New approaches are required to secure our food supply in response to the growing world population, rapid diversification of pests, and accelerating weather-related impacts of climate change. Suncor has recently developed a new category of plant immune aids that activate a plant?s native immune system to induce a range of beneficial responses, including greater resistance […]

This research represents the evolution of an existing partnership between USC Canada and Food: Globally Embedded, Locally Engaged (FLEdGE), a SSHRC Partnership Grant project conducting community-based research on sustainable food systems. The intern will work with these partners to explore the theory and action of agroecology and food sovereignty at the global level and the […]

Hops (Humulus lupulus) flowers are most famous for imparting the bitter taste and aroma to beer. Hop flowers produce essential oils that contain many different plant compounds, which impart the characteristic taste and aroma of hop plants. However, how the production of these oils is regulated is not fully understood. The establishment of the craft […]

The legalization of Cannabis (marijuana) is now supported by 66% of Canadian voters. Aphria Inc., was the first approved and licensed producer under the MMPR to begin growing in a greenhouse and is currently the second-largest marijuana producer in Canada. Unfortunately, Cannabis is attacked by a plethora of phytopathogens leading to a number of diseases […]

Emulsifiers as multifunctional additives can develop low-caloric, high-quality foods. Beside the monoacylglycerols (MAGs), or mixtures with diacylglycerols (DAGs), propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol) esters (PGEs) are the commonly used emulsifiers in the food industry. Emulsifiers are currently produced using costly and environmentally unfriendly “enzyme in solvent” systems and also have some shortcomings in certain food applications. This […]

Wine is produced by fermenting sugars in grape juice to ethanol by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae). The major BC viticulture area is located in the Okanagan valley, a 200km region that runs from north to south, which aims to produce high quality wines that can be distinguished based on terroir. Terroir is a […]

Diseases of dairy cattle adversely affect meat and milk quality. Our research demonstrates that high immune response (HIR™) cattle have many health advantages, including better quality colostrum/milk. HIR™ technology is marketed by our partner Semex Inc as Immunity+. While many advantages of HIR™ exist, there is more to learn, particularly as it relates to colostrum. […]

The development of additional pesticides which minimize negative effects on the environment and beneficial insects is imperative for successful long-term management and enhanced sustainability of agricultural systems. Utilizing plant based essential oils, which generally have low toxicity to humans and other mammals, could increase sustainable pest management options. The chemical complexity of plant-based essential oils […]

The neonatal and pre-weaned periods are the most challenging in dairy production, resulting in the highest mortality and morbidity rates, with diarrhea proving the most common cause of calf health problems. In order to treat and control this diarrhea, producers often rely on antibiotic therapy. An alternative is to provide living microorganisms (probiotics) that minimize […]

Bacterial pathogens of importance to animal health and food safety have major and global impacts on agriculture and food industries. There has been an increase in bacterial resistance to antimicrobials, and antibiotic use in livestock and poultry has been questioned due to likelihood of increased antimicrobial resistance. Alternative strategies to contend with bacterial pathogens within […]

The planned research program aims to address an existing gap: the lack of commercial availability of reference materials for food allergens to be used in the context of analytical method development, validation and performance testing. In particular, naturally incurred samples representing food matrices where priority allergens are likely to occur, in a controlled and calibrated […]

Cryopreserved (frozen) semen provides optimal genetics to cattle and especially dairy farmers, facilitating improved breeding programs. The sperm cryopreservation process significantly reduces fertility compared to fresh sperm. Each percent of reduced fertility amounts to a significant financial loss to farmers. Thus there is great pressure on semen providers to improve post thaw fertility, as it […]