The
University of Guelph is dipping into the Barrett Family Foundation fund for $3
million to hire a researcher to head the Barrett Family Chair in Sustainable
Food Engineering.
The
Barrett family donated $5 million last year to establish the foundation.
The
chair is intended to develop innovative ways to improve food processing and
production.
“Feeding
the world’s growing population, safely and sustainably, is one of the greatest
global challenges of today,” said president Franco Vaccarino.
“But
it is not just a matter of generating more food; we must also do more to
protect the food we produce, including improving food safety and reducing food
waste.”
“The
University of Guelph is Canada’s food university; we have the expertise and the
technology to address these issues,” Vaccarino said.
“This
transformational gift – among the largest in U of G history — will allow us to
leverage our strengths and develop solutions that support both consumers and
the food industry.”
The research will
focus on the design, construction and operations of food processing.
It
will include improving food packaging, developing new “green” technologies, and
finding ways to prolong shelf life and reduce food waste.
Educational
outreach will include symposiums, programs and courses, partnerships with industry
and government, and research collaborations across U of G and beyond.
The
chair will also work with industry in identifying challenges and developing
research projects.
