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Agricultural Research and Innovation in Alberta

reach&discover

healthy bodyhealthy foodhealthy food

Consortium Participants

Page 2

Alberta’s Agriculture Funding Consortium continues to grow with 15 organizations now participating. Alberta Potato Growers is the newest affi liate.

Barley Buzz

Page 3

Barley is nutritious and delicious and it’s got Albertans talking.

From Piglets to Preemies

Page 6

Premature babies are benefi ting from research on piglets.

Prevention and Preservation

Page 14

Avoiding trans fats is good for your health and good for Alberta’s farmers.

Straight to the Heart

Page 16

CanolaInfo gets the word out on healthy choices.

Poultry Power

Page 18

When it comes to nutrition, poultry meat and eggs are power players.

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Well Positioned with Red Clover

Page 8

The medicinal properties of red clover could open the door to new niche markets.

CLA Sleuth

Page 10

CLA research demonstrates how some fat can be good for you.

Better for Everyone

Page 12

Co-operation is helping to solve the shortage of tasty Alberta lamb.

Serendipity in Science

Page 20

A eureka moment is leading to answers about gut disease.

Fast Forward

Page 22

Climate change, water resources, food trends, and much more – Reach and Discover provides a glimpse into the future of agriculture in Alberta.

Words of Wisdom

Page 28

Dr. Kevin Keough looks at the connections between agriculture and human health.

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02reach&discover

www.aari.ab.ca

www.avacltd.com

www.climatechangecentral.com

www.acidf.ca

www.alidf.ca

www.agfoodcouncil.com

Members of Alberta’s Agriculture Funding

Consortium

Alberta is all about innovation. Albertans have always been forward thinkers and Reach & Discover captures a new wave of leaders in agricultural research and development.

Science is making the most of food, fi bre, and bioresources, in ways that change daily lives. So, as Alberta REACHes to add value to agriculture and DISCOVERs wonderful new uses for agricultural resources, we invite you to join us in exploring the exciting world of research and development.

Reach & Discover is brought to you by the members of Alberta’s Agriculture Funding Consortium. The Consortium provides an innovative approach to coordinating agricultural research and development funding and aligning projects with industry-wide goals. Each member organization retains its own identity and funds a range of projects in its target area – but also gains effi ciencies from sharing a single approach to application and joint-funding opportunities.

We welcome reprints, with acknowledgement, of Reach & Discover stories.

Affi liate Members

www.pulse.ab.ca

www.albertamilk.com www.albertapork.com

www.eggs.ab.ca www.albertabarley.com

www.chicken.ab.ca

www.canola.ab.ca www.albertapotatoes.ca

Agricultural Research and Innovation in Alberta

Buzz

03fall 2005

Barley seems to be on the tip of everyone’s

tongue in Alberta these days, but what’s

been causing this buzz? Well for starters,

Alberta produces nearly half of Canada’s

annual supply of the grain – approximately

six million tonnes. That, coupled with barley’s

healthy nutritional profi le and a growing

consumer demand globally for functional

foods (see sidebars), means there are exciting

new marketing opportunities for this Alberta-

grown grain.

Now, everyone along the barley supply

chain, from growers to consumers, is

benefi ting from two Alberta projects which

are increasing awareness of this healthful

grain and the utilization of barley fl our in

food products.

Bringing Barley to Business

Registered dietitian Bev Whitmore and

Donna Hamilton, a barley grower and

producer of whole grain barley fl our, have

been working hard to promote this grain’s

health-promoting components, as well as

to communicate the benefi ts of barley in

baked goods to bakeries, coffee shops,

Consumers in Alberta are buzzing

about barley: its health benefi ts

and its great taste.

Members of the Agriculture Funding Consortium funding this project include: • Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund • Alberta Barley Commission • Agriculture and Food Council through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s CARD Program

BarleyBuzz

04reach&discover

hospitals, and health care professionals. The

two are part of a commercialization project,

funded by several agricultural groups in

Alberta, to build both consumer support for

this grain and the respect barley deserves.

After getting the commitment of

prospective businesses to participate, the

duo gave each one an information package.

“To stimulate interest in barley as a tasty

and nutritious alternative, we included tips

on using the fl our, several household-tested

recipes scaled to small bakeries, a business

rationale for including a barley product line,

and a list of barley fl our suppliers,” explains

Whitmore. “The package helped businesses

to easily adopt the use of barley fl our and

develop their own barley products to suit

their clientele.” Expertise on using the fl our

and developing products was provided by

Lorea Ladner, a Food Scientist at the Leduc

Food Processing Development Centre.

“Preliminary market studies have shown

that consumers are very pleased with bakery

products made with whole grain barley fl our,

indicating there is excellent potential for

barley as an ingredient or functional food,”

says Doug Walkey, Executive Director of the

Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund.

As a result, ACIDF, Alberta Barley

Commission, Alberta Agriculture, Food and

Rural Development, and the Agriculture

and Food Council of Alberta,

funded the one-year

commercialization project aimed at:

• recruiting 10 partnering businesses to

operate within a commercial barley

fl our supply chain;

• increasing consumer awareness of the

nutritional profi le and health benefi ts

of barley;

• expanding utilization of barley fl our in

baked products within the food service

industry;

• building stronger relationships between

industry organizations and barley supply

chain partners: growers, millers, bakers,

distributors, and end-users (food service

providers and consumers); and

• building a value-added industry in

Alberta based on barley fl our as

a food ingredient.

When asked to participate in the project,

Nan Eskenazi of Good Earth Coffee House

and Bakery was very interested. Eskenazi

is the owner of eight Calgary-based cafes

and could see the benefi ts of including

barley fl our products as a part of the

menu right away. “Developing wheat-

free barley fl our muffi ns allowed us to

reach different customers and to offer

something new with a greater nutritional

value,” says Eskenazi. She explains that her

company received a lot of partner support

from Hamilton and project co-ordinator

Whitmore, as well as ABC. The help in

promoting the health benefi ts of barley

meant customers were clamouring for the

barley muffi ns on a daily basis.

“Considering the size of barley production

in the province, the volume of fl our used by

the Good Earth Coffee House and Bakery

is not large. Still, the partnership of Good

Earth is tremendously valuable because

it demonstrates to other businesses that

there is a sustainable demand for barley

products,” explains Kevin Muxlow, Manager

of Corporate Strategy and Development at

• Whole grain barley contains approximately 4% more total dietary fi bre than whole wheat fl our.

• Barley contains more soluble fi bre in the form of beta glucan than either oats or wheat.

• One-half cup of barley fl our contains 7 grams of total dietary fi bre, while the same amount of white all-purpose enriched wheat fl our contains just 2 grams.

• Barley foods are more common in countries like Morocco, where per capita consumption averages 65 kg of barley annually.

• There are more than 50 different varieties of barley grown in Western Canada.• Hulless barley grows with the hulls loosely attached to the kernel, but when

harvested the hulls usually fall off.

Did you know?

fall 200505

ABC. “These businesses can now see a

proven opportunity that they may want

to expand – it’s a step by step approach to

building a value-added market.”

To promote the uniqueness of barley fl our

in baked goods and the grain’s health

benefi ts to wider audiences, promotions

were placed in Alberta’s major newspapers

as well as the National Post, and numerous

magazine and newsletter articles were

written. In addition, there were radio

and television interviews, barley product

launches, and promotional events.

One event that garnered attention was

the Ultimate Barley Baker Contest, open

to students in the Baking and Arts Pastry

Program at the Southern Alberta Institute

of Technology. “The contest provided

the opportunity to introduce barley

fl our to new bakers and, with the media

exposure, spread the word about barley to

consumers and other markets – something

that individual producers don’t have the

resources to do,” says Hamilton.

While the initial project exceeded its goals,

all those involved agreed on the need to

increase the interest in this grain among

larger and broader businesses, enhancing

the development of new value-added

barley products and impacting the barley

industry even more.

Building the Momentum

Building on the momentum of the fi rst

project, the Agriculture and Food Council

of Alberta, ABC, and industry partners are

funding a value-chain initiative aimed at

bringing whole grain barley fl our-based

products to a larger commercial scale

through the Calgary Co-op. “Expanding

into the grocery store market, where there

is a different kind of shopper and a higher

frequency of shopping, positions barley

to be a choice more often – increasing the

demand for barley products,” says Muxlow.

Although the project was only initiated this

year, there has already been considerable

collaboration and progress made by the

partnering organizations: ABC, processors,

(Schroeder Milling Inc. and Byblos Bakery), and

Calgary Co-op. For its part, Schroeder Milling

Inc., which specializes in the processing and

milling of Sunny Boy cereals, fl our, pancake

mixes, and bakery mixes, has formulated

hulless barley fl ours to be developed into new

products by Byblos Bakery.

Some of the Byblos products currently

being sold at 20 different Calgary Co-op

stores include two fl avours of savory buns

and three fl avours of cookies. All products

are made with whole grain formulations,

contain no trans fat, and are a source

of fi bre, according to Muxlow. He adds

that future product opportunities exist in

tortillas, fl at breads, baking mixes, and

snack foods, all of which may capture new

niche markets for barley and more value

for growers.

With the promise of more market success

for barley fl our, the project participants are

hopeful the development of new products

will open the window of opportunity

for Alberta barley, exposing even more

consumers to its pleasures and health

benefi ts and keeping the barley buzz

growing for years to come.

Health-Benefi ting Barley Components

Barley has recently been identifi ed as a functional food – a food that can provide benefi ts beyond basic nutrition. Barley components with specifi c health benefi ts include:• Beta glucan – a soluble fi bre

that lowers cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart dis-ease, regulating blood glucose levels, and stimulating immune responses.

