Science system shakeup ‘to maximise investment value’
Reaction to the Government’s major overhaul of the country’s seven crown research organisations has so far been largely positive.
Plant & Food Research will be leading a national team of research looking at native honey composition and the characteristics that appeal most to consumers.
The funding for the project comes from the High-Value Nutrition National Science Challenge.
The two-year project focuses on prominent native monofloral (single flower nectar) honey – predominantly from kanuka, rata, rewarewa and kamahi – produced by Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa (TPT) beekeeping activities on Department of Conservation areas in the Rotorua region.
The project will analyse examples of honey from across the different geographical regions of the TPT rohe (territory/boundary) to search for specific chemical signatures and potential unique biomarkets.
It will determine the consistency and flavours of honey that consumers prefer, as well as consumer perceptions of Māori values and provenance.
“Honey and honey-related products account for more than $400 million of New Zealand’s export earnings each year,” says project co-lead Aaron McCallion from Waka Digital. “Mānuka honey is the primary honey export, valued for its unique bioactive properties. However, we believe that other native species may also produce honey with great taste and bioactives that will also appeal to consumers.
“Mānuka honey has scientifically-validated properties that consumers will pay a premium for,” says Dr John van Klink, project co-lead from Plant & Food Research.
Combined with advanced consumer insights, the new knowledge gleaned from the project will provide further awareness of the unique properties and consumer value of lesser-kknown honeys, and support the development of new monofloral honeys.
“This investment of over $980,000 from the High-Value Nutrition National Science Challenge fits well with our objective of supporting industrie with their growth aspirations through the application of science,” says Joanne Todd, challenge director.
The project brings together a multidisciplinary team of experts and scientists from Te Arawa and other iwi/hapu entities, Plant & Food Research, AgResearch, Massey University and Apiculture NZ to employ a collaborative bicultural approach.
Phoebe Scherer, a technical manager from the Bay of Plenty, has won the 2025 Young Grower of the Year national title.
The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards, providing the opportunity to honour both rising talent and industry stalwarts.
Award-winning boutique cheese company, Cranky Goat Ltd has gone into voluntary liquidation.
As an independent review of the National Pest Management Plan for TB finds the goal of complete eradication by 2055 is still valide, feedback is being sought on how to finish the job.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand has launched an AI-powered digital assistant to help farmers using the B+LNZ Knowledge Hub to create tailored answers and resources for their farming businesses.
A tiny organism from the arid mountains of mainland Greece is facilitating a new way of growing healthier animals on farms across New Zealand.
OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.