Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) has undertaken a $5.6 million project to expand consumption of oats, through the commercialisation of products including oat rice, noodles and pasta.
This is the largest research project since FaBA’s establishment at The University of Queensland (UQ), and is supported by the Australian Department of Education through the Trailblazers University Program and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), which has committed $2 million to support FaBA and invested $720,000 in this project on behalf of Australian oat growers to help tackle oat industry challenges.
The project will involve a multi-disciplinary team to reposition oats as a core ingredient, developing new products using My PlantCo’s Real Oats brand.
UQ’s Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation flavour chemist and sensory scientist, Professor Heather Smyth, said there was growing consumer demand for nutritious, plant-based foods made from Australian-grown oats.
“This partnership is a fantastic opportunity to push the boundaries of oat-based innovation,” said Smyth.
“Using our sensory testing panels, we’ll help develop oat products that are both highly nutritious and genuinely enjoyable new ways for consumers to experience oats at every meal.”
FaBA’s Innovation Pathways Program, led by Professor Janet McColl-Kennedy from the UQ Business School, will undertake market research using more than 25 databases to provide valuable commercial insights.
FaBA Premium Food and Beverage Program and UQ QAAFI researcher Dr Jiahua Shi will oversee technical development, focusing on taste, texture, shelf life and nutritional integrity.
“Oats are incredibly nutritious and versatile, but current market offerings are limited,” said Shi.
“Our goal is to create oat-based products that are high in protein and fibre, naturally healthy, and premium in quality. We're also tackling key challenges like stabilising formulations without artificial additives, replicating familiar textures, and ensuring long shelf life.”
My PlantCo aims to disrupt traditional carbohydrate staples such as wheat and rice with oat-based products that have superior nutritional benefits and are higher in protein, fibre, healthy fats and essential vitamins, while also promoting gut health through beta-glucan.
The company says oat rice contains 30 per cent fewer carbohydrates, 10 times more fibre and 60 per cent more protein than white rice while its supply chain is more sustainable and local, with a lower carbon footprint than many other grains.
My PlantCo Founder and CEO, Mei Yong, visited UQ with her team to mark the official launch of the research, which builds on innovations and intellectual property created with the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC).
“It was important for us to bridge east and west by bringing together talent from across Australia to create globally relevant products, and we are thrilled to be able to collaborate on Australian soil,” said Yong.
“FaBA is more than a funding partner, it’s a launchpad and we have gained access to cutting-edge technology, top academic minds and commercial insight to take Australian oat products to the world, unlocking the full potential of Australian oats.
“We see Australia as the Silicon Valley of oats – we grow some of the best-quality oats in the world and we’re sitting on a massive opportunity to lead in value-added innovation. We’re not just refining oat products; we’re creating entire new category formats.”
