Researchers are looking at the genetic and environmental factors that influence the taste of strawberries. Credit: RMIT

Why does the same species of strawberry taste different in different countries? How is it that Californian strawberries are loved by locals but fail to impress Down Under?

RMIT University researchers, Assoc. Prof. Eddie Pang and Prof. Phil Marriott, are looking for answers to those questions to help Australian strawberry growers identify which breeds grow best in which region.

The problem lies between the desire of strawberry lovers for the better tasting Australian breeds, which crop for only three months, and the financial needs of farmers, who would clearly prefer the nine-month season of the hardy varieties such as the Californian Selva.

“If you actually taste Californian varieties in California, they taste better there than they do here,” Eddie says. “We bring these varieties over and they are clones, exactly the same genetic material, and we don’t seem to be able to get the same flavour.”

The researchers are testing a hypothesis that it is the interaction between the genes and the environment that determines flavour.

By isolating the compounds and measuring the contribution of each compound to the smell and taste of the strawberry, they hope to figure out the specific environmental factors that influence the flavour of different species of strawberries.

For more information: RMIT University, Gosia Kaszubska, Tel: +61 (3) 9925 3176, +61 (417) 510 735, gosia.kaszubska@rmit.edu.au

Researchers are working with prawns in the search for a shellfish allergy vaccine. Credit: RMIT

A new oral vaccine against shellfish allergies is being developed by researchers at RMIT University.

Assoc. Prof. Andreas Lopata and his team in RMIT’s School of Applied Sciences are working to help find a different method for vaccination against the potentially deadly allergy.

“We want to create a vaccine that people can eat or swallow, rather than inject.” he said.

Seafood allergies affect millions around the world, with up to 50 per cent of Asian children reacting badly to shellfish and other seafood.

These allergies can grow worse as children grow older, and a child with allergic parents has a 30–40 per cent chance of inheriting the condition. It is estimated about one per cent of Australians are allergic to seafood.

The RMIT research team is also using sophisticated high-pressure machinery to test whether allergens can be removed from shellfish, such as prawns.

“We are looking at five types of prawn from outside Australia that are sold to our markets, as well as prawns produced in Australia for the local market and for export,” Andreas says.

“About 70 per cent of Australia’s seafood is imported and this means more species and different processing procedures. It’s not the quality of the seafood, it’s the allergic reaction in some sensitised consumers which is the problem.”

For more information: RMIT University, Gosia Kaszubska, Tel: +61 (3) 9925 3176, +61 (417) 510 735, gosia.kaszubska@rmit.edu.au

Nano-gold spikes magnified 200,000 times. Credit: RMIT

RMIT University researchers have used nanotechnology to create a pioneering sensor that can precisely measure one of the world’s most poisonous substances—mercury.

The mercury sensor developed by RMIT’s Industrial Chemistry Group uses tiny flecks of gold that are nano-engineered to make them irresistible to mercury molecules.

Efforts to reduce mercury contamination in the environment and associated health risks rely on being able to accurately measuring the toxin, a priority for mercury-emitting industries like coal-burning power generators and alumina refineries.

Prof. Suresh Bhargava, Dean of the School of Applied Sciences, says traditional mercury sensors could be unreliable.

“Industrial chimneys release a complex concoction of volatile organic compounds, ammonia and water vapour that can interfere with the monitoring systems of mercury sensors,” Suresh says.

“We wanted a sensor that would be robust enough to cope with that kind of industrial environment but also sensitive enough to give precise readings of the amount of mercury vapour in these emissions.”

The RMIT researchers used patented electrochemical processes to alter the surface of the gold, forming hundreds of tiny nano-spikes, each one about 1,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.

The nano-engineered surfaces are then used with existing measuring technologies to determine the levels of mercury in the atmosphere.

For more information: RMIT University, Gosia Kaszubska, Tel: +61 (3) 9925 3176, +61 417 510 735, gosia.kaszubska@rmit.edu.au