GFIC Collaborative Research
Facing a challenge that requires deeper scientific exploration?
Some projects call for the added depth of academic partnership, where industry needs meet cutting-edge research to drive long-term innovation.
At GFIC, you gain direct collaboration with the world-renowned faculty of the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph. This opens the door to specialized knowledge, advanced methodologies, and research capacity that support innovations with longer timelines or broader scientific scope.
Why Choose Collaborative Research with GFIC?
• Access to Academic Expertise
Work with professors and research groups in areas such as dairy, cereals, lipids, sensory science, microbiology, packaging, fermentation, and beyond.
• Deeper, Longer-Term Projects
Ideal for innovations that require multi-phase studies, advanced modeling, and scientific validation.
• Applied + Academic Strength
Combine GFIC’s pilot plants and industry-focused expertise with academic rigor and research depth.
• Funding Opportunities
Leverage grant programs that encourage industry–academic collaboration, helping reduce project costs.
• Next-Generation Talent
Engage graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who bring advanced technical knowledge and innovative thinking.
What Collaborative Research Looks Like
• Developing next-generation dairy ingredients with improved nutrition and functionality.
• Exploring precision fermentation for sustainable proteins and bioactives.
• Evaluating packaging innovations for sustainability and extended shelf-life.
• Designing new processing technologies to improve efficiency, safety, and quality.
• Investigating sensory and consumer acceptance of new formulations.
Meet Our Experts
Dr. Alice Marciniak
Protein Processing & Sustainable Food Innovation
- Protein functionality
- Sustainable ingredients
- Food structure engineering
- Nutritional performance
- Protein ingredient development
- Dairy innovation
- Side-stream valorization
- Processing optimization
Dr. Biniam Kebede
Sustainable Food Processing | Food Structure Engineering | Quality-by-Design
- Plant-protein digestibility and nutritional quality
- Off-flavours in plant- and fermentation-derived protein ingredients
- Agri-food side-stream valorization and upcycling
- Flavour and metabolite profiling (volatile and non-volatile)
- Data-driven food innovation, from chemometrics to machine learning
- Improving plant-protein digestibility and nutritional quality, including in vitro DIAAS
- Solid-state fermentation process development
- Developing protein-rich and functional ingredients from agri-food side streams
- Fermentation-based off-flavour reduction and desirable flavour/umami development
- Food structure and protein functionality optimization
- Foodomics, predictive modelling, and data-driven process optimization
Dr. Daniel Onwude
Computational Food Systems & Precision Nutrition
- AI & Digital Twins
- Computational Food Systems
- Food Processing & Preservation
- Cold Chain & Shelf-life Prediction
- Precision Nutrition
- Sustainable Food Manufacturing
- Digital twins for food manufacturing and processing
- AI-driven process optimization
- Shelf-life prediction and cold-chain optimization
- Drying, cooling, freezing, and thermal process modelling
- Computational modelling of food quality and nutrition
- Sustainable food processing technologies
- Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing
Meet Other Faculty: Faculty Profiles - Department of Food Science
Advancing Innovation Through Collaboration
Whether you’re tackling complex challenges or aiming to create breakthrough innovations, GFIC connects you with the academic expertise and research capacity to make it happen—partner with us to unlock new possibilities and turn advanced science into real-world impact. Start your collaborative research journey today.
