FIAL Main - Technical Insights #case study

Integrated Agribusiness

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 09:59:21 +1100

Austrgrains | Celebrating Australian Food and Agribusiness Innovations 2021

Austgrains is a diversified integrated agribusiness that specialises in the commercialisation and supply of the latest seed and grain technologies. It has a multi-pronged goal: to enable improved agronomy sustainability, to deliver enhanced grain value-add functionality and to support enriched nutritional benefit of wholegrains and clean label ingredient supply to consumers.

The company is influenced by three constants within an ever-changing agricultural and food manufacturing landscape: a fundamental need for food security, high demand for functional foods and the need for quality supply chains that tell the provenance story.

Austgrains has evolved by tapping into the next generation and identifying future market and industry trends, with a consumer-led focus on health and wellbeing and the desire of primary producers to improve farm gate metrics to include yield and markets. That forward-looking mindset and an emphasis on innovation drives Austgrains to focus on support of the core strategic environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles of its clients.

Every producer has mandates to meet — including dealing with seasonal variation, carbon sustainability, improved water management, chemical usage, pest or disease control and maintaining the integrity of provenance — so the Austgrains team works with their customer base to implement process and practice improvements that will deliver broader farm-wide benefits and ensure principal ESG directives are met.

Since the 1970s, Austgrains has developed its ethos — and offering — away from the commodity- driven principles of procurement and supply, into a holistic approach based on experience, innovation and investment in research, bolstered by quantifiable market intelligence.

Thomas Hannam from Austgrains says that FIAL’s assistance and working relationship has provided benefit to the company in multiple ways.

“The support of FIAL has been important from an information and access perspective, opening doors to networking opportunities, market intelligence, invaluable assistance with research and navigating commercial challenges both domestically and internationally,” he said.

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Sustainable Beer Supply

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 14:03:25 +1100

KegSwappa | Celebrating Australian Food and Agribusiness Innovations 2021

A chance meeting in a Perth campsite sent two Sydney dads on a mission to create a more sustainable model for takeaway beer consumption. Johnny Tiller and Ashley Freedman became acutely aware of how much waste they produce while camping in national parks where everything taken in needs to be transported out.

The pair started researching the problem and found that the single biggest carbon contributor for canned and bottled beer is the packaging. With the problem clear in mind, they began a series of fireside brainstorming sessions to develop a worthy solution.

The pair came up with KegSwappa, an online marketplace where breweries list kegs for sale in both 10-litre and 20-litre options. Consumers use the marketplace to find and buy a keg before visiting their local to swap out their empty — it’s the same principle as a ‘swap and go’ system for gas, but for beer.

The business plan was developed on the run and the team took a lean start-up approach, developing and launching an initial format, then applying a process of continuous improvement.

The company received financial support from FIAL, which Johnny says was a major catalyst.

“Receiving the funding from FIAL allowed us to invest in the keg hardware and get things off the ground. It also added huge credibility to the project and made it an easier prospect to get breweries onboard once we explained we’d been given a grant to pilot a waste minimisation program,” he said.

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Food Production Wastewater Management

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 14:02:58 +1100

Bioaction | Celebrating Australian Food and Agribusiness Innovations 2021

Food processing generates significant wastewater, which manufacturers are obliged to dispose of using methods that meet increasingly stringent environmental conditions. Wastewater make-up is a consequence of production and generally consists of suspended solids, fats, oils and nutrients. In facilities with little output variation, wastewater make-up is relatively steady. For manufacturers with multiple lines and food types, the output varies greatly because of ingredient and processing method differences. Treatment incorporates the breakdown of nutrients and solids by aerobic microorganisms, requiring the addition of oxygen to promote the process. When adequate oxygen is not available, it impedes the ability to break down nutrients and achieve required treatment levels. Treatment systems use various aeration methods to feed ambient air into the treatment tank, using large amounts of energy and increasing costs.

The Bioaction solution solves the problem at its root using ultrafine bubble — or nanobubble — technology, enabling higher levels of oxygen to stay in the water for as long as possible. Each bubble is hundreds of times smaller than a blood cell, and because the pressure of the bubble is greater than the liquid it is sitting in, it remains suspended and dispersed throughout the wastewater. This means that oxygen remains available for use by aerobic microorganisms when they need it.

The technology challenges traditional wastewater management methods as it entrains oxygen at significantly higher rates. It improves efficiency of treatment at a lower energy cost, reducing overhead and improving environmental compliance.

