The CMI brings together experts in the ecology and function of microbial systems from the University of Auckland. The CMI research team is developing new microbial diagnostics, products and processes, including:

• directed food and beverage fermentation procedures and components
• food additives
• food processing model systems and validation capability
• wastewater treatment process prediction and enhancement tools
• environmental monitoring and assessment approaches.

The CMI can deliver microbial solutions across a wide range of natural and industrial settings.

Making new foods, flavours and colours

The CMI team can help evaluate food processing methods to ensure consistent food quality or create new flavours, foods and processing methods. The team can also select and isolate food grade pigments to produce new food colours.

Improving wines

The CMI team has an advanced understanding of how flavours in wine are produced by bacteria and yeast during wine making. Dr Mat Goddard has discovered a unique group of New Zealand yeasts that add distinctiveness to wines. This discovery is currently undergoing assessment for commercialisation.

Waste treatment and environmental management

CMI offers unique solutions to problems in waste treatment and environmental monitoring. Current research includes analysis of activated sludge waste treatment processes and development of methods for assessing stream health. Associate Professor Gillian Lewis has been liaising with local government around New Zealand to develop new indices for stream water quality based on microbial biofilms (a biofilm is a complex mix of microrganisms embedded within or associated with a polymer matrix).

Creating new biofuel and bioenergy

The CMI team are using their unique knowledge of plant breeding, radiata (animals that usually have a radial symmetry, such as jellyfish, comb jellies, sea anemones and corals) and yeast to create new biofuel alternatives.

Auckland UniServices Ltd

UniServices manages the University of Auckland’s intellectual property and is responsible for all research-based consultancy partnerships and commercialisation.