Australia's defence force is taking a key role in a new Centre for Food Innovation (CFI) that's been launched in Launceston to develop cutting-edge food and packaging innovations for troops in the field.
The CFI initiative is a collaboration of food scientists and technologists from the University of Tasmania, the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and CSIRO.
“The cutting edge work that will be carried out by researchers here in Launceston will potentially have a real impact on the kinds of food that fuel our defence men and women on operations across the globe,” said the minister for defence, science and personnel, Warren Snowdon, who attended the launch.
A preliminary project being undertaken under the banner of the CFI, for instance, is the development of high-pressure processing technologies to increase the shelf-life of pears.
The collaboration is also expected to benefit Australian food manufacturers, who can develop and commercialise the new products and processes, as well as local producers, who will contribute to the production of ration pack components for the defence force.
The centre is headed by Professor Roger Stanley from the University of Tasmania's Institute of Agriculture and is located at the University of Tasmania.
Tom Lewis, a director at RDS Partners, who has project managed the establishment of the CFI over the last two years, said Defence was always looking to include new and innovative food rations for their personnel.
“They're looking for new products that meet their usual requirement for a two-year shelf life in ambient temperatures. This includes new packaging that is also able to keep oxygen out,” he said.
“This also feeds into the commercial side of food innovation, because the centre will work with commercial providers to build their capacity to produce new and better food products,” Lewis said.
He said a shared infrastructure pilot plant which would operate as a commercially viable venture in its own right was currently under consideration by the CFI.
Another possible venture would focus on research, education and training needs in the area of food innovation, marketing and logistics, according to Lewis.
“At moment, the CFI is an intention, we have agreements in place and these two reports coming in, so we will be looking for funding to help make it grow,” he said.
