MMFS Lecturer Dr Andrew Tilley and MU FSN graduate, now Graduate Dietitian, Gemma Burro in the lab

A long-standing collaboration between Dr Doan Nguyen, Professor Vicky Solah and the team at Murdoch University has been featured in a recent ABC Landline story highlighting Western Australian dairy producer Bannister Downs Dairy and the Daubney family. 

The segment, Dairy Dynasty: Family with milk in their veins, tells the story of one of Western Australia's last family-owned dairy operations. Established almost 100 years ago near Northcliffe, Bannister Downs Dairy now produces more than 100,000 litres of milk each week while remaining focused on animal welfare, innovation and milk quality.

As part of an AusIndustry Innovation Connections Grant, Murdoch researchers partnered with Bannister Downs Dairy to investigate whether nutritional and compositional differences existed among Western Australian milk products. The project combined industry expertise with Murdoch's Food Science and Nutrition research capability and provided valuable opportunities for student training and industry engagement.

The study compared six Western Australian retail whole-milk products, examining milk composition, fatty acid profiles, sensory characteristics and nutritional attributes. Researchers found that all products tested had strong nutritional profiles, while also identifying measurable differences in composition between brands. 

One area of particular interest was the concentration of naturally occurring nutrients and bioactive milk proteins. Analyses conducted by the Murdoch team found that the Bannister Downs samples contained comparatively high concentrations of vitamin B12 and lactoferrin. Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient involved in energy metabolism and red blood cell formation, while lactoferrin is a naturally occurring milk protein known for its antimicrobial and immune-modulating properties. The elevated lactoferrin levels have prompted ongoing research into the factors that contribute to these differences.

The Landline story includes footage of Dr Doan Nguyen using near-infrared spectroscopy equipment and highlights the important role that university-industry partnerships play in translating research into practical outcomes. It also showcases the involvement of Murdoch graduates working alongside researchers, demonstrating how collaborative projects create valuable opportunities for emerging food scientists.

For the Murdoch team, the project highlights the value of working closely with industry partners to better understand food quality, nutrition and consumer products while supporting innovation within Western Australia's dairy sector.

Watch the ABC Landline story: Dairy Dynasty: Family with milk in their vein