• Tocotrienols and Tocopherols – antioxidants that inactivate free radicals and other harm-ful substances in cells, while reducing the production of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, commonly known as “bad” cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk of heart dis-ease and cancer, and possibly slowing cellular aging.

• Chromium – a trace mineral that regulates blood glucose concentrations.

Thinking about having a barley good day?

For great barley recipes visit:• www.albertabarley.com/recipes/index.html• www.hamiltonsbarley.com/recipesall.htm

Please reprint me!

Reach & Discover stories are written for reprint. Please feel free to reprint with credit. Visit www.fundingconsortium.ca to view past issues.

06reach&discover

Members of the Agriculture Funding Consortium funding this project include: • Alberta Pork • Alberta Agricultural Research Institute

When Dawn’s son, Samuel, was born

prematurely, he was instantly rushed to an

incubator, hooked up to tubes and monitors,

and his life and organs were watched round

the clock. For newborns, like Samuel, the

stress of adjusting to their new world where

they receive their nourishment from milk

or formula can be severe, but an Alberta

researcher’s work with newborn piglets is

helping to shed new light on how to make

this transition easier for human babies.

Doctors know that newborns, and in

particular those born prematurely,

experience distress from the birth process,

something we are fortunate not to

remember as adults. After being fed

through the placenta while in the womb, a

newborn is given mother’s milk or formula

and its little body must learn to ingest

and digest the foreign texture. Premature

babies, whose digestive systems and organs

are underdeveloped and unprepared for

the onslaught of food, are fed intravenously

to ensure they get nourishment. Still,

digestive problems often occur when food is

introduced to their tiny digestive systems.

Away from the hospital and all the way

to the farm, piglets born to a sow face

the same nutritional challenge. In nature,

however, premature piglets and runts – which

don’t benefi t from the same individual

interventions as human babies – don’t usually

survive. Like most babies, piglets rely on

their mother’s milk as their systems develop,

and they too experience distress that can

be deadly when weaned. That’s where

the work of Dr. Ron Ball of the University

of Alberta has made a difference, making

piglets’ early lives less stressful.

From

Pig

lets

to

Pre

emie

s

Research on piglet digestion

is having unexpected

but welcome benefi ts for

premature human babies.

fall 2005

The Work in Piglets

“There are so many issues involved between

nutrition and digestion,” says Ball, who holds

a Research Chair in Swine Nutrition funded

by Alberta Pork. “The successful transition

from in-utero feeding to mother’s milk and

fi nally to solid food, such as soybean meal,

is the result of how effective the intestinal

system is.” He points out that the various

transitions often result in diarrhea that

can cause weight loss, lack of interest in

food, and possibly death – a result no hog

producer wants to have happen.

In order to understand what was

happening, Ball devised a system to bypass

the piglets’ digestive systems. The piglets

were fi tted with little vests with attached

feeding tubes, catheters, and monitors,

and fed formula, called ‘total parenteral

nutrition’ (TPN) which is the same as that

fed to premature human babies.

Ball studied the piglets taken from their

mother at one day old and observed

their survival and development on total

intravenous feeding compared to normal

oral feeding – and the results were

encouraging. The only piglets that were lost

were those few who developed infections;

the remainder thrived and developed into

healthy pigs.

The research showed that if the intestine

isn’t receiving the required nutrition, the

piglet becomes sickly. Ball’s fi ndings revealed

that one of the reasons the intestine may not

be functioning properly is due to a lack of

the amino acid threonine, which is necessary

for the development of the mucous that

coats the intestines. This mucous prevents

the enzymes that digest food from digesting

the intestines themselves.

“We learned that if at least 60% of

threonine is used in the intestine, we can

keep a baby pig alive and healthy. This

led us to study older pigs to determine

what causes the mucous in the intestine to

decrease,” continues Ball. “In fact, pigs on

a higher fi bre diet have an increased loss of

mucous.” This prompted the researchers to

study what levels of threonine are required

to ensure the pigs’ health and how diets

of growing pigs should be adjusted or

supplemented to maintain the required

levels of this important amino acid.

Adapting the Research

Just how does this research relate to the

health issues faced by little Samuel? A

long-time collaborator of Ball’s, Dr. Paul

Pencharz of Toronto’s Sick Children’s

Hospital, who works in the area of

pediatric nutrition, speculated that the

same issues may be facing his patients and

their underdeveloped systems.

Traditionally, intravenous feeding solutions

for human babies were based on oral

formula – egg protein or mother’s milk

– but scientists now know that the amino

acids required for intestine function differ

depending on how the digestive system

is working. Pencharz’s understanding of a

premature baby’s underdeveloped organs

prompted him to consider how Ball’s work

with piglets could be adapted for his

patients and infant formulas designed to

meet their needs.

By working together, Pencharz’s work

with human babies has been accelerated

and Ball has gained new research ideas

for piglets. Citing an example, Ball says

they have tested new compounds for

intravenous formula to provide nutrients

that are missing from TPN because they

won’t dissolve.

On the human side, doctors were able to

replace outdated data from the 1950s on

how to measure amino acids in humans

by disproving it in work with pigs. “We

developed a better method for measuring

amino acids in pigs that we now use to

measure amino acid requirements in

humans more effectively,” Ball says.

Thanks to Ball’s work with piglets,

the odds for premature babies have

improved. Specialists in neo-natal care,

such as Pencharz, are now improving

the development of these tiny infants by

using tailor-made intravenous nutrition.

Ball admits that when he began, he never

dreamed his interest in swine nutrition

would lead to improving the lives of babies

who enter the world too soon.

07

“The successful transition

from in-utero feeding to

mother’s milk and fi nally

to solid food is the result

of how effective the

intestinal system is.”

– Ron Ball

Please reprint me!

Reach & Discover stories are written for reprint. Please feel free to reprint with credit. Visit www.fundingconsortium.ca to view past issues.

08reach&discover

Members of the Agriculture Funding Consortium funding this project include: • Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund

The market for nutraceuticals is growing as we continually look for new ways to maintain

our well-being and prevent disease. Nutraceuticals – products extracted or purifi ed from

plants – are gaining recognition for their potential to protect against chronic diseases and

various cancers. A large portion of nutraceuticals contain phytochemicals and one class

of these in particular, isofl avones, is receiving considerable attention. Since red clover is

rich in isofl avones, Alberta is focusing some of its research resources on uncovering the

nutraceutical value of these plants.

Alberta produces approximately 75% of Canada’s red clover seed, positioning the province

well for the creation of a signifi cant value-added industry. “We can capitalize on this crop

probably better than most regions of the world. We have the processing capacity plus the

time-proven practices and technical expertise at the farm level for growing pure stands

of high quality red clover,” says Trevor Kloeck, Senior Development Offi cer with Alberta

Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. He adds, “The bottom line is we have the ability

to develop an industry that will not only build an additional revenue stream for farmers,

but also provide entrepreneurs and manufacturers with the supply they need to develop

red clover products.”

The Value of Clover

“Alberta growers receive on average $0.45/lb for red clover seed,” says Calvin Yoder, a forage

specialist with AAFRD. “Sold as a nutraceutical, however, the crop brings a return much

with Red Clover with Red Clover

Combine aging populations, advances in technology, and society’s

appetite for healthy living, and the time is right for marketing

isofl avone-rich Alberta red clover as a nutraceutical ingredient.

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fall 2005

greater than that,” he adds. Currently it

is the fl owers that are harvested for their

health benefi ts, and dried fl owers, whole

or ground, have a retail value of $9.50 to

$61.70/lb. Given the prospect for creating

further marketing opportunities and greater

profi t margins for Alberta farmers, there is

no doubt that this market is worth exploring.

“It’s the medicinal properties of red

clover that make it so valuable,” says

Connie Phillips, Director of Strategic

Investment in Health and Nutrition at

Alberta Agricultural Research Institute. She

explains that the isofl avones found in red

clover are similar to those found in soy. In

particular, four phytoestrogens (a class of

isofl avones) known to have nutraceutical

properties are found in both soy and red

clover. Although the soy industry has

successfully marketed the health benefi ts

of soy, it is now known that the leaves

of red clover grown in Alberta have 10

times the amount of phytoestrogens as

soy and show tremendous health benefi ts

on several fronts. Isofl avones have been

shown to reduce the risk of coronary

heart disease and stroke, and may prevent

both breast and prostrate cancer. These

compounds also relieve menopausal

symptoms without the side effects of

traditional hormone replacement therapy.

As well, the results of some studies indicate

isofl avones stimulate bone formation and

inhibit bone resorption, thereby helping to

fi ght osteoporosis.

Touting these impressive health benefi ts,

combined with an increasing global demand

for nutraceuticals, spells opportunity, so

Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund

recently funded a study identifying marketing

opportunities for Alberta-grown red clover

derivatives as a functional ingredient.

Marketing Feasibility

The study, entitled “Marketing Feasibility

of Red Clover” and compiled by Millang

Communications, had specifi c objectives:

• examine the demand for red clover

products;

• identify the market, geographic

locations, and current pricing;

• identify current processors of red

clover-based products;

• identify established Alberta companies

with potential to use red clover; and

• identify existing potential barriers.

“The results of the study are very

encouraging,” says Phillips. Key fi ndings

indicate that U.S. sales of red clover

products were CDN $38 million in 2002.

