Science Challenge invests $7m in advanced food research

Seven science and business teams have been awarded National Science Challenge funding worth $7 million to transform current knowledge of high-value foods, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

The successful proposals will each receive $1 million over the next three years from the first contestable funding round of the High-Value Nutrition Science Challenge, one of 11 National Science Challenges dedicated to breaking new ground in key areas of science.

The winning research proposals are all examples of science generating unique business opportunities, Mr Joyce says.

“Brilliant science is helping companies see a future they would never have thought possible. These are ideas for high-value foods that have real potential to bring significant economic benefits to New Zealand.

“Food sold on the basis of a health claim or benefit must have the validating science behind it, and this fund makes that research possible. By investing in these ideas, the Government is standing behind New Zealand science as being among the best in the world.

“There will be a big demand for high-value foods with validated health claims throughout the Asia-Pacific region in the years and decades ahead,” Mr Joyce says. “This work is at the cutting edge of value-added food processing.  It will help take New Zealand food to the next level of adding real value to the quality food we produce.”

The selection process for the funding round included rigorous local and international peer review, Mr Joyce says.

“The winning proposals stand up to that scrutiny. They include a food with new kind of dietary fibre that will sustain babies though the night so they don’t wake up hungry, and a children’s milk powder that is much more like unprocessed milk to reduce the risks of allergies. Both of these products would be of high interest to the Chinese market where there are 90 million children aged under six years old.

“Another proposal is working toward a protein-packed food that could improve mobility for the elderly, and we’re also investing in strengthening the evidential science behind the health benefits of our kiwifruit, mussels, grass-fed beef and a2 milk.”

There were 33 bids for the round, which was open to all New Zealand-based research organisations.

Details on the successful proposals can be found at www.highvaluenutrition.co.nz