I wish to welcome all readers to this first issue of the 'Access to Asian Foods' Newsletter. This issue is part of a two part newsletter. The Asian Foods Newsletter will appear every six months and will cover all areas of Asian Foods but especially R&D projects and outcomes - with special emphasis on projects funded by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation of Australia. In addition, a shorter 'Access to Asian Vegetables Newsletter' will be produced each month for the intervening five months. This will be a double sided single sheet Newsletter which will concentrate on a specific Asian vegetable each issue plus highlight other current issues.

As there are probably several readers who may not be familiar with RIRDC, I feel that it is worth highlighting a few points about RIRDC and its Asian Foods Program. RIRDC supports R&D in three major areas: new and emerging industries, established industries and cross sectoral issues. (RIRDC has just released a new five year Corporate Strategic Plan which is freely available and provides more details of this structure). The Asian Foods R&D program is one of RIRDC's important emerging industry programs. This program has been a part of RIRDC's activities since 1991 and has grown from an initial annual budget of about $10,000 to a peak of about $700,000. In 1997/98 funding will be $557,000. In the early days of the program considerable R&D emphasis was placed on assessing the market prospects for Asian Foods in both domestic Australian and export markets. Having established that there has been and is potential for strong growth in both markets, the program has now started to focus on identifying industry constraints and R&D issues which can address these. The list of current projects provided later in this issue provides an indication of the areas of focus.

An important issue with the Asian Foods industry is that it has historically been a very diverse industry with often very limited coordinated representation. This is changing, for example, the recent establishment of an Aquatic Vegetables Industry Development Committee has been an encouraging development. Industry organisation and cooperation is an important element for the evolution of an effective R&D program. RIRDC hopes that the development of this Newsletter will foster and encourage further organisation and coordination of this important emerging industry.

The issue of the vegetable R&D levy is important for the Asian Foods Program. Most Asian vegetable growers are aware that recent changes in the levy collection conditions now mean that they are paying R&D levy on current production. This levy is managed through the Horticultural R&D Corporation (HRDC). RIRDC and HRDC are currently holding discussions about the implications of this recent levy change for the RIRDC Asian Foods Program. Readers will be kept abreast of developments through this Newsletter.

I greatly appreciate the efforts of Mandy Chew and Wendy Morgan in agreeing to prepare and organise the Newsletter. I strongly encourage all readers to send them comments and items of interest so that the Newsletter can evolve into a document which provides all readers with the most effective information in the most appropriate form. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible during the coming months. Please feel free to contact me at any time if you wish to find out more about the RIRDC program.

Dr Jeff Davis
General Manager - Research and
Manager Asian Foods Program
Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation
PO Box 4776, Kingston, ACT 1604
Phone: (02) 6272 4152
Fax: (02) 6272 5877
E-mail: jeffd@rirdc.gov.au

RIRDC ASIAN FOODS PROGRAM

RIRDC manages research and development investments on behalf of the government and industry for the benefit of the people of Australia. The objective of RIRDC's Asian Foods program is to foster the development of a viable Australian Asian Foods industry. The budget for RIRDC's Asian Foods Program for 1997-98 is $557,000. Agencies carrying out the research and development also invest in the projects.

A list of Asian Foods Projects funded in 1997-98 (as at 31 July 1997) can be obtained from our R&D Webpage or directley from RIRDC.

Objectives and key-strategies of the the Asian Foods Program in general can be found in RIRDC's Program Prospectus 1998-99.

