You are currently on the new version of our website. Access the old version .

31 Results Found

  • Abstract
  • Open Access
6,369 Views
1 Page

Kakadu Plum (Terminalia Ferdinandiana)—A Native Australian Fruit with Functional Properties

  • Eshetu M. Bobasa,
  • Michael E. Netzel,
  • Stan Kubow,
  • Mridusmita Chaliha,
  • Anh Phan and
  • Yasmina Sultanbawa

Abstract: Kakadu plum (KP), a native Australian fruit, is a rich source of vitamin C, minerals and phenolic compounds. A better understanding of the (phyto)chemical composition and biological properties of KP will facilitate the development of functi...

  • Article
  • Open Access
22 Citations
4,268 Views
17 Pages

Phytochemicals, Antioxidant Activities, and Toxicological Screening of Native Australian Fruits Using Zebrafish Embryonic Model

  • Akhtar Ali,
  • Sarah M. Kiloni,
  • Paolin R. Cáceres-Vélez,
  • Patricia R. Jusuf,
  • Jeremy J. Cottrell and
  • Frank R. Dunshea

14 December 2022

Phytochemicals play a pivotal role in human health and drug discovery. The safety evaluation of plant extracts is a prerequisite to ensure that all phytochemicals are safe before translational development and human exposure. As phytochemicals are nat...

  • Article
  • Open Access
45 Citations
6,290 Views
27 Pages

23 January 2023

Native Australian fruits and spices are enriched with beneficial phytochemicals, especially phenolic compounds, which are not fully elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze native Australian mountain-pepper berries (Tasmannia lanceolata), r...

  • Proceeding Paper
  • Open Access
1 Citations
1,276 Views
6 Pages

Although fruit canopy position is known to affect phytochemical composition in a number of commercial crops, there is limited information on its impact on the nutritional quality of native Australian fruit. This study is the first to quantify ascorbi...

  • Article
  • Open Access
72 Citations
6,821 Views
18 Pages

26 September 2018

In this study, the production process of second-generation biodiesel from Australian native stone fruit have been optimised using response surface methodology via an alkali catalysed transesterification process. This process optimisation was performe...

  • Article
  • Open Access
27 Citations
4,741 Views
23 Pages

21 February 2023

In recent decades, plant bioactive phenolic compounds gained much attention due to their various health benefits. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze native Australian river mint (Mentha australis), bush mint (Mentha satureioides), sea parsle...

  • Article
  • Open Access
46 Citations
6,007 Views
20 Pages

Untargeted and Targeted Metabolomic Profiling of Australian Indigenous Fruits

  • Vuanghao Lim,
  • Sara Ghorbani Gorji,
  • Venea Dara Daygon and
  • Melissa Fitzgerald

19 March 2020

Selected Australian native fruits such as Davidson’s plum, finger lime and native pepperberry have been reported to demonstrate potent antioxidant activity. However, comprehensive metabolite profiling of these fruits is limited, therefore the c...

  • Review
  • Open Access
2 Citations
5,599 Views
61 Pages

Unlocking the Sublime: A Review of Native Australian Citrus Species

  • Joel B. Johnson,
  • Natasha L. Hungerford,
  • Yasmina Sultanbawa and
  • Michael E. Netzel

9 July 2025

Citrus fruit are well-known for their characteristic flavour and nutritional value. Global citrus production has increased by 528% between 1961 and 2021, and in Australia, citrus is the most exported fresh fruit product by volume. There are six descr...

  • Proceeding Paper
  • Open Access
1 Citations
1,052 Views
7 Pages

Functional Foods or Over-Hyped? Observations on the Antioxidant and Phenolic Content of Australian Foodstuffs

  • Joel B. Johnson,
  • Janice S. Mani,
  • Ryan J. Batley,
  • Beatriz E. Hoyos,
  • Nicola Novello,
  • Parbat Raj Thani,
  • Charitha Priyadarshani Ekanayake Arachchige,
  • Pasmita Neupane and
  • Mani Naiker

Consumers are showing increasing awareness of the concept of ‘functional foods’: foods that can provide health benefits in addition to their nutritional value. There is particular demand for foods with a high antioxidant and phenolic cont...

  • Abstract
  • Open Access
2,431 Views
1 Page

The triple burden of malnutrition is identified with overnutrition, undernutrition and hidden hunger. Although global food production in terms of calories has kept pace with population growth, low-quality diets that lead to micronutrient deficiencies...

  • Review
  • Open Access
10 Citations
23,183 Views
32 Pages

30 November 2024

Dragon fruit, which is native to northern South America and Mexico, has become a significant crop in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including Vietnam, China, and Australia. The fruit (Hylocereus spp.) is rich in various bioactive phytoch...

  • Article
  • Open Access
8 Citations
15,409 Views
10 Pages

Characterising the Physical, Phytochemical and Antioxidant Properties of the Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) Fruit

  • Ngoc Minh Quynh Pham,
  • Anita C. Chalmers,
  • Quan V. Vuong,
  • Michael C. Bowyer and
  • Christopher J. Scarlett

The tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) is an Australian native plant that fruits over the summer months. There are very few studies that have characterised its fruit; consequently, this study aimed to delineate the physical, phytochemical and antio...

