Anna Wittwer is a Food Microbiology Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences with an academic interest in developing novel yeasts for bread.
A traditional sourdough loaf is a bestselling product for bakeries around the world, but producing it presents one major problem: the bread style relies on ill-defined ‘wild’ starter cultures, which often result in batch-to-batch variances in taste, aroma and texture.
Following the submission of her PhD thesis (Using Maudiozyma humilis Co-Cultures to Reduce Wheat Bread FODMAP Content), Anna confesses there was a “period of limbo” before examiner evaluation. This offered a valuable opportunity to apply her research to industry.
Eager to put her time to good use, APR.Intern facilitated a fixed-term internship with Melbourne-based Bluestone Yeast, a liquid yeast manufacturer which caters for the brewing industry in Melbourne. The aim of the internship was to establish a proof of concept for reproducible sourdough fermentation that could be commercialised as a standardised and fully scalable liquid starter culture for bakeries.
Bridging the gap
“PhD students are well aware of the difficulties involved in bridging the gap between academia and industry, regardless of their field of study,” says Anna. “Programs like this are opportunities to gain valuable experiences and contacts.”
While the University of Melbourne had previously established potentially commercial sourdough yeast and bacterial strains with proven ability to leaven and flavour bread, this project built on that research by seeking to produce a consistent, shelf-stable liquid starter product for artisanal and commercial bakeries.
A small collection of yeasts and bacteria provided by Bluestone and the University of Melbourne were assessed for their suitability for a defined liquid sourdough starter product.
The project was successful. It demonstrated a proof of concept for a scalable, defined, liquid sourdough starter with reproducible performance, a technical quality equivalent to baker’s yeast bread, and an aroma profile suitable for artisanal and commercial bakeries.
Full agency
One major benefit of internship was that Bluestone Yeast gave Anna the “full agency” she needed “to explore her intuition and the freedom to manage the project’s time commitments.”
Following the completion of her placement, Anna is now eager to work in research for industry in some capacity, “This project has contributed to my growth as a researcher,” she says. “Hopefully, my work will support the creation of a novel product for bakers, which will broaden Bluestone Yeast’s customer base.”
Connecting industry with world-class research
Reflecting on Anna’s placement, APR.Intern Business Development Manager Justin Mabbutt said: “Anna’s time with Bluestone Yeast highlights the important role APR.Intern plays in connecting industry with world-class university research to drive innovation outcomes. The partnership was built through more than 18 months of collaboration between Bluestone Yeast and the academic team before the internship commenced, reflecting the strategic engagement required to bring research into industry.
“Through this initiative, Anna’s work has contributed to the development of a potential new product for bakers while also supporting the Australian Government’s objective of increasing PhD industry engagement and strengthening the future research workforce.”
