Episode 10: Australia's food future: Science, sustainability and a strategic pathway

Amie and Angeline sit down with Michelle Colgrave, deputy director of impact at CSIRO. They discuss how Australia is well-positioned to become a global leader in value-added food and accessible nutrition, and how innovation must be at the heart of future strategy.

Transcript

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Amie:

Welcome to Women Transforming Food, a monthly podcast brought to you by G100 and Inside FMCG, exploring the stories of inspiring women shaping the food industry. Today, I'm joined by my co-host, G100 Mission Millions, Angeline Acharya, Asia Pacific Chair of the Food Systems Innovation and Resilience Wing, and our guest for this episode, Michelle Colgrave, deputy director agriculture and food at the CSIRO. 

Welcome ladies!

Michelle:

Hi Amy and hi Angeline.

Angeline:

Hello Michelle and hello AmIE, great to be back again.

Amie:

All right, so in this series, we highlight the contributions of exceptional women reshaping the food landscape. And today, we delve into the career of Professor Michelle Colgrave, a renowned expert dedicated to enhancing food safety, quality, and nutritional accessibility. Michelle's leadership fosters crucial research and industry collaborations aimed at fortifying 

Australia's food systems, through scientific advancement, innovation, and value-added manufacturing. She is passionate about sustainability, food security, and the strategic development of Australia's role as a key value-added manufacturer, both domestically and within the global food export market. Michelle, you describe yourself as a research scientist and an analytical chemist at heart. How has your scientific background shaped your approach to tackling food safety and quality challenges?

Michelle:

Thanks, Amie. My background is as a research scientist and as you say, an analytical chemist, and that's really shaped how I approach food safety and quality challenges. We often describe it as having, like a detective's toolkit. Sometimes they refer to me as the protein detective, and that helps me uncover the hidden stories behind our food. So I've always been fascinated by the power of science to solve real world problems. 

And as an analytical chemist at heart, I love diving into the details to work out how things work, right? Even at a molecular level. So for instance, I use proteomics, which is really the study of proteins in food. And that is, you know, a way of looking at those proteins and determining whether they're the heroes or the villains. So we can think about the heroes when we think about the nutritional quality of food. know, protein, whether it comes from meat, dairy or plant based, that fue ls our growth and muscle development and so forth. But we also have proteins that can be seen as the villains when it comes to food safety. So things like allergens and gluten are two areas that I've been fascinated with. So I use tools like mass spectrometry, which you often see on shows like, know, NCIS and Mr. Mass Spectrometer. But I use it as a tool to discover how our food can affect people.

So let me give you a real example and that can be the ultra low gluten barley that we developed where I was lucky enough to support its development and we ended up with a product called Kibari. It's been really rewarding to be able to use that science, analytical chemistry to support the development of a product that can help people who suffer from conditions like celiac disease or gluten intolerance. 

But at the same time, give our farmers something to grow that's new and valuable. So I really love, I guess, you know, as I said, solving today's and tomorrow's problems. And because I think about it as how do we prepare for the future? And so whether it's things like the gluten free barley or whether it's exploring sustainable proteins and that can be things like lupins or insects and ensuring that those new foods are safe and nutritious.

So my scientific training gives me the tools to dig deep and find those answers. And it's not just about running the experiments that we do in the lab. It's about connecting the dots between science, health and sustainability. So at the end of the day, I take this approach that's driven by curiosity and a desire to make a difference. But science gives me the ability to answer those big questions like how can we feed a growing population safely and sustainably?

And then we look to find the solutions that really help people. So that's what keeps me passionate about the work that I do.

Amie:

And I can tell just from your voice that you truly are. And on the back of that, I'd love to get an understanding of how you balance that deep, scientific research and data with the need for action-oriented, real-world impact in food safety and innovation.

