Sask. agri-food facility, plant-protein research announced

Saskatoon, Sask. – A newly opened agri-food research and incubation centre and investments in plant-protein research are aimed at boosting western Canada’s food-processing industry.

A new $17.5-million Agri-Food Innovation Centre facility in Saskatoon will provide concept-to-commercialization services through applied research for agricultural products, product and process development, and incubation for entrepreneurs and agri-food processors.

The new facility will be operated by the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre, according to a news release from Western Economic Diversification Canada.

Federal minister of public safety and emergency preparedness Ralph Goodale presided over the opening of the centre and announced two new investments totalling $417,500.

The first investment of $117,500, through the Western Diversification Program (WDP), will enable the food centre to purchase equipment to separate and isolate protein from alfalfa and split field peas on a pilot-scale level.

The second WDP investment of $300,000 will also help the food centre purchase additional equipment and develop commercial uses for western Canadian pulse starch byproducts, left over from the protein separation process.

The Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre is the primary provider of food product development, technology transfer, commercialization and food safety training for Saskatchewan’s food industry.