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A research funding group consisting of Genome Alberta, Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, Genome Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ontario Genomics Institute, and Genome Quebec, is banding together to combat Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PEDV). PEDV kills young piglets at an astonishing rate with a near 100 per …

April 9-12 Canada Health Food Association Expo Vancouver, BC April 9-14 Natural Food Health & Food Products Conference: CHFA West 2015 Vancouver, BC April 10-12 Good Food and Drink Festival Toronto, ON April 15-17 Canada Produce Marketing Association Convention Montreal, QC April 28-30 SIAL Canada 2015 Toronto, ON April 28-30 Food Safety Summit, Expo & Conference Baltimore, MD May 19-21 …

Chinese retailers want to stock more Canadian foods, but Canadian exporters are being largely out-flanked by competitors in getting space on supermarket shelves and exposure on China’s e-commerce sites, concludes a report released by the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI). The report is based on CAPI’s networking trip to China last November that introduced Canadian companies and organizations to selected …

Maple water overcame competition from Europe and the United States to finish first at the recent 2014 Global Bottled Water Congress (GBWC). KiKi Maple Sweet Water was recognized as the top new product at the congress, which took place in Budapest, Hungary. The beverage is made with Ontario maple sap produced by manufacturer Troll Bridge Creek Inc. (TBCI). “We are …

Canada’s agriculture and food sector can safely be labeled “Old Faithful” for its contribution to Canada’s export-based economy. While not a flashy industry, it remains among the most dependable and consistent in terms of foreign sales year after year. Export Development Canada’s latest forecast called for foreign shipments, which totaled more than $50 billion in 2013 and represented 9.5 per …

Raw food, like edible seeds such as chia, hemp, flax, and sesame, boasts a broad range of health benefits and are growing in popularity. However, many consumers are unaware that raw unprocessed foods, such as seeds, may not be safe due to contamination by pathogens like E. Coli or Salmonella. This can have devastating effects on the health of consumers, …

Personalized dietary advice based on a person’s genetic makeup improves eating habits compared to current “one-size-fits-all” dietary recommendations, says a University of Toronto researcher. “We conducted the first randomized, controlled trial to determine the impact of disclosing DNA-based dietary advice on eating habits,” said Ahmed El-Sohemy, an associate professor in nutritional sciences and Canada Research Chair in Nutrigenomics. “We found …

SASKATCHEWAN’S DEPUTY MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE TALKS LENTILS, INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND THE MAGIC OF RESEARCH Text by Hermione Wilson There’s more to Saskatchewan than bread.“We’re sometimes known for our branded products,” says Alanna Koch, Saskatchewan’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, “but the other thing we’re known for is ingredients, high quality ingredients.” Companies like InfraReady Products market Saskatchewan cereal grains, pulses and …

RACHEL PARENT MAY ONLY BE 15, BUT SHE’S ALREADY GETTING ATTENTION FROM CANADIAN HEALTH OFFICIALS Text by Hermione Wilson You may have heard of Rachel Parent. The young activist’s name has become synonymous with the mandatory GMO-labelling movement in Canada, especially since she met with Minister of Health, Rona Ambrose on Nov. 6, 2014. “The Minister was very nice and …

Maple Leaf Foods recently hosted its Sixth Annual Food Safety Symposium. At the event, 170 representatives from more than 100 companies gathered to discuss the most pressing concerns in food safety. This year’s event was themed “People or Technology”, asking participants to debate which was the best investment to make a significant change in global food safety. “Food safety incorporates …