Michelle:

Yeah, it's a great question and it's one that as an early career scientist I probably struggled with. But I guess I've been thinking about this that science isn't done until it's applied. So, you've got to sit at the intersection of both the tools and technology that I use, that's proteomics, but then think about how that works in the food system. So I also see my role as a bit of a translator, connecting those dots between lab discoveries and solutions that farmers, food producers, consumers, can actually use. So I'll work you through a few steps that I think about when we're developing our science. The first is that we always try to start with the problem, not the tool. A lot of times scientists like, our nature is to make something and say, look at this, I made it. Do you want it? It's great. But what we actually need to do is think about the challenge that exists, whether that be for consumers, for food manufacturers, for industry, et cetera. 

So, for instance, if we're tackling gluten intolerance or we're evaluating insect proteins, I anchor my research in the questions that matter to people's lives. So we were thinking about developing Kabaribali. It wasn't just about protein analysis, which is great, can do that. It would mean we needed to understand how farmers would view this new grain. You know what are the agronomic principles by which they would work and working with nutritionists to validate those health benefits.

And that means that the science won't end up being siloed or sitting on a bench, not serving a purpose. The second thing we would do is think about how we could build bridges early and often. So that's where you take that deep science, but you pair it with those real world insights. And I've learned that you need to actively engage with regulators, with industry partners, with communities during the research process, not after. And so you're studying these novel proteins, we don't just think about the nutritional profiles. We co-design safety protocols with food manufacturers and with the regulatory bodies. And we work with even some of the international bodies like Codex Elementarius because that collaboration then fuels adoption. The next thing we think about is how you can take that technology and use it as an enabler rather than a distraction. 

So, like I said, I use mass spectrometry. It gives us molecular level precision, right? It's right down to the what proteins in this and then, but you've got to think about how does that then work in a system? So we think about, how do we take these new ideas for improving food safety? There could often be technical solutions, but then there might be technologies or processes, but we've got to interact with the supply chain operations to understand how they could be used.

So if you're developing a new analytical method, you've got to understand, well, will it work in the timeline that they have to produce these foods? And so we have to combine both that molecular precision with the implementation and operations that occur in the food industry. And I guess the last point I would raise is how we think about measuring impact and success. So we think about it through two lenses. So as a scientist, I've got to think about scientific rigor.

It's got to be publication. We've got to communicate our science. And we may also need peer review of the methods that we produce. But then we also have to think about tangible outcomes like how that technology is going to be adopted. So like I said, by food producers or even policy changes that have occurred as a result of our research. But if we can measure both of those, so the scientific rigor and the adoption, then we're really in a great place.

Angeline:

I really love that science is not done until it's applied and my question is going to be going down that pathway. So Michelle, you emphasised that we need to work with industry-defined practical solutions. What do you think is missing in the way that industry, government and research collaborate? How can we make this work better?

Michelle:

Well, I wouldn't say it's necessarily missing altogether, but perhaps not as optimized as it needs to be. And so I think that what it comes down to is the collaboration is absolutely critical between industry, government and research, but we need trust, alignment and simplicity. Now that sounds very simple to say, so let me unpack it a little bit. 

Angeline:

I like it. It's three things. That's pretty good.

Michelle:

So, it's transparency, oftentimes as a researcher, you'll be thinking about engaging with industry, you think, you know, they're just interested in making a profit. But industry might look at academia and go, they're so slow, you know, it requires all this work. So we can be disconnected in what we think of each partner. And then, and you've got those mismatched timelines. So industry needs quick results, they need products in market, but research and often government will be taking a longer term view of the world and thinking about what we need around the corner. And then we can also have complex arrangements or agreements that are put in place and that can see us stall. And so, you know, it's really about having a shared understanding of how we can help each other and build that trust and alignment. And so in order to do that, we then need open communication and creating those spaces where we can share those challenges, whether it be something that industry is facing that they're trying to solve for or a challenge that we have as a research partner in terms of how we can deliver against it. 