With clinical research showing benefi cial

health effects for red clover isofl avones, and

the use of hormone replacement therapy

alternatives becoming increasingly popular

among menopausal women, sales of this

supplement continue to grow. Still, market

competition is strong from pharmaceutical,

chemical and food processing companies

already in the marketplace.

To support industry development, research

is required in many areas: market research,

specifi c production information, and

clinical and manufacturing cost studies.

As well, information is needed on factors

affecting the isofl avone content and to

determine the best method of extracting the

isofl avones from red clover. So Phillips, along

with Hong Qi, Research Engineer at AAFRD’s

Centre for Agri-Industrial Technology, Dr.

Kevin Swallow, Food Scientist at the Food

Processing Development Centre, and Dr.

Paul Kolodziejczyk, Research Scientist at

the Olds College School of Innovation,

have been working to fi nd the answers to

some of these questions.

Richer than Soy

Many studies have reinforced the

reputation of red clover as an excellent

source of isofl avones. “In one Alberta

study, funded by AAFRD’s New Initiative

Fund, nine different isofl avones were

identifi ed in fresh red clover plants,”

says Qi. She adds, “Soy was once thought

of as the richest source of isofl avones;

however, we found that the red clover

varieties grown in Alberta contain a higher

concentration – 15% higher than that

found in soy.”

This translates to good news for red

clover growers and manufacturers

interested in creating value-added

products. The leaves were found to

contain the highest concentration of

isoflavones, approximately 2.5 times

that found in the flowers and stems.

Qi says that further studies need to be

conducted to evaluate the effect of

growing conditions and location on

isoflavone content.

Although there is still much to be done,

there are clearly many benefi ts to

developing this industry. For one, farmers

could have access to new niche markets,

and rising demand for both red clover

seed and forage will increase prices. The

development and marketing of red clover

nutraceuticals, dietary supplements,

and functional foods will provide health

benefi ts and maintain consumers’ interest

in red clover. Additionally, success of this

market will further increase Alberta’s

competitiveness in developing and

retaining processing companies.

“We can capitalize

on this crop probably

better than most

regions of the world.”

– Trevor Kloeck

• For over a century, people have been using red clover treatments for skin conditions, asthma, and whooping cough.

• Crops grown in the Peace River region have “northern vigor”, a phenom-enon which gives red clover grown there higher concentrations of phyto-chemicals, naturally occurring plant components that may prevent some chronic diseases and enhance human health.

• Lentils, chickpeas, and garden peas also contain isofl avones.

• Red clover is one of the few plants containing the four most common active isofl avones (diadzein, genistein, formononetin, and biochanin A) in their active state.

Did youDid you knowknow?

Please reprint me!

Reach & Discover stories are written for reprint. Please feel free to reprint with credit. Visit www.fundingconsortium.ca to view past issues.

09

10reach&discover

Members of the Agriculture Funding Consortium funding this project include: • Alberta Agricultural Research Institute • Alberta Livestock Industry Development Fund • Alberta Milk • Agriculture and Food Council through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s CARD program

CLA Sleuth

10

How can CLA, a fatty acid naturally

found in cows’ milk, benefi t

human health? For a start, it might

make your heart, pancreas, and

kidneys work better.

11fall 2005

You probably know that milk is good for you, but just what makes

it so healthy? Well, milk contains calcium – good for building bones,

regulating heartbeat, and maintaining normal blood clotting,

nervous system function, and muscle contraction and relaxation.

But there’s also another, lesser known component in milk called

conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, which has a number of potential

health benefi ts as well. CLA, a fatty acid that occurs naturally in

milk products, is believed to aid in cardiovascular health, controlling

diabetes, preventing kidney disease and cancer, and maintaining

body fat. Testing is now underway to prove exactly what CLA does.

Dr. Spencer Proctor, Assistant Professor of Human Nutrition and

Director of the Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases Laboratory at

the University of Alberta, is working with a team of scientists at the

CLA Network to piece together the clues as to the effect CLA may

have on human health.

Proctor is specifi cally interested in fi nding out how CLA affects

cholesterol levels as well as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular

disease. To that end, Proctor, as leader of the human health

module of the CLA Network, is conducting research in an effort to

understand just how CLA works in the human body.

Scientifi c Detective Work

Scientists have known of CLA’s existence and discussed its activity for

many years, but the ways CLA can improve human health were not

readily understood. More recently, research has been undertaken

to determine just what potential activity CLA does have in people.

However, a drawback of some of these studies is that there are

a number of different forms of CLA – with one of the two most

common being a synthetic form produced in a lab and the other

a natural form produced in both milk and beef. So far therapeutic

forms of CLA have been used as a mixture, so it is unclear how the

different types of CLA work in humans. “One of the things the

Network is interested in is understanding whether the natural source

of CLA potentially can be more active and benefi cial than synthetic

forms of CLA,” says Proctor. “That’s one of the questions that hasn’t

been answered yet.”

To get to the bottom of this mystery, funding provided by members

of Alberta’s Agriculture Funding Consortium together with Alberta

Food and Rural Development and Dairy Farmers of Cananda is

enabling Proctor and the CLA Network to study CLA’s activity. “With

cell work you can be quite specifi c about some of the mechanisms,”

he explains. “You can block certain pathways, use drugs to inhibit

transporters, and understand the specifi c details – what does CLA do

to the cell when put in a dish where cells are growing?” The variables

can be changed as well: scientists can use different cells, different

types of CLA, and vary the conditions in any number of ways. “There

are lots of things you can do with cell culture that you can’t do

otherwise,” he adds. “But there are some integrated questions that

can’t be answered like: ‘Does that cell actually respond the same way

in the whole body?’”

That’s when testing is taken to the next level and CLA is tried in the

comprehensive model. “It’s a matter of saying ‘I think it might be this

mechanism. Let’s give the same type of CLA to an animal with high

cholesterol and see if it can lower cholesterol’,” says Proctor. “Then

let’s ask a bigger question: If the animal has heart or kidney disease,

or cancer, can CLA actually reduce the disease?”

Natural versus Synthetic

The question remains to be answered. Through all this research, the

group’s working hypothesis is natural CLA can be more benefi cial

than synthetic forms of the compound. “There is evidence to suggest

that when CLA is naturally formed it is absorbed much more readily

in the intestine and absorption pathway than when you present it as

a pure fatty acid (synthetic),” he notes. On the fl ipside, people may

lose weight with a synthetic CLA. However there is also evidence

to suggest that synthetic forms of CLA may not be benefi cial to

everyone. That’s potentially why the natural form of CLA may be

better and why this is a priority research topic today.

According to Proctor, consuming dairy products such as 2% milk,

butter, or cheese is one of the best ways to get the health benefi ts

of CLA. In the future, milk products may be naturally enriched with

CLA as cows are fed a certain type of oilseed that will increase their

production of the benefi cial fatty acid. “You may one day be able

to buy milk with a higher percentage of CLA, or you could get CLA

cheese or yogurt,” he says. As products are developed, nutritionists

will step in and ascertain if drinking it for the fi rst 10 to15 years of

life is more benefi cial than milk with a lower CLA content.

With all the evidence pointing to CLA being a very benefi cial

component of milk with excellent human health implications, it’s

only a matter of time before Proctor and the other researchers at the

CLA Network piece together the clues of how this fatty acid works to

complement human health.

Better Beef

One of the key goals of the CLA Network – a collaboration between government, industry, and academia – is to increase the amount of natural CLA found in beef and dairy products. The number one health concern in Canada is dietary fat, and the beef module of the CLA Network is aimed at showing that not all fat is bad. In fact, CLA is a healthy fat. Through diet manipulation, researchers are showing that waste fat in cattle can be reduced while levels of CLA are increased. Now that’s good news for human health.

Funders of the beef module include the Alberta Livestock Industry Development Fund, the Beef Information Centre, and Alberta Beef Producers.

Dr. Spencer Proctor is a world leader in the fi eld of measuring different

forms of blood cholesterol, in particular cholesterol produced from the

gut and dietary sources. Dr. Proctor uses sophisticated gel-like separation

techniques (SDS-PAGE) to separate and identify dietary forms of

cholesterol.

12reach&discover

Members of the Agriculture Funding Consortium funding this project include: • Diversifi ed Livestock Fund of Alberta • Agriculture and Food Council utilizing Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s ACAAF Program

Think spring, think lamb. The choice of lamb for such spring rituals as Easter dinner is

well established, but now the year-round demand for this premium meat is growing

and has already surpassed supply.

The increased consumption of lamb in Canada can be attributed to several factors,

including demand for alternatives to pork, beef, and chicken from the high-end

consumer segment, interest in ethnic dining, and growth in the ethnic population. And

the change is having an impact on the Canadian diversifi ed livestock industry. Australia

and New Zealand have long been the major suppliers of lamb to most markets. Now,

increased demand is creating opportunities for Canadian sheep producers.

According to Sue Hosford, Business Development Specialist with Alberta Agriculture,

Food and Rural Development and project leader, “To build, or even maintain, our

share of the growing market, we have to produce the best lambs possible. Thus the

Building Betters Lambs initiative was born.”

Bet

ter f

or

Ever

yon

e Consumers’ taste for lamb has increased, creating a challenge

for the Alberta sheep industry: fi nd a way to meet the demand.

Better Meat, Better Prices

The fi rst project, which focuses on improving the quality,

consistency, and supply of premium lamb, involves the entire lamb

supply chain to achieve:

• continued improvements in grading;

• innovative processing;

• practical traceablility systems;

• improved genetic selection; and

• production effi ciencies.

