Research projects

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  • Program 1
  • Program 2
  • Program 3
P3-023
Active
Encapsulation of oil-based extracts for food flavouring applications

Baker & Co will work closely with the research team at UNSW Sydney through an industry PhD project to develop new formulations suitable for spray drying of oil-based extracts for food applications. The outcomes of this project will enable Baker & Co to potentially develop a new product range of their flavour ingredients that are more suitable for the export market.

P2-019
Active
Novel bio-based solutions for effective management of key root pathogens of Australian protected cropping systems

This project will provide industry with novel solutions to control key root pathogens, increase farm profitability of horticulture crops and significantly advance economic and technological growth of Australian agribusiness industries. It will develop and apply novel bio-based technologies that simultaneously harness crop-optimised microbiomes and plant immune systems and biochemical products to transform how protected and field cropping systems tackle the key biotic constraint of root diseases.

P3-015
Active
Metabolic engineering of yeast to improve the nutritional and functional properties of dairy proteins

This project will result in a high throughput platform for screening thousands of microbial strains and precision fermentation conditions to identify those producing correctly phosphorylated proteins. Selected phosphoproteins will undergo further quality control testing, including dairy product prototyping and digestibility studies, to identify promising new precision fermented dairy products.

P1-017
Active
Predictive modelling of egg production quality and quantity using supervised machine learning algorithms

Development of predictive diagnostic algorithms using machine learning models have the potential to improve the management of egg production. The project aims to develop supervised machine learning algorithms that are useful to assess the predictive ability of forecast parameters (and the impact of various events that these parameters describe) and to predict the performance of egg production in free-range hens in Australia.

P1-018
Active
Circular economy framework to manufacture sustainable construction materials from agri-food wastes

EcoMag Ltd wants to broaden the application of their hydrated magnesium carbonate/magnesium (di)hydroxide (HMC/MDH) product. Their product derives from a blend of agri-food wastes, captured carbon dioxide emissions and HMC/MDH recovered from a salt mining waste stream. The aim of the project is to progress the manufacture of their construction material product from a laboratory-scale process to a prototype-scale process. Project output will be a construction material manufactured at prototype scale which adopts a circular economy approach.

P3-014
Active
Food Technology Facility

The Food Technology Facility (FTF) Project is a collaboration between WA State Government, the CRC Entity and Murdoch University. The FTF will be an open access facility that food companies can use to research and develop new products.

P2-016
Active
Sustainable fertigation for high yield and quality vegetables in protected cropping

The aim of this PhD project is to identify novel fertigation, nutrient delivery, and management approaches of growing vegetables to increase both yield and quality of produce in both Australia and Qatar.

P3-021
Active
Cold-plasma treated Spirulina

This project will focus on the use of cold plasma as a chemical-free method to maintain the quality, safety, and shelf life of fresh algal paste, specifically, the “superfood” fresh Spirulina. Spirulina is a biomass of cyanobacteria that can be consumed by humans and currently sold in dried form.

P3-022
Active
Improvement of functionality and bioactivity of plant proteins conjugated with real food systems using ultrasonic-assisted Maillard Conjugation

Maillard conjugates are a component of a complex flavour generation reaction that could also enhance different functionalities of biomolecules (Naik et al., 2021). Changes in different functional and bioactive attributes could be beneficial and the process can be used for development of nutraceutical and functional foods.

P1-016
Active
How does urban food planning occur in Australia?

The confluence of urbanisation and globalisation has prompted urban food problems to increasingly manifest in urban areas around the globe, including Australia. Research shows that Australia is not immune to these identified urban food problems, ranging from urban food insecurity, urban epidemics, food-centred social injustice, food economy’s negative externalities to ecological imbalance.

P3-020
Active
Quality of herbal Weight Loss Supplements (WLS): composition, safety and antioxidant capacity

Herbal Weight Loss Supplements (WLS) are widely thought to be safe due to their natural origins. In Australia, manufacturers are not required to supply evidence of safety, efficacy or quality for their supplements prior to being permitted to enter the market. For this reason, whether weight loss products available on the Australian market are of appropriate quality is not yet completely understood. Undisclosed ingredients of herbal origins, whether intended or not, have the potential to pose a considerable risk to consumers.

P3-019
Active
Development of Precision Nutrition Strategies Using 1H-NMR Metabolomics

The main objective of the PhD project is to obtain detailed molecular phenotypes of WA fresh produce (olive oils and edible fruit) using spectroscopic technologies available to the Australian National Phenome Centre (ANPC).

P3-005
Active
Australian truffle: truffle cultivation for industry expansion

Truffles are an expensive mushroom due to their distinctive taste and aroma. In Australia, the truffle industry relies on one species, which has a limited three-month season. The aim of this project is to assess two new truffle species for Australian conditions, including inoculation and cultivation techniques, environmental conditions (e.g., climate, growing medium, water), and suitable host trees (e.g., Pinus species).