  • Article
  • Open Access
8 Citations
3,635 Views
24 Pages

Valorisation of Three Underutilised Native Australian Plants: Phenolic and Organic Acid Profiles and In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity

  • Maral Seididamyeh,
  • Anh Dao Thi Phan,
  • Dharini Sivakumar,
  • Michael E. Netzel,
  • Ram Mereddy and
  • Yasmina Sultanbawa

1 February 2023

Tasmannia lanceolata, Diploglottis bracteata and Syzygium aqueum are understudied native Australian plants. This study aimed to characterise the non-anthocyanin phenolic and organic acid profiles of the aqueous extracts obtained from the leaves...

  • Article
  • Open Access
5 Citations
2,881 Views
20 Pages

12 May 2023

Austropuccinia psidii is an introduced plant pathogen known to have caused significant declines in populations of several Australian native Myrtaceae species. However, limited research has focused on the impacts of the pathogen on plant communities i...

  • Article
  • Open Access
33 Citations
7,030 Views
9 Pages

Vitamin D Content of Australian Native Food Plants and Australian-Grown Edible Seaweed

  • Laura J. Hughes,
  • Lucinda J. Black,
  • Jill L. Sherriff,
  • Eleanor Dunlop,
  • Norbert Strobel,
  • Robyn M. Lucas and
  • Janet F. Bornman

6 July 2018

Vitamin D has previously been quantified in some plants and algae, particularly in leaves of the Solanaceae family. We measured the vitamin D content of Australian native food plants and Australian-grown edible seaweed. Using liquid chromatography wi...

  • Review
  • Open Access
20 Citations
11,660 Views
28 Pages

Parasitoids of Queensland Fruit Fly Bactrocera tryoni in Australia and Prospects for Improved Biological Control

  • Ashley L. Zamek,
  • Jennifer E. Spinner,
  • Jessica L. Micallef,
  • Geoff M. Gurr and
  • Olivia L. Reynolds

22 October 2012

This review draws together available information on the biology, methods for study, and culturing of hymenopteran parasitoids of the Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni, and assesses prospects for improving biological control of this serious pest...

  • Review
  • Open Access
1 Citations
1,430 Views
5 Pages

The claims that all coconuts (Coco Nucifera L.) were introduced into Australia by Europeans were researched by studying the journals of the maritime expeditions, the records of the Queensland Acclimatisation Society, historical data and published pap...

  • Article
  • Open Access
4 Citations
3,434 Views
11 Pages

Investigation of the Most Suitable Conditions for Dehydration of Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) Fruits

  • Ngoc Minh Quynh Pham,
  • Quan V. Vuong,
  • Anh V. Le,
  • Michael C. Bowyer and
  • Christopher J. Scarlett

24 January 2020

Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) is an Australian native tree, possessing high level bioactivity and antioxidant activity. To prevent deterioration of active constituents, appropriate drying practices must be determined. This study comparatively...

  • Feature Paper
  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
5,749 Views
13 Pages

Impact of Growing Location on Kakadu Plum Fruit Composition and In Vitro Bioactivity as Determinants of Its Nutraceutical Potential

  • Eshetu M. Bobasa,
  • Saleha Akter,
  • Anh Dao Thi Phan,
  • Michael E. Netzel,
  • Daniel Cozzolino,
  • Simone Osborne and
  • Yasmina Sultanbawa

Growing location is known to affect the metabolite content and functionality of wild harvested fruits. Terminalia ferdinandiana, commonly known as Kakadu plum (KP), is among the most commercially important native Australian bush foods. Therefore, we...

  • Article
  • Open Access
4 Citations
2,105 Views
13 Pages

11 July 2024

The Illawarra plum (IP) is native to Australia and has been used as a bush food for centuries. With rich phytochemicals and natural pigments, IP has the potential to be an added ingredient to improve the physicochemical properties of food, including...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1 Citations
5,031 Views
18 Pages

Vanilla planifolia: Artificial and Insect Pollination, Floral Guides and Volatiles

  • Sahar Van Dyk,
  • Williams Barry McGlasson,
  • Mark Williams,
  • Robert Spooner-Hart and
  • Paul Holford

25 October 2024

The natural pollinator of the major species of commercially-grown vanilla, Vanilla planifolia, is unknown, and the crop requires hand pollination to achieve significant levels of fruit set; however, the traditional technique (using a toothpick) is co...

  • Article
  • Open Access
49 Citations
7,839 Views
18 Pages

Antioxidant Rich Extracts of Terminalia ferdinandiana Inhibit the Growth of Foodborne Bacteria

  • Saleha Akter,
  • Michael E. Netzel,
  • Ujang Tinggi,
  • Simone A. Osborne,
  • Mary T. Fletcher and
  • Yasmina Sultanbawa

24 July 2019

Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu plum) is a native Australian plant containing phytochemicals with antioxidant capacity. In the search for alternatives to synthetic preservatives, antioxidants from plants and herbs are increasingly being investigated...

