new leadership. For me personally, I certainly intend to pursue opportunities in the science and technology space; these are areas where I believe that New Zealand is gaining real momentum”.
AgResearch Chairman, Sam Robinson, commended Dr West on his leadership of AgResearch. “Dr West focused AgResearch where New Zealand most needs it – on the pastoral sector and its associated food and textile products. The Board of Directors recognises his important contribution to the ongoing success of this company and wishes him well for his future beyond AgResearch”.
 $1b
sales boost possible for Zespri
(9 Nov 09)
New Zealand kiwifruit sales could be boosted by between $300 million and $1 billion
a year within a decade thanks to a big investment venture announced by marketer Zespri and
the Government. Research Science and Technology Minister Wayne Mapp said $35.7
million would be invested over the next seven years in a joint research and development
programme by Zespri, the world's leading kiwifruit marketer, and the Crown Research
Institute Plant and Food Research. The Foundation for Research
Science and Technology would contribute $15.2 million and Zespri $20.5 million.
The funds are to accelerate and upscale New Zealand's kiwifruit breeding programme.
The boost will make it the world's biggest and most significant new kiwifruit
varieties R&D project. Zespri chief executive Lain Jager said a number of new
cultivars would be brought to market and it was "realistic" to expect that one
outstanding cultivar would be commercialised with forecast sales of $300 million
a year. Plant and Food Research chief operating officer Bruce Campbell told the
Business Herald his institute was planning for at least four "outstanding" cultivars
to be commercialised. "I think the numbers will be something like $1 billion
of sales by 2021." Kiwifruit is New Zealand's biggest horticulture export, accounting
for 45 per cent of all horticulture exports and 66 per cent of fresh fruit exports.
The industry's economic value is estimated at $1.45 billion a year. Zespri expects
the volume and value of the industry to at least double over the next 10 years.
More at NZ
Herald.
 Ice
cream to battle chemo side effects
(29 Oct 09)
Ice cream that could combat negative side effects of chemotherapy was today revealed
by diary giant Fonterra and Auckland University. The medicinal ice cream, known
as ReCharge, has started phase 2 clinical trials in New Zealand
to assess its effectives against chemotherapy induced diarrhoea (CID) and anaemia.
It could also reduce weight loss and damage to the immune system during chemo
treatement. Oncology centres throughout the country are taking part in the trial
and 10 patients are already signed up for a daily regime that includes eating
a 100gm tub of strawberry ice cream that contains two active dairy ingredients
that combine to address the side effects. LactoPharma, a partnership
between Fonterra and the university, screened dairy components for health effects.
Fonterra chief technology officer Dr Jeremy Hill said the two
bio-active milk components developed for the ice cream have the potential to
assist the body in coping with the side effects of chemotherapy. LactoPharma
is funded by Fonterra and the taxpayer through the Foundation for Research, Science
and Technology. They jointly invested $2 million to develop the ice cream. More
at National Business
Review.
 Westlake
Girls team wins inaugural NZIFST Product Development Challenge (27 Oct
09)
The inaugural NZ Institute of Food Science & Technology (NZIFST)
Student Product Development Challenge has been won by a team from Westlake
Girls High, with an Asian-style dumpling product called DelicAsia.
This is what the judges had to say about the product they developed: “This product
recognises the fusion of east:west cuisines and offers consumers flavours of
the west in a product form from the east. This team demonstrated great understanding
of their cultural differences to create a product that crosses cultures and meets
many needs.”
The team worked with the guidance of teacher Merryl Hamling, was mentored by
Futureintech Ambassador Fiona Greig from Beef + Lamb New Zealand, and sponsored
by Jerry Wellington FNZIFST. Products and
projects were judged by a by a team of senior food technologists and NZIFST Fellows,
Kay McMath, Dave Pooch, Gerard Hall and Marion Cumming. Final results and full
CREST project reports with photos have
been
posted
on
the NZIFST website, www.nzifst.org.nz/careers/students.asp.
Kiwifruit
good for liver, living longer (24 Oct 09)
A kiwifruit a day may be just as good at keeping the doctor away as an apple.
The furry fruit could be the key to living longer as it appears to be the perfect
food for preventing all sorts of liver problems, as well as keeping white blood
cells healthy, says Professor Robin Fraser, of Otago University's Christchurch
School of Medicine. Fraser, who has seen many unhealthy livers in his time as
a pathologist, is a convert to the benefits of the fruit. Fraser likened the
liver to a sieve that when working properly effectively filtered the carrier
of cholesterol. But those holes could be closed because of excess drinking, an
overly fatty diet, smoking, illicit drug use and stress, he said. That led to
atherosclerosis, which was a major killer through heart failure, strokes, gangrenous
feet and aortic aneurism. A daily dose of kiwifruit, along with a healthier lifestyle,
appeared to be able to reopen those holes in the liver, he said. Fraser, who
was speaking at the annual scientific meeting of the Royal College of Pathologists
of Australasia in Christchurch yesterday, said it was an exciting development.
He said kiwifruit was the most efficient way of getting the recommended dose
of vitamin C, the active ingredient that appeared to fix the liver. Dr Margreet
Vissers, the dean of research at Otago University in Christchurch, said that
while most people thought of oranges for vitamin C, kiwifruit was the better
option. "Out of one kiwifruit you will get the complete recommended daily allowance." More
at www.stuff.co.nz.
 Potato
Genome Sequence released (23 Sep 09)
The Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium (PGSC), an international team of scientists including New Zealand’s
Plant & Food Research, has announced that it has released the first draft sequence of the potato genome. The PGSC started work on the project three years ago. The resulting 'blueprint' of how the potato works could revolutionise breeding programs.
Potato, a key member of the Solanaceae family, is a close relative of tomato, pepper and eggplant. It is the world's third most important crop and the most important vegetable crop. Access to the potato genome sequence, the “genetic blueprint” of how a potato plant grows and reproduces, is anticipated to assist potato scientists in improving yield, quality, nutritional value and disease resistance of potato varieties. More importantly, the potato genome sequence will permit potato breeders to reduce the 10-12 years currently needed to breed new varieties.
The PGSC was initiated in January 2006 by the Plant Breeding Department of Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands and has developed into a global consortium of research groups from 14 countries.