OTHER ASIAN FOODS PROJECTS

• Developing new export vegetables with emphasis on burdock, daikon and globe artichoke (HRDC) (Dr Soon Chye Tan (08) 9368 3333, Agriculture WA)

• Study of Japanese yam (Dioscorer batatas 'Decne') for the domestic market with potential for export to Japan (Dr Vong Nguyen (043) 481 927, NSW Agriculture)

• Varietal improvement of the Asian vegetable 'Kailaan' and production of a kailaan-broccoli hybrid (HRDC) (Dr Kiang Lee (03) 9850 2266)

• A number of small projects in the NT includes storage and packaging of okra, snake beans and bitter melon (Dr T K Lim (08) 8999 2222, NT Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries)

EVALUATION OF CLUMPING BAMBOO SPECIES FOR FRESH MARKET AND PROCESSING

Australian imports of processed canned bamboo are estimated to be in excess of $4,000,000. Domestic consumption is increasing as a result of Asian migration, changing consumer trends and increasing availability of Asian style restaurants. There is no significant bamboo production in Australia.

A RIRDC funded project to evaluate a number of clumping bamboo species for their potential as fresh market and processed product has commenced at Bundaberg Research Station (BRS), Queensland. Six species have been identified for their edible qualities, viz., Dendrocalamus giganteus, D. latiflorus, D. asper, D. brandisii, Bambusa oldhamii and Gigantochloa atter. These are currently being propagated using material from the Bamboo arboretum at BRS. A major problem which we have encountered is the limited success with propagation of bamboo. A study has now commenced to investigate propagation techniques. A cheap and reliable source of bamboo plants is essential if a bamboo industry is to be established.

A field planting of the six species is to be established at BRS. Data to be collected will include growth rates and crop yield. Such data is essential to support the establishment of a bamboo industry. The first yield data is not expected until the year 2000.

Jeff Barnes
Bundaberg Research Station (BRS)
MS 108 Ashfield Road
Bundaberg QLD 4670
Phone: (071) 556 244
Fax: (071) 556 129

PUTTING THE 'AUSTRALIAN' INTO WATER CHESTNUTS

Crop species new to Australia represent both opportunities and risks to producers. Opportunities to supply markets in the species' countries of origin are primarily limited by the capacity to produce in a sufficiently large and consistent manner, while niche ethnic markets in Australia are small, and rarely justify large-scale producer investment. To break out of this chicken and egg paradox a couple of approaches would seem in order. Both revolve around close cooperation among current and intending producers of the new crop(s); in promoting a unified front to achieve volumes of production suitable for the export market and the domestic and supermarket requirements, and in raising Australian consumer awareness for the local market. An experiment is underway, catalysed by RIRDC investment, to establish the Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis) industry in Australia as a major source of export revenue, while addressing the scope for expansion of local consumption. A number of key features underpin this incentive.

Firstly, demand exists for the product in Australia, with currently approximately 15-20 t fresh produce being marketed annually. Tinned produce from Thailand and China sells for about half to two thirds the price of locally-produced fresh water chestnuts, and is used diced in Asian restaurant stir fry mixes and in home consumption. Fresh produce is preferred by discerning consumers. A weekly supply of 1t fresh water chestnut would open a weekly market for a conservative value of $5,000.

Secondly, with these new market opportunities, producers could scale up their operations, for the major limiting factor to water chestnut production - the labour intensive harvesting - has been overcome by the development of four independent mechanical harvesters. This alone should allow Australian producers to dictate price and command a large proportion of the world fresh market.

Thirdly, fresh produce export opportunities are increasing. Both Japan and Taiwan have experienced decline in local production. The US annually imports US $35-40 million tinned water chestnuts from Thailand and China. This figure is expected to rise along the western seaboard of North America as immigration from Asia proceeds.

Fourthly, current producers of water chestnut in Australia have come together, under the auspices of the Australian Aquatic Vegetables Development Committee (AAVDC), to bring cohesion and share resources and knowledge, to create an industry of critical mass to leverage research and development opportunities, to institute and maintain quality assurance, and to generally promote water chestnut in particular and aquatic vegetables in general.

At a meeting held in Victoria in May 1997, an Industry Strategy Plan and a Research and Development proposal were discussed for implementation. Discussions resulted in an Industry Development Strategy Plan which had the following features:

1. General promotion of water chestnut
2. Quality assurance and grading
3. Research and development for the industry.

A few issues have still to be resolved by the AAVDC. These include the choice of name that will appeal to Australians while retaining the name water chestnut for overseas markets, and the design of a logo for common quality assurance and marketing country wide.

