Consulting and research services

We have diverse research skills, expertise and vast resources (internally, nationally and internationally) with which we can carry out research to our targeted research strengths. Our research includes conceptualization, development f research strategies and analysis and interpretation of results. We are currently focused on the following areas of food science, human nutrition and human physiology research:

• Functional foods and nutraceuticals

• Food processing

• Food labeling and nutritional panels

• Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in food service

• Dietary intake analysis and diet/menu design for institutions

• Adherence to dietary patterns and cardiometabolic outcomes, cognition and mental health

• Physiological responses to consumption of plant bioactives, nutraceuticals and dietary interventions

• Mental health, nutrition and exercise

Partnerships and Collaborations

Our laboratory members have developed an extensive range of research collaborations both within the University of Canberra and with external organizations, including the broader academic and industrial research groups as well as corporations internationally and within Australia.

We work in close collaboration with industry stakeholders on a number of different tailor made projects. Majority of these projects were successfully published in high impact, peer reviewed journals and presented on national and international conferences (in forms of poster or as a podium presentation). Some examples of these projects include; desktop research, food and beverage products and pilot clinical trials.

Desktop research

Our research team is well experienced in performing different desktop research projects including systematic literature review (with meta analysis), scoping literature reviews, narrative reviews, product and project evaluations. We also have the expertise in “big data” analysis including the access to some of the largest population (epidemiological) studies.

Food and Beverage Products

Our laboratory is based at the University of Canberra (Ngunnawal Country, Australia) and facility is equipped with necessary instruments required for the development of functional food products and evaluation of the food products including; rheological properties, colour quantification and compositional analysis (physicochemical and phytochemical composition). We are also experienced in different drying and juicing methods, extraction and compositional analysis of phytochemicals.

We also have access to preparation and training kitchen where food products are developed, tested, packed (liquid and powder) and produced on a smaller scale. Our team is experienced in taste trials including taste panel and larger population taste evaluations of the food and beverage products.

Pilot Clinical Trials

Our diverse team is trained and well experienced in performing the pilot clinical trials evaluating the effects of nutraceuticals, functional food products, beverages, dietary supplements or dietary patterns on physiological (cardiometabolic) and psychological outcomes (anxiety, stress). We are also focusing on the dose optimization (dose response), improvements in focus, concentration, physical performance, muscle recovery, satiety and satiation effects in general and in clinical populations. In addition to standard biomarker analysis (blood, serum, urine), our team utilizes the non-invasive techniques (saliva, heart rate variability) that are validated in the current scientific literature therefore reducing the participant burden. Please note that all studies including animals and humans must be approved by appropriate animal or human ethics research committee and registered with the adequate scientific bodies.