The Future of Food is Canada

As the use of artificial intelligence grows within Canada’s plant-based food, feed and ingredients sector, so does the need for support in its adoption and use. Today, in an effort to further build this support, Protein Industries Canada is announcing its opening another round of Expressions of Interest for its Artificial Intelligence Program. With the new round of intake beginning Jan. 9, 2023, Protein Industries Canada expects the sector’s interest in utilizing AI to grow.

Canola protein represents a significantly underdeveloped opportunity for Canada’s plant protein industry. While the agriculture industry is excited about the possibility of extracting additional value out of canola oil, it also faces an uphill battle in extracting that same value out of canola meal. Currently, uses of canola meal outside of ruminant feed are limited due to its fibre and antinutritional content.

One promising product made from canola meal could result from a recent Protein Industries Canada funded project led by AGT Foods. With AGT’s partners Federated Cooperatives Limited (FCL) and ulivit, the project investigates novel methods for protein separation to create a protein concentrate (greater than 60% protein) from canola meal.

Canada’s plant-protein potential extends beyond the traditional crops grown along the southern half of our country. The wild rice grown throughout Indigenous communities across the country has the potential to help grow and diversify our plant-based foods and ingredients sector, while also ensuring Indigenous entrepreneurs and producers have an active role in Canada’s agrifood-based economy and labour force.

Myera Inc. and the Southeast Resource Development Centre (SERDC) have partnered to strengthen Canada’s wild rice supply chain in order to better incorporate it into the overall plant-based food and ingredients sector.