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Dr Michael Netzel
Dr

Michael Netzel

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 344 32476

Overview

Background

Michael is passionate about plant-based foods, with a particular focus on their nutritional composition, quality, bioactivity, digestibility, and potential for promoting healthy diets. He has served as a Chief Investigator on several flagship initiatives, including the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods, the CRC for Developing Northern Australia, and the HIA-funded Naturally Nutritious project. His research emphasizes the importance of understanding both in vitro bioaccessibility—how compounds are released from the food matrix and become available for intestinal absorption—and the more complex in vivo bioavailability and metabolism, including microbial degradation in the gut. These processes are critical for predicting the bioactivity and potential health benefits of dietary phytochemicals in humans.

Availability

Dr Michael Netzel is:
Available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Justus Liebig University Giessen

Research interests

  • Phytochemicals and Health

    My primary research interests focus on phytochemicals—specifically polyphenols (both bound and free), carotenoids, and betalains—as well as vitamins. I investigate their analysis, binding characteristics within the plant (food) matrix, and structural modifications or degradation during processing and digestion. This includes studying their bioaccessibility, bioavailability, and metabolism, essentially tracing the journey “from raw produce to absorbed and metabolised bioactive compounds.”

Works

Search Professor Michael Netzel’s works on UQ eSpace

652 works between 1992 and 2025

1 - 20 of 652 works

Featured

2023

Journal Article

Seeking sweetness: a systematic scoping review of factors influencing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in remote Indigenous communities worldwide

Cartwright, Jessica, Netzel, Michael E., Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Wright, Olivia R. L. (2023). Seeking sweetness: a systematic scoping review of factors influencing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in remote Indigenous communities worldwide. Beverages, 9 (1) 11, 1-53. doi: 10.3390/beverages9010011

Seeking sweetness: a systematic scoping review of factors influencing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in remote Indigenous communities worldwide

Featured

2022

Journal Article

Impact of Growing Location on Kakadu Plum Fruit Composition and In Vitro Bioactivity as Determinants of Its Nutraceutical Potential

Bobasa, Eshetu M., Akter, Saleha, Phan, Anh Dao Thi, Netzel, Michael E., Cozzolino, Daniel, Osborne, Simone and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2022). Impact of Growing Location on Kakadu Plum Fruit Composition and In Vitro Bioactivity as Determinants of Its Nutraceutical Potential. Nutraceuticals, 3 (1), 13-25. doi: 10.3390/nutraceuticals3010002

Impact of Growing Location on Kakadu Plum Fruit Composition and In Vitro Bioactivity as Determinants of Its Nutraceutical Potential

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Chemical and nutritional composition of Terminalia ferdinandiana (kakadu plum) kernels: a novel nutrition source

Akter, Saleha, Netzel, Michael E., Fletcher, Mary T., Tinggi, Ujang and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2018). Chemical and nutritional composition of Terminalia ferdinandiana (kakadu plum) kernels: a novel nutrition source. Foods, 7 (4) 60, 60. doi: 10.3390/foods7040060

Chemical and nutritional composition of Terminalia ferdinandiana (kakadu plum) kernels: a novel nutrition source

2025

Journal Article

Unlocking the sublime: a review of native Australian Citrus species

Johnson, Joel B., Hungerford, Natasha L., Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Netzel, Michael E. (2025). Unlocking the sublime: a review of native Australian Citrus species. Foods, 14 (14) 2425, 2425. doi: 10.3390/foods14142425

Unlocking the sublime: a review of native Australian Citrus species

2025

Conference Publication

Replacing diary milk with plant based dairy milk alternatives? How it will change your morning smoothie

Rathnayake, Anuruddhika Udayangani, Netzel, Michael, Sultanbawa, Yasmina, Wright, Olivia and Smyth, Heather (2025). Replacing diary milk with plant based dairy milk alternatives? How it will change your morning smoothie. Crop to Kitchen, Queensland Health Coronial and Public Health Sciences, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia, 24 June 2025.

Replacing diary milk with plant based dairy milk alternatives? How it will change your morning smoothie

2025

Conference Publication

Halophytes: a nutritious alternative to salt?