  • Review
  • Open Access
4 Citations
4,686 Views
17 Pages

Poisonous Plants of the Genus Pimelea: A Menace for the Australian Livestock Industry

  • Rashid Saleem,
  • Ali Ahsan Bajwa,
  • Shane Campbell,
  • Mary T. Fletcher,
  • Sundaravelpandian Kalaipandian and
  • Steve W. Adkins

2 June 2023

Pimelea is a genus of about 140 plant species, some of which are well-known for causing animal poisoning resulting in significant economic losses to the Australian livestock industry. The main poisonous species/subspecies include Pimelea simplex (sub...

  • Article
  • Open Access
9 Citations
3,595 Views
17 Pages

Anti-Yeast Synergistic Effects and Mode of Action of Australian Native Plant Essential Oils

  • Fahad Alderees,
  • Ram Mereddy,
  • Stephen Were,
  • Michael E. Netzel and
  • Yasmina Sultanbawa

12 November 2021

Yeasts are the most common group of microorganisms responsible for spoilage of soft drinks and fruit juices due to their ability to withstand juice acidity and pasteurization temperatures and resist the action of weak-acid preservatives. Food industr...

  • Article
  • Open Access
29 Citations
4,166 Views
14 Pages

7 April 2020

Fopius arisanus is a solitary endoparasitoid that parasitizes a variety of tephritid species. Native to the Indo-Australian region, it is currently exploited worldwide as a biological control agent due to its exceptional efficiency in reducing pest p...

  • Article
  • Open Access
31 Citations
13,032 Views
11 Pages

Chemical and Nutritional Composition of Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu Plum) Kernels: A Novel Nutrition Source

  • Saleha Akter,
  • Michael E. Netzel,
  • Mary T. Fletcher,
  • Ujang Tinggi and
  • Yasmina Sultanbawa

12 April 2018

Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu plum) is a native Australian fruit. Industrial processing of T. ferdinandiana fruits into puree generates seeds as a by-product, which are generally discarded. The aim of our present study was to process the seed to s...

  • Article
  • Open Access
12 Citations
5,417 Views
13 Pages

It Takes Two: Dimerization Is Essential for the Broad-Spectrum Predatory and Defensive Activities of the Venom Peptide Mp1a from the Jack Jumper Ant Myrmecia pilosula

  • Samantha A. Nixon,
  • Zoltan Dekan,
  • Samuel D. Robinson,
  • Shaodong Guo,
  • Irina Vetter,
  • Andrew C. Kotze,
  • Paul F. Alewood,
  • Glenn F. King and
  • Volker Herzig

Ant venoms have recently attracted increased attention due to their chemical complexity, novel molecular frameworks, and diverse biological activities. The heterodimeric peptide ∆-myrtoxin-Mp1a (Mp1a) from the venom of the Australian jack jumper ant,...

  • Article
  • Open Access
4 Citations
2,895 Views
15 Pages

Factors Affecting the Germination Ecology of Pimelea trichostachya and Its Relationship to Field Emergence

  • Rashid Saleem,
  • Shane Campbell,
  • Mary T. Fletcher,
  • Sundaravelpandian Kalaipandian and
  • Steve Adkins

26 May 2023

Pimelea trichostachya Lindl is a little-understood Australian native plant, with irregular field emergence, causing significant poisoning to grazing livestock. The study aims to examine the form of dormancy exhibited by P. trichostachya and determine...

  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
1,496 Views
21 Pages

Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Davidson Plum (Davidsonia jerseyana) Sorbet, a Potential for New Functional Food Product

  • Brittany Harriden,
  • Costas Stathopoulos,
  • Suwimol Chockchaisawasdee,
  • Andrew J. McKune and
  • Nenad Naumovski

21 August 2025

The Australian native foods, despite high phytochemical composition, are severely underutilized in research and on the commercial market. One of these plants is the Davidson plum (Davidsonia jerseyana), a nutrient-dense and sustainable food ingredien...

  • Article
  • Open Access
6 Citations
3,235 Views
21 Pages

Quality Assessment of Burdekin Plum (Pleiogynium timoriense) during Ambient Storage

  • Gengning Chen,
  • Michael E. Netzel,
  • Sandra Milena Olarte Mantilla,
  • Anh Dao Thi Phan,
  • Gabriele Netzel,
  • Dharini Sivakumar and
  • Yasmina Sultanbawa

7 February 2023

Pleiogynium timoriense, commonly known as Burdekin plum (BP), is among many Australian native plants traditionally used by Indigenous people. However, only limited information is available on the nutritional and sensory quality of BP grown in Austral...

  • Article
  • Open Access
26 Citations
10,069 Views
19 Pages

Bioassay Guided Fractionation Protocol for Determining Novel Active Compounds in Selected Australian Flora

  • Janice Mani,
  • Joel Johnson,
  • Holly Hosking,
  • Beatriz E. Hoyos,
  • Kerry B. Walsh,
  • Paul Neilsen and
  • Mani Naiker

28 October 2022

A large variety of unique and distinct flora of Australia have developed exceptional survival methods and phytochemicals and hence may provide a significant avenue for new drug discovery. This study proposes a bioassay guided fractionation protocol t...