Mary Ann Augustin FTSE (born 16 April 1954, Kedah, Malaysia) is an Australian food chemist and dairy scientist who leads the Food Science Research Program at CSIRO. Much of her work has focused on understanding the changes that occur during dairy milk processing and the effect these changes exhibit on the proteins and minerals of milk, which are collectively referred to as "milk functionality".[1][2]
Dr. Augustin researches emerging food processing technologies and approaches to food processing for dairy and milk products, fish oils and probiotics.[3] She leads the research on CSIRO's patented microencapsulation system, a high-tech ingredient-delivery technology. Her research on the chemistry of milk modifications has led to the development of specialised milk powders that improve the performance of liquid milk products as food ingredients.[citation needed] The most extensively used of Dr Augustin's innovations is a technology that allows milk powder manufacturers to guarantee that their product will be stable during subsequent processing in the manufacture of recombined products.[citation needed] Notably, she was also the driving force behind the research that produced calcium-enriched milk, enabling adults to ingest their recommended daily calcium intake from fewer than two glasses of the fortified milk.[4][citation needed]
Augustin graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with First Class Honours from Monash University, where she was also awarded her PhD. In 1988, she joined CSIRO laboratories and is now heads the Food Science Research Program at CSIRO Food and Nutritional Services.[1] She was appointed as a Professional Fellow in the School of Chemistry at Monash University in 2005 as part of a special collaboration between CSIRO and Monash University.[5] She is a member of the Australian Academy of Science National Committee for Nutrition,[6][7] serves on the Research Advisory Committee for the Malaysian Palm Oil Board in China, and in 2013 was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE).[8]