 New Zealand’s Plant & Food Research is an original partner in the PGSC and leader of the work is Dr
Jeanne Jacobs who is also a member of the PGSC steering committee. Dr Jacobs says New Zealand will benefit from the genome sequencing as scientists gain insights into the genetic control of important attributes including disease resistance, nutritional value, colour and flavour.
“If you know exactly which part of the chromosome holds the genes for a particular trait, then you can precisely target crop improvements using molecular markers and so speed up breeding,” she says. “The research is also yielding genetic information important to the improvement of other crops that share some of their DNA sequences with potatoes,” says Dr Jacobs.
The potato genome has 12 chromosomes and is estimated to be 840 million base pairs. At the onset of the project, the PGSC employed an approach in which the work was allocated to each consortium member based on chromosomes and was focused on the diploid line RH89-039-16 (RH) of cultivated potato, Solanum
tuberosum. However, in the past two years, the advent of new sequencing technologies led to a significant change of approach within the PGSC and in 2008, the consortium initiated sequencing of the doubled monoploid DM1-3 516R44 (DM) potato derived from a diploid landrace of potato in order to simplify and complement the RH effort. In June 2009, PGSC members came together in Carlow, Ireland to plan the final phases of the project.
Currently, the PGSC is busy with finalising the sequence data for both RH and DM with an end goal of a high quality draft sequence of both of these potato lines by the end of 2009. Currently, genome coverage is greater than 70X using a combination of data generated by using three different sequencing platforms including two of the Next Generation Sequencing Platforms. The assembly, which covers 95% of the genes in potato, was possible due to a newly developed computer program by the Beijing Genomics Institute, a member of the PGSC from China.
This first draft genome assembly is now available in the public domain at www.potatogenome.net and updates will be made over the next six months as
additional data is generated including annotation of the genes, analysis of when and where they are switched on and off, and analysis of specific suites of genes that are critical to potato production.
A complete listing as well as contact details for all PGSC members can be found at www.potatogenome.net
 NZIFST
Product Development Challenge - creating new food technologists (16 Sep
09)
Judging for the 2009 NZ Institute of Food Science & Technology (NZIFST)
Student Product Development Challenge took place on 12 September at
the Massey University Albany Open Day. The seven teams of secondary students
who participated, and their teachers and supporters, were there to show off their
innovative new food products, and to display their project work.
Products and projects were judged by a by a team of senior food technologists
and NZIFST Fellows, Kay McMath, Dave Pooch, Gerard Hall and Marion Cumming. The
judges were very impressed with the high quality of the projects. The huge effort
put into these projects, by students and teachers, was obvious. Over the past
couple of weeks they have each received a grant towards their project costs,
from an NZIFST member or member organisation. A report with photos has been posted
on
the NZIFST website, www.nzifst.org.nz,
, and the results of the 2009 NZIFST Student Product Development Challenge will
be announced at
an
awards
event
on
21 October.
 Iodine
deficiency stunts intelligence (9 Sep 09)
New research shows the intelligence of many kids in the past generation of New
Zealand children may have been stunted. In the first study of its kind, Otago
University researchers have now shown that giving children a little more iodine
to correct a mild deficiency in their diet measurably boosts their intelligence.
The findings have just been published online by the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition. Mild iodine deficiency has been an increasing problem in New
Zealand over the past two decades and may be preventing children from attaining
their full intellectual
potential, said researcher Sheila
Skeaff. "While children eating fortified bread should benefit through
improving their iodine status, those who do not eat it should be taking steps
to increase their
iodine intakes in other ways," she said. Bread manufacturers have until this
month to comply with new regulations requiring the use of iodised salt. Skeaff
said salt used in the home should also be iodised. "Parents should also consider
giving children who do not eat commercial breads an iodine-containing multimineral
supplement," she said today. The Government last month rolled over on proposals
to add folic acid to bread to reduce the number of babies born with neural tube
defects such as spina bifida. Skeaff, principal investigator at the university's
department of human nutrition, said "Our findings ... show that the new era of
mandatory fortification of most bread with iodised salt is a good move ... which
may reap even greater benefits than initially thought." Food Standards Australia
New Zealand (FSANZ), has reduced the concentration of iodine in iodised salt
from 25mg-65mg per kg to 20mg-45mg, but required it to be used in baked cereal
products - bread, breakfast foods and biscuits.
More at TVNZ.
 Butter
key to eczema control? (9 Sep 09)
Sufferers of eczema are often encouraged to avoid dairy foods, but now researchers
are to feed children enriched butter in a bid to alleviate the condition. Researchers
from Auckland and Otago universities will look at whether the spread, enriched
with linoleic
acid and eaten in small amounts as part of a normal diet, could help
ease eczema, which causes itchy, flaky skin. The acid substance is believed to
have anti-inflammatory properties. More than 100 children will be given butter
in a search for better protection to combat the onset of eczema. The researchers
are looking to recruit 50 children aged between two and 16 in the Wellington
region the rest will come from Auckland. Half will be given a single slice of
bread per day for six weeks with the specially enriched butter, and half will
be given normal butter.
One of the lead researchers, Peter Black, said eczema affected
up to 20 per cent of children in New Zealand. "We know it must be something to
do with our lifestyle, and another possibility is that changes in the diet are
involved. "In the last few decades there has been an increase in the consumption
of margarine and decrease in the use of butter." More at The
Dominion Post.
 Research
unlocking manuka honey’s secrets (3 Sep 09)
New research on New Zealand's world-famous antibacterial manuka honey has
unveiled another of its secrets. Watson and Son, a major New Zealand producer
of manuka honey, in collaboration with Professor Peter Molan of
Waikato University’s Honey Research Unit, has commissioned research by
a specialist research laboratory in Singapore, which shows that a specific
molecule acts to augment the antibacterial activity of methylglyoxal in
the honey – a process known as synergy. The unique type of antibacterial
activity in manuka honey was discovered in research at the University of
Waikato in 1982. Evidence shows manuka’s special antibacterial properties
are effective at healing wounds, but research also shows that this activity
is present in only some manuka honeys.
