Future dairy manufacturing symposium brings new insights and opportunities for collaboration

The Australia-China Joint Research Centre in Future Dairy Manufacturing recently held its 4th Research Symposium on 28 April 2020, with over 50 industry participants from 16 companies attending virtually across Australia, China and New Zealand.

The Centre was delighted to welcome local and international dairy industry companies to the Symposium, including Mengniu Dairy, Saputo Dairy Australia, Bega Cheese, Burra Foods, Lion Dairy & Drink, Freedom Foods, Fonterra Australia and NZ, DuPont China, Mondelez International China, Corio Bay Dairy Group, CHR Hansen, Austrade, Ausnutria, Dairy Australia, and Australian Dairy Park.

Professor Mark Banaszak Holl (Monash University) opened proceedings with a speech emphasising the benefits of continuing collaboration. “We have pathways for many valuable partnerships,” he said. “Together with partners at UQ, UNSW, Auckland, and Soochow, and Monash in Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur, and Suzhou, we have wonderful opportunities for dairy industry research and innovation in Australia, China, Southeast Asia, and globally.”

Professor Cordelia Selomulya (UNSW) gave an opening speech outlining the way in which the Symposium had responded to the global COVID-19 pandemic, while also expressing her pride in the Centre’s PhD students' research outcomes. Dr Evan Hynd (Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, Australian Government) also provided an overview of how the Australia-China Science and Research Fund is supporting strategic science, technology, innovation and collaboration of mutual benefit to both Australia and China.

Centre Manager Dr Ruohui Lin (Monash University) shared the Centre’s recent achievements throughout 2020 and provided insights into the way in which COVID-19 will impact the Chinese dairy industry in a positive way.

She advised that the consumption of dairy products had increased during the pandemic and is expected to continue rising even as the pandemic subsides. The increase was attributed to the promotion and endorsement of the nutritional and immune-boosting value of dairy products, particularly through official channels or ‘celebrity’-style endorsements by an influential local Public Health Advisor. With people confined to their homes during lockdown, the increase was also attributed to the significant rise in home cooking and baking.

Chaired by Associate Professor Meng Wai Woo and Dr Yong Wang, the Centre’s PhD students delivered updates on the progress of their research, including:

• Developing functional dairy products to improve bioavailability and target release by Qianyu Ye (Monash)
• Improving thermal stability of probiotics in yoghurt using microencapsulation by Naomi Vinden (UQ)
• Novel application in food viscosity reduction by Khanh Phan (UQ)
• Innovative membrane processes for desalination and improved rejection by Yang Li (Monash) and Shi Yuan (Monash)
• Characterization of solid lipid particle of fish oil and milk fat and its application in ice cream by Mitra Nostratpour (Monash)

By the Symposium’s closing remarks, participants from 48 of the 50 industry participants remained engaged, indicating a high level of interest in the Centre’s work. Overall, the Symposium provided the setting for numerous engaging and productive conversations, including discussions about the stability of probiotics during the manufacturing process and applications of novel membranes for dairy products. Many participants, including Mengniu Dairy, Fonterra, Bega Cheese, Dairy Australia and Austrade, expressed positive feedback about the event.

Despite the fact that the Centre is approaching the end of its funding agreement in June 2020, the opportunity for continued collaborations and partnerships were emphasised. Professor Banaszak Holl also thanked all the participants, and pointed to the Centre’s record of success. “It is in partnership with industry, governments, and other universities in Australia and China, that the researchers in this Centre have solved grand challenges in dairy manufacturing, provided access to the local and international expertise, and helped to create and expand critical markets,” he said.

Visit the Australia-China Joint Research Centre in Future Dairy Manufacturing website for further information on the Centre’s work.

Watch the Symposium’s Part 1 and 2 technical sessions.