If you have ever wondered what muntries taste like, or whether wattle seeds can be good in a diabetes-friendly diet, a new website has all the answers needed to put Australian native foods on the menu.

This new online information directory - jointly supported by CSIRO and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)- will be launched at the New Crops 2004 Conference today, which is being held at the University of Queensland's Gatton campus.

Native foods, also known as 'bush tucker', are in growing demand and the fledgling industry is worth an estimated $14 million annually. Tasty products such as native citrus, mountain pepper, bush tomatoes and riberries are becoming more popular as ingredients in a range of Australian food products.

The export potential for Australian native food crops is yet to be realised, because to date it has not been possible to guarantee regular supplies of high-quality produce. CSIRO has been working with Aboriginal communities and Australian industry to learn more about native foods in a bid to boost product quantity and quality.

CSIRO Land and Water researcher Dr Maarten Ryder says, "So far there is no formal industry body that represents the Australian native foods industry."

"We hope that the new website promotes the development of this promising industry by providing updates on industry developments, crop profiles, and links to information, associations and processors across Australia."

Speaking at the New Crops conference, Dr Ryder will discuss the results of a research project conducted by CSIRO in conjunction with Aboriginal communities and Australian Native Produce Industries. "With small trial orchards established at nine sites in southern Australia, we are gathering world-first data on how native foods grow in different climatic environments", Dr Ryder says.

"Growing world demand, coupled with the need for crops more attuned with the Australian landscape, makes native foods a good bet for the future."

RIRDC research manager Max Bourke says interest in native foods is being driven by the increasing diversity in people's diets and the great interest in new flavours.

"Australian native foods are a largely untapped resource, particularly in the commercial food service industries, but this will change as people come to appreciate the flavours and dietary benefits of many of these products."

And how do they taste? You can find that out on the CSIRO Land and Water native foods website too. (To answer the questions above, muntries have a spicy-apple flavour, and wattle seeds are high in protein, have a low glycaemic index and can contribute a delicious nutty flavour to foods that are suitable for diabetics - see the website for details on suitable species to use and how to prepare the seed.)