Researcher biography
Dr Thomas Hay is a food scientist and flavour chemist specialising in metabolomics and food materials analysis. His research explores bioactive compounds, pigments, and functional ingredients from foods as natural alternatives to food additives for colour, texture, and flavour.
Thomas is strongly interested in developing innovative alternative food formulations that enhance sustainability and support positive health outcomes.
Journal Articles
Hay, Thomas Owen, Bekker, Marlize, Nadolny, Jaqueline Moura, Ojeda, Joanne, Sadler, Alice, Ai, Jing, Williams, James, Hoang, Jasmie, Kelly, Mathew and Smyth, Heather Eunice (2026). Articulating terroir in beef: integrating breed, diet, and environment to predict beef flavour chemistry. Trends in Food Science and Technology, 174 105787, 105787-174. doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2026.105787
Hay, Thomas Owen, Nastasi, Joseph Robert, Prakash, Sangeeta and Fitzgerald, Melissa (2025). Comparison of Gidyea gum, gum Arabic, and maltodextrin in the microencapsulation and colour stabilisation of anthocyanin-rich powders using freeze-drying and spray-drying techniques. Food Hydrocolloids, 163 111023, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2024.111023
Hay, Thomas Owen, Nastasi, Joseph Robert, Turpin, Gerry, Chapman, Dale, Fredricks, Bronwyn, Thompson, Suzanne and Fitzgerald, Melissa (2025). Methodology for accessing cyanogen glycoside and alkaloid content in Traditional foods. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 60 (1) vvae013, 1-11. doi: 10.1093/ijfood/vvae013
Hay, Thomas Owen, Fitzgerald, Melissa A. and Nastasi, Joseph Robert (2025). Systematic application of UPLC-Q-ToF-MS/MS coupled with chemometrics for the identification of natural food pigments from Davidson plum and native currant. Food Chemistry: X, 25 102072, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.102072
Nastasi, Joseph Robert, Hay, Thomas Owen, Fitzgerald, Melissa A. and Kontogiorgos, Vassilis (2025). Design and evaluation of pH-sensitive pectin films infused with anthocyanin-rich extracts from Australian native fruits for intelligent food packaging applications. Food Biophysics, 20 (1) 1, 1-13. doi: 10.1007/s11483-024-09900-3
Hay, Thomas Owen, Kontogiorgos, Vassillis, Thompson, Suzanne, Nastasi, Joseph Robert and Fitzgerald, Melissa (2024). A new hydrocolloid to rival gum Arabic: Characterisation of a traditional food gum from Australian Acacia cambagei. Food Hydrocolloids, 153 110003, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2024.110003
Hay, Thomas, Prakash, Sangeeta, Daygon, Venea Dara and Fitzgerald, Melissa (2022). Review of edible Australian flora for colour and flavour additives: appraisal of suitability and ethicality for bushfoods as natural additives to facilitate new industry growth. Trends in Food Science and Technology, 129, 74-87. doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2022.09.003
Conference Paper
Hay, Thomas Owen, Thompson, Suzanne, Nastasi, Joseph, Kontogiorgos, Vassilis and Fitzgerald, Melissa (2025). Indigenous Knowledge, Scientific Innovation: Gidyea Gum and a Future Native Gums Industry for Queensland. Developing Northern Australia Conference, Cairns, Qld, Australia, 22-24 July 2025.
Thesis
Hay, Thomas (2025). The utility of traditional foods for use as naturally sourced food additives. PhD Thesis, School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/44f534e