| | The Food Science and Technology Program is located at the Crop Diversification Centre (South) in Brooks. Our staff at this facility conduct applied research in post-harvest handling, storage and value-added processing of horticultural and specialty crops. We also provide technical leadership to ensure that Alberta companies have the specialized knowledge and capabilities to compete globally.
Product development:
- Our staff have experience and access to equipment to assist with most fruit and vegetable product development, such as the production of jams, jellies, syrups and juices using saskatoon berries and chokecherries.
- Modified atmosphere packaging has been used to extend the shelf-life of fresh-cut vegetables.
- The test kitchen and small pilot-plant at Brooks are equipped with juicers, slicers, blast freezer, freeze-dryer, vacuum and gas-flush packaging and other processing equipment suitable for fruits and vegetables.
Specialized product evaluation:
- The Brooks test kitchen and analytical lab are well equipped for product quality evaluation.
- The food staff work closely with Crop Diversification Centre scientists to monitor the frying, chipping, boiling and baking quality of new potato cultivars.
- Analysis of mint, basil and coriander essential oils provides researchers with data to optimize production of flavour ingredients. Staff have experience with lab analysis of potatoes, essential oils, fenugreek, chicory, saskatoon berries, currants, and a variety of other Alberta-grown specialty crops.
- The analytical lab frequently provides important support for product development projects.
Location and contact information:
The Brooks Food Science and Technology Program is located at the Crop Diversification Centre South, approximately 1 km east of Brooks on the Trans-Canada Highway. Alberta Agriculture and Forestry research staff specializing in fruit, specialty crop, vegetable, forage, and potato production, plant pathology and entomology are also housed at the Crop Diversification Centre.
Contact:
Food Science and Technology Centre
Crop Diversification Centre-South
301 Horticultural Station Road East
Brooks, AB, T1R 1E6
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