Netzel, Michael, Srivarathan, Sukirtha, Phan, Anh DaoThi, Wright, Olivia and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2025). Halophytes: a nutritious alternative to salt?. Crop to Kitchen, Queensland Health Coronial and Public Health Sciences, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia, 24 June 2025.

Halophytes: a nutritious alternative to salt?

2025

Conference Publication

Nutritional value of native Citrus: finger limes

Johnson, Joel, Hungerford, Natasha, Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Netzel, Michael (2025). Nutritional value of native Citrus: finger limes. Crop to Kitchen, Queensland Health Coronial and Public Health Sciences, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia, 24 June 2025.

Nutritional value of native Citrus: finger limes

2025

Conference Publication

Queen Garnet Plum – Research Opportunities

Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Netzel, Michael (2025). Queen Garnet Plum – Research Opportunities. Industry meeting (Nutrafruit), Long Pocket Campus, Indooroopilly, QLD, Australia, 6 June 2025.

Queen Garnet Plum – Research Opportunities

2025

Journal Article

Sensory profiling of Burdekin plum leathers and consumer acceptability of its combination with trail mix

Chen, Gengning, Olarte Mantilla, Sandra Milena, Netzel, Michael E., Cozzolino, Daniel and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2025). Sensory profiling of Burdekin plum leathers and consumer acceptability of its combination with trail mix. Food Science and Nutrition, 13 (5) e70277, 1-15. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.70277

Sensory profiling of Burdekin plum leathers and consumer acceptability of its combination with trail mix

2025

Conference Publication

Alternative Smoothies – ‘Plants’ vs. ‘Dairy’

Rathnayaka Mudiyanselage, Anuruddhika, Netzel, Michael E., Smyth, Heather, Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Wright, Olivia (2025). Alternative Smoothies – ‘Plants’ vs. ‘Dairy’. QAAFI 2025 Research Meeting, Herston, QLD Australia, 19 March 2025.

Alternative Smoothies – ‘Plants’ vs. ‘Dairy’

2025

Journal Article

A modified extraction and saponification method for the determination of carotenoids in the fruit of Capsicum annuum

Hong, Hung Trieu, Agarwal, Rimjhim, Takagi, Tatsuyoshi, Netzel, Michael E., Harper, Stephen M. and O'Hare, Tim J. (2025). A modified extraction and saponification method for the determination of carotenoids in the fruit of Capsicum annuum. Agriculture, 15 (6) 646, 646-6. doi: 10.3390/agriculture15060646

A modified extraction and saponification method for the determination of carotenoids in the fruit of Capsicum annuum

2025

Conference Publication

Alternative Smoothies – the “Plants” vs. the “Dairy’s”

Rathnayaka Mudiyanselage, Anuruddhika, Wright, Olivia, Sultanbawa, Yasmina, Smyth, Heather E. and Netzel, Michael E. (2025). Alternative Smoothies – the “Plants” vs. the “Dairy’s”. 19th NZOZ Sensory and Consumer Science Symposium, Papaioea Palmerston North, Aotearoa New Zealand, 19-21 February 2025.

Alternative Smoothies – the “Plants” vs. the “Dairy’s”

2025

Journal Article

Phytochemicals, organic acid, and vitamins in red rhapsody strawberry—Content and storage stability

Hong, Hung Trieu, Rami, Julius, Rychlik, Michael, O’Hare, Tim J. and Netzel, Michael E. (2025). Phytochemicals, organic acid, and vitamins in red rhapsody strawberry—Content and storage stability. Foods, 14 (3) 379, 1-12. doi: 10.3390/foods14030379

Phytochemicals, organic acid, and vitamins in red rhapsody strawberry—Content and storage stability

2025

Journal Article

A hedonic sensory trial: exploring the relationship between sweet‐liker status, demographics, and health measures on acceptability in a beverage system

Cartwright, Jessica, Smyth, Heather E., Netzel, Michael E., Sultanbawa, Yasmina F. and Wright, Olivia R. L. (2025). A hedonic sensory trial: exploring the relationship between sweet‐liker status, demographics, and health measures on acceptability in a beverage system. Journal of Sensory Studies, 40 (1) e70008, 1-15. doi: 10.1111/joss.70008

A hedonic sensory trial: exploring the relationship between sweet‐liker status, demographics, and health measures on acceptability in a beverage system

2025

Journal Article

Unlocking the Nutritional Potential of Australian Yam (Dioscorea spp.)