P1-015
Active
Towards a smart agribusiness sector in the Namoi

The project will deliver an industry database that geographically maps grain, beef, lamb and poultry businesses in the region along with the agri-commodities they produce, and a multi-criteria decision support tool to guide selection of locations for animal protein agribusiness development.

P2-020
Active
Develop novel integrated disease management strategies for delivering solutions to mitigate the impact of major broccolini diseases

This project supports Perfection Fresh in finding solutions that address pathogen-related broccolini wastage and decreased yield as well as the limited growing season of a highly sought-after, high-value crop. The project aims to test different applications’ capacity to reduce infection rates and maintain plant nutrient flow into the development of inflorescences and the main broccolini product.

P2-018
Active
Optimum cooling strategies for vegetable protected cropping in warm climates

The focus of this project is on describing the crop, technology and climate interactions that result from implementing various protected cropping strategies and greenhouse designs in the warm Australian climate. This entails evaluating the long-term performance of several cooling technologies and greenhouses, including characterising the energy-saving potential of smart glass (glass coated with photoselective thin film) for greenhouses via crop trials.

P2-017
Active
Enabling task automation in protected cropping systems with autonomous mobile robots

The project will create and demonstrate navigation algorithms that enable the robotic platform to perform crop row enter and exit behaviours.

P3-016
Active
Understanding the ‘art’ of grain drying for process and product improvement

The project is developing a fundamental understanding of the relationship between process parameters influencing the properties of wheat grains in grain dryers during the manufacturing process of Weetbix.

P3-008
Active
Analytical assessment of food quality and processing systems, tracing, biochemistry and nutritional properties of foods

This project concerns the validation of claims on the levels of multiple phytochemicals in a range of foods and food products, and variations through the production to consumer pipelines.

P2-015
Active
National map of protected cropping systems

The CRC is collaborating in this Hort Innovation project to provide essential baseline data to support logistical decisions around industry growth, transport, labour, market access, food security, drought resilience, water infrastructure, natural disaster and biosecurity response. This data will also be an essential base layer for many federally supported initiatives including biosecurity, soils, climate resilience and carbon.

P1-014
Completed
New approaches to blockchain technology, blockchain governance and digital communities for smart trade hubs – Project 2: POC deployment – technical platform consolidation with use cases

Smart Trade Hubs Project 2 builds from Project 1 to develop a ‘demand pull’ business model enabled by the Proof of Concept (POC) technology platform. Leveraging the learnings of previous activities, this project is introducing other supply chains to the table, such as those involved in the production of high-value fruits, wines and artisan liquor.

P1-012
Completed
Putting farmers at the centre: realising gains from agricultural innovation and growth

The NSW Farmers Association has set a goal to expand the contribution of farming to the NSW economy to $30 billion by 2030 (the ‘30×30’ goal). However, planning is required to identify and overcome on-farm limitations and identify opportunities to meet this goal.

P3-012
Active
New future food protein production

The specific protein content of dairy and plant-based milks has a strong influence on their taste, mouthfeel, and health and nutritional properties. This commercial in-confidence project is exploring new healthy protein opportunities for expanding Sanitarium’s range of non-dairy, plant-based beverages. It is expected that this initial proof of concept project will lead to small-scale protein production.

P2-013
Completed
Smart glass film impacts on energy use and productivity in greenhouse lettuce

Modifying the spectral performance of glasshouses by the use of ‘smart glass’ or retrofitted light-altering films can deliver significant increases in both production and energy and water efficiency. This project explores the efficacy of two such light-altering glasshouse films.

P3-006
Active
Bioactive components for value-add to Australian artichokes

This project is applying chemical fingerprinting technology based on a combination of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and Rapid Evaporative Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (REIMS) together with chemometric data analysis to better understand the natural chemical compounds in various Australian artichokes.

P3-011
Completed
Improving the functional properties of plant-based food products

The project aims to improve the properties of a range of products, including the functionality of Barista plant-based milk (Alternative Dairy Company), by developing a comprehensive understanding of the effects of processing parameters on the desired product properties.

P3-010
Active
Towards scaling up the production of functional Mg-based particles via spray-drying for nutraceutical applications

The project is supporting the establishment of a large scale production of high purity Mg-based particles in NSW and WA, sourced from the waste bitterns of solar salt operations in Karratha, and is developing a new strategy in synthesising novel mesoporous Mg-based particles via spray drying.

P3-009
Active
FoodSwitch connect

FoodSwitch Connect is a web-based service that provides listings of vendors and their menu items. The vendors’ foods are being profiled and rated for their healthiness using FoodSwitch’s science-based algorithms, which is providing procurement teams the means to identify and source healthier foods for workplace catering

P2-010
Completed
Advancing an acoustic-induced pollination solution for protected cropping

The project is advancing the understanding of self-pollination mechanisms and drive new solutions, as such, is considered likely to generate original findings and a new direction for research.