And do that without fear of judgment. So creating those shared spaces. Now there are some good examples of collaborative arrangements. So there's things like the CRC program, right? The Cooperative Research Centers. And there's also the Trailblazer University programs. And these demonstrate how you can pool resources and focus on common objectives that can drive real impact.

And of course, government can play a key role within all of this by firstly giving us the priorities and then incentivising innovation in those priority areas. Obviously, they fund partnerships, they can help to streamline regulations and support industry through adoption, through to scale up, which is necessary. And of course, as a scientist, I can't say enough about technology.

It is a great enabler for that transparency and efficiency in areas like supply chains or risk assessment. But that technology only reaches its potential if, like we're doing today, we're communicating it, right? We're sharing it and we're road testing it. So it's about breaking down the silos, making it easier for everyone to work together, and then aligning our efforts to create safer and more sustainable food systems that benefit us all.

Amie:

Okay, let's talk about the good guys and the bad guys when it comes to foods. What are these and can you break down why they matter so much in ensuring food that is safe, nutritious and accessible to all? 

Michelle:

Yeah, so my research really focuses on both those good guys and bad guys, the heroes and the villains, right, in the protein world.

Amie:

I love this.

Michelle:

Yeah, but they're not always, yeah, it's like superheroes. This is like, I don't know whether we're in the Marvel or DC world right now, but that's where we're at. So when we talk about bioactive, we're talking about biological components that deliver some form of health benefit generally. It's generally considered as health.

Now it doesn't have to be a protein, although I'm a protein peptide scientist, so I'll say they're the best ones, but there are other types. So, I mean, everyone knows about things like probiotics that improve gut health. You might know about polyphenols that can be antioxidants, right, and reduce inflammation. Another area we've worked on is omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for cardiovascular health, but also cognitive development and help to avoid cognitive decline in later years. 

So these are all bioactives, but proteins and peptides also can deliver specific functionality or bioactivity. And the example might be like an antimicrobial peptide that you have within, say, some bread, which will help with shelf life stability so that you're avoiding, you know, molds and other things growing. So there's heaps of things that can fall into the bracket of bioactives. And these are often added to foods or they can be derived from different types of protein sources or food sources, anything from plants to dairy. 

They can come from byproducts or co-products of food manufacturing, like from, whey. And we create these as functional foods that can help to prevent some of those chronic diseases. And they can be considered the cornerstone of modern nutrition. But then let's go to the villains, right? So on the flip side, you've got proteins like gluten is an example that can cause serious reactions in those people who have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Now gluten is a whole class of proteins that are found in wheat, barley, rye and even trace amounts of those can trigger issues for some and that's why we have strict standards around them ensuring that they have less than 20 parts per million of gluten in the foods and that's really vital for safety.

And likewise, allergens can trigger life-threatening anaphylaxis in susceptible individuals. So we need really good methods for testing for them, and we need accurate food labeling, and that is necessary to safeguard the health of those populations that are otherwise susceptible. So there are opportunities where we can balance these elements as well. So it's not all about being good or bad. Maybe they can have some interactions. Maybe we can turn.

Amie:

I was going to say, there is an instance where a bad guy here can be the villain is good.

Michelle:

Yeah, like 100% and like not everyone in the population responds badly to a villain. What is a villain to one might be like a friend or a frenemy, I don't know, to others. But there are also opportunities to balance these. So some bioactives like polyphenols, for instance, can reduce the allergenic potential of particular proteins. And it does it by changing the structure in such a way that those parts of the protein that are normally exposed are no longer there and the body doesn't interact with them. And so you can kind of have this, I guess, the fight between the villains and the heroes and end up with a neutral, I don't know, person in the, an outcome. I don't know, I don't know what's a,

Amie:

I don't know what we're calling it. They're between the villain and the good guy.

Michelle:

Yeah, something there anyway. But then you can also use food technology and innovations in that space to actually modify foods in such a way. So like fermentation, for instance, is a great technology that we've been using for tens of thousands of years, really. And it actually can break down proteins into things that are no longer a negative for the body. 

