Advancing Australian Peanuts on a Nutritional Quality Platform

1. Advancing Australian Peanuts on a Nutritional Quality Platform The Quest for Quality Food | Research Symposium | 15 July 2014 Dr. Kim-Yen Phan-Thien | Teaching and Research Fellow Department of Plant and Food Sciences Dr. Graeme C. Wright | Manager, Peanut Breeding and Innovation Peanut Company of Australia School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW Dr. N. Alice Lee | Senior Lecturer

2. Advancing Australian Peanuts Agenda • Rise of health and nutrition marketing • The Australian peanut industry • Peanut genetics and breeding • Story 1: Development of Hi-Oleic peanuts • Story 2: Antioxidants – the next quality milestone in peanuts? • Conclusions

3. The Context Rising Importance of Nutrition & Health-Related Qualities in Food • Top 10 functional food trends • Health influenced the food purchase decisions of 64% of consumers, up from 61% in 2012 • 58% of consumers thought a lot about the healthfulness of their foods/beverages, 47% thought a lot about food ingredients, and 40% frequently turned their thoughts to food safety • Eight in 10 adults made some effort to eat healthier last year, and one-third (34%) made a lot of effort – behavior patterns that are unchanged over the past six years • “Ingredients added for special health benefits" and "higher in nutrients"… the top two attributes that made a food product good for health and wellness • Global functional food/beverage sales topped $118 billion in 2012 Sloan (2014) Food Technology 68(4)

4. The Australian Peanut Industry Industry Snapshot • World peanut production 39.9 Mt (2012/13) • China, India & USA the main producers • USA is the dominant exporter & sets world prices • Australian production contributes 0.2% • 11,300 ha yielding 26 kt (2.8 kt exported) • 5-8 kt imported mainly from China & Argentina • >95% Australian production in QLD • Severe droughts over past 2 decades have reduced production in Kingaroy • Large shift into irrigated regions esp. coastal Burnett Atherton, -15°S Emerald Bundaberg Kingaroy, -27°S St George • PCA established 1924 as state marketing board and deregulated in 1992 – still the largest processor, marketer & supplier in Australia

5. The Australian Peanut Industry Peanut Breeding in Australia • Genetic improvement a key strategy to achieve production goals • Historical shift in emphasis of peanut breeding program since 1977 Sun Oleic 95R imported from USA • 1980s: yield and drought adaptation for dryland production • 1990s: yield and adaptation for increased irrigated production • Since 1995: yield and kernel quality • 2000s: earlier maturing varieties

6. Story 1: Hi-Oleic Peanuts What are Hi-Oleic Peanuts? Fatty Acid Composition… Comparison of Fats Chart prepared by the Agronomy Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida (2003).

7. Story 1: Hi-Oleic Peanuts Benefits of Hi-Oleic Peanuts • Greater oil stability • Better shelf-life – less wastage • Less packaging requirements: no need for barrier packaging, pre-coating or stabilisers • Reduced oxidation • Less off-flavour development • Slower decline in roasted peanut flavour (esp. pyrazines) • Better tasting nuts for longer • Health benefits for consumers = marketing opportunity • Product differentiation from international ‘commodity grade’ peanuts

8. Story 1: Hi-Oleic Peanuts The R&D road to Hi-Oleic Peanuts • Trait identified by Uni. Florida in 1980s • Hi-Oleic trait is controlled by 2 recessive genes (‘ol1’ and ‘ol2’) • Introduced to Australia in 1990s • Conventional breeding to backcross Hi-Oleic mutant (F435) with adapted commercial Virginia lines e.g. Streeton, Conder • Selection for Hi-Oleic segregants in F2 initially done using gas chromatography on half a kernel so that remainder could still be planted for further generations • From mid-2000s NIRS calibrations developed to enable single seed selection • PCA has supplied 100% Hi-Oleic peanuts since 2002 • All new peanut variety releases from breeding program are Hi-Oleic • Quality assurance to maintain seed purity

9. Story 2: Antioxidant-Rich Peanuts Dietary Antioxidants and Human Health • Antioxidants may counteract oxidative damage to tissues and reduce risk of chronic degenerative diseases • Dietary antioxidant research frequently measures ‘total antioxidant capacity’ and phytochemical composition • Peanuts contain a wide range of antioxidants inc. phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes, tocopherols

10. Story 2: Antioxidant-Rich Peanuts Australian R&D towards Antioxidant-Rich Peanuts • Australian peanut breeding lines phenotyped for antioxidant capacity • Genotypic variation: 25% RSD in ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay) of 32 representative lines • G×E interaction: Relatively low G×E interaction suggests selection may be effective in different environments • Heritability: Moderate broad-sense heritability (genotype explained 44% phenotype on a plot basis and 82% on an entry mean basis)

11. Story 2: Antioxidant-Rich Peanuts Genetic Variation and Breeding Potential • Recombinant Inbred (RIL) population analysed for antioxidant capacity • Broad range in ORAC values that was normally distributed • Likely transgressive segregation beyond parental means • Further research • More work required to confirm heritability and G x E for the trait • Rapid, accurate and low cost phenotyping techniques are required to enable selection in larger segregating populations • Role of conjugated and matrix-bound antioxidants – implications for analysis but also bioavailability, bioactivity & functional food utility • Postharvest stability, processing effects, market & consumer research

12. Conclusions General Ideas for Australian Food Industries • The nutrition, health & wellness trend is a huge marketing opportunity • Use biomedical & clinical research to identify traits with substantiated health benefits • Input from market research to identify specific traits with commercial potential • Need to ensure marketing is an accurate portrayal of the science • Plant breeding to improve nutritional quality & value of primary products • Requires genetic variability for conventional breeding • Commercial viability requires simple, low cost, rapid phenotyping screen • Other strategies: enhancement by processing & fortification/supplementation • Interdisciplinary/collaborative approach for long-term success • Draw on University, DAFF and industry R&D capabilities to develop products that can be differentiated on a scientific basis – esp. genetic, biochemical • Collaborate to make the most of resources e.g. lab, pilot and commercial-scale R&D • Use interdisciplinary understanding to advantage e.g. plant physiology > agronomy > G×E > postharvest > bio-processing