Fawale, Samson Olumide, Netzel, Michael E., Nguyen, Ai, Akinsanmi, Olufemi A., Marrie, Henrietta and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2025). Unlocking the Nutritional Potential of Australian Yam (Dioscorea spp.). Food Bioscience, 63 105612, 105612. doi: 10.1016/j.fbio.2024.105612

Unlocking the Nutritional Potential of Australian Yam (Dioscorea spp.)

2025

Journal Article

Climate-smart halophyte: the role of atriplex in future food security

Sun, Yanlin, Netzel, Michael E., Sivakumar, Dharini and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2025). Climate-smart halophyte: the role of atriplex in future food security. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 156 104869, 104869. doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2025.104869

Climate-smart halophyte: the role of atriplex in future food security

2024

Journal Article

Effect of gum Arabic on antifungal photodynamic activity of curcumin against Botrytis cinerea spores

Seididamyeh, Maral, Netzel, Michael E., Mereddy, Ram, Harmer, Jeffrey R. and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2024). Effect of gum Arabic on antifungal photodynamic activity of curcumin against Botrytis cinerea spores. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 283 (1) 137019, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.137019

Effect of gum Arabic on antifungal photodynamic activity of curcumin against Botrytis cinerea spores

2024

Conference Publication

Nutritional quality of two important Australian grown strawberry varieties

Rathnayake, Anuruddhika Udayangani, Wright, Olivia, Sultanbawa, Yasmina, Smyth, Heather E. and Netzel, Michael E. (2024). Nutritional quality of two important Australian grown strawberry varieties. 9th Queensland Annual Chemistry Symposium 2024 (QACS 2024), Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 29 November 2024.

Nutritional quality of two important Australian grown strawberry varieties

2024

Conference Publication

Exploring the chemistry of native Australian citrus fruits

Johnson, Joel B., Hungerford, Natasha L., Sultanbawa, Yasmina, Yates, Hans S. A. and Netzel, Michael E. (2024). Exploring the chemistry of native Australian citrus fruits. Queensland Annual Chemistry Symposium, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 29 November 2024.

Exploring the chemistry of native Australian citrus fruits

2024

Conference Publication

The ‘Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences (CNAFS)’ – one of QAAFI’s Research Centre

Netzel, Michael and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2024). The ‘Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences (CNAFS)’ – one of QAAFI’s Research Centre. Scientific visit, Huazhong Agricultural University, China, UQ Long Pocket Campus, Indooroopilly, QLD, Australia, 20 November 2024.

The ‘Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences (CNAFS)’ – one of QAAFI’s Research Centre

Funding

Current funding

  • 2021 - 2026
    Genetics of Fruit Sensory Preferences
    Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023 - 2024
    Assessing the quality and safety of herbal beverages for market access
    Roogenic Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2024
    ARC Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods
    ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centres
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    Improving the efficiency of Kakadu Plum value chains to grow a robust and sustainable industry
    CRC for Developing Northern Australia
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    Scoping study on Boonjie tamarind and Cape York lilly pilly - nutritional and bioactive properties
    Innovation Connections
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    Scoping Study on potential functional compounds in native Australian tree Pittosporum Angustifolium (Gumby Gumby)
    Innovation Connections
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Analysis of Natural Products
    Technical University of Munich
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Scoping study on Feijoa - bioactive compounds and in vitro bioactivity
    Innovation Connections
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Value-adding to waste stream from a gluten-free flour mill
    Innovation Connections
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2021
    Naturally Nutritious
    Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Functional ingredients from onion and garlic grown in Australia
    Innovation Connections
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Dr Michael Netzel is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

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communications@uq.edu.au