Co-founder and Director, Sumfood Ltd
Co-founder, Oritain
Founder, Asia Pacific Centre for Food Integrity
Director, Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR)
Dr. Helen Darling is a distinguished expert in food safety, food fraud prevention, and food systems integrity. She co-founded Sumfood Ltd in 2017, focusing on addressing issues related to food information, contamination, and the overall integrity of the food supply chain. The company’s mission emphasizes a systematic approach to resolving challenges within the global food system, including food wastage, obesity, and malnutrition.
Prior to Sumfood, Dr. Darling co-founded Oritain, a Dunedin-based company specializing in verifying the geographical provenance of food and other natural products. This venture reflects her commitment to enhancing transparency and trust within the food industry.
She also established the Asia Pacific Centre for Food Integrity, assisting clients in ensuring the safety of their food products through services like market positioning, traceability, auditing, and food fraud prevention.
Dr. Darling serves as a Director at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR), contributing her expertise to national scientific research initiatives. Additionally, she volunteers for the Food Ingredients Expert Committee and the Food Adulteration Expert Panel under the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), collaborating with international experts to develop standards for food ingredients, additives, colorants, spices, and probiotics.
Originally trained as a nurse in Dunedin, Dr. Darling returned to academia to earn her PhD from the University of Otago’s School of Medicine, completing it in 2005. Her dedication to the food industry was recognized in 2013 when she was named the Otago Daily Times Business Leader of the Year.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Dr. Darling co-owns a Moorpark and Mulberry Orchard near Cromwell with her husband, Mike. She finds solace in tending to the orchard, considering it a tonic after her busy weeks. They have two sons, Mathew and Hamish.
Dr. Darling’s career exemplifies a profound commitment to improving food safety and integrity, blending scientific expertise with entrepreneurial innovation to address complex challenges in the global food system.