While collaboration with the CCFA cluster and FIAL provided Bioaction with access to the food industry to enable operation trials, the arrival of COVID-19 put that activity on the backburner. The lab research process commenced and was accelerated thanks to a partnership with University of Newcastle but the trials could not be completed. They are expected to recommence at the start of FY21/22, with results anticipated by the end of calendar year 2021.

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Food Heavy Metal Composition Testing

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 14:02:28 +1100

Macro Group Australia | Celebrating Australian Food and Agribusiness Innovations 2021

Macro Group is a supplier of wild game — chiefly kangaroo — meat, offering a range of products worldwide for both human and animal consumption in manufacturing, foodservice and retail forms.

The company also incorporates a NATA- accredited food and environmental testing facility, originally set up to conduct research and development for the Macro Meats product range.

When the team identified an opportunity to sell high-value pet food product into the USA and European markets, it found there were stringent limits on maximum permissible levels of heavy metals in both the meat and the bones of game animals used in pet food production.

While there was some local information available on the limited testing of game meat produced through Australian Government research projects, the team could find no data on heavy metal levels in the bones or skeletons of wild game.

The kangaroo meat industry is based on sustainable and ethical sourcing, which means harvesting is only allowed from specific regions under highly controlled conditions. When the laboratory team determined it required specialist apparatus to conduct chemical testing, it was with the intention of ascertaining the specific heavy metal profiles in game derived from specific geographic regions across three states.

Macro secured funding for the new equipment from FIAL under the Black Summer Innovation Grant program. Originally planned for installation in the company’s existing laboratory, the apparatus’s use of highly volatile gases including hydrogen and argon meant the existing lab was determined to be an unsuitable location. This, in turn, has helped fast-track Macro’s plans to build a new facility, which the company hopes to have operational by mid-2022.

The new equipment will allow Macro to expand on its chemical analysis capability, complementing its services including testing of food, environmental and water samples for microbial and chemical parameters as per the Australian Standards and AOAC approved methods.

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Gourmet Finishing Sauces

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 14:01:55 +1100

Boutique Sauces | Celebrating Australian Food and Agribusiness Innovations 2021

Regan and Daniel Facey founded Boutique Sauces on the back of a passion for cooking and entertaining and a desire to bring chef-made flavours into the homes of consumers.

Regan spent years working as a chef in Europe, perfecting her craft before returning home and embarking on the Boutique Sauces journey. The products were initially manufactured in small batches and supplied under the Signature Sauces brand at local farmers’ markets. In 2018 the Faceys decided to move to a shelf-stable — rather than refrigerated — product and began adjusting the formula and format to suit.

There was a lot of tweaking required to scale up for larger batches and the Faceys wanted the products to have no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives, no genetically modified ingredients and to be completely gluten-free.

They conducted small trials in 2018 then went back to the kitchen and reformulated. With the help of food scientists and a grant from FIAL, they gained valuable insight into the challenges and limitations of upscaling production.

The arrival of COVID-19 threw a timing spanner in the works but allowed the Faceys to make an important call — they decided to set up for manufacture themselves, opting for complete control over the process and giving Regan the ability to oversee ingredients and act quickly should production create a need for formula alterations.

The range comprises six savoury and two sweet gourmet finishing sauces, with more creations in development.

The move from refrigerated to shelf-stable can be tricky, especially for products with complex ingredient profiles that are prone to change when scaled up. FIAL was able to offer the Faceys a wealth of information and support to bring the dream to life.

In gearing up for their own production, the team has left the door open for even more innovation, as they are not constrained by any MOQ requirements of a contract manufacturer and can easily carry out their own product trials.

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Happy Snack Healthy Snackfoods

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 14:00:57 +1100

Partner Foods | Celebrating Australian Food and Agribusiness Innovations 2021

Partner Foods has been developing and supplying healthy snack products under the Happy Snack Company banner for over 20 years. The company’s allergen-free range of snacks meets the highest nutritional benchmarks under the Australian Health Star guidelines. They are developed under a dual ethos to supply nutrient dense wholefood snacks derived using sustainable crops and processes.

Research identified opportunity to expand the Happy Snack Company chickpea product offering beyond the existing savoury flavours. In developing a product with improved texture and mouthfeel, Partner Foods could create a healthy snack with the properties of popular confections.

The intention was to keep nutrition levels high, while developing an easy-to-eat, chocolate-covered alternative. Initial process improvement delivered some progression, but it was soon apparent the team would need to design the product from the ground up.

Early investigations showed no available research, requiring first-hand exploration of the entire chain from product design through raw materials identification, equipment requirements, process development and even operator training.

