Current projects
ID | Title | Theme | Status | Project Summary |
---|---|---|---|---|
P3-010 | Towards scaling up the production of functional Mg-based particles via spray drying for nutraceutical applications | Building scale in future food segments | Active | The project will support 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 to develop a new strategy in synthesising novel mesoporous Mg-based particles via spray drying. |
P3-009 | FoodSwitch Connect | Building scale in future food segments | Active | FoodSwitch Connect is a web-based service that provides listings of vendors and their menu items. The vendors' foods will be profiled and rated for their healthiness using FoodSwitch's science-based algorithms, which will provide procurement teams the means to identify and source healthier foods for workplace catering |
P2-010 | Advancing an acoustic-induced pollination solution for protected cropping | High-tech indoor horticulture | Active | The project will advance 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 | Development of a Modular Vertical Growing System Phase 1: Field Analysis of a Modular Vertical Growing System | High-tech indoor horticulture | Active | The project will address specific design challenges identified by Greenbio as it seeks to develop and commercialise proprietary solutions for mobile modular vertical hydroponic growing systems. |
P2-007 | Microbial rhizosphere diversity in glasshouse hydroponic crops | High-tech indoor horticulture | Active | 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 | Optimising blueberry fruit nutritional quality using controlled spectra and mild stress treatment via polytunnel innovation | High-tech indoor horticulture | Active | This PhD project will use 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 | Understanding the Food Innovation Ecosystem in Coffs Harbour | Specialised food industry clusters | Active | 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 | Commercialisation of native rice for Indigenous enterprise development | Specialised food industry clusters | Active | 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. Australian native rice grows in natural wetlands throughout the Northern Territory and Queensland. It is currently wild harvested but only in very small quantities from crocodile infested environments using airboats. This harvest method cannot be implemented economically at scale. |
P3-003 | High-level analysis of food manufacturing facility needs | High-tech indoor horticulture | Completed | This scoping project involves high-level analysis of Australian food manufacturing facility needs, opportunities and challenges. It will review current global best practice in advanced food manufacturing; consider current and intended Australian processes and facilities; and provide scoping for future CRC manufacturing research. |
P3-002 | Participant product design challenges identified. Review completed to assess feasibility and develop product development strategy. | Building scale in future food segments | Completed | This project will produce 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 will outline industry best practice in taking products to market. |
P3-001 | Consultation with peak regulatory and industry bodies to identify primary regulatory control points and key QA parameters | Building scale in future food segments | Completed | This scoping project will produce 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 | IoT for indoor farming | High-tech indoor horticulture | Active | 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 | Identification of protected cropping production systems and crops suitable for application of robotics based on economic analysis, and benefits to industry | High-tech indoor horticulture | Completed | A major goal of the CRC is to support Australia’s protecting cropping sector in transitioning to advanced automated systems – including, potentially, robotics. Many complex contextual, sequencing and economic issues must be addressed before a critical mass of firms is likely to invest in robotic systems. T |
P2-002 | System design case study: configuration options for high-tech, artificial-light urban production systems | High-tech indoor horticulture | Active | 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 | Next-generation protected cropping facilities: survey of global innovation trends and Southern Hemisphere R&D opportunities | High-tech indoor horticulture | Completed | 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 | Review of advances in high-throughput sensing technologies for automated and fast phenotyping for trait extraction | High-tech indoor horticulture | Completed | 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 | Review of current techniques and technologies in commercial protected cropping | High-tech indoor horticulture | Completed | The research and its report will survey 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 | New approaches to blockchain, governance and digital communities for smart trade hubs | Specialised food industry clusters | Active | The overarching aim of this multi-stage project led by BeefLedger is to develop the soft and hard digital infrastructure needed to support the growth of smart trade – infrastructure that will overlay and complement the physical elements of export hubs: transport infrastructure, storage, logistics and suchlike. |
P1-001 | Global best practice in urban agrifood design & planning | Specialised food industry clusters | Completed | To scope future work in CRC precinct design research, this project is surveying global best practice 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 | Western Sydney agrifood mapping and analytics | Specialised food industry clusters | Active | This project will provide 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. |