Culturing new seafood products in the laboratory is the focus of a new $9.6 million programme funded by the New Zealand Government. The new five-year Endeavour Fund programme will allow Plant & Food Research scientists, led by Dr Georgina Dowd, to develop new fish cell production systems in a New Zealand context. This technology has the potential to change the way we produce seafood and generate marine products (for example, marine collagen) through a technology known as cellular agriculture (CellAg). CellAg has been developed for animal products – with cultivated chicken available in Singapore and the USA – and developing a production system for fish is an opportunity for NZ to meet the global demand for new sustainable seafood and marine products. The programme will also investigate the New Zealand social and cultural aspects associated with acceptance of cultured fish products, including Māori views with respect to taonga species. Learn more 🔗 https://bit.ly/47r1GtN #plantandfood
The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited
Research Services
A smart green future. Together.
About us
At Plant & Food Research, we believe science can create a better future. By finding smarter, greener options today. We’re helping secure the world we want to live in tomorrow. With our partners, we use world-leading science to improve the way they grow, fish, harvest and share food. Every day, we have 1000 people working across Aotearoa New Zealand and the world to help deliver healthy foods from the world’s most sustainable systems. New fruits, better grains, less chemicals, stronger biosecurity, higher yields, great nutrition, reduce waste. We answer complex biological questions; we design innovative products and technologies; and we look over the horizon for new ways to make a smart green future.
- Website
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http://www.plantandfood.co.nz
External link for The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited
- Industry
- Research Services
- Company size
- 501-1,000 employees
- Headquarters
- Auckland
- Type
- Government Agency
- Founded
- 2008
- Specialties
- plant breeding, bioprotection, functional foods, postharvest, plant genomics, plant pathlogy, apiculture, viticulture, environmental management, entomology, water management, soil science, seafood, food innovation, and sustainable production
Locations
Employees at The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited
Updates
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Great insights from our CEO Mark Piper on his recent visit to Mainland China and Hong Kong:
Last week I had the opportunity to visit Mainland China and Hong Kong. This was my first visit to China since starting at Plant & Food Research and my first visit since Covid. I had the chance to visit with research partners and tech companies and get a sense of the growth in China (even in a recession). I also had the opportunity to visit Asia FruitLogistica ( photos below) and see how well NZ is represented on the global stage. NZTE were amazing in support of NZ businesses as always and it was great to see the large organisations with significant brand presence alongside the collaborative stands showcasing a range of NZ produce. My key takeaways from the trip: - The quality, and more importantly the reputation of quality, for Chinese made goods in Mainland China is incredible. This was the biggest change I observed since my last visit. From electric cars, luggage, clothes, sports shoes and right through to food and beverage - China has really stepped up its game and the Chinese public have noticed and are buying a lot more local. - NZ produce still carries a strong reputation for quality, taste and overall provenance. Seeing NZ companies and NZ produce with such strong brand presence in supermarkets still impresses me. Walking into a supermarket and seeing a display of delicious looking SunGold kiwifruit from Zespri always makes me proud to be a kiwi. - NZ companies do well when we show up collectively on the world stage. It can be hard to stand out alone but when you see a row of NZ kiwifruit and different varieties of NZ apples in a supermarket, it lifts the presence for all of us. - The air quality looked noticeably better in all the cities I was in. I'm not sure if that was a function of timing or not but I found it notably better than I remembered. China is, and will remain important for NZ and for those that are already doing business in China, or planning to start, my advice is to visit often. Invest the time to build strong relationships and understand the difference in culture and you will be rewarded with loyal consumers. Karen Morrish Peter Cook The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited Chris Metcalfe 梅泰亚
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Aotearoa New Zealand has many native solitary bees, but not much is known about them 🐝 In our latest Scigest podcast, newly-minted podcaster and apiculture scientist James Sainsbury speaks to entomologist Anna Kokeny about her research on our little-known native bees. They also discuss Anna's career journey and share tips for budding scientists. You can listen to our latest Scigest podcast on our website https://bit.ly/3z3YYxH or your favourite podcast platform.
