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Seeing New Investment Fund
The Top End Shelf-Stable Foods project aims to establish food manufacturing capabilities in the Northern Territory, enhancing ongoing research by Charles Darwin University into food processing and value-adding innovations for local agricultural and seafood produce. This work will serve as a crucial addition to the Northern Australia Food Technology Innovation (NAFTI) project, facilitating the transition from a theoretical initiative to a commercial investment opportunity.
The NAFTI project was established to investigate the business and technical case for producing shelf-stable foods using novel food-processing technologies in the Northern Territory and the north of Western Australia. Shelf-stable foods are products that have been processed (thermally treated or dried) so that they can be safely stored in a sealed container at room temperature for a long time. These products can be distributed without being kept cold, reducing costs and increasing supply-chain resilience. Products that are thermally treated to sterility can also bypass most biosecurity barriers to interstate and international trade.
The project opens a pathway to drive economic growth and enhance regional food resilience. It proposes that an initial pilot plant be built to lower the risks of building a modern food-processing sector in the north.
The Top End Shelf-Stable Foods project has received $50,000 to develop designs and cost estimates, aiming to create a ‘shovel-ready’ project for future investment.