Realising that even a coordinated water chestnut industry is likely to be too small to be totally effective in ensuring the viability of the industry, a crop specific industry body was not favoured. Rather, one that encompasses other aquatic vegetable species - for water chestnut producers will likely rotate with other aquatic vegetable species - was opted for. Individuals and groups researching and producing other aquatic species are encouraged to contact the author to broaden the representation on the AAVDC.

Professor David Midmore
Primary Industries Research Centre
Central Queensland University
Rockhampton, Queensland 4702
Phone: (079) 309770
Fax: (079) 309209
E-mail: d.midmore@cqu.edu.au

EXTENDING SHELF-LIFE OF MINIMAL PROCESSED LEAFY ASIAN VEGETABLES

The project involves the potential for modified atmosphere packaging for a range of leafy Asian vegetables grown in Australia. It targets minimally processed leaves used in salad-mixes and stir-frys.

Leaves of young plants or seedlings are used as these are the most tender and small enough to be packaged as whole leaves. The young leaves under study have an inherently short shelf-life which is further reduced by cutting them from the plant stem. Shelf-life of leaves is normally limited by leaf yellowing and in some cases rots can be a more important limiting factor. Under normal conditions at 10°C, shelf-life is approximately 5-8 days. Atmosphere modification however has been found to increase this by up to 130%, depending on variety.

Most vegetables have responded well to atmosphere modification, with similar oxygen and carbon dioxide optima in this range of vegetables making both individual and mixed vegetable packs feasible. Respiration rates of vegetables under optimum atmosphere conditions are currently being investigated. This is required to accurately predict the correct plastic films needed for packaging to enable the prediction of optimum plastic packaging of individual or mixed pack vegetables for any required size.

Tim O'Hare, Lung Wong and Amikha Prasad
Queensland Horticulture Institute
QDPI
19 Hercules St
Hamilton QLD 4007
Phone: (07) 3406 8555
Fax: (07) 3406 8663

ORIENTAL HOT CHILLI DEVELOPMENT IN AUSTRALIA:
Growing, Postharvest & Processing Procedures

Hot chillies, either green or red, used fresh or as a food ingredient, are an important commodity in the world, especially in Asia . Production of the chillies in Asia alone, exceeds 5.5 million t. Of the world production 128,000 t are traded internationally, with 50% traded in Asia alone with values of A$214 million and A$73 million, respectively. Australia imports 1,000 t of dried chilli with a value of A$4 million and grows about 1,000 t fresh chillies. Due to changing eating patterns the Australian market is expected to grow to A$30 million in the near future. An excellent opportunity therefore exists for Australia to develop import replacements and export markets in Asia.

The objective of this study is to develop suitable harvest, postharvest and processing procedures for oriental hot chilli varieties (Capsicum annuum L., C. frutescens Mill.) available in Australia. These will be chosen to provide levels and consistency in pungency and colour required for Asian and domestic trade in fresh chillies, dried chillies and chilli oil. The outcomes of this study will be the determination of treatments to synchronise maturity and produce adequate hotness levels for a number of varieties, the development of suitable storage, drying and extraction techniques, and the determination of recovery and quality of dried products and extracts.

Cooperators in the project are from the University of Newcastle and the Hunter Valley Herb Farm.

Dr Andreas Klieber
Department of Horticulture,Viticulture and Oenology
University of Adelaide
Phone: (08) 8303 6653

TOP RANKING ASIAN GROCERIES IN MELBOURNE AND SYDNEY

The following table is based on an Asian groceries market survey conducted by Connectica International in Melbourne and Sydney in Dec. 1996. 22 Asian (Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese) grocery shops from Melbourne and 73 Asian grocery shops from Sydney were surveyed.

Most of these products are imported from overseas.
Are there opportunities for these to be manufactured in Australia?!