Last year, Waikato University Associate Professor Merilyn Manley-Harris of
the Chemistry Department, showed that methylglyoxal was responsible for the antibacterial
activity in manuka honey. However Prof Molan has long maintained there is also
a synergy at work in the honey and last October, New Zealand beekeeper-chemist
Denis Watson commissioned a specialist research laboratory in Singapore to investigate
several active fractions in manuka honey. Mr Watson is one of New Zealand’s largest
manuka producers. In partnership with iwi groups in the Far North he has more
than 15,000 beehives in manuka plantations around New Zealand. Dr Manley-Harris
and Prof Molan say they are delighted companies are taking the initiative to
commission research of this calibre. The results have proven the existence of
a formerly secret synergist: a special molecule that combines with the methylglyoxal
molecule and other fractions in the honey to create the very powerful antibacterial
activity the honey is world famous for. The discovery is also the key to understanding
why the clinically proven antibacterial activity is so effective and why international
research to date has shown that bacteria fail to develop the resistance that
is inevitable with conventional antibiotics. Research is now underway in a special
project between Waikato University’s Honey Research Unit and Watson and Son to
confirm the mode of action of the synergist and to further understand its interaction
with other fractions including methylglyoxal. This latest research will provide
the medical industry with a full scientific understanding of the antibacterial
properties of manuka. This research has huge relevance to the vitally important
active manuka honey industry, says Prof Molan. “The industry is now worth in
excess of $100 million in export earnings, but not all manuka honeys are equal
and the way to test potency has been an issue for some time,” he says. “My original
assay uses a simple test method of comparing the bacterial kill-zone of a honey
sample to the kill-zone of a standard antiseptic (in this case phenol). For a
variety of reasons this can’t be perfect and is open to interpretation and a
margin of error. The ideal objective is to have a simple analytical chemical
test that can be carried out by any lab anywhere in the world. But such a test
isn’t possible until we know what we’re trying to measure. Discovering the synergist
was the key,” Prof Molan says. “Our work now includes developing an algorithm
to find the strength of a honey’s antibacterial activity by measuring the level
of the synergist and the level of methylglyoxal present. It will then be possible
to very precisely determine the non-peroxide activity of manuka honey (the 'original
manuka activity') by chemical analysis.” Meanwhile, WaikatoLink, the research
commercialisation division of the University of Waikato, will launch a new global
consumer standard for manuka honey later this month. The standard will give consumers
complete assurance as to what they’re buying and will use Prof Molan’s name,
says WaikatoLink Commercial Manager Fraser Smith. “Professor
Molan is acknowledged as the discoverer of active manuka honey. He was awarded
the MBE for his work and is arguably the most published honey scientist in the
world. Consumers know and respect him and his work. Putting his name on the standard
and on the jar makes sense and gives consumers surety about what they’re getting”,
Mr Smith says.
 Massey
microbrewery to host craft brewing course (3 Sep 09)
New Zealand’s first residential short course in craft brewing will be held at
the Massey University Manawatu campus in November. Dr Peter Aldred and Dr
Frank Vriesekoop from the University of Ballarat in Australia will run
the course. Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health head Professor Richard
Archer says craft brewers have been clamouring for a short course since the University’s
microbrewery was opened in April last year. “The Brewers Guild of New Zealand
has been particularly keen that we mount a good short course,” Professor Archer
says. “This is it!” Course participants will learn about brewing raw materials,
malting and malts, hops and hop utilisation, brewery engineering, fermentation
and sensory evaluation, yeasts and spoilage organisms, hygiene and sanitation.
The course includes field trips and a final course dinner. Ballarat University
has been teaching brewing since 1971 and its short course is popular with Australian
brewers and maltsters. “Ballarat and Massey together can offer a hybrid course
tailored to New Zealand craft and microbrewers,” Professor Archer says. The first
course will run from November 6-11, starting with an introduction
and initial sensory evaluation session. It is limited to the first 16 people
registering. Participants will stay in at the Institute of Sport
and Rugby facilities.
 Caffeine
drinks may hurt teens (1 Sep 09)
Teenagers guzzling caffeine-loaded "energy" drinks might be causing
themselves long-term damage, research shows. A Canterbury University master's
project by Nika Anderson investigated the effects of caffeine consumption on
adolescent brain development in rats. During middle and later adulthood, the
27 male and 27 female rats treated with
caffeine were "probably more emotionally reactive" than the untreated control
rats.
They were less mobile and defecated and urinated more than the other rats. "Overall,
the results suggest that exposure to caffeine during adolescence produces some
small but significant increases in emotionality in adulthood," the study said.
The findings "may have clinical implications", because it was possible that adolescents
exposed to caffeine would also show increased anxiety later in life. A further
study this year had raised concern about energy drinks having a high potential
to cause acute caffeine toxicity. A Wellington schoolgirl last month collapsed
and needed to be treated by paramedics after she drank a high-powered energy
drink bought from a dairy opposite her school. The New Zealand Food Safety Authority
(NZFSA) is investigating the legality of
an "energy shot" drink with twice the caffeine of an average cup of coffee. Public
health nutritionist Bronwen King said too much caffeine could increase calcium
excretion, compromising bone growth. "This puts heavy users at risk of osteoporosis
later in life," King said. "As well, it affects concentration of kids in the
classroom, thus compromising
learning and cognitive development. "Energy" drinks are also high in sugar
and kilojoules that are not easily burned off and therefore contribute further
to
overweight and obesity." More at The
Press.
AgResearch,
Fonterra, Massey University and Plant & Food Research collaboration launched (13
Aug 09)
Prime Minister John Key launched the Food Innovation New Zealand
(FINZ) initiative in Palmerston North yesterday. The Food Innovation
NZ initiative is a collaboration between the University, AgResearch, Plant & Food
Research, Fonterra, the Bio Commerce Centre, and the Riddet Institute (a
Government-funded Centre of Research Excellence hosted by Massey University),
supported by the Palmerston North City and Manawatu District councils.