There are two aspects to the initiative, with the fi rst focusing on

producers who want better prices for their product. Sunterra Meats

of Innisfail, Canada’s largest federally inspected lamb processor, has

identifi ed markets across the country. The company sources their

grain-fed lamb from Western Canada and fi nds getting year-round

supply, especially at peak demand time, is a challenge. “When we

put together a business package for retailers, they need consistent

supply 52 weeks of the year. We can only take on business that we

have lambs for at our lowest supply point,” says Sunterra Project

Manager Wade Meunier.

To answer the challenge, Sunterra is working with producers to

help research and improve the quality and consistency of the lamb

supply. Last year they launched a different way of paying for lambs

– a payment and grading system that rewards producers who bring in

the quality Sunterra’s customers want. The system is based on muscle

conformation, fat cover, and the right weights. “Our customers want

a certain amount of fat, to ensure tenderness and juiciness, but it

can’t be excessive. As for size, we need a fairly consistent size from

restaurant to grocery store. We work with retailers to get feedback

on what their customers want,” says Meunier.

As well as paying premiums to producers, Sunterra is working with

Lakeland College, Vermilion, on the carcass sire project. The project

compares carcass and growth traits of the fi ve most common

terminal sire breeds in Canada. Meunier explains: “We’re trying to

fi nd out which terminal sires (rams used to breed lambs for market)

work best, so we can provide the information to producers. We

hope to have a comparison of which breeds will work best for

certain markets. Producers can then make their own decisions.”

Lamb on Demand

Another project in the planning stages would look at differences in

costs and potential returns for year-round lambing. Hosford explains

that high energy costs have caused producers to avoid lambing in

mid-winter and move back to the more traditional spring/summer

cycle. This seasonal approach exacerbates the supply problem.

“Changing the reproductive cycle increases costs,” she says. “But

there are costs in each season, such as increased need for protection

from predators in summer. We need a careful analysis of expenses in

all seasons so producers are fully equipped to make choices.”

The marketplace emphasis on traceability also adds to costs. Producers

are tagging animals, but to move to electronic identifi cation, which

would make traceability easier, is expensive. The $3 to $4 cost per

animal represents a small fraction of the value of a steer, but compared

to a lamb becomes 10 times more expensive, according to Meunier,

who adds that work is being done with producers and governments

across Canada to resolve this issue.

With the virtual disappearance of the wool market, meat production

is crucial to the survival of sheep producers. Still, in a country where

consumers are used to low cost food, it is diffi cult to make production

pay. This economic reality underlies the work that is being done.

“Would Canadian consumers actually pay more?” Hosford wonders.

“This is a true value chain collaborative effort,” says Bill Buchta,

General Manager of the Diversifi ed Livestock Fund of Alberta.

Buchta is quick to point out the funding is a joint effort by

governments, the sheep industry, a lamb processor, and a college.

Together they are providing cash, in-kind support, and rams.

Hosford agrees that the level of support has been outstanding

and, in fact, has generated excitement among producers across

the country. “The commitment of breeders from other provinces

to provide rams for the Lakeland project adds to the variety of

genetics we are testing,” she says. “That’s just one example of the

ways we are building a closer relationship.”

In the end, success will mean more profi t across the whole supply

chain and more delicious – and healthful – lamb products for

eager diners.

fall 2005

Please reprint me!

Reach & Discover stories are written for reprint. Please feel free to reprint with credit. Visit www.fundingconsortium.ca to view past issues.

13

Good for You

Lean Alberta Lamb is:

• low in calories – a 3-ounce serving is about 175 calories

• a good source of protein, iron and zinc

• rich in B vitamins – a single serving provides 88% of daily

Vitamin B12 needs

Source: Alberta Sheep and Wool Commission

Cooking Alberta Lamb

• Lamb can be prepared in a variety of ways, depending on cut

• Try lamb roasted, grilled, broiled, on the BBQ, or simmered

• There are a number of herbs and spices that go well with lamb,

including bay leaf, cloves, coriander, curry powder, ginger, mint,

mustard, parsley, rosemary and thyme

For recipes go to: www.absheep.com

PHOTO CO

URTESY SU

NTERRA M

EATS LTD., HYPE PUBLICITY

14reach&discover

Preventing illness is the goal of every man, woman, doctor and – agricultural researcher.

More and more emphasis is being placed on healthy eating to keep people well.

Getting healthier oils is already possible and it’s a success story that started with great

research and resulted in better returns to farmers and health benefi ts to consumers

around the world.

There has been a lot of learning about the role oils play in the diet. Clearly, there

are good fats and bad fats. Evidence recently published in the British Journal of

Medicine is only the latest in a long line of studies that demonstrate the benefi ts of

polyunsaturated fats – found in canola oil. There has also been growing evidence that

consumption of trans fats, which occur when vegetable oils are partially hydrogenated

to make solid fats such as margarines, should be minimized.

Now research has created high stability canola oil that is low in linolenic acid and

does not need to be partially hydrogenated for use in food processing. The resulting

Preventionand Preservation

The golden crop delivers more than beauty in the fi eld.

The real benefi ts come later and they are signifi cant.

products contain no trans fats, making a

healthy oil even healthier.

Dow AgroSciences’ popular Nexera canola

is used to produce high stablility Natreon

canola oil which already commands 7-8%

of the Japanese market. Now that labelling

of trans fat content is becoming mandatory,

many North American food makers are

also showing interest in the product.

Stan Audette of Dow says he anticipates

a quarter of canola acreage will move to

Nexera production in the next few years as

demand increases.

Cargill Specialty Canola Oils also develops

designer oils for food processing clients.

Working from special seed varieties, the

company delivers those high stability

oilseeds to its crushing plant and separately

prepares oils with unique traits for clients.

The company has worked hard to develop

a strong rapport with end-users, explains

Gary Galbraith of their Canadian operation.

“It’s a big decision for a food company to

change its product,” he says. “It may mean

changes to labelling, taste consequences,

and/or production performance.” It takes

a lot of work and a long-term relationship

with processors to get into these specialty

markets, but there are rewards for

both parties. “Food companies want to

differentiate themselves, and specialty

ingredients are a way to do it,” he says. As a

result, everything from home fries to cookies

is being made healthier.

Farm to Plate

All of this is part of a growing trend to

create healthier foods and to produce

crops under systems called identity

preservation. That means from breeding

a specifi c plant with special characteristics

to growing it on-farm right through

processing, it is kept separate from other

crops so its unique traits are preserved.

Cargill’s participation in the trait-specifi c

business includes an oat variety provided

to Quaker Oats, barleys geared to specifi c

maltsters’ needs, and Snowbird wheat for

the Asian noodle market, as well as high

stability canola.

The benefi ts for consumers who get

healthy products are clear; there is also

a benefi t to farmers who get added

incentives for growing these crops. Dow

offered a 75 cents per bushel premium for

growing Nexera in 2004. Cargill’s Galbraith

estimates this year alone Canadian farmers

will get an extra $8 million for their high

stability canola.

This is certainly enough to encourage

farmers to plant these products and both

Dow and Cargill Specialty Canola Oils are

selling out the varieties – despite the fact

that they require more care for farmers

to produce. Each piece of machinery must

be cleaned to ensure the seed is sown,

harvested, and stored separately. Then the

seed must be carefully handled to make

sure it gets to market with extremely high

levels of purity.

The high stability market is growing

dramatically reports Barbara Isman, head

of the Canola Council of Canada. “Current

estimates range from 3 million acres to 5

million acres within the next 3 to 5 years,”

she says, noting it is a value-added product.

Research Driven

The developments in high stability canola

were due largely to private sector research

which has ties to Alberta. The Canadian

headquarters of Dow AgroSciences is

in Calgary, and Cargill has a breeding

facility in Camrose as well as a Specialty

Oils production team which operates out

of this province. Both companies have

not hesitated to support the research

community in Alberta and across the

country. Cargill is working with Agriculture

and Agri-Food Canada as well as universities

to improve plant breeding. Dr. Pete

Desai, now retired from Dow, headed the

development process for the company’s

Nexera canola and sits on the board of the

Alberta Agricultural Research Institute. He

sees Alberta becoming a centre for private/

public research collaboration.

In addition to the work on healthier food,

Desai also suggests agricultural research can

focus on crops as renewable resources. He

believes research will create “a bioproducts

industry resulting in a new bioeconomy in

the areas of fi bre, industrial oils, bioenergy,

specialty chemicals, bioplastics, and more”.

It means a lot for science and for farmers in

this province. The days are rapidly coming

to an end when a farmer grows a crop

and simply hopes for a return. Contracting

specialty crops like high stability canola

provides guarantees. Plus, it all furthers the

worthy efforts of preserving well being and

preventing illness among consumers. As

Desai says, “The challenge will be to have

the nutritional, medical and agricultural

research communities work as a team for

‘health through food’.”

fall 200515

Trans-Free Market Potential

With the U.S. requirement for label-ling trans fats in 2006, a market is building for trans-free oils. Currently served by canola oil, work is under-way to deliver trans-free oils through sunfl ower and soybeans too. How big is that market likely to be in North America?

Vegetable Oils Billions lbsTotal consumed ....................... 20.0Amount being evaluatedfor trans free ............................. 3.5Expected conversion to trans free ................................2.7Source: Cargill Specialty Canola Oils

Increased valueBenefi t to Alberta farmers

(1999-2004)

$15 million

Benefi t to Alberta farmers(estimated 2005)

$ 8 million

Benefi t to your health

priceless

Approximately 10% of Alberta canola fi elds are

growing specialty canola that is even healthier

with low saturated fats and high stability.

