Researchers at the University of Adelaide are building a so-called bush tucker bible to help highlight natural and unique products.

"The interest for this project is to help the development of the native food industry," Professor Andy Lowe told ABC Radio Adelaide's Afternoons program.

"There is only really one native food that has broadly domesticated and commercialised, and that's macadamia nuts."

Professor Lowe said with more than 30,000 plant species native to Australia, the opportunities were endless.

Nutrition information, growing and preparation recommendations will be included in the catalogue.

"We've had some goes at developing bush tucker, but that was more of a novelty than mainstream," Professor Lowe said.

Bush tucker such as green ants have been used experimentally with mainstream foods. ( Supplied: Kris Lloyd )

He said there was no reason why bush tucker ingredients like warrigal greens, rosella flowers, seablite and munyeroo could not become part of our food source stream.

"There's a range of native greens that we could start consuming on a large scale that can be grown much more effectively in Australia."

As part of the project, the history of how certain foods had been used by different Indigenous groups will be collated and the best preparation and cooking methods documented.

Could bush bananas become a regular item on supermarket shelves? ( ABC Rural: Matt Brann )

Professor Lowe said by cataloguing the ingredients alongside information about health benefits and taste, he hoped to stimulate the curiosity of adventurous home cooks.

"It's a journey that we need to embark on, but if we don't make a start we are never going to get there," he said.

Research will be compiled with the help of the University of Adelaide, SA Museum and Adelaide Botanic Gardens, with funding from The Orana Foundation.

Initial funding will allow for up to three years of research.