Food Research Program

Research > Conduct Research > OMAFRA > Food Research Program > Priorities

Priorities

Priority 1 - Create New Knowledge, Technologies and Products that Contribute to the Nutrition and Health of Canadians.

Priority 1.1

Provide data on the composition of Ontario foods that can be used by consumers, industry and government for the purposes of nutritional surveillance, policy and regulatory development, nutrition labeling, research, and nutrition education.

Priority 1.2

Determine the health benefits of plant and animal based foods produced in Ontario, in relation to chronic diseases and illnesses that have significant impacts in Canada and/or elsewhere.

Priority 1.3

Use new or existing technologies, from plant and animal breeding through to food processing, that can improve the nutrition profile of Ontario foods e.g. reduction of trans fats, improved profile of fatty acids in oilseeds.

Priority 1.4

Formulate new wellness products that address the health needs of specific target audiences e.g. osteoporosis in women.

Priority 1.5

Assess and/or develop methods of processing, storing, packaging, and distributing food that preserves nutrients and other bioactive components.

Priority 1.6

Provide data to support health claim substantiation studies.

Priority 1.7

Use new methods to overcome problem sensory attributes of healthful foods.

Priority 1.8

Develop a better understanding of the role of nutrients in satiety and use this knowledge to enhance the satiety value of foods.

Priority 1.9

Increase the understanding of the acceptance of new technologies and foods by consumers.  E.g. Use of biotechnology to genetically modify crops to nutritionally enhance products; will these be accepted by consumers?

Priority 1.10

Increase the understanding of consumer perceptions and attitudes related to functional foods vs. nutraceuticals (pills). Why may functional ingredients be acceptable in some foods and not others e.g. probiotics in dairy products vs. cereal products?

Priority 1.11

Determine effective and alternative delivery systems for communicating with consumers e.g. interactive kiosks, broad scale communication programs, websites, labeling, direct to consumer communications.

Priority 1.12

Develop methodologies for new consumer testing that can be targeted at specific groups e.g. seniors, children, restaurant patrons, convenience users.

Priority 2 - Conduct Research to Optimise the Ontario Food Safety System, including Traceability and Assurance Programs.

Priority 2.1

Research on the development of test and sampling methodologies to improve accuracy, speed, specificity and affordability of existing and novel methodologies.

Priority 2.2

Research on synergistic effects of current and emerging hurdle technologies (thermal and non-thermal), for the quantitative reduction/control of pathogens; advantages and limitations of non-thermal processing.

Priority 2.3

Research to establish food allergen thresholds; risk assessment/identification of compounds formed during processing and storage; methods/strategies to remove naturally occurring toxic contaminants; determinations of the safety of genetically engineered foods in terms of food allergens and other potentially toxic chemicals.

Priority 2.4

Research to detect dietary supplements, allergens, veterinary drugs, genetically modified organisms

Priority 2.5

Research to increase the understanding of perceptions and attitudes related to food safety along the farm to fork continuum; to determine effective delivery systems for communicating with producers, processors and consumers.

 

Priority 3 - Food Industry Profitability and Competitiveness through (a) Innovation and Development of Market Opportunities, and (b) Alternative Uses for Processing Waste and Co-Products.

Priority 3.1

Development and analysis of food marketing and distribution models to more effectively capture markets created by the changing demographics of the domestic consumer base.

Priority 3.2

Evaluation of opportunities for producers and food companies to benefit from increasing consumer interest in “local food”.

Priority 3.3

Identification of the export markets with the most significant opportunities for Ontario value added food products.

Priority 3.4

Identification of functional components of waste and co-products.

Priority 3.5

New packaging technologies that can extend the shelf life of food and/or be recycled to minimize waste.

Priority 3.6

Technologies to purify plant processing water for recycling through the plant.

Priority 3.7

Generation of energy from solid waste to be used on site to reduce energy costs.