Wild Flavours of Australia showcase
The first Wild Flavours of Australia conference, to be held on May 3 in Adelaide, will showcase Australia’s unique native foods and flavours.
The conference, organised by the Australian Native Food Industry Ltd (ANFIL) and the Australian Government’s Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), will bring together producers and researchers of Australian native foods to explore new opportunities and bring information to interested parties.
The conference will include the launch of a new RIRDC publication, Defining the Unique Flavours of Australian Native Foods, which features the first ever Australian native flavour wheel.
The flavour wheel describes the tastes and smells for a selection of commercial native fruits, berries, herbs, seeds and spices.
A recent report by the RIRDC suggested that native foods will become increasingly important for Australian farmers, as they look for crops that can survive and flourish in predicted hotter and dryer climates.
Speakers at the conference will include
- Keynote speaker Martha Shepherd, ANFIL Chair, native fruit farmer and former winner of the RIRDC Rural Women’s Award
- Andrew Fielke, award-winning Adelaide chef who specialises in cooking with native foods
- Dr Chris Read, essential oils scientist and commercial farmer with a passion for native Tasmanian pepper.
- Dr Izabela Konczak, senior research scientist from the CSIRO and expert in the health attributes of Australian native foods
- Dr Heather Smyth, flavour scientist, who has just completed the first analysis of Australian native flavours
- Dr Yasmina Sultanbawa, currently researching the use of native foods for shelf life extension.
The conference is part of the Tasting Australia event in Adelaide, running until May 6.
