Have you seen Plant & Food Research’s information website? Lots of good information about work at Plant & Food, some of it surprising.

The numbers game in fruit breeding – an interesting article here

$60 million more funding for science research

The Government has announced a new science fund directed towards "national science challenges" in a collation of 120 promises from 33 separate policy areas framed as an "economic development" plan.

Between four and eight scientific research projects will be funded from $60 million over four years, with funding proposed by the Minister of Science and Innovation in consultation with the relevant science community and the Prime Minister's chief science adviser, Sir Peter Gluckman.

Prime Minister John Key provided three examples of the types of questions that might be suitable for funding under the national science challenge:

• How could New Zealand intensify its primary industries in an environmentally sustainable way - increasing production while at the same time protecting the environment, particularly water quality?
• What cost-effective technologies could be developed for sustainable energy production through use of biomass (plant material or agricultural waste) or advanced geothermal technologies?
• How could New Zealand produce a new generation of high-value foods - for example food or food-derived products that have demonstrated health benefits, designed for the Asian market?

The Best of New Zealand’s juices and beverages …………

The annual awards of The New Zealand Juice and Beverage Association showcase the Best of a range of categories of juices and other beverages.

This year’s awards attracted new companies with products that delivered health benefits (including overcoming the effects of flying), while other products provided antioxidants in tea based beverages.

The awards were judged by an independent panel representing food and packaging technologists, marketers, dieticians, sports personnel, media and consumers led by Kay McMath. Winners in the 2011 awards were revealed at the Association’s conference in Tauranga.

Fresh-up Big Fizz Crisp Apple from Frucor Beverages Ltd was named Supreme Champion (large producer), with both adults and teenagers enjoying the refreshing lift of a crisp apple juice.

Orange and Barley with Passionfruit syrup from Barkers of Geraldine was the Supreme Champion (small producer) with the judges describing the product as “just like homemade”

The Youth Choice Award, chosen this year by students of the Albany Senior High School, was Just Juice Orchard Strawberry and Kiwifruit  from Frucor Beverages Ltd.

A new award this year to recognise Innovation in the industry went to Coca Cola Ice-up where some clever technology has been used to produce the original formulation in a version that when the cap is released and the bottle inverted, the beverage ices up in the bottle.

A special award for Packaging went to a new company Peeld NZ Ltd for its 1 Above – described by judges as “highly innovative, functional and eye-catching”.

Full results here

In recognition of service…

Top New Zealand researchers have been recognised for their work with the presentation of prestigious awards at the Royal Society of New Zealand 2011 Research Honours event held in Wellington.

The country’s highest science and technology honour, the Rutherford Medal, was awarded to biochemist Professor Christine Winterbourn FRSNZ from the University of Otago, Christchurch, for her outstanding achievements and discoveries in free radical biology which have established her as a leading world authority in this field. Together with the medal awarded by the Royal Society of New Zealand, she also received $100,000 from the Government.

The Callaghan Medal – for outstanding contribution to science communication, in particular raising public awareness of the value of science to human progress was awarded to Professor Sir Peter Gluckman FRS, FRSNZ, Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister and  researcher at the Liggins Institute at The University of Auckland  for his exceptional and effective communication skills based on his extensive experience as a world-leading medical scientist, his scientific knowledge, and his national and international networks.

Shorland Medal to Harjinder Singh

Professor Harjinder Singh, co-director of the Riddet Institute, has been awarded the New Zealand Association of Scientists Shorland Medal 2011,  awarded in recognition of major and continued contribution to basic or applied research that has added significantly to scientific understanding or resulted in significant benefits to society.

Professor Singh, who holds a Fonterra Chair in Dairy Science at Massey University, is considered a world authority on milk proteins and their relationship to dairy technology and processing.  His work has been characterised by innovation as well as the ability to translate laboratory-based findings to the food industry.

Earlier this year, Professor Singh also received the JC Andrews award, the most prestigious award made annually by the New Zealand Institute of Food Science & Technology (NZIFST).

The Shorland Medal is awarded in recognition of major and continued contribution to basic or applied research that has added significantly to scientific understanding or resulted in significant benefits to society.

FSANZ Circular

Seed sprouts standard approved

A new primary production and processing standard for seed sprouts has been approved by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Board.

The standard has an 18-month implementation period.

“The objective of this standard is to reduce the incidence of food-borne illness associated with seed sprouts by introducing food regulatory measures for sprouts processors.”

Measures in the standard include requirements for producers to identify potential hazards and implement control measures to address those hazards. Sprout producers must also have evidence to show that control measures have been implemented.

The approval has been notified to the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council. Once FSANZ has notified the council, the council has 60 days to either ask FSANZ to review the application or inform FSANZ that it does not intend to request a review.

Call for submissions on processing aid

The application is seeking permission to approve the use of 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin (DBDMH) as an antimicrobial processing aid to be added to water for treating all foods, though it is primarily proposed to treat poultry and meat carcasses and other animal parts. Further information can be found here.

The period for submissions closes  6pm (Canberra time) 22 December 2011: