August 2006

Transcription

August 2006

INSIDE: CIGI launches biofuels project/Durum wheat in noodles
INSTITUTE
IMAGES
August 2006
Enjoying the CIGI experience
Executive Director’s
Message
INSIDE
INSTITUTE
IMAGES
2
Executive
Director’s
Message
3
CIGI
& Industry
News
8
Feature
11
Technology
15
Programs
20
Industry
News
26
Participant
Updates
Institute Images is published by the
Canadian International Grains Institute.
Editor
Heather Johnson
Contributing Writers
Ellen Goodman
Heather Johnson
Design and Layout
Warren Alejandro-Yarema
Photography
Raelene Eger
Ellen Goodman
Lee Huscroft
Tammy Lowdon
Jeff Pruden
Richard Warren
Summer at CIGI is prime time for cultivating
new knowledge and understanding
The summer program period at CIGI is always an exciting and important
opportunity to welcome international participants to Canada during our prime
growing season. It’s a time to provide a first-hand look at our industry and the
chance to meet the many people working to meet customer needs. As of early
August we have had representatives from 21 countries attend a variety of programs
on topics ranging from risk management to milling to malting barley, with many
more to follow in the months ahead.
With the launch of our biodiesel project (see story on page 4) our plans include
providing farmers hands-on training in canola-based biodiesel production.
Thanks to funding received from the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council, we are
purchasing portable pilot equipment which will be used during short courses in
rural communities beginning later this fall. Training for international participants is
also expected to follow in the future.
This initiative is another example of CIGI’s efforts to promote Canada’s field crops
through innovative programming and technical activities. In recent months CIGI
has been expanding its offering of open enrolment courses to provide industry
members with cost effective training opportunities. Details of these courses can be
found on our web site at www.cigi.ca/. Also featured in this issue are stories that
highlight some of the important applied research and investigative work underway
with staff in our technology areas.
For those participants who attended CIGI programs through the summer months
one word likely best sums up their time here—hot. Whereas a year ago, many
farmers were battling with excess moisture caused by heavy rains early and late in
the growing season, this year the weather in much of Western and Eastern Canada
has been hot and dry. Crop development and harvesting is ahead of schedule in
many areas with good quality being reported but with varying results.
Regardless of the weather conditions they encounter, the feedback we receive
from CIGI participants indicates that it is the experience of meeting industry
representatives and getting to know fellow participants that leaves a lasting
impression. In the words of one participant from the 39th International Grain
Industry Program held earlier this summer, “I already knew the quality of the
Canadian grain that I use but this experience allowed me to see the whole system
that is in place.”
Inquiries and submissions may be directed
to the attention of:
We look forward to more opportunities to showcase our industry and the people
who make it work in the weeks and months ahead.
Institute Images
Canadian International Grains Institute
1000-303 Main Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3C 3G7
Phone (204) 983-5344
Fax (204) 983-2642
E-mail cigi@cigi.ca
On the cover:
Visit our website at:
www.cigi.ca
Barry W. Senft
Executive Director
Sixth Latin America-Canada Milling Program participant
Jaime Salomon from Peru in CIGI’s pilot noodle facility.
Please see page 15 for highlights from recent programs.
C I G I
&
I N D U S T R Y
N E W S
Appointments
relations. He holds a Bachelor of
Chemical Engineering and Business
Administration from McGill
University and has completed the
Executive Development Program at
Queen’s University. OSG represents
more than 25,000 soybean growers in
Ontario, Canada.
Len Seguin has accepted a position
as Program Manager with CIGI. A
familiar face to many industry people,
Len brings 35 years of industry
experience to his new role. Len began
his career with the Canadian Grain
Commission (CGC) in 1970 as an
Assistant Grain Inspector in Thunder
Bay, Ontario. With the CGC he went
on to become Staff Training and
Special Projects Officer and Regional
Director, Prairie Region. In 1996 he
was appointed Chief Grain Inspector
for Canada, a position he held for
nine years until his retirement from
the CGC in July 2005. As Program
Manager, Len works with CIGI
staff and industry members in the
design, development and delivery of
international and domestic programs.
Robert Hunter has joined the
Canola Council of Canada as assistant
vice-president canola oil utilization.
A graduate of the Advanced
Agriculture Leadership Program at
the Centre for Rural Leadership in
Guelph, Ontario, Robert has spent the
past six years with Maple Leaf Foods
in Toronto, Ontario and Hong Kong.
His focus at the Canola Council is
on building canola oil’s profile in the
food processing sector in the U.S.
and Canada. The Canola Council
of Canada is a national, non-profit
association funded by stakeholders in
the canola industry.
Jim Grey is the new General
Manager of Ontario Soybean Growers
(OSG). Most recently President
of Casco Inc., Canada’s principal
producer and supplier of corn-refined
products, Jim brings to his new
role extensive experience in market
development, human resource
management, strategic planning
and government and industry
21). The Tokyo office handles about
$400 million in grain sales to Japan. It
is also seen as a key point of contact
with buyers in other regions such
as Malaysia and Thailand. Derek
had served as a Marketing Manager
for the CWB Asia Pacific sales team
since June 1999. He joined the CWB’s
Farm Marketing Services Department in 1995 and moved to the Sales
and Market Development Division
in 1996 where he worked as a Marketing Manager of Sales Policy and
Planning. He holds a Bachelor of
Science in Agriculture degree from
the University of Manitoba. Derek
is married to Theresa Le Sliworsky
who also worked with the CWB and
Pulse Canada.
