Australian native foods have unique nutritional, health and functional properties providing considerable potential to contribute to the global market for functional foods. Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu plum or various other local names) is a native food, cherished in Indigenous communities as a medicine and food. This small green fruit contains high levels of vitamin C, antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds and grows in abundance across the Top End of Australia.
This report outlines research developed to provide the Indigenous communities and native food industry with reliable information on the retention of bioactive compounds during harvesting, processing and storage of Kakadu plum. This will enable the development of product standards which in turn will provide the industry with scientific evidence to expand and explore new market opportunities globally.