By Cynthia Strawson

Alberta is one step closer to leading the globe in food safety, and value-added food and agri-industrial product development.

A $500,000 investment from Cargill, Limited in the University of Alberta's Agri-Food Discovery Place (AFDP), moves the $24 million facility closer to completion. The facility, currently under construction, will house the Meat Safety and Processing Research Centre and the Crop Utilization and Enhanced Materials Research Centre.

Dr. John Kennelly (photo), Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry, and Home Economics, says the strength of AFDP is the diversity of researchers and their interdisciplinary approach to problem solving.

"Our partnership with Cargill supports food scientists, plant scientists, microbiologists and geneticists working together under one roof to find creative solutions for value-added processing and product development."

This collaborative approach will benefit from Cargill's longstanding commitment to developing innovative enhancements in food quality and safety.

"We are encouraged by the potential this partnership has to offer for our industry, customers, and most importantly consumers around the world," says Bill Buckner, Cargill's corporate vice president and president of Cargill Meat Solutions. "Rightfully, consumers demand safe, quality products in providing nourishment for their families. Together, Cargill and the University of Alberta will ensure that our industry is able to continually evolve our practices and systems in an effort to not only fully meet, but where possible, exceed consumers' expectations."

AFDP will create new opportunities for the development of enhanced industrial materials using components of both animal and plant sources. Research in this facility will focus on food safety and the development of technologies to be used in value-added food and non-food products.

The building, Canada's only pre-pilot plant with Level II biocontainment and solvent processing capabilities, will enhance Alberta's reputation as a leader in research and teaching in agri-food and agri-industrial science.

The University of Alberta is recognized internationally for its strengths in food safety, value-added processing and product and process development. The U of A offers Alberta's only undergraduate and graduate education in Food Science and Technology, training highly-qualified professionals for North America's value-added agri-food and agri-industrial processing industry. Agri-Food Discovery place is scheduled to be operational by spring 2006.