The Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences supports enhanced health outcomes and economic benefits for Australia, by conducting integrated fundamental and applied research to improve the taste, quality, appearance, nutritional value and safety of food.
We aim to understand the fundamental characteristics of food that influence processing, food quality, consumer perception and nutritional value.
We support a ‘fork to farm’ consumer and nutritional focus to influence production choices across the agricultural industries.
Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa
Centre Director
y.sultanbawa@uq.edu.au
Tel +61 7 336 52145
Our centre's expertise includes:
• Food quality and human nutrition
• Sensory and consumer science
• Molecular basis for food quality
• Food bio-materials and processing
• Molecular parasitology
• Host/pathogen interactions using genomics and biotechnology
• Biofortification of fruit, nuts and vegetables
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Reawakening ancient grains
16 June 2025
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Calf Alive 2025
4 Nov 2025–6 Nov 2025
Research Highlights
Australian native plants are packed with unique and complex phytonutrients that allow the plant to survive in some of the world’s harshest environments. The ARC Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods are working with indigenous industry and communities to research the nutritional characteristics of these foods – and investigate the provenance of foods grown in Australia to transform the native Food and Agribusiness Sector.
Expanding consumption of oats beyond the usual breakfast bowl of porridge is the aim of a $5.6 million project at the Food and Beverage Accelerator. It’s FaBA’s largest research project since its establishment at The University of Queensland and involves the My PlantCo’s Real Oats brand which is working to commercialise products including oat rice, noodles and pasta.
Research Impact
Case studies
A high-antioxidant fruit created in Queensland could have the potential to boost human brain activity and scientists at The University of Queensland are keen to carry out further research.
A culturally significant Australian nut dating back to Jurassic times could have a big future thanks to University of Queensland-led research revealing its substantial health benefits.
Researchers at Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) have developed a toolkit to help manufacturers improve the texture of products to be more appealing to consumers.
