Major benefits can be gained by University of Otago researchers and the Otago food industry working more closely together, university food scientist Pat Silcock says.
Mr Silcock, the manager of the university Product Development Research Centre, and Dr Michelle McConnell, a senior research fellow at the university microbiology and immunology department, discussed recent university research at a gathering at the university Centre for Innovation.
Phil Stevenson, a manager at Deloitte, also outlined potential tax benefits arising from firms undertaking food-related research.
About 150 people, including university professors, other senior university staff, and members of the FoodOTAGO food industry group, attended the university gathering, which was jointly organised by the group and the university research and enterprise office.
Mr Silcock outlined extensive aquaculture-linked research undertaken with a view to improving the product quality and consistency of kina (sea urchin) roe, as a potentially lucrative export.
Dr McConnell also discussed the potential of new biologically active products in food.
Notes provided with her talk pointed to "major commercial gains" which could be made by identifying novel immune-enhancing, immune-regulating and anti-microbial factors within food.
Industry group chairman Sam Hutchison said the gathering, which included research presentations and a networking session, had been successful.
Working more closely with Otago University researchers would prove helpful in many research areas, including marketing and food-related tourism, he said.