Food Futures Update - March 2006


From the Director 2006 has started as an exciting year with a number of new partnerships and major collaborations planned with the Flagship for the next twelve months. I look forward to bringing you updates about these partnerships, and would welcome your ideas and input for ways in which Food Futures may be able to assist your business. Read more. New wheat has healthy potential A new experimental wheat variety with the potential to provide benefits in the areas of bowel health, diabetes and obesity has been developed through the Food Futures Flagship. In a paper published in the international science journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers working within the Food Futures Flagship describe how they used CSIRO-developed RNAi gene silencing techniques to suppress the expression of two starch-branching enzymes in an experimental wheat. Read more. Flagship Fellow brings new approach to product design Professor Peter Lillford, internationally renowned food science expert, has been working with Food Futures as a Flagship Fellow to assist in the advancement of food materials science in innovative product design. "This approach will enable a change from empirical development of food fabrication processes to a more systematic design of products for functional performance," says Professor Lillford. "Increasingly, there is a need to innovate products and processes which lead to consumer benefits in texture, flavour release and nutrition delivery. This requires a detailed knowledge of food structures and how to maintain their stability during storage and distribution, to deliver maximum health benefits and eating satisfaction." Read more. Growing more good oil from the sea Oil-rich marine microalgae are being assessed for their commercial potential under a new agreement between Clover Corporation Ltd, the Food Futures Flagship and the CRC for Bioproducts. Microalgae have been described as the natural omega-3 factories of the sea. Read more. GWRDC joins Flagship wine research The future competitiveness of the Australian wine industry has been boosted by a new partnership between the Food Futures Flagship and the Grape and Wine Research Development Corporation (GWRDC). This venture will provide substantial resources to further research focussed on improvements and tangible benefits for the wine industry. Read more. Bioactive food ingredient for healthy joints Scientists in the Food Futures Flagship are working to develop a range of new bioactives, including dermatan sulphate, that can be added as ingredients to foods to enhance consumer well being. Read more. CSIRO makes connections in Southeast Asia The scientific opportunities emerging in Southeast Asia were discussed at a major international conference on Nutrigenomics in Singapore in December. A delegation of CSIRO scientists, led by the Preventative Health and Food Futures Research Flagships, participated in the First International Conference on Nutrigenomics by the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Southeast Asia Region. Read more. Young scientist receives prestigious travel award Melony Sellars, a Food Futures Flagship PhD student, has received a travel award from the University of Queensland for her to present a paper at an international conference on Genetics in Aquaculture in Montpellier, France in June 2006. Read more.	IN THIS EDITION: UPDATE Home From the Director New Wheat has healthy potential Flagship Fellow brings new approach to product design Growing more good oil from the sea GWRDC joins Flagship wine research Bioactive food ingredient for healthy joints CSIRO makes connections in Southeast Asia Young scientist receives prestigious travel award Meet the Scientists: Dr Matthew Morell and Dr Nigel Preston MEET THE SCIENTISTS: Dr Matthew Morell - Theme Leader for the Flagship's Advanced Genetics program. Meet Dr Matthew Morell Dr Nigel Preston - Breed Engineering Theme Leader Meet Dr Nigel Preston
The Food Futures Flagship is a CSIRO initiative and part of the National Research Flagships program that aims to deliver scientific solutions to advance Australia's most important national objectives. One of the largest scientific initiatives ever mounted in Australia, it aligns closely with the Federal Government's National Research Priorities. The initiative brings together our national research resources to deliver breakthroughs in fields ranging from healthcare to light metals and the environment.
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Food Futures Flagship CSIRO Editor: Sylvia Bell PO Box 93 North Ryde NSW 1670 Phone: +61 2 9490 8006 Fax: +61 2 9490 8811 editor.foodfutures@csiro.au www.csiro.au