Professor Steve Flint
Professor of Food Safety and Microbiology, School of Food and Advanced Technology, Massey University.

Venue: Lecture Theatre 1, EIT Taradale

Admission: Gold coin donation

• 

• 

Steve will start by discussing the different microbes that are used to ferment food – yeasts, moulds and bacteria. He’ll explain the differences in fermentation results with wild microbes and those that are commercially available.

Fermentation has a long history in the food industry as a method to preserve natural sources of food. Foods such as cheeses, yoghurts, wines and beers are examples of traditional foods that are widely consumed today. However, there are changes towards a new range of fermented foods, driven by the potential effects on our health and the search for novel sensory experiences.

• 

• 

• 

The latest Institute of Food Technology journal identifies some of the most recent trends in fermented foods in the USA. For example, sales of yoghurt fell by 6% in 2019, while sales of skyr Icelandic-style yoghurt jumped 23%. High protein fermented plant-based foods, such as tempeh and seitan, are attracting interest from consumers. Products such as Gochujang, a fermented Korean red pepper paste, is becoming a trendy condiment in the US. Fermented flavours such as miso, kohi and yuzu kosho are of growing interest. In the US, sales of kombucha grew 43% in 2018 and we are seeing a similar trend in NZ, with kombucha filling supermarket shelves. We appear to be entering a new era of consumer interest in fermented foods, providing new opportunities for the food industry.

Steve Flint teaches food safety and microbiology at Massey University in Palmerston North. He has a background in the dairy industry, having worked for the Fonterra Research Centre for 20 years before joining Massey University in 2008. Steve has a team of 10 research students working on various aspects of food microbiology.