P2-008
Completed
Development of a modular vertical growing system phase 1: field analysis of a modular vertical growing system

The project is addressing specific design challenges identified by Greenbio as it seeks to develop and commercialise proprietary solutions for mobile modular vertical hydroponic growing systems.

P2-007
Active
Microbial rhizosphere diversity in glasshouse hydroponic crops

This project seeks to characterise the behaviour of probiotic organisms in the root zone of hydroponic tomato plants, and to develop a practical method for routine monitoring of the root microbiome.

P2-009
Active
Optimising blueberry fruit nutritional quality using controlled spectra and mild stress treatment via polytunnel innovation

This PhD project is using phenomic, agronomic, physiological and biochemical approaches to assess as well as develop interventions for maximising plant resilience and fruit quality of blueberry under protected cropping.

P1-005
Completed
Understanding the food innovation ecosystem in Coffs Harbour

The purpose of this project is to understand the current food production ecosystem in Coffs Harbour, and concurrently the prospects for growth of this ecosystem, particularly in light of output capacity and increased value-add, creation of food hubs and distribution, and technology deployment.

P1-003
Active
Commercialisation of native rice for Indigenous enterprise development: agronomy and value-adding

The project aims to lay the foundations for commercialisation of Australian native rice as a high-value, low-volume, culturally-identified, nutritious food, especially for tourism, gourmet food, restaurant markets and value-added products.

P3-003
Completed
High level analysis of participant manufacturing facility needs and production targets

This scoping project involves high-level analysis of Australian food manufacturing facility needs, opportunities and challenges. It reviews current global best practice in advanced food manufacturing; considers current and intended Australian processes and facilities; and provides scoping for future CRC manufacturing research.

P3-002
Completed
Participant product design challenges identified. Review completed to assess feasibility and develop product development strategy.

This project produced a general report and guide that provides a strategy for product development in the CRC’s target categories from ideation to commercialisation. Aimed and SME food innovators, it has outline industry best practice in taking products to market.

P3-001
Completed
Consultation with peak regulatory and industry bodies to identify primary regulatory control points and key QA parameters

This scoping project produced a high-level summary of the regulatory framework for the supply chain of premium Australian fresh goods and goods sold on the basis of their nutritional benefits, aiding our understanding of the primary regulatory control points and key quality assurance (QA) parameters on a targeted export market, China.

P2-001
Active
IoT for indoor cropping

This four-year innovation project is led by WBS Project H, manufacturers of state-of-the-art LED technology for vertical farms and greenhouses, with AI and protected-cropping experts at UNSW and WSU respectively.

P2-003
Completed
Identification of protected cropping production systems and crops suitable for application of robotics based on economic analysis, and benefits to industry

A major goal of the CRC is to support Australia’s protecting cropping sector in transitioning to advanced automated systems – including, potentially, robotics.

P2-002
Completed
System design case study: configuration options for high-tech, artificial-light urban production systems

Working with CRC partner Sprout Stack, UNSW researchers are developing and comparing production system alternatives with the aim of increasing production capacity, reducing costs and shrinking the company’s environmental footprint. 

P2-006
Completed
Next-generation protected cropping facilities: survey of global innovation trends and Southern Hemisphere R&D opportunities

Australia’s protected cropping sector is currently heavily reliant on imported proprietary technology for the design, construction and operation of indoor facilities. This technology, typically, has been developed for Northern European conditions.

P2-005
Completed
Review of advances in high-throughput sensing technologies for automated and fast phenotyping for trait extraction

Industry has identified via CRC forums and other channels a need for high-throughput sensing technologies for automated and fast phenotyping for trait extraction.

P2-004
Completed
Review of current techniques and technologies in commercial protected cropping

The research and its report surveyed the Australian current practice and international best practice in protected cropping plant science and production, with the emphasis on CRC partner target crops and commercial production objectives.

P1-004
Completed
New approaches to blockchain, governance and digital communities for smart trade hubs: a modularised and scalable program of research – Project 1: Proof of concepts

The overarching aim of this multi-stage project led by BeefLedger was to develop the soft and hard digital infrastructure needed to support the growth of smart trade – infrastructure that would overlay and complement the physical elements of export hubs: transport infrastructure, storage, logistics and suchlike.

P1-001
Completed
Global best practice in urban agrifood design and planning

To scope future work in CRC precinct design research, this project is surveying the best global practices in urban agrifood design and planning, with a focus on industry clusters and on nations and regions that have achieved economic, social and environmental objectives through excellence in design and planning.

P1-002
Completed
Western Sydney agrifood mapping and analytics

This project is providing the initial evidence base and stakeholder communication tools needed to foster development of an advanced future food industry focused in the Liverpool region of Western Sydney.