Building on the Thailand-Australia Food Innovation Dialogue, the program promotes research collaboration between the two countries on shared priority areas relevant to agrifood systems innovation, including developing sustainable food systems to support health, wellbeing and food security; enhancing midstream and downstream processing capabilities; expanding export potential through premium and distinctive food products; increasing circularity through low-emission production and by-product valorisation; and building resilient food systems that can withstand climate change and supply chain disruption.
Each joint project pairs a CSIRO research team with a Thailand-based research team and at least one industry partner from Thailand, with co-investment from industry viewed as a key measure of commercial readiness. The program is also committed to advancing Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) as a core part of inclusive and sustainable food systems transformation, recognising that equitable participation in research, innovation and commercialisation strengthens economic performance and long-term resilience across agrifood systems.
Three projects selected for bilateral research collaboration
The IF4S program is proud to announce the selection of three joint research projects that will receive support in its first funding round.
Jointly led by researchers from CSIRO and Thailand's partner institutions, the projects span a diverse range of focus areas, from AI-enabled alternative protein manufacturing to translational herbal medicine and probiotic beverage upscaling. Each initiative reflects the program's core mission: to strengthen food security, promote environmental sustainability, and deliver health-enhancing innovations with real-world impact.
These projects exemplify the shared commitment of both nations to advancing sustainable food systems through cutting-edge science and AI-driven process optimisation.
AI-Enabled Commercial Readiness for Alternative Meat, Cheese and Hybrid Pet Food
Project partners: Chiang Mai University and CSIRO
Opportunity:
AI-driven biochemical precision to move Thailand's alternative meat, cheese and hybrid pet food from laboratory-scale success to industrial commercial readiness.
Solutions:
- Develop a whole-muscle meat analogue with a realistic fibrous texture through enzyme-based protein engineering.
- Engineer an allergen-free, dairy-mimetic plant-based cheese from indigenous Thai botanical ingredients.
- Create a hybrid pet food prototype that upcycles agri-food side streams into functional protein ingredients.
- Build a shared AI-enabled platform to optimise formulation and processing across all three products.
Impact:
- Economy: Strengthens Thailand's position as a premium alternative protein export hub.
- Environment: Lower-energy production methods and local sourcing reduce environmental footprint.
- Society: Expands clean label food options and lifts value of indigenous crops for local farmers.
- Food Safety: Supports consistent, export-grade product quality through standardised processing.
AI-Enabled Translational Readiness for a Brahmi-Based Brain-Beauty Functional Product
Project partners: Naresuan University and CSIRO
Opportunity:
Translate Brahmi, a medicinal plant with strong evidence for cognitive-enhancing effects, into a regulatory-ready, multi-component brain-beauty functional product.
Solutions:
- Develop a multi-component oral-dispersible formulation combining cognitive-supporting and skin-related ingredients.
- Generate clinical safety evidence through a Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers.
- Apply AI-assisted modelling to optimise formulation and extraction.
- Assess regulatory pathways for Thailand and Australian markets.
Impact:
- Economy: Supports commercial growth in functional health and premium herbal product markets.
- Environment: Extends AI tools to circular extraction of biomolecules from food waste.
- Society: Builds a replicable model for translating other Thai medicinal plants into global products.
- Food Safety: Establishes a strong clinical and quality evidence base for safe product development.
Scaling Microencapsulated Probiotic Edamame Beverage Powder and Bio-functional Protein Concentrates
Project partners: Chiang Mai University and CSIRO
Opportunity:
Transform downgraded edamame into a high-value probiotic beverage powder and protein concentrate for Thai and Australian markets.
Solutions:
- Develop protein concentrates and hydrolysate from downgraded edamame.
- Microencapsulate probiotics to improve stability through processing and digestion.
- Scale up production to semi-industrial level with quality and stability testing.
- Assess Australian regulatory pathways and market opportunities.
Impact:
- Economy: Creates new revenue streams and jobs in Thailand's agriculture and food sectors.
- Environment: Reduces agricultural waste by valorising downgraded produce.
- Society: Improves incomes for edamame farmers in Northern Thailand.
- Food Safety: Enhances probiotic stability and safety through microencapsulation.
Thailand-Australia Bilateral Research Grant Program
This research is supported by the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC), Research and Innovation Acceleration Agency for Competitiveness and Area Development (RCAD) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) under the Thailand-Australia Bilateral Research Grant Program on ‘Innovations in Food for Sustainability (IF4S)’, supported by the Australian Government through its Southeast Asia and Australia Government Partnerships program.