Recognising the enormity, Managing Director Craig Agnew decided to develop a FIAL project funding submission with the help of an external consultant and the Partner Foods team.

Preliminary research showed there was no established path to the desired result — design of a chocolate product using the existing application process. They could have opted to develop within Australia, but the scale made it a risky proposition.

The team travelled to Italy — a centre of excellence for chocolate making — to ascertain how processes could be incorporated into Partner’s Australian allergen-free processing facility. Working with an Italian organisation and artisan manufacturers in Milan facilitated fast learning and provided clarity on the path from pilot to full-scale production.

Partner Foods was able to create a purpose- built facility to produce allergen-free chocolate for use in three coated chickpea snacks, promoted in portion-controlled packs in the healthy snack section of Australia’s two largest food retailers.

According to Craig, the project would never have gotten off the ground without FIAL’s assistance.

“The funding allowed us to build our knowledge over many months, to define and refine our recipes and to determine the manufacturing processes required to achieve our objectives. It was also essential to provide staff training and to recruit new team members as we geared up production.

“There were many stakeholders in this project including growers, ingredient suppliers, process engineering experts, sales and marketing partners and, of course, our customers. That breadth illustrates the collaborative aspect of food production.

“Our achievements aren’t limited to Australia, as we’ve recently secured ranging at Waitrose in the UK. We’re still thriving at home though, with the launch of a further two new products in Australia thanks to the capability we’ve developed. We couldn’t have done it without the support of FIAL,” Craig said.

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GUTHEALTH+

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 13:59:22 +1100

Natural Evolution | Celebrating Australian Food and Agribusiness Innovations 2021

Krista and Rob Watkins have a history of turning waste into profits. Known for their Natural Evolution brand of products including a gluten-free green banana flour, the pair have extended the line to deliver GUTHEALTH+, to support, enhance and promote gut health.

The Watkins hail from Walkamin in Far North Queensland’s fertile Atherton Tablelands region. Their Natural Evolution brand of health and beauty products stems from a belief that the ultimate nutrition begins with healthy soil and plants. The duo has made it their business to reduce waste and create innovative new products from unexpected sources, including green banana and gold sweet potato flours — offering gluten-free alternatives to traditional wheat flours.

When looking to maximise the prebiotic ability of the green banana resistant starch, the Watkins utilised the high Vitamin A content of their sweet potato flour, along with the addition of vegan probiotics, to develop GUTHEALTH+ — a unique synergy of three fibre groups, vitamins and minerals that delivers an all-natural product designed to optimise gut health.

Developing the product took time, requiring trial and error to determine the perfect balance of plant fibres and probiotics to ensure palatability derived from only all-natural ingredients. The result is a tested and proven product derived from sustainable foods that is entirely free from allergens and packed with fermentable, soluble and insoluble fibres, as well as digestive functional probiotic Bacillus coagulans. GUTHEALTH+ is registered as a food with health claims through FSANZ including support and protection of a healthy gut microbiome and support of gut barrier health, among others.

Natural Evolution was able to develop the product using its patent pending NutroLock food processing technology. NutroLock is a fully inline, cold, raw, low-speed technique that locks in 20–50 times more nutrition than other processing methods. The team has developed a new Blade Dry model that can simultaneously mill and dry large volumes of highly fibrous material, delivering an end product that has greater nutritional integrity.

FIAL’s funding allowed Natural Evolution to execute and deliver the new drying technology, which will advance opportunities for Australian producers and businesses that require transformation or disposal of organic matter, pharmaceutical production, foods or wet waste reduction on a commercial scale.

COVID-19 delayed completion of development by almost 12 months, but Krista says the extended time allowed Natural Evolution to conduct all of the necessary research and development required to ensure that the technology and processes were refined and could deliver the initial project objectives.

“Having access to funding from FIAL allowed us to evolve faster as a business. Despite the delays caused by COVID-19, using the funding to invest solidly in research and development allowed us to fast-track both the drying technology and the GUTHEALTH+ product itself,” she said.

Natural Evolution’s parent company Evolution Industries will now take the new technology to farms around Australia to create more scientifically verified functional foods.

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Energy-Efficient Barrel Room Environment Conrol

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 13:58:25 +1100

Cape Byron Distillery | Celebrating Australian Food and Agribusiness Innovations 2021

Cape Bryon Distillery is nestled among regenerated rainforest in the Byron Bay hinterland. Known for producing world-class gins, the distillery stays true to time-honoured traditions while seeking innovative ways to develop its products and further the industry.

