News

After more than 30 years in development, Canada finally has its own indigenous pear variety. Bred in Ontario by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Cold Snap pear was prominently displayed at the The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair’s opening ceremony in November. “We call Cold Snap pears ‘Winter’s Favourite Fruit,’” says Matthew Ecker, Sales and Business Development Manager for the Vineland …

Canada’s beverage manufacturers and Canadian Beverage Association (CBA) launched the Balance Calories initiative in October. The program is aimed at reducing the number of calories Canadians consume from non-alcoholic beverages by 20 per cent over the next decade through product innovation and marketing. This commitment includes all non-alcoholic refreshment beverages excluding milk and other dairy products, hot coffees and teas. …

Centre for Food provides students with first-hand experience Text by Doug Wintemute Surrounded by an orchard, greenhouses and vegetable fields, the Centre for Food (CFF) at Durham College in Oshawa, ON, is doing its part to redefine school field trips. By following the guiding concept of field-to-fork, the centre encourages its students to engage in the various sectors that converge …

The P.E.I. Scalloped Potatoes flavour has been selected as the 2015 winner in the Lay’s Do Us a Flavour contest. Winner Jordan Cairns was inspired by Atlantic Canada’s reputation for potato cultivation as well as a fond memory of Friday night family dinners to create his P.E.I. Scalloped Potatoes flavour. Jordan will receive $50,000 plus one per cent of his …

New supplement uses specialized egg yolk to neutralize the harmful effects of gluten Text by Doug Wintemute Since the discovery of celiac disease and gluten intolerance, the often limited and limiting gluten-free diet has been the only way for the estimated 333,000 Canadian sufferers to avoid the debilitating symptoms. Now, thanks to University of Alberta researchers Hoon Sunwoo, an associate …

Peter Dhillon, Chairman of Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., the world’s leading producer of cranberry foods and beverages, and University of British Columbia alumnus, has partnered with UBC to establish the Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics at the Sauder School of Business. Sauder and Dhillon have teamed up to commit $7.5 million toward the centre which will support the …

According to a report by Food and Beverage Ontario (FBO), food and beverage exports from Ontario have increased 12% over the past two years for a total of $7.6 billion annually. The report indicates that Ontario’s international reputation for wholesome and safe food and drink as well as the growing middle class in developing countries has led to this substantial …

Colin Dennis, CBE, PhD, CFS, CSci, has been named the 2015-2016 president of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). Committed to advancing the science of food and its application across the global food system, the nonprofit scientific community welcomes Dennis in as its 76th president. Dennis will be tasked with supporting the IFT’s initiatives, which include the advancement and promotion …

Mother Parkers brings social responsibility to the business Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee has been packing tea and roasting coffee for more than 100 years. The family-owned private label is the fourth-largest coffee roaster in North America behind Folgers, Maxwell House and Starbucks. The company supplies virtually every retailer in North America, from Loblaws and Walmart, to Tim Hortons, McDonald’s …

Text by Stephanie Mattucci Pea protein is making an impact on the food and drink industry as one of the fastest-growing plant-based proteins on the market. While other plant proteins, such as soy and wheat, are more common, the number of food and drink product launches using pea protein increased nearly 50% between 2013 and 2014. One reason for increased …