Dr Selina Fyfe
Research Fellow – Drivers and Solutions that Promote Change
Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation
Level 2, Queensland Biosciences Precinct, St Lucia.
306 Carmody Rd, St Lucia QLD 4067
306 Carmody Rd, St Lucia QLD 4067
Researcher biography
Selina Fyfe is a research scientist in food systems, food science and food composition who holds a Research Fellow position at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI). Her research special interests include plant foods, traditional foods and food security. Selina's current research projects focus on food systems and on food composition. Her PhD thesis was on the Australian green plum (Buchanania obovata) and included food chemistry, metabolomics, multivariate statistical analysis, food composition and nutrition profiles, food sensory analysis and descriptions, physical properties, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fruit growth and maturation, and responsible research. Prior to food science, she was a multi-skilled medical scientist working in pathology laboratories and this background deepens her application of food science and her knowledge of the food system.
Book Chapters
Fyfe, Selina, Schirra, Horst Joachim, Rychlik, Michael, Smyth, Heather E. and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2022). Australian Green Plum (
Buchanania obovata
). Handbook of Phytonutrients in Indigenous Fruits and Vegetables. (pp. 219-227) GB: CABI. doi: 10.1079/9781789248067.0014
Fyfe, Selina, Chaliha, Mridusmita, Netzel, Michael E. and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2020). Ethnic foodomics: metabolomics studies of ethnic foods. Reference module in food science. (pp. 1-13) Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-08-100596-5.22794-7
Journal Articles
Subedi, Yuba Raj, Godde, Cecile, Korale-Gedara, Pradeepa, Farr, Jeremy and Fyfe, Selina (2025). Exploring the complexity of food systems assessments: a systematic literature review of frameworks and indicators. Global Food Security, 46 100881, 100881. doi: 10.1016/j.gfs.2025.100881
Fyfe, Selina, Smyth, Heather E., Schirra, Horst Joachim, Rychlik, Michael, Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Kurniawan, Nyoman D. (2023). Physical properties and magnetic resonance imaging of the Australian green plum (Buchanania obovata) through maturity and ripening and across locations. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 205 112494, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2023.112494
Fyfe, Selina, Hong, Hung, Schirra, Horst Joachim, Smyth, Heather E., Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Rychlik, Michael (2022). Folate vitamers in the Australian green plum: through growth and ripening and across locations. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9 1006393, 1006393. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1006393
Fyfe, Selina, Schirra, Horst Joachim, Rychlik, Michael, van Doorn, Annemarie, Tinngi, Ujang, Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Smyth, Heather E (2022). Future flavours from the past: sensory and nutritional profiles of green plum (Buchanania obovata), red bush apple (Syzygium suborbiculare) and wild peach (Terminalia carpentariae) from East Arnhem Land, Australia. Future Foods, 5 100136, 100136. doi: 10.1016/j.fufo.2022.100136
Fyfe, Selina, Smyth, Heather E., Schirra, Horst Joachim, Rychlik, Michael and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2022). The Framework for Responsible Research With Australian Native Plant Foods: A Food Chemist's Perspective. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8 738627, 738627. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.738627
Phan, Anh Dao Thi, Damyeh, Maral Seidi, Chaliha, Mridusmita, Akter, Saleha, Fyfe, Selina, Netzel, Michael E., Cozzolino, Daniel and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2021). The effect of maturity and season on health‐related bioactive compounds in wild harvested fruit of Terminalia ferdinandiana (Exell). International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 56 (12), 6431-6442. doi: 10.1111/ijfs.15350
Fyfe, Selina, Smyth, Heather E., Schirra, Horst Joachim, Rychlik, Michael and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2020). The nutritional potential of the native Australian green plum (Buchanania obovata) compared to other Anacardiaceae fruit and nuts. Frontiers in Nutrition, 7 600215, 600215. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.600215
Lima, Paula Cristina Carvalho, de Souza, Bianca Sarzi and Fyfe, Selina (2019). Influence of storage temperature and different packaging on the physicochemical quality of fresh-cut ‘Perola’ pineapple. Idesia, 37 (2), 13-19. doi: 10.4067/S0718-34292019000200013
Fyfe, Selina A., Netzel, Michael E., Tinggi, Ujang, Biehl, Eva M. and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2018). Buchanania obovata: An Australian Indigenous food for diet diversification. Nutrition and Dietetics, 75 (5), 527-532. doi: 10.1111/1747-0080.12437
Fyfe, Selina A., Netzel, Gabriele, Netzel, Michael E. and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2018). Buchanania obovata: functionality and phytochemical profiling of the Australian native green plum. Foods, 7 (5) 71, 71. doi: 10.3390/foods7050071
Lima, Paula Cristina Carvalho, Souza, Bianca Sarzi and Fyfe, Selina (2018). Influence of cut, packaging and storage temperature on physicochemical aspects of minimally processed Carica papaya cv. ‘Formosa’. Revista de Investigación Agraria y Ambiental, 9 (1). doi: 10.22490/21456453.2093
Conference Papers
Fyfe, Selina, Hine, Damian and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2025). Food Composition Databases in the Food System: A Global Survey and Analysis. Global Bioeconomy Alliance Conference 2025, Copenhagen, Denmark, 29 September - 3 October 2025.