PHOTO CO

URTESY CAN

OLA CO

UN

CIL OF CAN

ADA

16reach&discover

Members of the Agriculture Funding Consortium funding this project include: • Agriculture & Food Council through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s CARD program • Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund • Alberta Canola Producers Commission

Straight to the

HeartThere’s no better voice to explain the value of healthy choices

than a medical professional, so CanolaInfo is putting information

on healthy oils directly into the hands of doctors and dietitians

across Canada and the United States.

Imagine your doctor sitting down to talk about how your

diet can help you live longer and better. It’s a compelling

conversation. Thanks to researchers and farmers right here

in Canada, there are good options and canola oil, a heart-

healthy choice, is high among them. “Fat is a necessary part

of everyone’s diet,” explains Shelly Hiron, CanolaInfo’s food

scientist. “It is getting the right kind of fat that makes a big

difference in health.”

With such a wide array of oils and spreads on the market,

many people struggle to make the right choice for their

Putting information on the benefi cial properties

of canola oil directly into the hands of health

professionals is making it easier for patients to

make a heart-healthy choice.

fall 200517

well being. Their health professionals are a logical place

to turn to for guidance. To make it easier for everyone to

understand the components of different oils, CanolaInfo makes

information totally accessible. Its team, including a dietitian, a

culinary expert, a food scientist, and an educator, reaches the

professionals who can infl uence the most other people.

It’s Simone Demers Collins’ job as the Health Liaison Professional

at CanolaInfo to reach out personally to these audiences.

She attends meetings of the American Heart Association, the

American Dietetics Association, and the American College of

Cardiologists. Bringing the word of healthy living, CanolaInfo

supplies useful materials, from the fatty acid profi les of oils to

actual cookbooks for patients. Her target is the specialist who

will help people change their daily lives and, as Hiron says, “gets

CanolaInfo maximum bang for its book (or buck!).”

Armed with a wide array of printed materials, CanolaInfo is also

committed to regular contact with health professionals. Using

e-mail, the team can update nutrition and recipe information

every 3-4 months. “We’ve been working with dietitians to get the

message out for many years,” Demers Collins says. “Now, we fi nd

at meetings that around 90% of participants are aware of canola

oil and are recommending it to their colleagues or patients.”

The work doesn’t stop with health professionals; it also includes

food service experts such as the International Association of

Culinary Professionals and the Institute of Food Technologists.

Reaching out consistently is key - and what a great message it

is when a Canadian innovation like canola is grown in Canadian

fi elds and offers one of the best oils for healthy living.

Favorite FoodsIf you can’t get the whole cookbook, CanolaInfo does some great recipe cards. It’s both good eating and healthy eating. Visit www.canolainfo.org for recipes. (Try the Sweet & Spicy Pecans.)

Visual DemonstrationThe fatty acid composition chart is a popular tool with doctors and dieti-tians alike. Printed as both a sheet and as a fridge magnet, over 50,000 copies have been distributed. At a glance, it shows all the facts on fatty acids. Simone Demers Collins of CanolaInfo explains that health profes-sionals tell her they use the chart “all the time” in their education work. The desirable qualities of canola come out loud and clear.

Canola Cooks IIA whopping 65,000 copies of Canola Cooks II have been distrib-uted in just one year. Thanks to funders like the Ag & Food Council and industry, the second edition of the popular cookbook is getting in the hands of people who need to improve their diet by lowering satu-rated fats. In addition, it includes sections on crafts for kids, pet treats, and beauty products you can make with canola oil.

Vitamins Too In addition to provid-ing a healthy source of fat to a diet, canola oil has other benefi ts. A source of Vitamins E and K, canola oil contains nutrients that help heart health, reduce cancer risk, improve skin, and assist liver function.

The Word of Healthy Living

18reach&discover

Members of the Agriculture Funding Consortium funding this research include: • Alberta Agricultural Research Institute • Alberta Livestock Industry Development Fund • Alberta Egg Producers • Alberta Chicken Producers

For many years, consumers have chosen poultry products as a nutritious,

convenient, and versatile option for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. In fact,

Canadians’ love of poultry has grown so much that chicken is now this

country’s second favourite meat, ranking only marginally behind

beef in per capita consumption.

Canadians also enjoy eating “nature’s perfect food” – the

egg. And with recently published research from the

Harvard School of Public Health, showing there is no

signifi cant correlation between egg consumption and

cardiovascular disease in healthy individuals, egg

consumption is now on the rise.

Spurring Growth

With more than 500 registered growers producing

nearly 100 million kilograms of poultry meat and

37 million dozen eggs annually, Alberta’s poultry

industry is an integral part of the province’s

economy. During the past decade, the University

of Alberta’s Poultry Research Centre (APRC) has

helped establish this industry by focusing on

creating better birds and better farms. “Alberta’s

long-term commitment to investment in poultry

research shows the poultry industry is considered

a winning part of the province’s economy today and

in the future,” says Deborah Whale, Chairperson of

Canada’s Poultry Industry Council and Vice-President of

Clovermead Farms.

A recent $7 million capital injection will turn the APRC into a

fully integrated poultry research facility and help spur future growth

by focusing on creating new poultry products for the health-conscious

Poultry Power

A new investment at the Alberta Poultry Research Centre is revealing the

power of poultry products in keeping consumers healthy while building

value for Alberta’s poultry industry.

consumer. “A few years ago we realized

that the future of the poultry industry was

not in selling whole chickens or eggs, but

in selling new products that the consumer

wants,” says Dr. Frank Robinson, Associate

Dean (Academic) and Professor, Poultry

Production and Physiology, at the University

of Alberta. According to Freda Molenkamp,

Director Production and Food with the

Alberta Agricultural Research Institute,

building capacity for product development

is a critical step in creating a fully integrated

value chain in Alberta’s poultry industry. A

large portion of the new funding will target

products with enhanced nutritional and

health benefi ts.

Previous research has shown poultry meat

and eggs are extremely effi cient vehicles

for creating healthier and more nutritious

products. By altering hens’ diets, researchers

have improved the nutritional composition

of poultry meats and have created enriched

(designer) eggs for the food, nutraceutical,

pharmaceutical, and cosmetic markets.

Nearly 20 years ago, Dr. Jeong Sim of the U

of A began adding fl ax to the diet of laying

hens. The resulting designer eggs, now

known as omega-3 eggs, contain omega-3

fatty acids which help lower blood triglyceride

levels and reduce risk of heart disease. This

research prompted additional work in the

fi eld of health and nutrition including:

• designer eggs with specifi c vitamin

profi les (Dr. Doug Kover, U of A)

• healthier poultry meats with modifi ed

fatty acid meat profi les (Sim)

• hyperimmune egg yolks (Alberta Egg

Producers Co-op with Vanderpol’s Eggs)

• infant formula with extracted egg

yolk lipids to closely resemble the fatty

acid profi le found in mother’s milk (Dr.

Michael Clandinin, U of A)

Research such as this shows the potential for

further developing the health benefi ts of

poultry products.

The valued-added program at the APRC

will be home to Alberta’s fi rst poultry

meat scientist, an egg technologist, and

a commercialization offi cer. Susan Gal,

General Manager of Alberta Egg Producers,

says their investment in the new program

will ultimately grow the market for

Alberta’s egg producers. “By partnering

with other members of the value chain, we

will create an infrastructure that supports

new value-added products using eggs.

Alberta’s poultry industry will become more

innovative, less commodity oriented, and

more competitive.”

“In recent years, very little investment has

been made in creating new poultry meat

products that focus on the health-conscious

market,” says Lloyd Johnston, General

Manager of Alberta Chicken Producers

and board member of the APRC. While

poultry meats are inherently nutritious, new

products are needed to expand the market

for them. “With the new meat scientist and

the commercialization offi cer in place, we

can now create products that benefi t the

special nutrient profi le of dark meats and

some of the less popular poultry meats,”

he explains. “In addition, we may identify

nutritional or functional products that can

be made from the poultry waste stream.”

“For the fi rst time we are bringing together

the entire industry, including producers,

processors, researchers, international experts,

and government, to direct investment in

research,” Molenkamp says. “With the

addition of a commercialization offi cer and

direction provided by an industry-led board,

we will ensure that new products coming out

of the centre are market responsive.”

Robinson credits the foresight of the APRC’s

funding partners in leading Alberta’s

poultry industry into a new era. “By

adding product development capacity and

collaborating with industry, we will develop

cutting edge technology to create health-

oriented products for a variety of markets.

Alberta’s poultry industry and the APRC

will now be on the global map as a leader

and major player in poultry research and

product development.”

That means good health not only for

humans, but for Alberta’s economy too.

fall 2005

Did you know?

• According to Statistics Canada, per-capita chicken consumption doubled to 30.5 kg during the past 30 years, while consump-tion of both beef and pork declined. In 2003, Canadians consumed 30.5 kg of chicken, 32.0 kg of beef, 25.2 kg of pork, and 4.3 kg of turkey.

• Consumption of eggs dropped from 23 dozen per person in 1960, to only 15.4 dozen by 2002. The cause has been attributed, at least in part, to changing eating patterns.

• Eggs have been called “nature’s perfect food” because they are one of the few ‘complete protein foods’ that contain all nine essential amino acids which cannot be manufactured from the body and must be obtained from foods. The egg, while a source of cholesterol, has very low levels of saturated fats and no trans fats.

Good Eggs get Even Better

• Dr. Jim House (University of Manitoba) has designed an egg with nearly 25% of an adult’s recommended daily intake of folate. Increased consumption of folate can decrease incidence of cardio-vascular disease and stroke.Increased consumption of folate by women of child-bearing age has been found to reduce incidence of spinal cord-related disorders in newborns.

