Dr Sukhvinder Pal Singh (popularly known as SP), senior research scientist at the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW DPIRD), has been awarded the prestigious Food Safety Award 2025 by the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST).
The national recognition celebrates Dr Singh’s leadership, research excellence, and steadfast commitment to ensuring a safer food supply across Australia.
“Receiving the Food Safety Award reflects the collective effort of many collaborators committed to improving food safety across Australia,” Dr Singh said in a statement.
“Through our research and partnerships, we’re working to ensure that fresh produce is safe, traceable, and trusted by consumers both here and overseas.”
Dr Singh leads the Horticultural Food Safety Research Program, which focuses on developing and translating innovative technologies to improve food safety and traceability in the horticulture sector, including berries.
He currently heads several nationally significant R&D projects, including Cold Plasma, Safe Melons, Safe Citrus, and Digital Traceability, promoting evidence-based practices in collaboration with growers and industry stakeholders.
Among his recent achievements, the ‘Safe Melons’ program, led in partnership with Hort Innovation and Melons Australia, has recorded six consecutive years with zero food safety incidents or product recalls. Similarly, the citrus industry program “Managing microbial food safety risks in the Australian citrus industry” engaged more than 50 packers nationwide, providing best-practice guidelines to mitigate microbial risks in domestic and export markets.
NSW DPIRD Director for Horticulture Dr Alison Anderson praised Dr Singh’s work, saying, “His research is transforming food safety practices across the horticultural supply chain, delivering real-world impact for domestic and export markets.”
“This award is a well-deserved recognition of his dedication to science, innovation, and public health.”
Dr Singh’s work has been widely praised by industry. In addition to his research, Dr Singh serves as Director of the Central Coast Primary Industries Institute, Treasurer of the Australian Society of Horticultural Science, Associate Editor of the Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology, and holds a conjoint faculty position at the University of Newcastle.
The AIFST Awards celebrate innovation, leadership, and excellence across the food industry. Other 2025 winners included Bianca Tamou (Foodbank Hunger Hero Award), Thomas Leadbetter (Emerging Leader Award), and The Arnott’s Group (Peter Seale Innovation Award for the Gluten-Free Tim Tam).
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