We just need to understand them and that's where sort of the science comes into play and then we can understand the interactions of those foods during the food making process and then during ingestion and consumption of those foods and how they interact with the body. So yeah, that's where my research is really focused.

Amie:

And it makes complete sense when explained like that, so thank you.

Angeline:

The good guys and the bad. So one of the hats you wear is you are Professor Michelle Colgrave, right? And you do lead a few PhD students. I'm sure over the years you've got lots of them that you've helped along the way. But in leading these PhD students to drive our agriculture and food research ambition at university level, what's been your approach to developing the next generation of food scientists and industry leaders, Michelle?

Michelle:

Yeah, so I mean, I absolutely love this part of my role, you know, developing the next generation of food scientists and probably, I hope, industry leaders. And it's for me, it's about empowering their curiosity and again, bringing that real world connection into play. So I want my students to not just leave as technical experts. 

That's great if they are but I want them to have the confidence to tackle real world problems, big challenges, and there's plenty of them coming at us in the ag and food space. So again, I like to kind of break it down into a few steps. And the first one is that curiosity, right? How do we foster curiosity? How do we encourage students to ask big bold questions and explore ideas that excite them? Because I don't know about you, but you know, you're doing a PhD, you've got to be passionate about what you're doing.

And so if it doesn't excite them, you know, but they're not going to deliver the best outcomes and it's going to be a bit of a journey. 

Amie:

It's so true.

Angeline:

Well, it's three years of your life, isn't it? Or more sometimes.

Michelle:

Yeah, yeah, can be longer, right, depending on how you tackle it. So whether, you know, whether they're thinking about some of these areas we work in, uncovering novel proteins or solving some of the food safety puzzles, I want to make them feel like they're contributing something really meaningful to that, bringing their fresh ideas.

Because we obviously get biased around our own approaches and ideas, so really fostering that curiosity. In my space as well, I guess the second point is that I want them to have a really hands-on experience. And so that is more than just theory, it's about that application of the science. And so they get plenty of lab time, of course, because that's really important. I like to expose them to cutting-edge tools, especially, you know, for my space, it's about mass spectrometry but giving them the opportunities to work on projects that have that real world impact where they can see how their science is going to contribute in the long term. And that could be, again, around things like understanding allergens, or it could be about developing new sustainable protein solutions, but they're going to do that whole workflow from the lab all the way through to seeing how that will influence policy or they'll engage with food manufacturers.

And that's where the third and key component is, it's around collaboration. So, you know, when we're thinking about it, we want to connect those students in with industry partners. It might be farmers, you know, growers, or it could be policymakers because all of those stakeholders are important in this process because it's about that adoption. So they want to, in doing that, I want them to see how their research fits into the bigger picture.

And that, I guess, not only will it help them see that sort of research journey and impact pathway, but it also helps them build out networks that they can use beyond their studies and will serve them well in their careers. And I guess the last part is something I do with the students that I formally supervise, but also others in the ecosystem, and that is mentoring and mentoring with purpose. And I know, Angeline, you've also been a great mentor. So, you know, I think we share that commonality.

Angeline:

We sure do.

Michelle:

Yeah and it's about how do you see yourself as a guide rather than a supervisor and help those students or early career researchers find their own path and that can be in academia, in industry, can be something entirely different. Some of them have gone on to become sort of entrepreneurs but it's giving them a set of skills both technical in the lab etc but also those soft skills they need to help them and build their confidence. 

And so I really want the students to leave with a mindset that science can solve real world problems. It'll improve lives in one form or another. And just watching them grow through that research journey or through the years of mentorship is just something that is so like it fuels your own passion for science. It keeps your life interesting. And so that's why I think it's just one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.

Angeline:

And I can see that in your expression there as well, but I loved how you stepped out of it. No doubt as students who are listening to it, you might get a plethora of people coming up to you to supervise it now.