It aims to dramatically increase New Zealand’s capacity in agri-food
innovation and enable the industry to better perform in domestic and international
markets. Massey vice-chancellor Steve Maharey said the
Food Innovation NZ partnership aimed to double the $22.9b export value
of food in 10 years. “Powerful underpinning food science will be created
by teams of scientists from Fonterra, AgResearch, Massey University and
Plant & Food Research” says Dr Andrew West, Chief Executive
of AgResearch. AgResearch has a large capability in dairy and red-meats
food science, primarily based in Hamilton and Palmerston North, and now
expanding into Canterbury too. This new collaboration will supplement those
AgResearch already has with the University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute
in Pastoral Foods for Human Health and its Nutrigenomics Centre, along
with the Universities of Otago and Waikato in areas of food science and
food agritechnology. It expands AgResearch’s link with Massey University
that, to date, has principally focused on livestock health and welfare. “It
is pleasing to work more closely with Fonterra, whose continued success
is important to New Zealand” says Dr West. The new collaboration will also
have a strong focus to provide scientific assistance to multinational food
companies, many of which use New Zealand-produced food ingredients. www.foodinnovationnz.co.nz
 AgResearch
and Lincoln University announce intent to develop a joint venture (12
Aug 09)
AgResearch and Lincoln University have announced their intent to develop
a formal joint venture to secure many of the benefits identified in their
previously proposed merger. “We will provide significant, additional benefits
to farmers and food and textiles companies through a tight collaboration” says Professor
Roger Field, Vice Chancellor of Lincoln University. “Through this
collaboration we will explore a much greater contribution by AgResearch
into education and PhD supervision, and a more integrated approach to extension
education and technology adoption. Lincoln University will utilise AgResearch’s
facilities in the North and South Islands to expand its current reach and
capacity into the land-based sector”. “This is an important collaboration
for the whole pastoral foods and textiles value chains” says Dr
Andrew West. “AgResearch is the most integrated pastoral sector
research organisation in the world, with 600 scientists and technicians,
13 research farms and four major campuses dedicated solely – absolutely
solely - to pastoral farming, dairy and red-meat food companies and woollen
textiles companies, and all associated industries. This collaboration with
Lincoln University will supplement those we have with The University of
Otago in livestock physiology and in food, with The University of Auckland
in food, with Waikato University in agritechnology and food processing
technologies, and with Massey University in livestock health, in animal
welfare and in food”. Professor Field and Dr West stated that Lincoln University
and AgResearch were exploring the joint use of research facilities and
farms and co-location of activities. Work to scope and establish the detail
of the joint venture is to begin in the near future.
 Unique
science collaboration for ground breaking agri-food research (10
Aug 09)
In a collaboration of unparalleled scientific expertise in New Zealand, AgResearch and
the University
of Auckland’s Liggins Institute are seeking to discover how nutrients
in food affect animals and humans to improve body composition. “We aim to investigate
how nutrients in foods are released during digestion and how those nutrients
then affect our metabolism. The interaction between the digestion and absorption
of nutrients i.e. the energy absorbed by the body from our diet, and how nutrients
affect our metabolism is a key focus of the research. This could have direct
benefits for people as two factors important in checking obesity are the absorption
of energy from the diet, and how we metabolise that energy,” said AgResearch
Chief Executive Dr
Andrew West. “This research could also be used to achieve beneficial
outcomes in productive animals - changing nutrient absorption and metabolism
so that the animal's body composition, like the meat they produce for example,
is more appealing and healthy for consumers. This would produce significant new
market opportunities for New Zealand farmers.” The Liggins Institute collaboration
with AgResearch has resulted in the formation of the Pastoral Foods For
Human Health Research Centre. The Liggins Institute was the first large-scale
research Institute established by The University of Auckland. It is committed
to world-class biomedical and clinical research in areas of major health importance. Professor
Sir Peter Gluckman heads the Centre’s research effort. “The Centre aims
to optimise the nutritional and health-giving qualities of foods from pastoral-based
sources for human consumption,” said The University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Professor
Stuart McCutcheon. “A major research target is novel agri-food ingredients
with human health benefits. This focus includes animal feeds, animal welfare
products, ethical animal manipulation methods, and enhanced handling and processing
of food products.” “AgResearch and the Liggins Institute are jointly developing
two key Foundation for Research Science and Technology programmes on nutritional
epigenetics and agri-foods – one centred on animal productivity and the other
on food for human health, but both sharing core methodology and key research
staff from both organisations.” “This endeavour is an excellent example of the
fields of research we created the Liggins Institute to investigate. Better understanding
of the interrelationship between genetics and nutrition is vitally important
and any insights we uncover will be significant in dealing with a range of health
and mortality issues which currently concern governments and medical professionals,” said Professor
Wayne Cutfield, the newly appointed Director of the Liggins Institute.
AgResearch’s General Manager of Applied Biotechnologies, Dr Jimmy Suttie,
said the collaborative nutritional epigenetics research is a ground breaking
partnership in agri-food research for human health and animal productivity. “AgResearch
is the most integrated pastoral research organisation in the world. Our scientific
expertise, together with that of the Liggins Institute, provides an unparalleled
combination of capability in pastoral agriculture, agri-foods, human nutrition,
growth and health. Our work together is part of the exciting new era in agri-food
research for New Zealanders and the agricultural sector.”
 AgResearch
General Manager Food & Textiles Group appointed (28 Jul 09)
AgResearch has appointed Professor Warren McNabb as Science
and Technology General Manager of its Food & Textiles Group. AgResearch
Chief Executive Dr Andrew West says he is pleased to confirm Professor
McNabb in this important leadership position in the Institute. “Professor
McNabb will lead our scientists and technicians in rumen and livestock
metabolic sciences, and in science and technology directly supporting New
Zealand's dairy and red-meat food, and textile industries. AgResearch has
substantial capacity in food and textiles sciences that Professor McNabb
will develop further…,” says Dr West. Professor McNabb has until now been
Section Manager of Food, Metabolism & Microbiology at AgResearch. He also
holds an appointment at Massey University as Adjunct Professor at the Riddet
Institute.
Based at AgResearch’s Grasslands campus in Palmerston North, Professor McNabb
has been with AgResearch for 16 years, joining as a Research Scientist in the
then, Nutrition & Behaviour Group. Previously he was in Australia at CSIRO Division
of Plant Industry in Canberra where he was a CSIRO Postdoctoral Fellow working
on expression and manipulation of genes affecting the nutritive value of pasture
legumes. Educated at Massey University his PhD was in animal science where he
majored in nutrition and metabolic physiology. Professor McNabb is also a Fellow
of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science and a
Professional Member of the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology.
