New Zealand agri-food research 'falling behind'

New Zealand is falling behind in the research and development required to tap the huge export potential of the agri-food industries, says Massey University professor Paul Moughan.

Prof Moughan, a nutritionist and co-director of the Riddet Centre for Food Research, said countries like Canada were stealing a march on New Zealand, which needed to get moving or it would miss its chance.

He recently returned from the University of Saskatchewan where he is an adviser to a major research and development project investigating the absorption and metabolism of the amino acid methionine from foods and feedstuffs.

The Saskatchewan facilities were world-class, he said, and boasted what was arguably North America's most successful university-based science parks and one of the world's most advanced synchrotrons, a giant microscope.

"Saskatchewan's economy, like New Zealand's, is dependent upon agriculture. At the university, agri-foods holds pride of place, with very impressive up-to-the-minute facilities," he said.

"The Canadian government recognises the need for ever-greater innovation in agriculture and added-value food development and is investing heavily.

"They are also attracting the best and brightest research scientists from throughout the world. They want to move away from commodity trading, to the production of high profit margin novel foods and food ingredients."

Similar messages had been preached in New Zealand for more than a decade but Prof Moughan said the difference was that Canada was walking the talk.

"New Zealand can do just as well as Canada but we need to get moving in promoting innovation as a business concept and in investing in targeted R&D or we will completely miss our chance."

He hoped the current deliberations of the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Food and Beverage Task Force, which had been proactive in addressing the issue, would provide the "much-needed catalyst".

Prof Moughan's formal appointment to the five-year project furthers his links with Canadian science. He is also a member of the College of Reviewers for Canadian Research chairs and was recently appointed an Honorary Fellow at the University of Guelph in Ontario.

The Riddet Centre is a Massey-led partnership including Auckland and Otago Universities involving advanced scientific studies in food and beverage development.

- NZPA