Michelle:

Well, the good thing is right, that you pay it forward. So hopefully some of those who I've mentored can step into some of those roles and then help them out. Yeah, bring it on.

Angeline:

Great, great call.

Amie Larter:

I love it and I love how logical your approach to whether it be the research or teaching is. I think that's really inspiring and very much action focused. So talking bigger picture, what should Australia be doing differently when it comes to value added food and ensuring we maximise accessible nutrition for domestic consumption and export?

Michelle:

Yeah, massive question here coming at a really important point in time, right? Australia has this incredible potential to lead in value added food and accessible nutrition. We are doing a really good job of, you know, we feed more than 70 million people with the food produced here in Australia, which is remarkable. And much of that is supporting our domestic nutrition, but also going to export markets. 

But that doesn't mean that we should just do what we've always done. We have got some massive headwinds coming at us and so it's important to think about, how do we build on our competitive and comparative advantages. So a few things we should think about and the first one is really thinking about how do we leverage native ingredients and premium products and so that goes into tapping into Indigenous knowledge and supporting our Indigenous businesses and thinking about some of those remarkable ingredients.

Like, for instance, if you look at things like Kakadu plum, they are just absolutely full of bioactive components and they are something that we could support more as well as many of the other native grains and fruits. And so that's a key area that we can really lean into. We could showcase them on a global stage and then start to create value-added products from them that also can help us to tap into that sort of cultural heritage. Of course, as a scientist, I have to say we've got to invest in innovation, you know, because it's really important. And whether that innovation is the technologies that I've described or things that are coming at us, AI, machine learning, you know, all the data science, thinking about how that can be used for supply chain efficiencies, for biosecurity, for new technologies that are coming through in terms of smart packaging to reduce food waste. 

These are all great areas. And then of course, what we've been talking about today a lot is about food fortification, how we can make really healthy and sustainable products for the future. And I think, you know, there's still really great opportunities in say fermented products. I love fermentation as a technology and the value it can bring in terms of enhancing this sensory and olfactory experience, like that's the taste and texture of foods, right? But also thinking about the opportunities that still exist in the plant-based sector as well. Of course, we've got to keep a keen eye on sustainability. And so consumers are telling us that they want these eco-friendly solutions. 

They're concerned about whether it's got compostable packaging, if we're reducing food waste, can we upcycle byproducts to deliver greater value. These are all practices that not only align with global trends, but also strengthen Australia's clean and green reputation. Really important, and I think I've seen a lot in the media today, is around strengthening domestic food security. So, you know, that's a topic that runs quite deep. And I think we've got more to be done than just, 

I guess, dealing with supermarkets and pandemic and cyclone induced panic buying. goes beyond these things that we've experienced in recent times. But it's about ensuring that we've got better food systems to ensure nutritious food is available for all Australians. And that really goes into remote and regional communities as well. And then I think it's about how we can tell our story better.

So we're on a communication platform today. You know, we've got a role in making sure that we are telling the great story about clean, high quality, sustainable products, how we market them effectively to compete globally, and also thinking about the role that these technologies have and the story we tell around traceability, whether we're using tools like blockchain and reinforcing trust in the products that we make. 

So there's this opportunity to combine innovation with sustainability and storytelling and create a food system that meets our domestic needs here, but also thinking about the opportunity to be that global leader in valuated food products with that great nutrition.

Angeline:

Some great tips that you've unpacked for us. it clearly again emphasises to me, food is not simple, it's complex, right? And there's gonna be a number of myriads of points needed to do it. So you touched a little bit, but let's try and unpack this thing. There's been a lot of chatter and a lot of talk about developing a national food security strategy, what I'm really excited about. So why do you think, Michelle, that's important right now for our food sector?

What are the essential ingredients that is needed to develop this food security plan that will truly integrate all the signs that you've talked about, the innovation, the technology into the value added opportunities that we need for food going forward?

