Scientists and lawmakers in New Zealand are excited about the potential of milk, saying the country is only scraping the surface of milk’s potential.
The Government’s $700 million Fast Forward investment into science and innovation, announced last month, would make research possible.
“I have no doubt that some very smart scientists will also find ways to crack milk into a myriad of elements and lay the foundations for entirely new biotech industries,” said Minister of Agriculture Jim Anderton.
Massey University’s Riddet Institute co-director Harjinder Singh agreed, and said Mr Anderton had it right on the dot.
“It’s like a gold mine, if you like.”
Mr Anderton said there were exciting business opportunities in fields that used milk as an ingredient, able to be sold for as much as $US4000 a tonne. Nutriceuticals could sell for even more, he said.
“The challenge for our industry will be to harness these opportunities, instead of just supplying the raw ingredient, while someone else takes off with the intellectual property and all the associated returns from new products.”