“Novel” Food Processing Technologies Promote Nutrition and Food Safety

By Jaan Koel 

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada operates 19 research centers. One of them is located in Guelph, Ontario, about an hour’s drive west from Toronto.

Novel light system for treatment of drinks and beverages is being tested inside a “bio bubble” at GFRC’s pilot plant in Guelph, Ontario

The GFRC—Guelph Food Research Center—carries out world-class research in food safety and quality, reducing food safety threats as well as generating knowledge that helps the Canadian agri-food sector to develop health promotion tools that protect consumers and add nutritional value throughout the food chain.

One of things that GFRC is focusing is on “Novel” food processing technologies. Since the beginning of the 19th century, the food industry has been centered on heating, refrigeration, freezing, drying, smoking, and salting of foods to preserve and process food on a broad industrial scale. “Novel” food processing technologies go a step further.

GFRC is on the leading edge—worldwide—of developing new ways of treating food that can make it not only safer, but also more nutritious, and profitable for producers.

Their research includes: