Riddet Institute Director awarded prestigious Pickering Medal

2 December 2024 - Leading researcher and Director of the Riddet Institute, Distinguished Professor Harjinder Singh FRSNZ, has been honoured with the prestigious Pickering Medal by the Royal Society Te Apārangi.

The award, presented in Wellington on Thursday last week, celebrates Dist. Prof Singh’s groundbreaking work in developing innovative food technologies, most notably a food ingredient designed to combat iron deficiency, one of the most widespread nutritional deficiencies globally.

Iron deficiency affects more than 1.6 billion people worldwide, making it a major public health issue. Fortifying food with iron offers a practical solution, but it has long been a challenge to create a product that is both bioavailable and stable enough for commercial use without sacrificing taste

Dist. Professor Singh’s technology, Ferri-Pro^TM, is a patented iron-protein complex that addresses iron deficiency without compromising food quality. This complex attracted the attention of global food giant Nestlé, which has successfully launched Ferri-Pro^TM on the world stage.

Unlike traditional iron fortification methods, Dist. Prof Singh’s solution prevents common issues like lipid oxidation or protein coagulation, which can affect the texture, flavour and shelf-life of food products. After extensive clinical trials that confirmed its effectiveness, the technology was granted international patent protection.

In 2019, Nestlé acquired the technology in what became the largest commercial licensing deal in Massey’s history. With Nestlé’s global reach, FerriPro^TM is now poised to enhance the health of millions of people worldwide. Professor Singh has played a key role in scaling up the production processes, developing food prototypes and navigating regulatory approvals.

Ferri-Pro’s first major commercial application came in 2022 when Nestlé launched it as a fortified milk powder beverage in Pakistan under the brand BUNYAD IRON+. This has the potential to make a significant impact on iron deficiency in emerging markets.

Recognition and impact

Dist. Prof Singh’s innovation and legacy of excellence has been widely acknowledged, with several accolades highlighting his contributions to both science and industry. Among the most notable are:

• Fellow of Royal Society Te Apārangi (2002)
• Fellow of the International Academy of the International Union of Food Science and Technology (2006)
• Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists (2015)
• Massey University Research Medal (2008)
• JC Andrews Award (2011)
• Shorland Medal (2011)
• Co-recipient of the Prime Minister’s Science Prize (2012)
• International Dairy Foods Association Research Award (2015)
• American Dairy Science Association Distinguished Service Award (2018)
• PwC Commercial Impact Award, KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards (2020)
• Best Licensing Deal, KCA Australasian Research Commercialisation Awards (2022)
• Innovation in Research and Development Award, International Dairy Federation (2022)
• Finalist, KiwiNet BNZ Researcher Entrepreneur Award (2023)
• Lifetime Achievement Award, Institute of Food Technologists (2024).

Beyond Ferri-Pro^TM, Dist. Prof Singh’s lab has produced other patented technologies with broad applications, including encapsulation technology licensed to Croda Ltd, functional milk protein products developed in collaboration with Fonterra and probiotic delivery systems like Probiolife, licensed to Alpha Group. He is also working with PepsiCo to develop probiotics in fruit juices.

Entrepreneurial spirit and mentorship

As well as being a world-renowned scientist, Dist. Prof Singh is also a passionate entrepreneur. He is a co-founder of Saber Foods (trading as AndFoods) and Miruku, two Aotearoa New Zealand-based start-ups dedicated to producing sustainable, dairy-free alternatives. These ventures highlight his commitment to finding innovative solutions that address the evolving needs of the food industry and global nutrition.

Ranked as the highest-rated food scientist in New Zealand and the second highest in Australasia, Dist. Prof Singh has authored 439 peer-reviewed journal papers, 55 book chapters, and five edited volumes. He has also mentored more than 50 PhD students and 30 postdoctoral researchers from around the globe.

Dist. Prof Singh says he’s grateful to be the recipient of the Pickering Medal, and acknowledges the collective effort of his research team and their industry partners.

“This award highlights the importance of bridging discovery-based research with practical applications. It reflects the creativity and dedication of my exceptional research group, and our strong partnerships with the New Zealand and international food industry over many years. It is our collective efforts that have led to translating science innovation into practical, impactful outcomes. This award inspires us and others to continue advancing science that addresses the evolving challenges of the food industry and society.”

Provost Professor Giselle Byrnes says, “Distinguished Professor Singh is an outstanding researcher who very much deserves this prestigious honour. He is an incredibly generous mentor, advisor and supervisor to postgraduate research students and early career researchers and is deeply committed to delivering excellent quality research outcomes with ‘real world’ impact.

"Here at Massey University, we are so very proud of Distinguished Professor Singh’s research and his many achievements and wish him the warmest congratulations on being awarded the Pickering Medal.”

 - Massey News