• Move over carrots, eggs may soon be better for our eyes. Dr. Steve Leeson (University of Guelph) is studying lutein, a carotenoid found in eggs, as a way to signifi cantly reduce cataracts and incidence of age-related macular degeneration.

• An egg with high levels of isofl avones, which reduce hot fl ashes and bone density loss in menopausal and post-menopausal women, is being produced by Dr. Ron Marquardt (University of Manitoba). In a second project, he uses the egg as an antigen delivery mechanism for intestinal diseases in animals and humans. 19

20reach&discover

Members of the Agriculture Funding Consortium funding this research include: • AVAC Ltd • Alberta Pork • Alberta Livestock Industry Development Fund • Alberta Agricultural Research Institute

Dr. Andre Buret’s “eureka” moment came while relaxing one Friday

afternoon with colleagues Dr. Grant Gall, Dr. Jim Hardin, and Dr.

Merle Olson. They were discussing how Epidermal Growth Factor

(EGF) might be a revolutionary way to treat gastrointestinal diseases

and infection.

“If diseases and infection do this and EGF does the opposite, why

don’t we use EGF to reverse the process in disease?” they wondered.

Everyone laughed at the theory and went on to enjoy their

weekend. Shortly after that, Buret left Calgary to work in Australia

for three years, doing a post-doctoral research program. Upon his

return, as no one had picked up the idea, he and his collaborators

agreed to pursue the concept. Buret leapt on the challenge and

developed a model to test the effectiveness of EGF on diseases of

the gut.

Figuring Out the Factor

EGF is a protein, found in milk, saliva, and other secretions, that

increases absorption and gut function. Buret likens it to a piece

of Lego – it has the ability to stick to a number of different cell

types and then tell the cells to do different things. When the gut

gets leaky, it can lead to food allergies and chronic infl ammatory

diseases such as Crohn’s disease. The EGF protein tightens the lining

of the intestine, preventing it from becoming leaky.

Located in

strategic areas

of the body,

EGF is made

in saliva and

mixes with

food as you

eat; in the

intestine

so that

as the

digestive

process

starts, you

have more

of it mixed with

food; and in associated

digestive glands like the pancreas. It’s also secreted in large

amounts in milk. The fi rst milk produced by human and animal

mothers, colostrum, has 10 to 100 times the concentrations of EGF

found in normal milk. Since EGF is secreted in these key areas, it

makes sense that it plays an important role in digestion.

“Nothing ever happens randomly in physiology, I believe,” says

Buret. “Therefore EGF is there (in colostrum) for a reason – to help

the neonate develop.”

Serendipity in Science

Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) could be the key to reducing

human suffering from diseases of the gut. And the benefi ts

have veterinary applications as well.

Buret believes EGF has a particularly bright

future in treating neonatal animals and babies.

Since infants and neonatal livestock don’t produce a

lot of EGF, they are especially susceptible to intestinal

infections. “Once the neonate is born, EGF can protect

it from the myriad of new bugs that it will be exposed to,

particularly in food. Little babies have the habit of nibbling on

anything!” says Buret.

He infected the intestines of test models with E. coli, and then gave

them EGF to see if it would cure the diarrhea. Not only did it work,

EGF unexpectedly reduced bacteria counts in the gut by 90%.

“And bingo, that worked,” Buret laughs.

Backed by investment from AVAC Ltd., Buret created a company,

AB BioPharma, to further their research and develop EGF-based

products. AB BioPharma now operates under the protection of

patents to use EGF as a therapeutic agent for gut health. Several

discoveries since then have been tacked on to the original patent,

putting the company on solid ground to move forward with

its research and product development. The company has now

fi led over 30 patents worldwide, providing them with a strong

intellectual property portfolio. To put AB BioPharma’s achievements

into perspective, most companies at the stage that AB BioPharma is

at generally have two or three patents fi led.

While researchers know some of what EGF does, learning how

EGF works at the cellular level is an on-going exercise. Buret’s lab

remains very active in this fi eld. Buret admits, however, that it

would be very boring to go to work every day knowing exactly how

everything works. “I would be out of a job!” he suggests.

Kickstarts

AVAC’s start-up funding was particularly helpful because it offered

precious third-party validation, giving AB BioPharma a bit of a

confi dence kickstart. “Without AVAC’s funding, I know we wouldn’t

be where we are today. It’s that simple,” Buret says.

Ross Bricker, Vice-President, Investment with AVAC Ltd., is equally

excited about the future of EGF and AB BioPharma. “Since EGF

occurs naturally in milk, EGF-based products have the potential to

increase the value of agricultural commodities and see them used in

the marketplace,” he says. “EGF not only has potential for human

health benefi ts, but those benefi ts transfer to animals such as dogs,

cats, pigs, and poultry.”

Veterinary applications of EGF have already been identifi ed;

one example is treating weaned piglets for scours, a costly and

potentially fatal disorder. AVAC was instrumental in funding the

research project that made that discovery.

Bringing it Together

The biggest change made in the past two years, affecting AB

BioPharma’s ability to bring products to market, is the recruitment

of professional management to raise the $10 million needed as a

fi rst round of fi nancing towards commercialization.

A key member of the AB BioPharma team is CEO Dany Hadary.

“Thanks to AVAC’s funding, we have recruited a person who is a

top expert at this,” remarks Buret on Hadary joining the team.

“Dany has the track record and know-how: how to manufacture the

protein, how to formulate it, and how to bring it through regulatory

approval, all the way to actually putting it on the market.”

Having a professional management team in place has helped take a

lot of weight off Buret’s shoulders, allowing him to concentrate on

his research. The management team has developed a solid business

plan with the goal of having EGF products all the way to market

in fi ve years. According to Buret, AB BioPharma is right on track.

And since EGF can be used to treat lethal diseases for which there is

currently no treatment, there is a good chance it will be fast-tracked

for approval through the FDA.

While the idea of using EGF to treat intestinal diffi culties might

have been an accidental discovery, Buret’s focus on the future is not.

With funding from AVAC, Buret and his team are poised to take

EGF to the global stage.

fall 2005

Please reprint me!

Reach & Discover stories are written for reprint. Please feel free to reprint with credit. Visit www.fundingconsortium.ca to view past issues.21

Piglet Proof

Pre-clinical studies in piglets have underscored the promis-ing potential of using EGF in food-producing animals. In weaned piglets, daily oral administration of EGF inhibited the development of intestinal pathology, diarrhea and reduced weight gain associated with infection by enteropathogenic E. coli, the pathogen responsible for scours. Along with this benefi t, infection in the small and large intestine of piglets by pathogenic E. coli was blocked. In addition, in piglets already suffering from diarrhea, therapeutic daily oral administration of EGF sped up recovery and eliminated symptoms of scours.

These studies provide exciting evidence for the benefi ts of EGF as an anti-infec-tive agent in food-producing animals. Large scale clinical trials in commercial operations are now warranted to test the benefi ts of this product in pigs.

AB BioPharma’s products may one day become effective non-antibiotic, anti-infective agents that can be used as a food additive to control enteric infection and enhance production in piglets.

Since EGF occurs naturally in milk,

EGF-based products have the

potential to increase the value of

agricultural commodities and see

them used in the marketplace.

– Ross Bricker

22reach&discover

Fast ForwardCentennial celebrations and refl ections on the past 100 years go hand in hand. A look back shows

how much progress has been made, and while not all change is welcome, it is clear there are ways

in which life is better. In fact, many of the achievements of the 20th century are just plain amazing.

But what if we were to look ahead 100 years…

Most people carry special memories of

dinner at Grandma’s, but according to food

trend expert Professor David Hughes, the

experience will be even more sought after

in the future.

Hughes says that the future will be about

food as it relates to human health. He

predicts a move to a food industry that is

entirely about functional foods, something

that will have a profound impact as

individuals choose diets which are tailored

to their own needs, determined through

their genetic makeup and health risks. Still,

Hughes adds, great taste will remain a

signifi cant factor.

The effect of food and nutrition on

appearance will also gain importance and

a nutri-cosmetic industry will emerge,

supporting the companion goals of “live

longer, live better, and look great”.

Noting that food consumption habits

change slowly, Hughes points out that salad

is still a popular meal-time choice; the form,

however, has changed with a move from

buying ingredients and assembling the dish

in the kitchen to simply opening a bag.

This trend to convenience will continue to

be a driver of market choice as the idea of

buying ingredients becomes increasingly

archaic. Hughes predicts that by 2050

supermarkets will have disappeared and

food will be delivered as needed. Not only

will food supply be managed for us, but

technology will signifi cantly reduce or even

remove food safety risks.

All of this has consequences for producers.

Traditionally, Canadian farmers have

produced for the big bin, but Hughes says

that will change. “Over the next 20 years

farmers will take advantage of genetics

available to them and grow specifi cally for

manufacturers. This means 100% integrity

of product and provenance will be needed,”

he advises. It also means that Canadian

farmers will no longer be commodity

producers, leaving that portion of the

market to be serviced by low-cost producers.

Hughes says that the increase in the

proportion of high income households in

the international market will mean 60%

of Canadian markets for food will be high-

value by 2050. This is the market where

functional foods will be most important and

the one with the most economic promise.

He suggests that the Alberta industry look

at emerging routes to these consumers

and that basic R&D be dovetailed with new

product and market development to take

full advantage.