A detailed report on the asian groceries survey will be published by RIRDC.

RIRDC ASIAN FOODS PUBLICATION LIST (APRIL 1997)

Production of Vegetable Green Soybean
for the Domestic Market and Trial Shipment to Japan
Dr Q V Nguyen, NSW Agriculture
RIRDC Research Paper 97/8
$25 ($4 p & h) 43 pages

Production and Postharvest Handling of Chinese Cabbage
Paul Daly and Bruce Tomkins
RIRDC Research Paper 97/1
$25 ($6 p&h) 35 pages

Proceedings of the Asian Food Industry Conference
Mr Barry Lee and Dr Roslyn Prinsley
RIRDC Research Paper 96/9
$35($6 p&h)

Feeding the Dragon:
Processed Food Opportunities in China and Hong Kong
Kelvin Fahey, SIRA International
RIRDC Research Paper 95/18
$45 ($6 p&h) 179 pages

Market Opportunities for Fresh and Processed Asian Vegetables
Dr Chris Pan, RIRDC Research Paper 95/14
$45 ($6 p&h) 117 pages, colour plates

Audit of Australian Asian Vegetables Industry
Barry Lee, Connectica International
RIRDC Research Paper 95/13
$35 ($6 p&h) 97 pages

Market Compendium of Asian Vegetables
Grant Vinning, Asian Markets Research
RIRDC Research Paper 95/12
$80 ($10 p&h) 400 pages, colour plates

Food Retailing in South East Asia - Exploring the Opportunities
Dr Alan Treadgold, Australian Centre for Retail Studies, Monash University
RIRDC Research Paper 95/10
$40 ($6 p&h) 160 pages

Review of the Market Potential for Indigenous Indian Dairy Desserts
Mr Suku Bhaskaran, Australian Food Marketing Centre
Peter J Irwin, Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co Ltd
RIRDC Research Paper 95/6
$30 ($6 p&h) 127 pages

Market for Processed Food and Beverage Products in Urban China
Professor Nicholas Samuel, Dept. of Agricultural Business, University of Adelaide
RIRDC Research Paper 94/11
$30 ($6 p&h) 76 pages

Asian Foods - Market Trends and Prospects
Grant Vinning, QLD Department of Primary Industries
RIRDC Research Paper 94/9
$25 ($6 p&h) 92 pages

Food Distribution in China and Hong Kong - Market Profile and Directory
Kelvin Fahey, SIRA International
RIRDC Research Paper 94/6
$60 ($6 p&h) 194 pages

Asian Food in Australia - Getting a Bigger Bite
INSTATE Pty Ltd
RIRDC Research Paper 94/5
$35 ($6 p&h) 88 pages

Agribusiness and Processed Food Development in South East Asia
INSTATE Pty Ltd
RIRDC Research Paper 93/1
$30 ($6 p&h) 98 pages

Asian Food National Workshop Proceedings
Dr Roslyn Prinsley and Kelvin Fahey
RIRDC Occasional Paper 1993
15 ($4 p&h) 103 pages

Asian Foods Packaging Database
Only available from Sira International Coporation, phone (02) 6296 1933
$150 for a 2 disk set
Can be run on Windows 2.1, 3.11 or higher

PICK FROM THE BOOK SHELF

In each newsletter we will present a brief summary on one of RIRDC's publications on Asian Foods. This month's issue looks at

Production and Postharvest Handling of Chinese Cabbage
Paul Daly and Bruce Tomkins
Agriculture Victoria, RIRDC Research Paper 97/1, $25 ($6 p&h) 35 pages

Based on a literature review, the report provides technical information on cultivation, harvesting and handling of the crop. Details on physical requirements for weed, disease and pest control. Also provides the results of cultivation evaluation trials in Western Australia, Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria.

All these books can be purchased from
Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)
P O Box 4776, Kingston, ACT 2600, Phone: (02) 6272 4539, Fax: (02) 6272 5877