Professor McNabb’s new position as Science and Technology General Manager of
the Food & Textiles Group is one of the three Science and Technology General
Manager roles on AgResearch’s seven-member senior management team.
 Work
gets under way on biotech startup laboratory (28 Jul 09)
Work on a $30 million laboratory for start-up science companies begins
today, promising new inventions in food, medicine and environmental protection.
Auckland City Mayor John Banks will launch construction work on a purpose-built
addition to the University of Auckland's Institute
for Innovation in Biotechnology, on the corner of Symonds St and Waterloo
Quadrant.
The building will be an "incubator" for start-up biotechnology businesses that
might not otherwise be able to afford the latest technology. It is expected to
more than double the number of science companies working alongside University
of Auckland scientists under an existing programme from five to a dozen or more.
The new building is being paid for by the university ($20 million) and the Government
($10 million). Biotechnology companies have committed a further $10 million to
carry out research at the institute under a dollar-for-dollar science investment
partnership with the Government. Biotechnology has been earmarked as a growth
export industry for New Zealand, and in May scientists argued the Budget should
have allocated more money to new research. Institute director Professor
Joerg Kistler said there were three big growth areas for designing new
products - food, health and methods of cleaning up the environment. More at NZ
Herald.
 Concern
over high salt content in our food (22 Jul 09)
New research shows that New Zealanders are being fed much more salt in popular
processed foods, than people in other countries. Over 260 products, including
fast food and breakfast cereals were compared as part of the research. The research
found New Zealand to be high amongst countries with the most salt added to food. "In
our modern society we consume about nine grams of salt a day which is far too
much," says Rob
Walker from the Dunedin School of Medicine. The health group, World
Action on Salt and Health, says a KFC fillet burger, has the highest amount of
salt, nearly 3.7 grams, compared to the same burger in Australia and Malaysia.
There is more salt in Kellog's All Bran cereal in New Zealand than in America,
but not nearly as much as in Canada. And a six inch Subway fares worse in New
Zealand, too, with nearly twice as much salt as its Finnish counterpart. "Most
people are not aware of just how much they are consuming about 80% to 90% of
the salt in our diet comes through the processed food, what we add on with the
salt shaker in our meals is really only a small proportion of our daily intake
of salt," says Walker. The study says it is hypocritical of manufacturers to
make healthy claims about their products when salt is a major factor in cardiovascular
disease. More at TVNZ.
 NZIFST
launches free, online Food Product Development text (24 Jun 09)
Creating New Foods: The Product Developer's Guide - the
Web Edition
Published by The New Zealand Institute of Food Science & Technology (Inc).
www.nzifst.org.nz/creatingnewfoods/
Five years on from the publication by the New Zealand Institute of Food
Science & Technology (NZIFST) of a free web edition of their landmark text Unit
Operations in Food Processing, and a year after publication of its
companion text, Fundamentals of Food Reaction Technology, authors
Mary and Dick Earle have delivered a third free, online textbook in the
area of food science and technology. Creating New Foods: The
Product Developer's Guide, was first published in 1999 by
Chandos Publishing (Oxford) Ltd. and republished by Chadwick House Group
Ltd. in 2001. The text has now been extensively revised and updated by
the authors, and with the kind permission of the copyright holders, the
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, is published online in full;
100 fully-searchable web pages, and eight separate Chapters for printing
or download in Flashpaper format. This book is a guide to the basic structure
and activities of the Product Development Process - product strategy development,
product design and process development, product commercialisation, product
launch and evaluation. It is an introduction to food product development
as practised in the company environment, designed so that people can build
a general understanding as a basis for further study using the textbooks
listed at the end of the book. The book is designed for people starting
to work in food product development in the food industry, and for students
in an introductory food product development course. It features numerous
think breaks, project breaks, and up-to-date examples and case studies
from industry, to widen the reader’s knowledge of product development across
the whole food industry – consumer, food service, industrial, primary agricultural/marine,
and through the whole of the food chain. This web edition is given by Mary
and Dick Earle, with the generous support of NZIFST, and kind permission
of the copyright holders, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health,
as a service to education in food technology, and to the wider food industry. www.nzifst.org.nz/creatingnewfoods/
New
research highlights sports recovery potential in blackcurrants (22
Jun
09)
A preliminary study by the New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research suggests
that natural chemicals found in blackcurrants may help balance the impacts exercise
can have on the body. Researchers have found signs that an extract derived from
New Zealand-grown blackcurrants - taken in capsule form before and after exercise
- has three potential effects: minimising muscle damage by modulating oxidative
stress, modulating inflammation and potentially enhancing the body’s natural
defenses against disease. The findings are published in the ‘American Journal
of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative Comparative Physiology’. Negative
impacts from sustained sports training is a growing health issue. While exercise
is universally agreed to be healthy, extreme exercise – such as intense pre-event
training - can have some drawbacks, including lowering the body’s immune defenses
and the increasing risk of muscle damage.
The Plant & Food Research study, lead by Dr Roger Hurst, looked
at untrained individuals undergoing moderate exercise. It showed that those who
took the blackcurrant extract exhibited reduced markers for oxidative stress
linked to muscle damage and inflammation as well as increased activity linked
to immune response. “In our research, we chose a group of ten healthy everyday
people with a wide age range who exercised regularly and measured biochemical
indicators to assess the effect of taking the blackcurrant extract capsules before
and after exercise,” says Dr Hurst. “We found changes in the levels of biomarkers
that indicate antioxidant activity, inflammation modulating ability and a support
for the natural immune responsiveness to potential pathogens.” The positive link
between blackcurrants and exercise has been previously highlighted in studies
in Japan where scientists evaluated the ability of NZ-grown blackcurrants to
reduce inflammation in muscle groups related to sustained computer use and keyboard
typing. This Japanese research flagged the potential of blackcurrants to reduce
lactic acid build-up in muscles.