Michelle:

Yeah, it's a really hot topic right now and that's for sure. There's been quite a few inquiries and sort of policy submissions and even, you know, some green papers that have launched, I think today even. So it's really, you know, it's a really topical area. So when we think about national food security, we're thinking about our food systems as a whole, not as a single supply chain, not as a product on a supermarket shelf, we're thinking about that whole food system. And that food system has got unprecedented pressure on it right now. 

So we've got geopolitical tensions, we've got climate extremes, you know, we're seeing droughts and floods more frequently, more severe. We've got supply chain disruptions that we saw through COVID, you know, transport and logistics becomes a real issue, especially being, I guess, export exposed as we are.

And then we've got shifting global demands around our foods as well. So we've got this massive challenge of feeding not only our population, but thinking beyond that to support populations in our region. And so it's about thinking about how do we work to future-proof the sector, which is a sector that's really central to our economy and our identity. So...

Of course, I would start by saying it's got to be built on science-led innovation. You know, that's the scientist in me can't help but say that. And it's, you know, to look at how we leverage scientific tools and approaches, not only like the ones I use like proteomics, but thinking about the AI and think about like, you know, how do we use those technologies to develop climate resilient crops or allergen-free grains, as I've talked about?

But it's not just about growing more food. It's about growing better food. So nutrient dense, safe, tailored to diverse needs. And then like, so an example this week, we also had some media around one of the platforms we've been using with AI. It's a Magda++ platform.

And that is a technology or a platform that helps us to predict the yield, the taste and the functional property of plant-based proteins, right? So a really unique combination of technologies to deliver against some of the challenges that we're leaning into. 

Angeline:

Wow, I like the name, but I also like what it does.

Michelle:

Yeah, no, it's really, it's a new use of technology that was developed for something else, but now applying it to the food challenges. And so the plan that we need really should encompass that tech-driven sustainability.

So thinking about precision agriculture, water-efficient farming. I've mentioned already upcycling food byproducts to help us mitigate waste and in doing so also emissions, lowering our emissions profile and at the same time boosting productivity. So huge opportunities there. We talked about collaboration already, but the plan has to support collaborative ecosystems.

Bridging the gap between farmers, researchers, industry, using co-design principles around the solutions and where we're using living labs or research farms to solve some of these challenges. Thinking about how do we deliver drought tolerant crops or deliver blockchain technology that we test on real farms before we scale it out. And then I've mentioned already the indigenous knowledge in native foods. 

So how does the plan encompass that and support Indigenous businesses. It's not just about cultural pride, it's about smart nutrition and how do we take those amazing, like diverse foods with like packed with nutrition and deliver them as unique export opportunities. But it also has to think about policy and perhaps policy agility because what we need to think about is how do we streamline regulations to fast-track innovations, but doing it with a mindset of food safety, of course, and then so maintaining those strict safety standards, ensuring our clean and green reputation, but also thinking about how policy can incentivise farmers to adopt more sustainable practices, whether that's grants or credit systems, but there's, you know, we've got to bring that into the national food plan. 

And of course, again, something I've already mentioned is about equitable access to nutrition. So thinking about how we can support nutrition in our remote and regional communities, whether it be through fortified foods that we perhaps deliver or whether it's through local food hubs and having people with that nutrition knowledge empowered to work in those regional communities to deliver those benefits.

I think we're at a time where we need that national strategy, but it's got to be that mixture of sort of the cutting edge science and innovation, practicality, but also bringing into play sort of that policy agility to allow us to make the most of those innovations.

Angeline:

Clearly you've spent some time thinking about this, right? But also I think as a fellow person in the food industry, think we sort of sit here and go, why don't we have one already? And I totally agree. I think the time was yesterday, but let's start.

Michelle:

Yeah, 100%. And like, I look to examples overseas where they do have these plans in place and see some of the benefits that have flowed from those. So I think, yeah, there's no time like yesterday, but let's start today.

Angeline:

That's true.

