"Then that can be used … as a powder, but we take it a step further and extract the flavour out of it, so it ends up like a vanilla extract but it's a wattle seed extract."
Consulting chef and owner of Creative Native Foods Andrew Fielke said there were more than 70 edible species, but the most common species was the roasted dark brown Acacia victoriae."There is a massive interest now in Australian native foods … following through to the manufacturing sector, which is looking for new and interesting ways to value-add a unique and very nutritious flavour to products.
"They [wattle seeds] are very high in protein and they are gluten-free, which is great because there are so many people with a gluten intolerance these days." Mr Fielke said he tried about 15 species of different wattle seeds so far, and some of them did not have to be roasted. "They have a beautiful rich oil content and are fabulous cooked as a whole seed used in risottos, pasta, bread and salads.