Alberta Premier honours food producers and researchers
07/06/2010
See link below for previous Innovation Alberta interview with Drs Temelli and Vasathan about their discovery with processing beta-glucan
Edmonton - Three food producers and a research team from the University of Alberta have been recognized for their work in creating healthy food choices for Albertans.
The recipients of the first Alberta Food for Health Awards - a Premier’s Award are Diamond Willow Organic Beef near Pincher Creek, Spragg’s Meat Shop in Rosemary, the Prairie Mill Bread Company in Calgary and a University of Alberta research team in Edmonton.
“We applaud these producers and researchers for their commitment to providing top quality, healthy food choices,” said Premier Ed Stelmach. “This new awards program will help Albertans learn more about some of the great food products that are available in our restaurants, farmers’ markets, stores and from our many farmers and ranchers.”
The Alberta Food for Health Awards were developed to stimulate and encourage the creation and development of healthy food production and research. The awards program recognizes innovation in five categories: healthy food sold through farmers’ markets; retail operations; food service; vending machines; and research on healthy food products or processes. The winner in each category receives $10,000 to be used toward eligible business expenditures. No submissions were received for the vending machine category.
Submissions for next year’s awards are now being accepted until February 1, 2011. Details can be found at AlbertaFoodforHealthAwards.com. A new category has been added to the awards program recognizing Alberta food producers that develop products for people with specialty diets.
The Alberta government has a clear plan for a strong economic recovery. An important part of The Way Forward is maintaining support for programs and services Albertans need most such as health care, education and safe and vibrant communities. For more information on the plan, visit Alberta.ca.
-30-
Backgrounders: Award recipient information.
Media inquiries may be directed to:
Gene Zwozdesky
Minister
Health and Wellness
780-446-1144 (cell)
Kathleen Range
Health and Wellness Communications
780-221-5805 (cell)
Suzana Krpan
Advanced Education and Technology Communications
780-916-4487 (cell)
Ag Media Line
Agriculture and Rural Development
780-422-1005
To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000.
July 6, 2010
Alberta Food for Health Award recipients
Food sold at a farmer’s market
English Bacon, Spragg’s Meat Shop, Rosemary
English bacon was originally developed by Spragg’s Meat Shop to meet local demand for a traditional British cut of bacon with the flavour of back bacon. The English bacon is a boneless rib end pork loin cut that contains a lower sodium and fat content than side bacon products.
English bacon was originally launched in July 2009 at the Calgary Farmer’s Market and is now available at farmer’s markets in Millarville, Bearspaw, Grassroots Northlands and Brooks. The product is derived from free range hogs that are raised on pasture and fed Alberta-grown alfalfa, barley and fababeans. The meat is processed in Rosemary and sold through Government approved Farmer’s Markets.
Food sold through a retail outlet
Diamond Willow Organic Beef, Pincher Creek
Located in the picturesque foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Diamond Willow is a collaborative of ranching families that specialize in beef produced from cattle that graze on natural foothills grasslands during the summer months and are wintered close to home. Diamond Willow Range organic beef products are 100 per cent certified organic, free of antibiotics and artificial growth hormones.
Diamond Willow Organic Beef is sold through Save-On-Foods, IGA, Planet Organic outlets, Community Natural Foods and is processed by Sunterra Meats.
Food sold through food service
Honey Whole Wheat Loaf, Prairie Mill Bread Company, Calgary
The Prairie Mill Bread Company specializes in pioneer-style breads made from 100 per cent prairie wheat that is milled by the company and mixed with seeds, grains and fruits. The Honey Whole Wheat Loaf is made from flour that is stone ground from wheat grown by John Schnieder of Gold Forest Farms in Spruce Grove and honey produced from Golden Acres in Three Hills.
The Honey Whole Wheat Loaf is sold in various Alberta retail locations and restaurants, including the Prairie Mill Bread Company’s stores in Edmonton and Calgary, health food stores, and Calgary restaurants Catch and Janice Beaton’s The Farm.
Food and nutrition researchers
University of Alberta, Edmonton
Drs. Temelli and Vasanthan; Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science; University of Alberta; are being recognized for a novel process to concentrate a naturally-occurring soluble dietary fibre, beta-glucan, from barley and oat grains and demonstrating its health benefits for improving cardiovascular health and helping in the management of diabetes.
This technology enables the ability to concentrate, without damaging its healthy attributes, beta-glucan, which is not plentiful in wheat but abundant in barley and oat grains. Studies have shown that adding measured doses to food products like bread, beverages, ice cream and yogurt can result in many health benefits such as decreasing the level of risk factors like high blood cholesterol and glucose levels associated with heart disease and diabetes.
Temelli and Vasanthan’s innovative technology resulted in six international patent applications. They were sold in 2007 to the Spanish multi-national Natraceutical Group, leading to the launch of its Canadian head office in Edmonton. The technology holds potential for new business opportunities for grain producers and processors.
Alberta Food for Health Award selection criteria
All food award submissions were judged on nutritional criteria, innovation and collaboration, overall quality, market sustainability and ability to meet consumer demand. A selection panel also evaluated all food products for eating quality characteristics: taste, aroma, texture, visual appeal and overall eating quality.
The researcher award submissions were evaluated on criteria of how well the research contributed to science, solved novel or practical problems and how the research impacts the relationship between food and human health.
-30-
Media inquiries may be directed to:
Gene Zwozdesky
Minister
Health and Wellness
780-446-1144 (cell)
Kathleen Range
Health and Wellness Communications
780-221-5805 (cell)
Suzana Krpan
Advanced Education and Technology Communications
780-916-4487 (cell)
Ag Media Line
Agriculture and Rural Development
780-422-1005
To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000.