Derek Sliworsky was appointed
General Manager of the Canadian
Wheat Board’s (CWB) Tokyo office,
replacing David Iwaasa who retired
at the end of June (see story on page
Dr. David A. Wall has been
appointed Research Manager at the
Cereal Research Centre (CRC) in
Winnipeg. David joined the CRC
in March after serving as the Acting
Research Manager at the Saskatoon
Research Centre in Saskatchewan
since 2002. He holds a BSc in
Agriculture, a MSc in Plant Science
and a PhD in Weed Science from
the University of Manitoba. During
his career David has also worked at
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s
Morden research station and the
Brandon Research Centre. His
areas of focus have included weed
management and weed competition
in oilseeds and pulse crops, weed
ecology, and other research on cereals
and oilseeds crops. The CRC is one
of 19 research facilities of Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada.
Institute Images / August 2006
3
C I G I
&
I N D U S T R Y
N E W S
“The world is looking increasingly
at Canada’s canola crop as a
source of bioenergy,” says Rex. “By
providing training for producers
and international customers as well
as technical support, CIGI will help
further develop this important market
for canola, while providing new
opportunities for Canadian farmers
and their field crops.”
Prairie
farmers
will soon
have
access
to hands-on training in canola-based
biodiesel production thanks to a pilot
project launched by CIGI.
The project will help canola producers
extract maximum value from
their oilseed crop by identifying
production requirements for the
emerging biodiesel market. It will
also demonstrate the advantages of
producing biodiesel for on-farm use
to offset rising fuel costs. Training will
be provided through a series of short
courses to be offered in Winnipeg
and rural communities in Manitoba,
Saskatchewan and Alberta beginning
post-harvest 2006.
Funding of $45,000 has been provided
by the Manitoba Rural Adaptation
Council (MRAC) for the purchase
of the portable pilot equipment
which will be used to determine
optimal processing conditions and
costs of manufacturing biodiesel on
a community scale. Funding will
also support the demonstration of
production methods.
“Farmers are facing unprecedented
challenges due to historically low
commodity prices combined with
4 Institute Images / August 2006
significant increases in
production costs,” says Dr. Rex
Newkirk, CIGI’s Director of Feed
Technology and biodiesel project
leader. “High fossil fuel prices and
demand for more environmentally
sustainable fuel sources has prompted
great interest in biodiesel production—
both at an industrial scale and at the
community, producer level.”
No facilities in Western Canada
currently provide biodiesel production
training, technical support, and
assistance in understanding the valueadded uses and market potential for
the by-products such as canola meal
and glycerol. The CIGI biodiesel
project will significantly increase the
amount of information and resources
available to farmers and researchers
alike.
“With all the production options
out there and the stated desire for
community ownership of biodiesel
production, it’s important that we
advance baseline research,” says
Barry Routledge, MRAC Director
and member of the former Manitoba
Biodiesel Advisory Council. “This
project will help producers learn
what mistakes to avoid while moving
towards making small-scale biodiesel
production more economically viable.”
When not out on course, the pilot
equipment will be housed at the
Richardson Centre for Functional
Foods and Nutraceuticals in Smartpark
at the University of Manitoba and
made accessible to researchers. Future
plans include training in biodiesel
production for international customers
during CIGI programs.
Information regarding short course
dates, locations and fees is currently
being finalized. Details will be
provided via the CIGI web site at
www.cigi.ca as well as through
advertising and promotion.
CIGI
biodiesel
training
to help
canola
farmers
capture
added
value
MRAC is a not-for-profit organization
that provides funding for innovative
and sustainable agricultural projects to
advance the agriculture and agri-food
industry in Manitoba. Administrator
of both the CARD I and CARD II
program, MRAC administers the
Manitoba share ($10.3 million) of
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s
$243 million Advancing Canadian
Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF)
program.
For more information about the CIGI
biodiesel project contact Rex Newkirk at
rnewkirk@cigi.ca or (204) 983-2031.
C I G I
&
I N D U S T R Y
N E W S
Breaking new ground in
research on functional
foods and nutraceuticals
The University of Manitoba’s new Richardson Centre
for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals (RCFFN) brings
together a unique combination of animal and human
clinical facilities, analytical labs and a pilot plant—all
dedicated to helping researchers identify and enhance
the health promoting compounds in prairie crops and
develop them into marketable food supplements and
products.
Officially opened in May, work at the $31 million facility
is well underway with projects ranging from researching
the effects of plant sterols and omega-3 fatty acids on
cardiovascular health, to assessing the stability of various
oil blends such as flax and canola, to investigating the
impact of incorporating pulses into mainstream foods
such as energy bars, muffins and bagels.
