BAC Food Policy and Sustainability Committee to deliver update on activities at Bakery Showcase

Have you ever wondered what the Baking Association of Canada’s Food Policy and Sustainability Committee does? Come to Bakery Showcase and attend what’s sure to be a lively panel featuring members of the committee speaking about topics they are passionate about, including how specific and current regulations and compliance can affect your bakery.

The discussion will take place on Sunday, May 5, from 10 to 11 a.m. following the BAC’s annual general meeting.

Meet the panel:

Denise Lee
Denise Lee is the Director of Food and Nutrition Policy, Baking Association of Canada. Denise joined the BAC as director of food and nutrition policy in May 2022. Denise holds a bachelor’s degree in nutrition science from the University of Guelph and nearly 25 years of experience that spans several regulated CPG industries, including food, natural health and cannabis, in policy, regulatory and quality management. Combining her education with many years of technical experience, Denise believes that finding workable solutions for business growth and innovation is based on solid science, a commitment to education, accessible and applicable information to all stakeholders and continuous progressive open communication between policymakers, businesses and customers.

Denise is an advocate for human health, fair policies and positive change within an industry and at a global level. She is excited to engage and collaborate with members and hear how she can support current practices and innovations and work through current industry challenges.

Joëlle Proulx
Joelle is the VP Quality and Continuous Improvement at Lallemand Baking North America. Based in Montreal, her academic background in is Food Science and Operations Management. As an ASQ-certified Six Sigma green belt, her passion resides in leadership and the promotion of lean tools towards the achievement of operational excellence.

Joëlle has 17 years of experience in the food industry, including 13 in the yeast industry. In 2021, she has become the Chair of the Food Policy and Sustainability Committee (FPS) and enjoys navigating the regulatory world in collaboration with other baking industry leaders. In her spare time, she enjoys being with her family and keeping busy with her two young boys (aged 2 and 3)!

Susan Abel
After 25 years in product and process development for the food industry, Susan spent 10 years as a lobbyist for a national trade association representing food and consumer products working with the federal government on activities as diverse as free trade, country of origin labelling, food regulatory modernisation, food allergens, low level presence of GMOs, chemicals management, and natural health products regulation modernisation. It during this time that she worked with the CFIA as part of an industry advisory Council working to ensure the success of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. Since then she has worked the past four years as a consultant to various industries including food, fertilizer, cosmetics, and natural health products.

Chiara DiAngelo
Chiara DiAngelo is a Registered Dietitian and the Director of Nutrition Communications at the Canadian Sugar Institute. Ms. DiAngelo collaborates with the Manager of Nutrition & Scientific Affairs and CSI’s Scientific Advisory Council in the development and delivery of science-based resources and programs. She is responsible for CSI communications to key opinion leaders through conference participation, educational events, webinars and other collaborative or sponsored initiatives.

As Communications Director, she maintains the Institute’s Nutrition Information Centre and responds to the information needs of health professionals, educators, the media and consumers. She is responsible for nutrition communications through the CSI website, email, and social media, and has presented on digital communications at several universities and health professional conferences. Miss DiAngelo has previous experience as a Food Regulatory Specialist working for a small food regulatory consulting company. She brings her expertise in the

Enid Acosta
Enid Acosta is the Food Safety Quality Assurance and Compliance Manager at Del’s Pastry Ltd. Enid holds several certifications and is skilled in negotiation, Six Sigma, manufacturing, Lean manufacturing and Continuous Improvement.Canadian Food and Drug Regulations as they pertain to Nutrition Facts and Food Labelling.

Julie Tannahill
Julie Tannahill is the Regulatory Affairs Supervisor at Backerhaus Veit Ltd, a leading Canadian bread manufacturing company famous for its hand-twisted soft pretzels and crafted breads.
Growing up in a family deeply connected to the food industry, Julie developed a passion for food and consumer safety from an early age. With a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Masters of Jurisprudence degree in Global Food Law, she embarked on a career dedicated to ensuring the safety and integrity of the global food supply chain. She gained invaluable experience working for leading food ingredient manufacturers and distributors, where she played a pivotal role in ensuring products met strict regulatory requirements set forth by local, national, and international agencies.

She is known for her proactive approach to compliance, staying abreast of emerging regulations and industry trends to anticipate and address potential issues before they arise. She is skilled in developing robust compliance programs, managing product certifications, and fostering a culture of compliance within organizations to ensure adherence to regulatory requirements at all levels of the supply chain.

As she continues to navigate the ever-evolving regulatory landscape, Julie remains dedicated to upholding the highest standards of regulatory compliance, driving organizational success through ethical conduct and regulatory excellence.

Register now for Bakery Showcase!