Professor Heather Smyth, a flavour chemist and sensory scientist at UQ’s Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, said there was growing consumer demand for nutritious, plant-based foods made from Australian-grown oats.
“This partnership is a fantastic opportunity to push the boundaries of oat-based innovation,” Heather said.
“Using our sensory testing panels, we’ll help develop oat products that are both highly nutritious and genuinely enjoyable new ways for consumers to experience oats at every meal.”
The project will involve a multidisciplinary team to reposition oats as a core ingredient.
FaBA’s Innovation Pathways Program led by Professor Janet McColl-Kennedy from the UQ Business School will undertake market research using more than 25 databases to provide valuable commercial insights.
FaBA Premium Food and Beverage Program and UQ QAAFI researcher Dr Jiahua Shi will oversee technical development, focusing on taste, texture, shelf life and nutritional integrity.
“Oats are incredibly nutritious and versatile, but current market offerings are limited,” Jiahua said.
“Our goal is to create oat-based products that are high in protein and fibre, naturally healthy and premium in quality.
“We’re also tackling key challenges like stabilising formulations without artificial additives, replicating familiar textures and ensuring long shelf life.”
My PlantCo’s Real Oats company wants to disrupt traditional carbohydrate staples such as wheat and rice with oat-based products that have superior nutritional benefits and are higher in protein, fibre, healthy fats and essential vitamins, while also promoting gut health through beta-glucan.
The company says oat rice contains 30 per cent fewer carbohydrates, 10 times more fibre and 60 per cent more protein than white rice, while its supply chain is more sustainable and local, with a lower carbon footprint than many other grains.
My PlantCo founder and chief executive officer Mei Yong said the collaboration would take Australian oat products to the world, “unlocking the full potential of Australian oats”.
“We see Australia as the Silicon Valley of oats — we grow some of the best-quality oats in the world and we’re sitting on a massive opportunity to lead in value-added innovation,” Mei said.
“We’re not just refining oat products, we’re creating entire new category formats.”