Dr Hurst says Plant & Food Research is yet to determine exactly what blackcurrant
compounds cause the observed effects, but he doubts Vitamin C is a factor because
the extracts tested contained only very low levels of the vitamin. “We’re looking
more closely instead at the role of flavanoids within the fruit. Flavanoids are
antioxidants, including anthocyanins, the compounds that gives blackcurrants
their brilliant black-red colour.” New Zealand-grown blackcurrants are known
to contain high levels of anthocyanins, which may be linked to the cultivars
grown here or to environmental conditions. The study was undertaken and funded
by Plant & Food Research in support of a wider research programme called ‘New
Berries’ funded by the Government and the New Zealand blackcurrant industry.
This programme investigates the antioxidant and immune supportive properties
of berryfruit and berryfruit products. It aims to use this knowledge to breed
elite New Zealand berries with assured health-promoting properties that will
have multiple end-uses including the development of functional foods.
Plant & Food Business Manager for Food Innovations Karl Crawford says the paper
has generated strong interest from industry and has also highlighted new areas
for further research. “This is early stage research, which by its very nature
often raises as many questions as it answers. That is certainly the case here.
We know we’re on the right track in our belief that fruit extracts, combined
with exercise, can have a beneficial effect on human health. In essence, this
latest study is predictive – it is showing us where we need to look if we want
to really maximise the health potential of fruit. “We know fruit and vegetables
are good for us, and science obviously has an in-depth understanding of fruit
composition and the potentially beneficial effects of fruit compounds at a cellular
level. This paper is part of one of the fastest growing areas in food and health
research – looking to build knowledge that links those two areas of established
science. It is exciting for consumers because the link for them will come in
the form of new functional food products that deliver a proven, specific benefit
to their health and wellbeing. “We’re talking about the potential to focus wellness
benefits from foods. That means moving from, say, broad claims about potential
antioxidant function toward far more specific information about benefits and
the mode of action behind them.” Note: Today, Monday 22 June, international health
and nutrition experts will discuss this and other advancements in functional
food science at the Inaugural Plant & Food Research Functional Foods Symposium.
For more information, visit the website
at www.plantandfood.com/conferences/functional-foods-symposium-2009/.
 Price
of milk has implications for our kid's health (19 Jun 09)
Researchers at the University of Otago Wellington say that the
high price of milk and other dairy products over recent years is detrimental
to the health of children and has contributed to greater health inequalities
in New Zealand.
In a wide ranging case study published in Globalisation and Health Dr
Louise Signal and Moira Smith, from the Department
of Public Health at the University, have examined the health impacts of deregulation
of the market for milk since the 1980’s, and the impact on the nation’s health.
They say it is clear from a series of legislative changes that deregulation of
the milk market since the 1980’s has significantly reduced accessibility and
affordability of milk products for many low income families and their children. “What
we have seen is a relatively rapid increase in the price of milk, with trade
being the main priority of successive Governments since the 1990’s, rather than
the provision of milk to every household at an affordable price,”says Moira
Smith. “It means that milk, a basic nutritional product, fundamental to children’s
health, is often outside the reach of low-income families.” The researchers say
that despite payouts to farmers plunging from around $7 per kilogram of milk
solids to around $4.55kg, the retail price for two litres of milk ($3.21) is
the same as a year ago when adjusted for the CPI. Meanwhile the price of two
litres of soft drink has stayed much the same at around $2.00
for 1.5 litres. “Half a century ago governments supported the right of every
child to cheap milk at home. Now this has been removed and serious health inequities
have developed in New Zealand, particularly amongst lower socio-economic groups
and Maori and
Pacific peoples, 30% of whom fall into the lowest income group.” The researchers
point to a series of actions by successive governments: the removal of government
subsidies and control of the milk industry, the axing of price control, the application
of GST on food, and the linkage of retail prices to international commodity prices
(globalisation). This has resulted in an escalation in the price of milk for
New Zealanders, in a country where 25% of export income is earned from dairying.
Now only 38% of children drink milk daily, and 34% weekly, with 17% not drinking
it at all. The obvious solution according to the authors is for the Government
to reconsider
interventions to make milk more affordable for families. • Implement price control
or subsidies and not rely on a relatively uncompetitive domestic market to constrain
prices • Government assistance to low income families to ensure they can afford
to buy
healthy food • Milk as part of a ‘Breakfast in Schools’ programme in schools
in low-income
areas • Reduce or eliminate GST on healthy food choices such as milk and fresh,
non-processed
food.
 Researcher
develops free-range egg test (16 Jun 09)
A researcher has developed a technique to identify the difference between
eggs from caged hens and those from free-range and organically raised hens.
It is believed to be the first time that eggs from different farming systems
have been distinguished by using isotope analysis. While it is not something
the supermarket shopper could use every day, it has potential within the
egg industry to avoid mislabelling. Karyne Rogers, of
Geological and Nuclear Science's National Isotope Centre in Lower Hutt,
compared different brands of off-the-shelf eggs from cage, barn, free range
and organic farming regimes. Using isotope analysis, she found almost all
the eggs could be differentiated by relating the carbon and nitrogen found
in the egg to the hen's diet. This was possible as diet directly reflected
the type of farming environment where the hens were raised, Dr Rogers said. "Free-range
and organically farmed hens normally have access to a wider range of food
sources than caged hens, such as insects, vegetation or organic feeds,
and this changes the isotope fingerprint of their eggs," she said. The
findings, recently published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food
Chemistry, showed isotope analysis was a potentially useful technique
for identifying eggs from different farming regimes. More at NZ
Herald.