To maximize opportunities, vertical

partnerships will be a must. “Value chain

success will be more probable if each

member understands not only his or her

own role, but the role of others, and they

all work together,” Hughes says.

Hughes predicts that the focus on

convenience food for everyday living,

and the resulting loss of cooking

skills, will spawn a move to eating for

pleasure as a leisure activity. Increasingly,

discerning diners will shift their interest

in international cuisine to more specifi c

regional foods and will be seeking the

traditional cooked meal. Grandma’s kitchen

will remain open.

Foo

d T

ren

ds

David Phillips, Senior Climatologist at

Environment Canada, says interest in climate

change resonates with all Canadians, and

given the implications of the predictions, it

should. Phillips explains that by the end of

this century global warming will mean an

increase in the earth’s temperature of 1.4

to 5.5 degrees. This is, at minimum, double

what occurred in the past century – in fact,

5.5 degrees is the same amount of warming

since the last ice age.

Because higher latitudes will warm more

quickly, and continents will warm faster than

water, the world will not warm uniformly.

Canada, in fact, will experience more intense

climate change, sooner, than many other

parts of the world.

The notion of warmer winters appeals to

Albertans and Phillips says winters will be

6 degrees warmer, but Canada will still

have ice and snow, albeit less. Although

summer warming will be more moderate,

the number of days defi ned as hot (above

30 degrees) will increase. Edmonton,

for example, currently gets 3 hot days a

year, but by 2050 that number will likely

quadruple and by 2100 be about 21, making

Edmonton more like Medicine Hat is today.

That southern city, on the other hand, will

likely experience 55 to 60 hot days a year.

The greatest impact of global warming will

be on water supply. Phillips explains that

global warming will increase evaporation

rates, and even if precipitation increases

(something scientists do not agree on),

it will not do so at a rate which matches

evaporation. The loss of snow will have

particular consequence for Alberta since

it represents 32% of annual precipitation.

Phillips points out that every degree of

warming reduces snow cover (defi ned as

at least 1 cm.) by 12 days. Add to this the

disappearance of the glaciers, the source

of about 15% of Bow River water, by 2050

and it’s easy to see how water will become

the black gold of tomorrow.

He cautions that the work climatologists

are doing to estimate how climate may

change in the future is a work in progress.

“Our predictions are based on the best

intelligence available to us now. The models

may change as we go along,” he says.

Still, according to Phillips, ‘climate change’

is real but should not be considered ugly

words for farmers. “Farmers must adapt,”

he says. “Just following past practices

won’t work. Learn to do more with less

water, know what to plant and when

to plant it, and develop strategies for

dealing with the pests and crop diseases

that will thrive with the balmier winters.”

Technology will provide some invaluable

assists. Information from satellites will

make it easier to assess the health of the

crop, and there will be more reliance on

forecasts, which will be more precise and

tailored to meet specifi c purposes. “The

farmers with the most information will

win,” he says.

23fall 2005

Clim

ate

As the Chairman and CEO of Kinnikinnick

Foods, Jerry Bigam always has food safety

in mind. He expects the growing emphasis

on ‘gate to plate’ safety in future will mean

more fully integrated corporate entities

striving for the total control which will allow

them to make an unequivocal guarantee of

product safety. He notes there already has

been signifi cant shift in the last 10 years,

including a huge increase in regulations.

Bigam says hungry people just want food;

it’s higher end consumers that create the

pressure for ‘safe’ food. “How pure should

pure be?” he asks, noting that ultimately

this pressure will raise questions about food

production. “We may have new procedures

for pathogen control and even for packaging

– delivering food in a secure envelope. But

who will fund the extra costs?”

Bigam predicts a move from the resource-

based food industry we have today to

one which is knowledge-based. “Energy

costs are rising, and we can’t continue

to use water as we do,” he says. “We

are going to have to move to intensive

rather than extensive agriculture.” He is

confi dent R&D will provide the basis for

highly innovative technologies to make

this possible.

“I expect in future more food will be

produced in protected environments,” he

concludes.

Foo

d S

afet

y

24reach&discover

Fred Andersen, President of F.B. Andersen

& Associates in Red Deer, says the most

signifi cant change in the fi eld of quality

assurance will be an increased move to

mutual recognition of quality assurance

and food safety programs between

countries. This will be accompanied by

an integration of food safety and quality

assurance programs.

“Currently countries all have their

own programs,” he says. “The ISO9000

standards are universally accepted.

The European Union wants that plus

compliance to their programs, i.e. GMP

13, FEMAS. The recent announcement of

the publication of ISO 22000, a food safety

management system, should continue that

integration.”

Andersen expects to see an increased focus

on record keeping as traceability at the

farm level becomes the key to accessing

new markets. “The careful records

that seed growers have been keeping

will become the reality for virtually all

producers,” he explains. “This will become

a challenge because of the number of

programs there are to track.”

Andersen is proud of the reputation Canada

has for quality assurance. “Canadian

producers are keeping an eye on the world

market place and reacting to the demand

for these programs wisely,” he says. “There

are systems available, but producers are

diversifying and we need to have more

coordination to ease the burden on them.”

Record keeping systems which add value

and reduce the pressure on producers and

processors will be a crucial addition to

the industry’s toolbox. These records will

have to be designed to meet everyone’s

needs, tracking pesticide use, loans, quality

assurance programs, and customer demand

among other things. “This is an area for

R&D to look at,” he says. “I’d like to see

systems developed which can, in fact,

integrate these records and reduce the

load on producers who have a myriad of

other tasks to attend to.” Qu

alit

y A

ssu

ran

ce

“Water is being misused,” warns Dr. David

Schindler, University of Alberta Professor

of Ecology. “North Americans use three to

four times the amount of water used by

Europeans, who in turn use three to four

times as much as impoverished countries.

Water is the biggest environmental concern.”

Schindler says that Alberta doesn’t have

much water to start with and will suffer

most from climate change. The coming

shortages will hit the southern part of the

province fi rst, but will ultimately impact

all corners, and agriculture will be the

fi rst loser. “The squabbles over water have

already started,” he says.

“There are lessons to be learned from the

mistakes of others,” says Schindler. “The

issues are well understood, and there are

technologies already available to address

them, but there has been too little uptake.”

Traditional ranchers are environmentally

conscious, worrying about land and

waterways, according to Schindler. He

notes that confi ned feed operations with

careful manure management solve water

issues and there are best practices to

emulate. “Best practices use 80% less water

than standard operations,” he explains. Still,

he foresees increasing confl ict on the rural/

urban question of who controls water.

Some of the solution may lie in moving big

feed operations from the south and focusing

population growth in industrial rather than

agricultural areas. Schindler says there is also

a need for more regulation around water

use for livestock operations and irrigation.

“We will have to move away from producing

things that require a lot of water,” he says.

“Changes have to happen in cities too – we

need to grow more of the native plants

which need less water, and we must provide

the protection needed for wetlands and

riparian areas. We must stop paving them.”

Schindler has not given up hope. “Best

practices do not necessarily cost a lot.

There are other strategies too,” he says.

“For example, could cities help eliminate

pollution by paying the cost of preventing

problems upstream rather than spending

their resources on water treatment plants?

Sustainability will take education and

cooperation.”

Wat

er

fall 2005

What do these predictions mean for those in the Alberta industry? Five leaders suggest ways to

ensure the future of agriculture is sustainable.

Fast Forward

“Just looking 20 years out is highly speculative,” says Dr. Robert

Church, Chair Emeritus of Alberta Science Research Authority,

who ranches near Airdrie. Church agrees that there will be a

wellness approach to food, something that will open many

more niche markets, but also expects a shift in focus as more

non-food biomass uses for industrial inputs are developed.

“Consumer knowledge will change dramatically. This will include

awareness of zoonotics, the transfer of infectious animal diseases

to humans, and will necessitate even greater attention to risk

management as well as an increase in our knowledge and

understanding of the role of diet and exercise in wellness.”

“We have to remember that winter is our greatest ally in a

competitive world,” Church says. “It kills pests and animal diseases.

With global warming this advantage may not be available to us in

the future. Further, as we learn to control the diseases we know

about today, nature will come up with more.”

Church suggests that solving such mysteries as how micro-

organisms in the rumen operate may lead to the new tools of

modern molecular technology. “There’s a gold mine in nature,” he

says. “It’s the potential of genetics.”

Church says priorities must focus on long-term strategies that are

fl exible for today, but offer solutions for tomorrow. He says one

part of the long-term solution must be the elimination of artifi cial

barriers created by “political pressure,” citing the GMO debate as

an example. “GMOs are simply manipulating nature’s tools more

directly. We must separate politics from risk management,” he adds.

“The power of the internet as a knowledge tool is huge. We must

take advantage of it to utilize resources better and remove emotion

from arguments about how we grow and use biomass.”

25

Robert Church

Dr. Terry Church, manager of Canadian

Rocky Mountain Ranch, a diversifi ed livestock

operation near Calgary, believes R&D will

play an important role in meeting future

agricultural challenges. He says if we take a

historical view of agricultural research we will

see a strong focus on production effi ciency,

which has greatly increased production

but has also led to a decline in prices for

producers and the emptying of the rural

landscape as fewer people are required to

farm large tracts of land.

Consequently, he believes land use will

change and people will begin diversifying

into new products. “In the long term,

we will see a shifting use of the land

resource from being essentially a resource

used to produce low-value commodities

on large scales to more of the European

model, whereby farmers are encouraged

to develop specialty foods, open country

inns or get paid to maintain landscape

so tourists can see a pastoral countryside

instead of industrialized agriculture,” says

Church. “Agriculture is going to be forced

to look for higher value land uses, not just

produce commodities.”

