Research impact

PERKii is the world’s first non-fermented, low-calorie probiotic water that delivers beneficial bacteria safely to the gut.

Developed by School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability researchers, including Professor Bhesh Bhandari, PERKii enables ‘good-for-gut’ bacteria to be cheaply and easily added to lactose-free food and drinks, allowing more people to experience the benefits of probiotics.

Previously, probiotics were known to provide health benefits but could not survive the trip to the intestine due to the highly acidic environment of the stomach. This meant they had to be transported via needle or suppository – much more expensive and inconvenient methods than simple swallowing.

PERKii provides an alternative to traditional dairy-based probiotic products and is just one application of UQ’s world-first ProGel encapsulation method that has the potential to revolutionise gut health on a global scale.

It is now sold in more than 2000 stores across Australia and New Zealand.

Every year, approximately 15 million babies are born preterm globally. Despite gains in survival, the number of preterm babies is rising as they battle low weight deficits, high infection risk and often lifelong health concerns.

School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability research compares classic thermal pasteurisation with a unique new process, ‘nanosecond pulsed electric field’, to produce microbiologically safe but bioactive donor breastmilk. A novel aspect will be the creation of dried bioactive breastmilk to improve its storage and transport.

Led by Associate Professor Nidhi Bansal, this project aims to optimise breastmilk processing that will improve preterm infant health by more closely imitating natural regulation of microflora. This will be significant for opening new options for neonatal intensive care unit practices for lowering gastrointestinal disease risk via intragastric feeding and ultimately preserve innate immunity in babies who can’t receive maternal milk.

A $1.5 million collaboration between Indigenous Traditional Owners and Custodians and UQ will boost the burgeoning bushfood industry and create long-lasting Indigenous businesses.

Launched at UQ’s Gatton campus, the Australian Research Council-funded five-year project A Deadly Solution: Towards an Indigenous-led bushfood industry will see researchers work with Indigenous communities to commercialise native bushfoods and ornamental plants.

The project features ethnobotanist and Mbabaram Elder Gerry Turpin and a team of academics, community members and business owners led by UQ Adjunct Professor Dale Chapman who is an Indigenous chef and CEO of My Dilly Bag.

School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability researcher Professor Mark Turner has developed new ways to reduce the incidence of food poisoning in ready-to-eat foods including leafy green vegetables and sliced meat products.

By screening a large number of harmless bacteria naturally present on fruits and vegetables, his team has identified good bacteria which when applied back into food can inhibit and kill pathogenic bacteria.

This provides a natural approach to improving food safety both in Australia and overseas.

School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability researcher Dr Anthony Young is leading the charge against pasture dieback.

His research team has discovered that a previously little-known insect called a pearl grub is associated with severe root damage in our grazing properties.

Dr Young’s research will help us to better understand the nature of this devastating problem across Australia’s pastures, with the aim of finding a solution.

School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability researcher Dr Elham Assadi Soumeh is identifying new strategies to improve feed and animal production in a sustainable and efficient way.

Dr Assadi Soumeh’s investigates feed additives, supplements and novel ingredients which have beneficial effects on animal production, welfare, immune status, meat and egg quality, and gut health.

Her research has shown significant improvement in the ability of poultry to cope with environmental stress.