Slideshow of presentation by Edward Charter at 2015 ACORN Conference PEI

1. 11/20/2015
Food Processing
Possibilities in Organic Processing
& Products
ACORN Conference & Trade Show
November 24, 2015
Presenters:
Ed Charter, BioFoodTech
Nathan Archibald, PEI Berries Ltd.
John Rowe, Island Abbey Foods

2. Outline
11/20/2015
• Overview of BioFoodTech
• Trends in Food Products
• Processing – Getting more value
• Regulatory Oversight for Organic Processing
• Success Stories:
• PEI Berries Ltd. & Island Abbey Foods

3. BIO|FOOD|TECH
• Established 1987
• Technical Support for Industry
– Food, Bioscience, Laboratories
• 25 highly qualified staff
– Food scientists/technologists
– Microbiologists
– Engineers
– Five industrial-strength PhDs
• Processing facilities
• Several registrations (ISO, CFIA, …)

4. Three Integrated Divisions
• Food Technology
• Bioscience Technology
• Lab Services

5. Concept to Pilot to Market
• Turn concept ideas into prototypes in
product development lab
• Process scale-up - in pilot plant (small to
large scale equipment)
• Manufacture in pilot plant for market

6. Natural & Organic Trends in Food
Product Development
• “Fresh” foods (ie,
refrigerated vs. frozen)
• Clean labels (no artificial
colours/flavours; no
“chemicals”, no scientific
sounding ingredients)
• Healthier snacking (more
protein, vegetables)
• Rethinking
“natural” (organic,
non-GMO, local)
• Whole Food Nutrition
• Exclusion Diets
(vegetarian, gluten-
free)
6
Consumer demand for:

7. Why on earth would you want to
process my food!?!
11/20/2015
thebabyface.wordpress.com

8. Why Process Foods?
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Consumed within 45 min Consumed within 1 year
Available in season Available 365 days a year
Requiring preparation Ready to eat (or easily prepared)
Frozen, canned Refrigerated
Preserved with chemicals Clean label
To go from:
From Kitchen to Shelf

9. Benefits of processing
Benefits for the consumer:
• Convenience
• Longer shelf life and food safety
• Variety
• Maintain nutrition and quality
Benefits for the processor
• Distribution to further markets (time and distance)
• Food safety, especially for larger volume suppliers
• Spreading out handling and processing beyond harvest
• Use of good quality culls
• Enhanced/released nutrients (e.g. fermentation)
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10. Regulatory Oversight
Food Processing
▪ 2 categories:
1. Regulated products that require facility registration (for
export) Examples: Meat, fish/seafood, honey, processed
products with standards, etc.
2. Non-regulated products do not require facility registration.
Examples; baked goods, cereals, beverages, infant foods,
confectionary, etc.
▪ For most smaller processors (not exporting) don’t require
registration, but should follow “General Principles of
Safe Food Production”
▪ Info on regulations, “good manufacturing practices”,
etc., are all on CFIA’s website: www.inspection.gc.ca
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11. Regulatory Oversight
Organic Products
• CFIA’s Organic Products Regulations & General
Principles and Management Standards apply to organic
certified ‘processed products’
• Accredited bodies certify products (who are certified by
CFIA)
• General Principles covers:
– Section 8.3: Processing and Handling
– Section 8.4: Pest Management
– Section 8.5: Transportation
– Permitted Substances Lists (e.g., for food additives,
processing aids, sanitation materials)
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12. Section 8.3 Processing & Handling
• Minimally processed: mechanical, physical and
biological
• Allowed substances: processing aids and
additives - must be are consistent with organic
• No co-mingling (products and packaging)
during process, storage and transportation
• Separate non-organic processing areas/
batches
• Use cleaning agents appropriate for organic
foods and storage vessels
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13. Section 8.4 Pest Management
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Accepted
Chemical
Methods
Physical
Methods
Unaccepted
Chemical

14. Section 8.5 Transportation
• No co-mingling
• Must ensure through
physical separation
and documentation
(traceability)
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15. Labeling Requirements
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16. Labeling Organic Foods
• Foods must be
certified by
accredited body
(list on CFIA
website)
• To state organic,
or use the logo,
>95% of
ingredients must
be certified
organic.
• If 70% to 95%
organic ingredients,
may be labeled
“contains X%
organic
ingredients”
• Multi-ingredient
products with less
than 70% organic
content may only
identify organics in
the ingredient list.
11/20/2015

17. Additional BIO|FOOD|TECH Support
• Artisan Workshops
– Fermented Foods*
– Cheesemaking*
– Fermented beverages
– Distillation
• Site visits
• Supplier/equipment support
• NRC/IRAP feasibility projects
• Food Product Dev Fund
*upcoming 2016
11/20/2015

18. Atlantic Region
Technology Centres
• BioFoodTech, Charlottetown, PE (pilot plant and incubation)
• Perennia, Truro, NS (pilot plant and incubation)
• Coastal Zones Research Institute, Shippagan, NB (pilot
plant)
• Marine Institute, St. John’s, NL (pilot plant)
• University staff/faculty/students engaged in technical
industry support (Dalhousie, Acadia, U of Moncton, etc... )
Because there are many things to
consider in commercializing a food
product, build a solid support team.
11/20/2015