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Congratulations to Dr Samarth kulshrestha for winning the Illumina Emerging Researcher Award 2024, in recognition of his exceptional use of molecular biology tools. The award, presented during the Queenstown Molecular Biology Meeting, recognises Samarth’s expertise in using next-generation sequencing technologies in his research, with a focus on non-model organisms, including native grasses and hornworts. “It’s an honour to have my research recognised with such a prestigious award,” says Samarth, a scientist in the Premium Crops & Technology Group. “I’m deeply grateful to Illumina and Queenstown Research Week for selecting me for this prestigious award. I also want to extend my gratitude towards Plant & Food Research for their support and opportunity to work within an encouraging team” “Illumina’s advanced sequencing technologies have significantly shaped my research journey, and it’s incredibly rewarding to share the impact of my work at the Queenstown Research Week. Attending Queenstown Research Week has always been a highlight for me, bringing together international and national researchers to foster meaningful discussions, potential collaborations, and a bit of fun.” The Illumina Emerging Researcher Award was developed by Illumina in collaboration with the Queenstown Molecular Biology Meeting to celebrate the work of rising researchers in the field of molecular biology. The prize acknowledges those who have made significant strides in their early careers using molecular tools to advance our understanding of biology. #plantandfood
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We’re excited to have launched the Tongan component of our $15.3M, four-year Climate Smart Pacific Food Systems Programme! 🌏 It was an honour to share this moment with our partner Nishi Trading and hear from Olivia Philpott, First Secretary for Development at the New Zealand High Commission in Tonga. With support from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade, the programme is also rolling out in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, and Samoa. Together with our partners, we’ll pilot climate-resilient agricultural practices and explore local and regional market opportunities to build a stronger, more sustainable future for Pacific food systems.
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The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited reposted this
It's been all go this week in Hong Kong as Asia Fruit Logistica, the leading exhibition for fresh fruit and vegetable marketing, kicked off for 2024. NZAPI Chief Executive Karen Morrish and The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited CEO Mark Piper have played host at the eye-catching New Zealand stand. A huge thanks to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise for supporting!
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Do you enjoy working with bees? Would you like to work with data, equipment and a variety of activities in the field and laboratory? We're hiring a Technical Assistant 👉 https://bit.ly/4gb8DDf #plantandfood
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We’re proud that Sassy™ Apples have been named as a finalist in the New Zealand Food Awards, in the Primary Sector Award category! 🎉🍎 This recognition celebrates over 15 years of research and development by Plant & Food Research, where thousands of natural cross-breed trials were conducted to perfect this exceptional variety. Huge congratulations to our partners at Prevar, Next Generation Apples, Taylor Corp and Golden Bay Fruit 🎉🍎
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🌍🎧 People | Planet | Food #podcast Roger Robson-Williams PhD chats with Kate Meyer, Founder and CEO of the Planetary Accounting Network (PAN). This small not-for-profit organisation from Wānaka is translating cutting-edge earth systems science into actionable plans, helping us all live within our planet's limits. 🌱 Kate shares her journey from avid skier to the creator of Planetary Accounting, a scientifically robust method for understanding how to live within our fair share of the planet’s finite resources. We also explore the potential of 'Planetary Facts' labels on food and other products and discuss how this Aotearoa New Zealand start-up is impacting policy discussions across Europe. You can listen to our latest Scigest podcast on our website https://lnkd.in/g7uBVqTb or your favourite podcast platform.
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Exciting progress for the global testing of Hot Climate Partnership Apple and Pear varieties! We're eager to see how these varieties will perform in South Africa. VentureFruit® TopFruit IRTA FruitFutur A.I.E. #hotclimatepartnership
2024 Marks a major step forward as the first test trees from the exciting Hot Climate Breeding Program (HCP) will be planted across various test sites under different climatic conditions in South Africa. The HCP, one of the premier breeding programs in the world, was initiated to develop apple and pear varieties that thrive in hot climates, with improved colour development, sunburn resistance, and better pack-out rates. This global collaboration, between the partners, VentureFruit, Plant & Food Research, the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), and Fruit Futur, was originally designed to address the challenges faced by producers on the Iberian Peninsula. These challenges mirror those we face in Southern Africa, making this program especially relevant for our region. TopFruit is incredibly proud to be the licensed South African partner that tests and manages these promising new varieties. This initiative is crucial for us, as sunburn and poor colour are among the top reasons for fruit culling in South African orchards. We look forward to seeing the positive impact these new selections will have on our industry! #weareTopFruit #Internationalleaders #cultivarmanagement #hotclimatebreedingprogram
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