Amie:

Okay, so looking around the corner, you talk about the need to anticipate industry challenges before they happen. And I tell you, I'm a little bit hesitant to even ask this question right now at this time. But what are the biggest threats or opportunities that Australia's food industry should be preparing for right now?

Michelle:

Yeah, I mean, it's hard, right? And I've mentioned some of these already. Like we're talking about how does the food industry at this pivotal moment in time stay ahead of the curve and at the same time, you know, anticipates challenges, seizes opportunities. It's a lot to ask of anyone. But we have, you know, I've mentioned increasingly we're facing these climate and sustainability pressures, the extreme weather, climate reporting requirements.

How we reshape our food systems, thinking about how we produce and also package food, how we adapt quickly with resilient crops, sustainable practices. There's so much to be done in that space. But then we've also talked a little bit about supply chain vulnerabilities and what that means in a national food security setting. And it's not just about the science, it's not just about the food production, it's about actually labour shortages, rising costs, the geopolitical tensions, all of these things come together to put our supply chains at risk. And as I said, we export a lot of our food, so we have to think about how do we get the food to the place where it's needed and wanted? And so there's challenges there as well. But we are also facing into, you know, cost of living crisis. 

We need to think about affordability because that then leads to accessibility of nutrition. So, you know, we've got tighter budgets, everyone's feeling the pinch around that. And so there are consumers are looking at how do they balance affordability with quality in all of this. So some big threats or, you know, headwinds coming at us. But at the same time, I'm always an optimist. So there's some exciting opportunities. 

So thinking about how we, you know, can look into some of those native ingredients that I've already mentioned. And despite what you would consider, I guess, slowing growth in some markets, like plant-based has dropped in terms of its growth rates, but it's still a significant opportunity. We're still seeing flexitarian diets growing. And so I think we can still lead the way with innovative products in that space, and we're already doing that. And they can cater for both health conscious as well as environmentally aware consumers.

And I've talked a lot about upcycling. So how do we work with our meat and dairy sectors to make sure that everything that we grow and produce finds its best value and that value can be the economic value or nutritional value for our consumers. So ensuring that we are harvesting nutrition from farm to fork. And I think then, you know, that ability to embrace AI and these digital technologies for efficiency, again for streamlining operations, for thinking about how we again mitigate some of the food waste and the logistical issues around transport and so forth, and enhance consumer engagement, making sure that we're hearing back from consumers about what they want and need in the market. 

But the one that's really interesting, and I was at a vocag quite recently, And I was on a panel with Jack Bobo, many of you may have heard of Jack. We were talking about what is perhaps a fad, maybe a force. The jury's still out, I think. But we were talking about things that are coming at us, like the rise of GLP-1 drugs. So these are things like Ozempic that you may have heard of, where in Australia there is some prevalence of these in consumers.

In the US, it's about 10% of consumers that are already taking these medications for weight loss. They were originally designed for diabetes management. But what they actually do is reduce appetite and reduce satiety. And that can really shift the way that we both consume foods and how we interact with those foods. And thinking about how those types of trends, whether they be forced, you know, that's going to remain or whether they're a fad, will impact the way that we produce foods.

So there's going to be some really interesting dynamics around how we engage with our food and what that means in terms of food manufacturers perhaps shifting to different products that cater for those consumers who are on those medications. And then thinking about how we bring in different interventions in terms of lifestyle changes to address a permanent shift to a healthier, more sustainable, I guess interaction with foods because I don't think being on the medications long term is really the goal here. It's about bringing in an intervention in the short term. 

So I think as we kind of look towards the future, we've got to embrace these innovations, but we've got to stay adaptable to all of these shifts that are occurring around us. So it's sustainability, it's technology, it's inclusivity and how we can ensure that Australia's food sector thrives in what is an ever-changing environment.

Amie:

That's so true. Well, a big thank you to you, our listeners as well for tuning into this episode of Women Transforming Food. If you've enjoyed this episode, feel free to like and subscribe wherever you tune into your podcasts.