Introduction by Croakey: Foods that have been used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for millennia, such as bunya nuts, finger limes and wattle seed, have unique sensory profiles, nutritional properties, and ecological adaptations that make them valuable to chefs, scientists, and industry alike, according to the authors of a new paper.
However, growing interest in the commercialisation of such foods raises important questions about the protection of Indigenous intellectual property rights, sustainability and cultural appropriation, the researchers say in the paper, ‘Australian native foods in gastronomy: Culture, ethics, culinary practice, and supply chains’.
“By aligning cultural recognition with scientific research and commercial innovation, Australia has the opportunity to build a native food industry that is not only globally competitive but also ethically grounded and culturally inclusive,” they write.
Below the authors say that native foods are not just a culinary trend, but “part of a larger conversation about health equity, sovereignty, sustainability and Australia’s ongoing relationship with Country”.
Keely Perry, Bronwyn Fredericks, Dale Chapman, Melissa Fitzgerald and Joseph Nastasi write:
Australian native foods are increasingly appearing on restaurant menus and supermarket shelves and in wellness products. For example, finger limes are marketed as “lime caviar”. Kakadu plum is promoted as a vitamin C powerhouse, and lemon myrtle, wattle seed and native pepper are now common in gourmet products and used in corporate events and tourism campaigns.
Yet these foods represent far more than culinary novelty or commercial opportunity. They sit at the intersection of Indigenous knowledge, food security, sustainability, public health and ongoing questions about who controls Australia’s food future.
Our recent article, published in Food and Humanity, examines how Australian native foods are entering contemporary gastronomy while also exploring the ethical, cultural and policy tensions surrounding their commercialisation.
Importantly, native foods are framed not as isolated ingredients, but as part of living and changing Indigenous food systems.
Food as culture, responsibility and wellbeing
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, food systems are inseparable from Country, cultural law, ecology and identity.
Harvesting, preparing and sharing food have historically been guided by seasonal knowledge, ecological indicators and reciprocal responsibilities to land and community. These practices continue today across remote, regional or urban communities. See below.
This differs markedly from industrial food systems, which often separate nutrition from environment and culture.
The article highlights Indigenous seasonal calendars that use flowering plants, bird migration, animal behaviour and water patterns to guide food gathering and land management. These systems are not simply historical curiosities. They represent sophisticated ecological knowledge developed over tens of thousands of years.
At a time of climate instability, biodiversity decline and worsening diet-related disease, these approaches have increasing relevance for conversations about sustainable food systems and population health.
Beyond “superfood” narrative
There is growing scientific evidence supporting the nutritional and functional value of many native foods. Kakadu plum contains exceptionally high vitamin C levels. And native fruits and herbs often contain high concentrations of antioxidants, polyphenols and bioactive compounds associated with reduced chronic disease risk.
Emerging research is also exploring native grains, bush tomatoes, bunya nuts, wattle seed and native hydrocolloids such as Gidyea gum, which may have applications in food manufacturing and nutrition.
However, reducing native foods to wellness marketing or “superfood” branding risks stripping them of their broader significance.
Public health debates increasingly recognise that healthy diets are shaped by culture, access, affordability and self-determination, not just nutrient intake.
In this context, native foods represent both nutritional opportunity and cultural continuity. Reconnecting Indigenous communities with traditional food systems has also been linked to improved wellbeing, stronger cultural identity and food security.
Broader concerns
While the native food industry is growing rapidly, Indigenous ownership and economic participation remain limited.
Relatively few native food businesses are Indigenous-owned, despite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples being the custodians of the knowledge systems underpinning the sector.
This reflects broader concerns about extraction and inequity.
Conventional intellectual property systems are poorly suited to Indigenous knowledge, which is collective, intergenerational and deeply connected to Country. As native ingredients become commercially valuable, concerns emerge around biopiracy, cultural appropriation and unequal benefit-sharing.
Frameworks such as Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP), Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and benefit-sharing agreements are increasingly recognised as essential safeguards. Yet implementation remains largely inconsistent across Australia.
These are not abstract policy issues. They shape who profits, whose knowledge is recognised, and whether Indigenous communities retain control over culturally significant foods and practices.
Risk of repeating colonial patterns
Macadamia is presented as a cautionary example. Although macadamia is an Australian native species with longstanding Indigenous use, its global commercialisation has largely detached it from its Indigenous origins and Australian identity.
Similar risks now exist for species such as finger lime, Kakadu plum and lemon myrtle as international demand grows.
This tension is especially important in health and sustainability discussions. Mainstream food systems have historically marginalised Indigenous food knowledge while simultaneously extracting cultural and biological resources for commercial gain.
Without stronger governance and Indigenous-led decision-making, the growing native food industry risks reproducing these same patterns.
Food system futures
Ultimately, native foods represent an opportunity to rethink how Australia approaches food, health and sustainability.
This includes recognising Indigenous knowledge systems alongside Western science, embedding cultural governance into supply chains, and ensuring Indigenous communities are not excluded from the economic benefits generated from their own food systems.
It also means moving beyond elite gastronomy.
If native foods remain confined to boutique restaurants and premium products, their broader public health and food security potential may never be realised.
The challenge is not simply increasing consumption of native ingredients, but creating food systems that are culturally grounded, environmentally resilient and socially just.
In this sense, native foods are not just a culinary trend. They are part of a larger conversation about health equity, sovereignty, sustainability and Australia’s ongoing relationship with Country.
Author details
Keely Perry is a Wiradjuri woman from Central-West Queensland, and a PhD Candidate and Associate Lecturer at The University of Queensland.
Bronwyn Fredericks is an Indigenous woman from South-East Queensland, and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement) at The University of Queensland, and Chair of Croakey Health Media.
Dale Chapman is a Yuwaalaraay and Kooma woman from South-West Queensland, and the founder of My Dilly Bag, as well as an Indigenous cultural practitioner and entrepreneur. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland.
Melissa Fitzgerald is non-Indigenous scholar from New South Wales, and the Executive Dean of the College of Agriculture at the University of Al Dhaid, as well as an Honorary Professor at The University of Queensland.
Joseph Nastasi is a non-Indigenous scholar from Mareeba in Far North Queensland, and a Research Fellow at The University of Queensland.
See Croakey’s archive of articles on the cultural determinants of health
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