Building on the Thailand-Australia Food Innovation Dialogue, the program promotes research collaboration between the two countries on shared priority areas relevant to agrifood systems innovation, including developing sustainable food systems to support health, wellbeing and food security; enhancing midstream and downstream processing capabilities; expanding export potential through premium and distinctive food products; increasing circularity through low-emission production and by-product valorisation; and building resilient food systems that can withstand climate change and supply chain disruption.
Each joint project pairs a CSIRO research team with a Thailand-based research team and at least one industry partner from Thailand, with co-investment from industry viewed as a key measure of commercial readiness. The program is also committed to advancing Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) as a core part of inclusive and sustainable food systems transformation, recognising that equitable participation in research, innovation and commercialisation strengthens economic performance and long-term resilience across agrifood systems.
Three projects selected for bilateral research collaboration
The IF4S program is proud to announce the selection of three joint research projects that will receive support in its first funding round.
Jointly led by researchers from CSIRO and Thailand's partner institutions, the projects span a diverse range of focus areas, from AI-enabled alternative protein manufacturing to translational herbal medicine and probiotic beverage upscaling. Each initiative reflects the program's core mission: to strengthen food security, promote environmental sustainability, and deliver health-enhancing innovations with real-world impact.
These projects exemplify the shared commitment of both nations to advancing sustainable food systems through cutting-edge science and AI-driven process optimisation.
AI-Enabled Commercial Readiness for Alternative Meat, Cheese and Hybrid Pet Food
Project partners: Chiang Mai University and CSIRO
Opportunity:
AI-driven biochemical precision to move Thailand's alternative meat, cheese and hybrid pet food from laboratory-scale success to industrial commercial readiness.
Solutions:
- Develop a whole-muscle meat analogue with a realistic fibrous texture through enzyme-based protein engineering.
- Engineer an allergen-free, dairy-mimetic plant-based cheese from indigenous Thai botanical ingredients.
- Create a hybrid pet food prototype that upcycles agri-food side streams into functional protein ingredients.
- Build a shared AI-enabled platform to optimise formulation and processing across all three products.
Impact:
- Economy: Strengthens Thailand's position as a premium alternative protein export hub.
- Environment: Lower-energy production methods and local sourcing reduce environmental footprint.
- Society: Expands clean label food options and lifts value of indigenous crops for local farmers.
- Food Safety: Supports consistent, export-grade product quality through standardised processing.
AI-Enabled Translational Readiness for a Brahmi-Based Brain-Beauty Functional Product
Project partners: Naresuan University and CSIRO
Opportunity:
Translate Brahmi, a medicinal plant with strong evidence for cognitive-enhancing effects, into a regulatory-ready, multi-component brain-beauty functional product.
Solutions:
- Develop a multi-component oral-dispersible formulation combining cognitive-supporting and skin-related ingredients.
- Generate clinical safety evidence through a Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers.
- Apply AI-assisted modelling to optimise formulation and extraction.
- Assess regulatory pathways for Thailand and Australian markets.
Impact:
- Economy: Supports commercial growth in functional health and premium herbal product markets.
- Environment: Extends AI tools to circular extraction of biomolecules from food waste.
- Society: Builds a replicable model for translating other Thai medicinal plants into global products.
- Food Safety: Establishes a strong clinical and quality evidence base for safe product development.
Scaling Microencapsulated Probiotic Edamame Beverage Powder and Bio-functional Protein Concentrates
Project partners: Chiang Mai University and CSIRO
Opportunity:
Transform downgraded edamame into a high-value probiotic beverage powder and protein concentrate for Thai and Australian markets.
Solutions:
- Develop protein concentrates and hydrolysate from downgraded edamame.
- Microencapsulate probiotics to improve stability through processing and digestion.
- Scale up production to semi-industrial level with quality and stability testing.
- Assess Australian regulatory pathways and market opportunities.
Impact:
- Economy: Creates new revenue streams and jobs in Thailand's agriculture and food sectors.
- Environment: Reduces agricultural waste by valorising downgraded produce.
- Society: Improves incomes for edamame farmers in Northern Thailand.
- Food Safety: Enhances probiotic stability and safety through microencapsulation.
Thailand-Australia Bilateral Research Grant Program
This research is supported by the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC), Research and Innovation Acceleration Agency for Competitiveness and Area Development (RCAD) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) under the Thailand-Australia Bilateral Research Grant Program on ‘Innovations in Food for Sustainability (IF4S)’, supported by the Australian Government through its Southeast Asia and Australia Government Partnerships program.