St.FX researcher partners with food company to develop plant-based foods for schools, hospitals
From the Springboard Content Lab and ST. FX Newsroom
A human nutrition researcher at Springboard member St. Francis Xavier University is partnering with a Nova Scotia food producer to develop plant-based foods for schools and hospitals
Dr. Marcia English, chair of the St.FX Human Nutrition Department and Canada Research Chair in Protein and Flavour Chemistry, is working with The Station Food Hub Company to develop a plant-based high-protein pasta sauce.
Located in Newport Station, NS, The Station Food Hub Company is a social purpose business that adds value to local food, focusing on “perfectly imperfect” food sources. They up-cycle and bring to market otherwise wasted produce into usable, sustainable products.
“It could have a huge impact for the school food program and a huge impact on the economy of Nova Scotia. It’s exciting because we are a small university in rural Nova Scotia, and we get to contribute to work that can impact students and consumers across the province and across Canada.”
– Dr. Marcia English, chair of the St.FX Human Nutrition Department
Dr. English with student researcher
Research receives funding from Invest Nova Scotia
The project has received $15,000 in Tier I Productivity and Innovation Voucher Program (PIVP) funding for the research. The program, offered through Invest Nova Scotia, helps small and medium-sized companies access post-secondary expertise to improve productivity, develop a new product or service, and grow their business.
Dr. English and her student research team have begun researching the literature and potential ingredients.
“The goal is for my team to develop these two products, working with the company. What’s cool about working with them is that they have asked us to use local ingredients, even food waste, such as apple fibre and different fruits and vegetables. The goal is to use local ingredients.”
Dr. Marcia English, ST.FX researcher
Plant-based products will improve quality of school food
Developing a nutritious product in Nova Scotia, with the possibility to expand further afield, would have a huge impact in improving the quality of the food in the school program, English says. It would also reduce food waste and help eliminate the use of more processed foods.
Dr. English hopes this project will increase awareness of healthy food choices from an early age and create a culture of healthy food consumption.
Developing nutritious food that tastes good
Dr. English will be working in St.FX’s Sensory Lab to develop an appealing texture and taste profile, an important part of the research that will feature participant feedback. Not only is it important to develop a nutritious product, it must taste good too.
“Ultimately, with the consumer, the buck stops there,” she says with a laugh. “If they like it, we’re good to go.”
Dr. English, who has been on faculty at StFX since 2014, teaches courses in functional food and food product development as well as an advanced course in flavour chemistry. Most recently, she became the president of the Canadian Institute of Food Sciences Technology, the governing body for food science and technology in Canada.
St.FX is a member of the Springboard Network of 19 post-secondary institutions. Its goal is to grow the Atlantic Canadian economy through the commercialization of research and by connecting industry with research to solve real-world problems.