Fyfe, Selina, Hine, Damian and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2025). A Global food composition database analysis for food system transformation. 14th International Food Data Conference, Rome, Italy, 1-3 September 2025.
Adiamo, Oladipupo, Fyfe, Selina and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2025). Australian Acacia species: a nutrient-dense food crop for diet diversity and climate resilience. 14th International Food Data Conference, Rome, Italy, 1-3 September 2025.
Fyfe, Selina, Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe, Harir, Mourad, Rychlik, Michael, Smyth, Heather E., Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Schirra, Horst Joachim (2025). A comparative study of methanol solvent systems for NMR and FT-ICR-MS untargeted metabolomics of Australian native fruit. AUS-oMicS 2025, Cairns, QLD, Australia, 18-21 May 2025.
Fyfe, Selina, Schirra, Horst Joachim, Rychlik, Michael, van Doorn, Anne Marie, Tinngi, Ujang, Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Smyth, Heather E. (2022). Future flavours from the past: sensory analysis of fruits from Arnhem Land. International Agriculture Conference (TropAg 2022), Brisbane, QLD Australia, 31 October - 2 November 2022.
Fyfe, Selina, Hong, Hung, Schirra, Horst Joachim, Smyth, Heather E., Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Rychlik, Michael (2022). Folate vitamers of the native Australian green plum (Buchanania obovata). International Agriculture Conference (TropAg 2022), Brisbane, QLD Australia, 31 October - 2 November 2022.
Fyfe, Selina, Smyth, Heather E., Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe, Harir, Mourad, Rychlik, Michael, Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Schirra, Horst Joachim (2022). NMR and FT-ICR-MS metabolomics of Australian native Green Plum fruit. CSIRO Cutting-edge Symposium on Integrated Systems Biology, Brisbane, Australia, 18-20 May 2022. Australia: CSIRO.
Fyfe, Selina, Sultanbawa, Yasmina, Schirra, Horst Joachim and Smyth, Heather (2021). Future flavours from the past: sensory analysis of fruit from an Australian Aboriginal community in Arnhem Land. 14th Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium: Sustainable Sensory Science, Online, 9-12 August 2021.
Fyfe, Selina, Smyth, Heather E, Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe, Harir, Mourad, Rychlik, Michael, Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Schirra, Horst Joachim (2021). Metabolite differences in the Green Plum (Buchanania obovata) fruit occur through maturation and ripening and between geographical locations. Metabolomics 2021 Online: The 17th Annual Conference of the Metabolomics Society, Online, 22-24 June 2021.
Fyfe, Selina, Sultanbawa, Yasmina, Schirra, Horst Joachim, Rychlik, Michael and Smyth, Heather E. (2021). Sensory profiling of summer fruit from East Arnhem Land. The 15th NZOZ Sensory and Consumer Science Symposium, A Virtual Conference, 9-11 February 2021. New Zealand:
Phan, Anh D. T., Damyeh, Maral S., Chaliha, Mridusmita, Akter, Saleha, Fyfe, Selina A., Netzel, Michael E, Cozzolino, Daniel and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2020). Effects of fruit maturity on physicochemical properties, sugar accumulation and antioxidant capacity of wild harvested Kakadu plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana). 1st International Electronic Conference on Food Science and Functional Foods (MDPI), Online, 10-25 November 2020. Basel, Switzerland: MDPI.
Fyfe, Selina, Smyth, Heather E., Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe, Rychlik, Michael, Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Schirra, Horst Joachim (2020). The nutritional potential of the Australian Green Plum (Buchanania obovata). Metabolomics 2020: The 16th Annual Conference of the Metabolomics Society, Online, 27 - 29 October 2020.
Fyfe, Selina, Smyth, Heather and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2019). Roadmap for researchers studying northern Australian endemic plant foods. International Tropical Agriculture Conference 2019, Brisbane, Australia, 11-13 November 2019.
Fyfe, S., Sultanbawa, Y. and Smyth, H. (2018). Sensory vocabulary for five native Australian plant foods and five native Australian leaf teas. Australian and New Zealand Sensory and Consumer Science Symposium, Brisbane, Qld, Australia, 5-7 February 2018.
Fyfe, S., Netzel, M., Tinggi, U., Biehl, E. and Sultanbawa, Y. (2017). Buchanania obovata: An Australian Indigenous food for diet diversification. TropAg2017, International Tropical Agriculture Conference, Brisbane, Qld, Australa, 20-22 November 2017.
Thesis
Fyfe, Selina (2022). Characterising the potential of the green plum (Buchanania obovata) as a native Australian fruit. PhD Thesis, Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/f4f4600