When the team decided to turn a collective hand to single-malt whiskey production, they knew the immediate environment would be instrumental in terms of impact on flavour profile. Whiskey ages in barrels which breathe air from their surroundings, taking flavour influence from that environment. Appropriate control of climatic conditions including humidity and temperature is essential to success.

The Cape Byron team had a simple idea for controlling the barrel room environment — to mimic the ambient conditions of the surrounding rainforest. They developed a solution that features thicker natural insulation in the walls and use of a spray wall technology that passes air through water mist to produce a cooler more oxygen-rich environment.

Working in the coldest parts of the day, the system draws air from the rainforest creek floor — its coolest point — and filters it back into the barrel room space, where the insulation holds the temperature steady.

Distiller Eddie Brook wanted to fast-track and commercialise the energy-efficient cooling solution, to benefit the fast-growing local industry, something he says was made possible with FIAL’s involvement.

“Working with FIAL has really given us the opportunity to bring our idea to life. It means we’ve not only been able to realise it, but also to commercialise it. And that benefit flows on to the entire industry,” he said.

“This impacts other distillers in Australia and I think it will put us on the world map. Understanding how important the barrel conditions are and how we’ve managed to take out temperature curves to create a stable environment will be of huge interest,” Eddie said.

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Upple Whole Drinkable Fruit

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 13:55:45 +1100

Savio Healthy Innovations | Celebrating Australian Food and Agribusiness Innovations 2021

The Savio family has been growing apples for over 70 years. Increasingly demanding retail specifications has seen fruit once considered food- grade now demoted to juicing fruit.

This is problematic for two reasons: 1) the nutrients and fibre are lost as the peel and pulp are discarded and 2) the juice price for apples is lower than food-grade, delivering minimal return on a premium product.

The Savios looked for an innovative way to sustainably convert whole apple seconds and lower-grade fruit into a value-added everyday product rich in nutrients. They enlisted Deborah Loosley to help review the market, identify opportunities and drive the process.

Food processing engineer Gordon Young became technical lead and determined that the product needed to: 1) utilise the whole apple to get nutritional benefit, 2) taste like a fresh apple and 3) be consumed as a drink, which presented quite a challenge.

It took three years to get the Upple formula bedded down and to produce a convenient drinkable whole apple snack. Containing 99.99% apple and 0.1% vitamin C, Upple stands alone in a new category of drinkable whole fruit, offering higher fibre and nutritional levels than juice.

Upple is produced onsite at the Savio’s orchard in a HACCP accredited factory using a unique manufacturing process (patent pending). FIAL provided matched funding for the development of the product after recognising the product’s innovative nature.

“It takes courage and commitment to truly innovate, particularly in a space as crowded and noisy as the beverage market. The fact that the Savio family was willing to take a risk and invest, with FIAL’s support, in a completely new idea bodes well for the food industry,” Deborah said.

Though the onset of COVID-19 delayed the formal launch, Upple was a finalist in the Australasian Food & Beverage Awards 2020 before the product even hit the market.

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Kelp and Seaweed Products

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 13:54:28 +1100

Sea Health Products | Celebrating Australian Food and Agribusiness Innovations 2021

Jo Lane believes in the health benefits of seaweed. As the owner of Sea Health Products, she relies on hand-harvested kelp to produce her range of nutrient-rich products.

With a background in marine science and an interest in sustainable coastal environments, Jo understands the delicate balance that delivers a naturally occurring product. Harvesting relies on perfect conditions, with availability impacted by weather, tides and extreme events like bushfires and floods. Interested in accessing a more consistent supply, Jo investigated farming.

Australia has no local kelp industry so Jo toured the world in 2019 under a fellowship grant to study farming systems and cultivation methods. Back home, she worked with researchers to study the breeding cycle and commence cultivation trials.

She intended to incorporate more food items into her range including kelp jerky, tapenade and salsa, but the first product in Jo’s sights was seaweed salad. Despite an abundance of local species, Australia imports seaweed salad from Japan and Korea. Jo worked with a chef to develop the recipe and conduct trials on shelf life and packaging.

Kelp farming is common in other parts of the world, but Jo believes it’s an innovative undertaking in Australia and says it is spurred on by an interest in regenerative and restorative farming and the carbon neutral aspect of marine permaculture.

She sought FIAL’s involvement to further the food range and offer sustainably derived products that deliver significant health benefits and found that support invaluable.

“It’s a wonderful sector to be involved in. People are increasingly taking notice of provenance and very much invested in their health. FIAL’s focus on change and innovation really tied in with what we were trying to achieve, and the support has been fantastic from a funding, information and access point of view,” she said.

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