Partnership
model agreed as best future for AgResearch and Lincoln University (8
Jun 09)
Three months of investigation by Crown Research Institute AgResearch and
Lincoln University have identified that a partnership model would be preferable
to a full amalgamation as it will be more cost effective and still achieve
significant benefits for New Zealand. The two organisations will remain
separate entities but focus on working much more closely together on a
range of partnership initiatives. AgResearch and Lincoln University announced
in March a combined consultative approach to investigate how they could
work more closely to develop land-based research and education through
investigating the option of a merger. The two organisations worked closely
and effectively in identifying the opportunities a new entity might deliver
and during this process it became clear the significant benefits to New
Zealand could be most cost effectively delivered from a partnership rather
than an amalgamation. A number of synergies and benefits of closer collaboration
between the two organisations have been identified through the investigation
process and it has been agreed to pursue a substantial partnership, the
form of which will be agreed in the near future. AgResearch Chairman Sam
Robinson says the joint investigation of the benefits of Lincoln University
and AgResearch working together has produced a better understanding of
the respective capabilities, strengths and expertise of the two organisations. “We
can see the potential for forming productive partnerships in post-graduate
supervision, commercialisation activities, and extension teaching,” he
says. “Knowledge transfer, through a sustainable partnership particularly
focused on technology adoption by the land-based sector is our best shared
path for the future.” Lincoln University Chancellor Tom Lambie says “We
are looking forward to a closer working partnership with AgResearch. I
believe this will still deliver significant benefits for the land-based
sector.”
 Supermarket
discounts favour unhealthy foods: study (27 May 09)
Supermarket shoppers may be encouraged to buy sugar-filled, calorie-rich drinks
by discounts and promotions, according to New Zealand research. A study, published
in Nutrition & Dietetics by Wiley-Blackwell, found healthy drinks were
less likely to be discounted in supermarkets. And the amount of the discount
was greater on products higher in fat, sugar and energy. The researchers looked
at about 1,500 discounts over a month in four supermarkets across Wellington.
They found only 15 per cent of all the non-alcoholic drinks discounted were classed
as ‘healthy’. ‘Our study shows healthy drinks are discounted less often than
unhealthy drinks. But there are more unhealthy drinks available in supermarkets
and this may explain
some of the difference,’ said author Dr Louise
Signal from the University of Otago. ‘Given the influence discounts
can have on what shoppers purchase, supermarkets could promote healthy options
by discounting the products that are nutritious and contain less saturated fat
and added sugar’ said Claire
Hewat, Chief Executive Office of the Dietitians Association of Australia
(DAA). She said this would encourage shoppers to purchase healthier choices at
the supermarket and would be an important step in addressing overweight and obesity.
As part of its comprehensive obesity strategy, DAA is calling for healthy food
to be more readily available and affordable for all Australians, tighter government
regulation of food marketing, and clearer nutrition information on food labels.
Beverages classed as ‘healthy’ in the study were water, plain reduced-fat milk
and plain reduced-fat soy beverages. And those in the ‘unhealthy’ group included
sweetened carbonated beverages, sports beverages and flavored waters and cordial.
 New
study: diet
more important than exercise (25 May 09)
New Zealanders' expanding waistlines have far more to do with overeating than
with lack of exercise, a controversial new study contends. The international
research has highlighted the disagreement over the causes of the obesity epidemic.
The study, based partly on United States food supply statistics, calculated that
the average weight of adults today should be 10.8kg more than 30 years ago. In
fact it was 8.6kg more in the US and the increase in New Zealand would be similar,
said a study author, Professor Elaine Rush, of the Auckland
University of Technology. The authors believe increases in physical activity
may have prevented people gaining the full 10.8kg. The study used medical sample
results from more than 2000 people, including 111 New Zealanders, to find the
energy-burning rates needed to maintain stable adult weight and normal child
growth. Professor Rush said the study showed how much the population - especially
in the most-deprived areas, where obesity was more prevalent - needed to cut
back
to return to the average weights of the 1970s. "Children would have to cut their
intake by about 350 calories a day - equal to one can of fizzy drink and a small
chocolate bar, and adults 500 calories - the equivalent of a large burger." Similar
results could be achieved by children walking for an extra 150 minutes a day
and adults an extra 110 minutes, but this was unrealistic, she said. More at NZ
Herald.
 Cow’s
milk allergy in NZ children - new study to be launched (22 May 09)
A new pilot study will be launched into Plunket to investigate just how many
Kiwi children could be suffering from Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy and its affect
on their growth and development.
The research programme known as “The burden of food allergy” will be led by Auckland
University Professor Rohan Ameratunga, a specialist in adult
and paediatric allergies. Professor Ameratunga says he consults with at least
six new sufferers each week and international studies have shown that among infants
with Cow’s Milk Allergy,
92% have two or more symptoms. “Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy or CMPA is certainly
pretty common in New Zealand and I have noticed the numbers are increasing. I
hope our study will shed some more light on the prevalence of this condition
among Kiwi infants.” The research study, funded by the Auckland District Health
Board, will investigate
the number of children suffering cow’s milk protein allergies along with common
symptoms and severity.
Cow’s milk is one of the most common causes of food allergy in infants affecting
one in 50 children. It is caused when the immune system reacts to the protein
in milk, says Professor Ameratunga. Reactions can vary and may include; swelling
of the lips, face or eyes, hives,
welts, tingling in the mouth, wheezing or eczema. “Other gastrointestinal symptoms
can include reflux, vomiting, diarrhoea, and poor weight gain. In extreme cases
patients can experience anaphylaxis which severely affects the respiratory and
cardiovascular systems, he says. “At least 10% of the Cow’s Milk Allergy patients
I see would suffer from anaphylaxis,” says Professor Ameratunga. Registered Dietitian
Tara Chaplow, whose son also suffers from multiple food allergies welcomes the
new study.
She is concerned at the number of Cow’s Milk Allergy cases which may be going
undetected and the affect the allergy may be having on infants’ ability to thrive. “Often
the first sign of a Cow’s Milk Allergy will present when an infant is weaned
from breast milk to solid foods and formula. Their inability to process dairy
products derived from milk or any other foods containing milk affects their protein,
fat and micronutrient intake and impacts their growth,” says Chaplow. Chaplow
says this growth should be carefully monitored and cow’s milk substituted with
other foods or suitable formula to ensure children are meeting the dietary requirements
for their age group.
Parents concerned about cow’s milk allergies should consult their GP or Paediatrician.
Additional information can be found on Allergy New Zealand’s website www.allergy.org.nz or www.actagainstallergy.co.nz.
