Food Science

The research groups can provide a wide range of food science expertise. These include:

• Up-to-date nutrient information for all sectors of the food industry through the New Zealand Food Composition Database, maintained in partnership with the Ministry of Health
• Evaluation of the health benefits of dietary nutrients from arable and vegetable foods
• Determination of the effects of processing on food components, and the impacts of the physical properties of foods on nutrition
• Measurement of the bioavailability of nutrients, and measurement of absorption and metabolism parameters
• Development of innovative, value-added food concepts, ingredients and products (in collaboration with industry partners)
• Extension of shelf life for fresh vegetables in order to maintain nutritional quality and to increase market access and export value
• Determination of the link between loss of physical quality and senescence, and altering senescence-related gene expression to enable the development of new cultivars with extended shelf life
• Providing scientific validation needed to make health claims for natural products containing bioactive components
• Providing independent advice and facilitating technology transfer in the food industry in areas related to developing health-promoting products

Contact: Dr Kevin Sutton, Crop & Food Research