Why the Fresh Produce Bioactives project exists? What We Do

Australians know they should eat more fruits and vegetables, yet most of us still don’t eat enough. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that in 2022, only 4.2 per cent of Australian adults and 4.3% of children reported eating the recommended amounts of both

fruit and vegetables.  

Most Australians understand that plant foods provide vitamins, minerals, fibre, and energy. However, fewer people are aware that fruits, vegetables, berries, nuts, herbs, and other plant foods also contain a vast diversity of bioactive compounds: naturally occurring plant compounds that can influence human health in subtle, complex, and cumulative ways.  

Bioactives offer a powerful new way to understand and communicate the health value of fresh and minimally processed plant foods. 

Supported by Hort Innovation using the onion and vegetable research and development levies, Hort Innovation Frontiers, and contributions from the Australian Government, the Fresh Produce Bioactives Project brings together expertise in plant science, nutrition, health, education, communication, social research, and industry engagement. Our interdisciplinary team brings a systems perspective on bioactives, connecting what happens in soils, farms, supply chains, kitchens, communities, and bodies. Meet our team HERE. 

We aim to provide the science and public understanding around the benefits of fresh produce bioactives, equipping Australians with the knowledge and skills in growing, selecting, and preparing fresh produce to support their health. 

We work alongside those in the agriculture, health, education and business sectors, not to promote individual “superfoods” or isolated compounds, but to help build public understanding of the importance of eating a variety of plant foods regularly over time.  

We recognise growers as providing more than a commodity – they are important contributors to public health and wellbeing. Australian-grown fruits, vegetables, berries, and nuts are part of a preventative health landscape that deserves greater public recognition, stronger research investment, and more imaginative communication.  

Our central message is simple: dietary diversity supports long-term health, and plant-based fresh produce is one of the most important sources of bioactive diversity in everyday life.  

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn to keep up with our latest research, events and resources, and reach out to engage@freshproducebioactives.com.au to join our mailing list and learn more.