 Pet
food research consortium launched (8 May 09)
A research consortium that aims to make New Zealand globally recognised
as the leader in innovative meat science for pet care, will be launched
by AgResearch, Mars and Massey University in Wanganui,
today. Protein Innovation New Zealand (PINZ) will be dedicated
to consolidating the important work carried out by Mars and AgResearch
in 2008. A Memorandum of Understanding will be signed by the three parties
in the presence of David Carter, Minister of Agriculture,
Forestry and Biosecurity. The project began in 2007 when the Foundation
for Research, Science and Technology identified AgResearch as the solution
to Mars’s challenge of delivering a premium pet food product to boost New
Zealand’s export markets. The Foundation has provided initial project funding
of $188,000 through its TechNZ business programme. AgResearch has extensive
knowledge and expertise in the field of added-value meat products. This
collaborative project has assisted Mars in enhancing the aesthetics and
palatability of Whiskas' cat food, manufactured at their Wanganui facility.
The result is a new premium pet food range – Whiskas' Tasty Textures -
which has been enthusiastically received over the Tasman. The range now
includes seven different products, which are exported to Australia and
look set to generate annual benefits of over $2 million for the New Zealand
economy. The success of this phase has secured internal funding from AgResearch
and Mars to continue the project over a two-year period in conjunction
with Massey University, which has the only independent Feline Nutrition
Unit in the Southern Hemisphere. The consortium’s mission is to better
understand the protein interactions and nutritional contributions of raw
meat materials and how this knowledge can contribute to the development
of highly nutritious pet foods that are clearly differentiated and compete
successfully in global markets. Erica Nicholls, the Foundation’s
Group Manager (Investments), says the Foundation’s decision to support
the project was based both on Mars being able to commercialise unique New
Zealand science quickly through its extensive channels to market, and on
the significant economic and social benefits, particularly to the Wanganui
community. “The consortium is an excellent example of businesses working
successfully alongside researchers from universities and research organisations,
and the partnership promises further significant benefits in animal and
human nutrition as well as in health sectors,” she says. It is hoped that
further funding from AgResearch and Mars will ensure that the PINZ group
can make inroads into a more fundamental understanding of raw meat materials. “And
it is expected that the new group’s research will lead to more specific
projects in the future with the goal of further developing export opportunities
for New Zealand,” says Jonathan Cox, Product & Innovation
Manager, Mars Petcare.
 AgResearch
and Liggins Institute form new nutrition research centre (5 May
09)
In a move to optimise the nutritional and health-giving qualities of foods from
pastoral-based sources for human consumption, AgResearch has put the official
seal on a collaboration with The University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute,
which will maximise research revenues from public good and industry sources.
Known as the Pastoral Food For Human Health Research Centre,
the aim of the collaboration is to carry out quality research in human nutrition
including determinants of body composition, development and metabolism. It will
exploit synergies between the two parties relating to research at the human/animal
interface, and will place priority on scientific excellence and a research programme
that is informed by, and relevant to, the needs of the pastoral, human health
and human nutrition sectors. The type of products targeted include novel ranges
of food ingredients that deliver human health benefits, animal feeds, animal
welfare products, ethical animal manipulation methods, and smart ways of handling
and processing food products. Its ultimate goal is to commercialise the resulting
research data. The Liggins Institute was the first large-scale research institute
established by The University of Auckland. It is committed to world-class biomedical
and clinical research in areas of major health importance. Professor
Peter Gluckman, who is spearheading the collaboration, is one of the
Institute’s founding directors and an award-winning expert on how discoveries
in biomedical research can be turned into improvements to long-term health. Commenting
on the newly-formed Centre, Dr Jimmy Suttie, AgResearch’s Applied
Biotechnologies Group General Manager, says “this Centre formalises a collaboration
that has taken place for many years. It allows AgResearch and the Liggins Institute
to examine holistically the interface between producing animal-based food, and
then using that food for the health and nutrition of humans.” “The combination
of capability in pastoral agriculture and human nutrition, growth and health
is unparalleled in New Zealand, and the creation of the Pastoral Food For Human
Health Research Centre dovetails neatly with the proposal for AgResearch to amalgamate
with Lincoln University, because this new entity will have access to research
capability with a wider range of foods,” he added.
New honey standard will sweeten producer earnings (24
Apr 09)
Waikato University’s Honey Research Unit is about to launch a new world-wide
standard to test manuka honey for its unique antibacterial activity, potentially
earning honey producers thousands of dollars more per drum. Waikato University
first discovered that the antibacterial properties in manuka honey are
effective in healing wounds in 1982, and the new world-wide standard will
be the first upgrade to testing for the properties since its inception.
The new test will provide more accurate and reliable ratings of manuka
honey’s antibacterial activity, and will be launched with its own trademark. Professor
Peter Molan, who heads the internationally renowned Honey
Research Unit at the university, says the existing test throws up too
many variables, with many producers losing money because of the old test. “We
know of drums of honey where the margin of error has been worth more than
$1000 and the honey producer has missed out on that because variables mean
the rating was wrong”, says Professor Molan. Developed over the past couple
of years, the new test will eliminate those variables and guarantees the
batch tested has an activity that is above the stated rating. “It’s far
more accurate, far more scientific and is quicker for the producer” says
Professor Molan. University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor Professor Roy Crawford
says Professor Molan is the most experienced person in the world regarding
manuka’s antibacterial properties. “Peter created this industry – he took
what was essentially a waste product - and his discovery and research have
made this a $100 million a year industry.” More at National
Business Review.
 Irritable
bowels could be calmed with spice (20 Apr 09)
The spice turmeric might be the magic ingredient to bring relief to people suffering
from irritable bowel disease.
Researchers at Nutrigenomics New Zealand have found that curcumin,
the major yellow component of the turmeric spice, reduces inflammation for those
suffering from irritable bowels. They said the discovery could help in the development
of diet-based treatments for people suffering from the disease. The results of
the study were published in the British Journal of Nutrition. "Crohn's
disease, a form of inflammatory bowel, can be aggravated or relieved by the sufferer's
diet," Plant and Food Research researcher Christine
Butts said. "However, due to the number of genes involved, different
people with different disease genotypes can be affected by different foods, so
there isn't a `one size fits all' solution. "Only by systematically linking particular
components to effects on the specific genotype can we get a true understanding
of the disease and how to treat it." More at www.stuff.co.nz.
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