May 27, 2024 – Exciting news for Canada’s food science sector! The Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST) proudly announces a significant investment from the Government of Canada into the new Food Sustainability and Resilience Cluster. This strategic research cluster is set to revolutionize innovation in food science across the nation, thanks to support from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) – AgriScience Program – Clusters Component, and collaboration with top industry partners. With a federal investment of up ..read more

As we continue to move forward amid a global food crisis, many companies and organizations around the world are working feverishly toward finding solutions to some of the challenges and issues. One potential solution, which is garnering as much controversy and pushback as it is generating positive and optimistic dialogue, is cell-cultured foods. With this growing market in mind, we dedicate this issue of Canadian Food Business to the promise of cell-cultured foods and their associated benefits and drawbacks. Amanda Wright and Eric Dassoff from the University of Guelph contribute a comprehensiv ..read more

The Canadian Food Innovation Network recently released a report titled Canadian FoodTech Trends: Interest and Curiosity in Cellular Food Continues to Grow. The report explores the growing practice of cellular agriculture and potential it poses to dramatically alter how we produce, purchase and consume food, while offering enormous financial opportunities to Canadian producers and exporters. Working with Moncton, NB-based data science company Fiddlehead Technology to develop the report, consumer interest in cellular meat is examined, as well as the progress of and research and development in th ..read more

As demand for resource-intensive food production continues to rise in a time when resources are increasingly constrained, ways of producing and consuming food will need to adapt. Still, many foods hold personal meaning and consumers find them hard to give up. Thus, there is a case for finding new ways to produce the foods we know and love. Everything from (or bio-)printed salmon, to cell-cultured steaks, chicken, coffee, and chocolate are already commercially available or under development. When it comes to these technologies, it appears we are only just seeing the beginnings of what is possib ..read more

When discussing the most significant global issues that pose genuine threats to the health and well-being of people on the planet, one would be remiss not to mention the current food crisis hampering most, if not all, corners of the world. In light of this, food scientists and researchers everywhere are feverishly working toward the discovery or development of solutions that might solve for the issues and challenges around growing enough food to feed every mouth, in every community, in each and every country on earth. As a result, some are pushing the foodtech boundaries like never before in s ..read more

By Richa Singh, Marketing Manager, Giraffe Foods In today’s world, data analytics is transforming just about every part of human life, including the relationships built between businesses and consumers. Businesses are increasingly dependent on data insights to enhance their productivity, processes, and presence in the industry. In the last few years, the food and beverage industry, in particular, has been greatly benefitting from data-based technology, trends, and insights to make informed decisions. From understanding consumer preferences to learning about their daily dietary routines and hab ..read more

Report reveals predictions for the trends and flavours that will whet the most appetites over the course of the next year By Sean Tarry As we approach the end of 2023, everyone involved within the food and beverage industries across the country is beginning to look ahead toward the coming year and what it might hold in store for their businesses going forward. And, as much of their projections and looks ahead are often rooted to consumer tastes and preferences, any and all insights concerning their desires and appetites are coveted by manufacturers, restauranteurs, and other foodservice provid ..read more

Tracking food portions in real time to better manage food and labour costs and enhance operational consistency By Sean Tarry As technology continues to evolve and advance, and the food and beverage industries consistently search for ways to streamline and optimize their operations, their intersect is about set to kickstart a revolution within the kitchen — a robotic one that automates some of the more repetitive tasks within a restaurant, reducing the food waste that’s generated, and significantly decreasing the negative impact that the foodservice sector has on the environment. And, at the le ..read more

Cutting-edge farm management software helping growers of fruits and vegetables enhance productivity and improve traceability By Sean Tarry When it comes to growing fruits and vegetables, farmers across the country are starting to turn toward tools and resources that can not only help them succeed and grow within today’s hyper-competitive market, but will also support their efforts in an increasingly digitized world. With this in mind, Canadian software developer Croptracker is dedicated to make global food production safer, more efficient, and more profitable through the continuous developmen ..read more

Courtesy of Canadian Instituteof Food Science and Technology Dr. Yvonne Yuan, Associate Professor from the School of Nutrition at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto, Ontario, has been appointed as the President of the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST), with her term officially commencing on July 20, 2023. Dr. Yuan’s teaching and research at TMU are focused on food chemistry related to -functional foods and chronic disease risk factors and health. Her research program is focused on the antioxidant and biological activities of plant foods, specifically edible mar ..read more