Stephanie Harvey

Principal Fermentation Scientist

Biotechnologies

Fermented food products and process optimisation

I work as a Principal Fermentation Scientist within the Bioprocessing & Fermentation team. My expertise lies in developing new products and technologies, supporting commercialisation and providing ongoing business support for a wide range of fermented products. I have been involved in the development phase of innovation pipelines within multi-disciplinary teams for over twenty years, cumulating in numerous product launches and stepwise improvements in commercial products.

I use my knowledge of adventitious bacteria and fermentation to help companies develop new fermented products. I also provide business support for existing products through the optimisation of fermentation processes, development of Next Gen products, as well as investigating and resolving defects in fermented products.

I enjoy using science within applied and commercial contexts to tackle real-world challenges for our customers and help bring novel products to market.

Areas of expertise

Production of bacterial cultures for food &/or nutraceutical applications for R&D purposes
Use of bacterial cultures in fermented foods for preservation, flavour, &/or functionality
Fermented food R&D such as fermented sauces, fruit & vegetables, cheese & some beverages
Some expertise in fermented animal feedstocks (defect resolution)
Fermentation for the production of: a whole food, ingredient or target metabolite
Product or process optimisation
Resolution of product defects
New product or process development
Production of food under a Food Control Plan framework
General microbiological and biochemical analyses
Bioactive compounds - identification and characterisation of peptide related bioactives; protein hydrolysates
Method development (HPLC, LC-MSMS, proteomics) for quantitation and characterisation of proteins, peptides, simple carbohydrates (oligosaccharides) and some phospholipids.

Education

PhD, Cell & Molecular Bioscience (Microbiology, Biochemistry, Proteomics), Victoria University of Wellington, 2011

Selected publications

Process development for the production of starter cultures for use in food fermentation. Harvey S. Edgar, R., Rose, P. (2021). Food New Zealand, 20(5), 36-40. https://issuu.com/annescott1/docs/foodnzoctnov2021web
Developments in cheese microbiology in New Zealand – use of starter and non starter lactic acid bacteria and their enzymes in determining flavour. Coolbear, T., Crow, V., Harnett, J., Harvey, S., Holland, R., and Martley, F., lnternational Dairy Journal, 2008, 18, 705 – 713.
Dairy Process & Product. Patent: WO 200349547 A2-A3 20030619 (WO 0349547); McJarrow P., Garman J., Harvey S. & van Amelsfort A.
Improved bioactive whey protein hydrolysate, Patent: WO 200219837 A1 20020314 (WO 0219837). Schlothauer, R-C., Schollum, L. M., Reid, J. R., Harvey, S. A., Carr A. & Fanshawe, R. L.