The Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture's Food Systems Centre is a research, education, and outreach hub shaping the future of food safety and innovation across the entire food system. In partnership with industry, community, and government, we help build resilient, sustainable, and safe supply chains.
Our research capabilities
Microbial Food Safety and Quality
Predictive modelling
Food Analytical Chemistry
Food System Innovation
Industry Collaboration
Microbial food safety
We deliver leading research in microbial food safety and quality, generating practical interventions that reduce pathogen risk, extend shelf life, improve product consistency and strengthen trust across food value chains.
Predictive modelling
We develop data‑enabled predictive models to understand microbial behaviour, pathogen risk and shelf life performance. Our model support proactive decision-making, food safety management and optimisation across food production, processing and distribution systems.
Food analytical chemistry
We provide world-class analytical and measurement science capability, leveraging advanced instrumentation and sensing technologies to deliver precise, actionable insights across food and environmental systems.
Food system innovation
We drive innovation across food systems through integrated, multidisciplinary research that supports sustainable, resilient, and value added food production.
Industry collaboration
We work closely with industry, government, and communities to translate research into real-world solutions that strengthen agri-food sectors and deliver measurable impact.
MLA Shelf-life Calculator for Red Meat
Developed with TIA expertise
The MLA Shelf-life Calculator for Red Meat is available as an MS ®Excel version and a online user-friendly version. It is used to predict the remaining shelf life of vacuum packed beef and lamb primals for export and various retail-ready products.
The calculator offers a cost-effective approach for an improved and flexible management of our Australian red meat supply chain by providing data that can assist with decisions on product movement, quality assurance, and reducing waste.
The Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture contributed to the development of this calculator.
Explore resources
The calculator was developed by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture.
This calculator has been developed by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), based on the predictive model for Escherichia coli growth developed at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (Ross et al., 2001).
This factsheet presents findings from a research project that aimed to characterise industry experience of premature spoilage and ways to support more consistent prevention and complaint handling.
Featured projects
View all research projectsPartner with us
We collaborate with producers, processors, retailers, regulators, and innovators to translate research into safer products, smarter systems, and stronger policy. Whether you're tackling shelf-life, reformulation, verification, or waste valorisation, we bring interdisciplinary expertise and Tasmanian ingenuity. Let's talk about co-designing your next solution.
To find out more, contact Professor Rob Shellie, Leader of the TIA Centre for Food Systems.
+61 3 6226 2999