However, with increased diversifi cation, comes

production, quality parameter, and marketing

challenges. One of the problems with new

crops or livestock is the infrastructure is not

there to get it to market in the early stages.

“You can get excited about raising buffalo,

elk, wild boar, or ostrich for example, but

one of the immediate problems is people get

involved in the active stock breeding stage of

markets and eventually that comes to an end

because the number of people wanting to

get caught up in the industry runs out,” says

Church. “The supply goes up and people look

at selling commercially but discover there’s

no established infrastructure. You can’t just

load up ostriches and take them to the local

auction market like you can with cattle or

pigs.” Church explains that development of

markets for new products usually requires

many years, often a decade or more, of

hard work.

Church also believes there will be increased

pressure on agriculture to focus on

animal welfare and to be environmentally

sustainable. “There needs to be more long-

term sustainability of the farming system

in Western Canada. We’ve been mining the

land, and as you take out fertility from the

land you’re faced with adding fertilizers

or manure to replace the fertility,” says

Church. “There needs to be a rethinking as

to how we can achieve a better balance of

sustainability without high-priced inputs.

26reach&discover

Terry Church

Don MacykDon Macyk is no stranger to the challenges

of agriculture or to the R&D effort in

Alberta. The former Executive Director

of Alberta Agricultural Research Institute

says that history tells us some things about

the future. “As a class of grain, hard red

spring wheat has survived for a century,

but its characteristics have changed over

the years. Cropping in Western Canada

will have to adapt as never before to meet

the changes in environment, climate, and

customer demand coming at us in the next

100 years.”

Because our production systems are less

intensive compared to most of the world,

Macyk explains, we have advantages in

meeting stringent requirements set by some

customers. “We need the participation

of the R&D sector to help us develop

sustainable production and low/no pesticide

approaches with a focus on transparency to

end customers,” he says.

Macyk says oil shortages provide a lesson

about increasing the use of a resource to

increase production. “R&D must create the

capacity to optimize output from crops to

meet customer needs while responding to

resource limitation pressures. At the same

time, the issues of quality and economic

return must be addressed.”

“Our R&D system is increasingly a key to

the competitiveness of our crops and the

entire ag sector,” he says. “We require new

governance and investment approaches to

build and guide the system.”

Macyk’s vision for Alberta agriculture

includes tailoring crops to meet the fi bre,

energy, oil, and protein needs of customers

through an integrated production,

processing, and R&D effort. “Based on

our leading edge R&D sector, we’ll have

advanced approaches to sustainability and

the technological capacity to process and

fractionate highly specifi c end products,”

he predicts.

Fast Forward

27

Paul Thiel, Vice-President of Industry

Relations and Project Management at Bayer

CropScience, says agriculture is on the cusp

of seeing new output opportunities. “There

have been great advances in biotechnology

and we’ve seen the emergence of a bio-based

economy on paper,” he says. “Research will

tell us if these things can be applied.”

Crossing the line of $1/litre for fuel was

both an economic and psychological

milestone according to Thiel. “No longer

will energy sources be left in the fi eld,” he

says. “The market drivers are emerging and

now we need R&D to adapt the theories

and put them into practice.”

Thiel sees the emergence of collaborations

between public and private, federal and

provincial, and individuals and university

sectors as a healthy sign for the future.

However he is concerned about creating

an extra layer of management as new

organizations are created to facilitate

these partnerships. “Performance

measures are very important,” he says.

“We need to ensure that these groups

are reducing overlap and increasing

effi ciency.”

Both research and development should

ultimately be geared towards market

applications, Thiel says. “The development

work done leading to commercialization

must be open to technologies that fi t the

business model, and industry should be a

partner to get the product to the fi eld,”

he adds.

“Sustainability – economic and

environmental – is the big issue,” notes

Thiel. “Growers are good stewards but

they must make a profi t. Carving out

new markets for them has to be an R&D

priority.” Thiel adds that the rewards

must be shared along the value chain, but

cautions, while this is feasible, it won’t

be easy.

fall 2005

Paul Thiel

“The future is not clear, but we can

speculate on the impacts of some of the

main drivers in our industry,” says Bruce

Beattie, a Sundrie area dairy farmer

and Vice-Chair of Alberta Milk. Beattie

believes that energy may well become

the major consideration, as Alberta’s oil-

based economy struggles with increasing

demand and a dwindling supply. As well,

environmental pressures will continue to

exert infl uence on farm operations. Beattie

sees promise in techniques to manipulate

feed components to more closely match

the needs of the animal, along with

complementary work in animal genetics to

reduce total feed requirements.

A strong advocate of research, Beattie

believes Alberta needs to continue to

develop and expand networks that

facilitate joint initiatives. Researchers

with varying expertise have the potential

to create collaborative teams, which

can benefi t all sectors. “Linking animal

production with forage, grain and

bioenergy researchers is obvious,” he says.

“Adding to this mix, human nutritionists,

food scientists, and marketing experts

could create economic benefi t for all

sectors of the value chain. Understanding

the market and connecting back to

primary production will be key to the

success of our industry.”

Beattie sees change as the one constant

in the world of research, particularly in

livestock. “What has changed are the

tools we have, and the vast repository of

knowledge that has accumulated over

the past century. Researchers in the past

relied on observation at a macro level, but

new technology allows scientists into the

realm of molecules and genes,” Beattie

says. He adds: “Our future success in the

livestock industry will depend on our

ability to harness intellectual capital with

practical needs identifi ed by industry. We

must establish a balance between research

initiatives based upon economics and

the application of technology without

neglecting those ‘on the edge’ projects

that can lead to breakthroughs into new

and previously unexplored concepts.”

Beattie points out today’s focus is on

adding value to primary products and

creating new products and markets. “While

that’s valid in the context of competition

from some other sectors of the economy,

we must not forget the value of research

that supports the production of the raw

material. It’s the foundation of the entire

structure,” he says.

Bru

ceB

eatt

ie

Bruce Beattie

d

16reach&discover

Wo

rds o

f Wisd

om

28reach&discover

Linking Agriculture and Human Health

Dr. Kevin Keough

The link between agriculture and human

health has existed as long as agriculture

itself. History is replete with examples of

agricultural failures and triumphs directly

altering the human condition.

In recent times research has become

increasingly important in agriculture and in

human health. Most often, one area informs

and advances the other.

The development of vaccines and antibiotics,

originally targeted at human health, has

added immeasurably to animal health. In

this issue of Reach and Discover, we see the

connection between research on neonatal

piglets and premature babies.

Genome Sequencing

The sequencing of the human genome

was completed with much attention

in 2003, a scientifi c tour de force

accomplished in a remarkably short time

because of the tremendous technological

advances made over a decade to support

the project. With much less fanfare, the

sequencing of the fi rst bovine genome

was recently accomplished in just a couple

of years because of the technologies

emerging from the human genome

project. Having access to bovine genomes

will inevitably change the nature of the

health of beef and dairy cattle. It should

become possible, for example, to select

for breeds with enhanced resistance to

bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

Naturally, this will help human health by

reducing the likelihood of the disease’s

transmission to people.

Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical

Research researcher and physician, Dr. Valerie

Sim, with colleagues in Colorado, has recently

found exciting new information about how

the size of the BSE infection agents – prions

– infl uences the transmission of the disease.

This discovery is an important step in the

prevention of animal and human brain-

wasting diseases.

The health-promoting effects of plants

beyond their core contributions as nutrients

have been known for some time, some for

centuries. Research has led us to recognize

and utilize other components of plants, such

as vitamins and micronutrients, in human

health. Based on research, plants can be bred

or engineered to be “factories” for desired

bio-products for human health. This approach

is used by SemBioSys, a Calgary-based

company participating in AHFMR’s Technology

Commercialization Internship Program, to

produce important biological compounds.

An increasing awareness of the positive and

negative effects of certain compounds on

human health has led to research on how

to modify the amount of these compounds

in plants. In this magazine, we read about

the development of low-linolenic acid

canola. Oil from this canola would be less

susceptible to the formation of trans-fatty

acids during hydrogenation – an attractive

product given the now-recognized harmful

effects of trans fats.

Looking Ahead

On the other end of the spectrum is the

recognition of the health benefi ts of omega-

3 fatty acids found in marine algae and

fi sh. Could oilseed crops be engineered to

produce these? I do not see why not. The

continued development of technologies in

fi elds such as genomics, proteomics, and

metabonomics, and their application to

plants, especially prairie crop plants, makes

this goal a real possibility in the not-too-

distant future.

The link between agriculture and human

health gets stronger all the time. The key

to that linkage is research that catalyzes

transformation in peoples’ thinking, the core

interest of AHFMR.

Dr. Kevin Keough is President and CEO

of the Alberta Heritage Foundation for

Medical Research (AHFMR). Before assuming

his current position he was Canada’s fi rst

Chief Scientist, the fi rst Vice President of

Research and International Relations at

Memorial University in Newfoundland, and

a biochemistry researcher for more than

two decades.

This is part of a series of rotating editorials

that captures Words of Wisdom from people

in the sector or who observe it.

Dr. Kevin Keough provides insight into the connections

between agriculture and our health.

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Agriculture is not just about food anymore. Industrial uses for renewable crops are creating new business opportunities for producers and processors alike. Efforts are underway to produce paper, plastic and building materials from agri-fi bres such as cereal straw, fl ax, hemp fi bre and perennial grasses. Canola may be enhancing the experience of spa clients. That’s just the tip of the growing non-food market for agriculture.

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