Dr. Peter Jones, RCFFN Director, says the centre’s
ability to stimulate interaction between academic
and private sector ventures will lead to the
development of innovative value-added foods
with health benefits. “We have the capability
to process, prepare, analyze and test for safety,
efficacy and acceptability foods of the future in an
unprecedented manner.”
Among the more distinctive pieces of equipment
at the facility are an electronic nose and tongue,
believed to be unique to Canada. These tools
will enable researchers to test food samples for
odour or taste based on parameters established by
trained sensory panels prior to further testing by
panelists.
Work at the centre will focus on products derived
from crops important to the prairie region
including wheat, oats, buckwheat, canola, flax,
pulses and hemp. Researchers from different
disciplines will work in partnership with scientists
from the U of M’s faculties of Agriculture and
Food Sciences, Human Ecology, Medicine and
Pharmacy.
Researchers at RCFFN work on oil analysis using Gas
Chromatography Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (GC IRMS)
which measures lipid metabolism/cholesterol breakdown.
The electronic nose unit can be seen along the back wall.
“This new centre is a testament to what can happen
when scientific research is married to technology
transfer and business development, says Dr. Emöke
Szathmáry, University of Manitoba (U of M) President
and Vice-Chancellor. “The bioprocessing facilities
here will complement applied research to assist
small- and medium-size enterprises in product
development and marketing, ultimately benefiting
Canadian consumers.”
Dr. Curtis Rempel, Research Development
Manager at RCFFN says the centre’s Winnipeg
location provides excellent opportunities for
collaboration. “There’s no shortage of expertise
to draw upon at CIGI, Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada and the Canadian Grain Commission, for
example.” To date discussions with CIGI have
centred on a pulse research project and a canolabased biodiesel project (see story page 4).
“We’re very excited about the opening of the
centre and the potential it creates for future
initiatives,” says CIGI Executive Director Barry
Senft. “It fits well with our efforts to work with
industry members seeking to identify new uses
and markets for Canadian field crops.”
More information about the RCFFN
is available at its web site:
www.umanitoba.ca/research/rcffn/
5
C I G I
&
I N D U S T R Y
N E W S
New Alberta research centre to cultivate
growth in value-added agriculture
Agri-Food Discovery Place (AFDP),
a $25 million research facility at the
University of Alberta held its official
opening on June 23. With a mandate to
develop new ways to use materials from
plant and animal sources, the facility is
home to two major research wings—the
Crop Utilization and Enhanced Materials
Research Unit (CUEMRU) and the Meat
Safety and Processing Research Unit
(MSPRU).
CUEMRU allows for the pre-pilot
scale processing of agri-food and agriindustrial products and the development
of novel technologies including
applications targeting functional foods
and industrial bioproducts.
Two grain processing laboratories at AFDP—the Canadian
Wheat Board Wet Processing Lab and the Canadian Wheat
Board Dry Processing Lab—were named in recognition
of the CWB’s commitment to research into value-added
processing. The CWB’s contribution of $400,000 towards
the facility was announced last November. CWB and CIGI
representatives also sit on AFDP’s advisory committee.
“AFDP is poised to set the pace in terms of research and
the development of technologies for value-added food and
non-food products,” says Adrian Measner, CWB President
and CEO.
Dr. John Kennelly, Dean of the University of Alberta’s
Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Home Economics
says the main thrust of the research at AFDP is about
transforming the agriculture industry from a commodity
focus to a value-added focus.
Photo by Michael Holly, University of Alberta.
“What we’re saying is, let’s be innovative. Let’s come up
with new products that have real market demand. And if
we can produce those products that are innovative, highquality and serve a particular need, the return to our crops,
to our agricultural sector, is going to be much greater,” says
Dr. Kennelly.
Ken Ritter (left), chair of the CWB Board of Directors receives a
certificate of appreciation for CWB’s investment in AFDP from
Dr. Indira Samarasekera, University of Alberta President and Dr.
John Kennelly, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry, and
Home Economics. The presentation was made during AFDP’s
grand opening in June.
The $6.25 million Alberta Lipid Utilization Research
Program is also housed at AFDP. Through this program a
team of scientists are working with lipids (fats) from plants
and animals to find new applications in both food uses
(such as low trans fat foods and low-saturated fat foods)
and non-food uses (including cosmetics, bio-lubricants and
bio-hydraulics).
For more information, visit AFDP’s web site at www.afdp.afns.
ualberta.ca/
From University of Alberta web site (Express News) and CWB
news release.
C I G I
&
I N D U S T R Y
N E W S
As of July the operation was processing 700 tonnes of canola
seed per day but expansion will increase the capacity to 1,000
tonnes per day. The facility allows for production of another
1,000 tonnes per day but that growth may still be a few years
ahead depending on market opportunities, says Larry.
The Associated Proteins facility in Ste. Agathe, Manitoba
Associated Proteins officially opened its state-of-the-art
oilseeds crushing facility in Ste. Agathe, Manitoba last
December after the operation completed a commissioning
process under a lease during the previous year. The
$60 million plant was constructed in 1997 but fell into
receivership soon after it opened its doors due to
operational problems. The construction firm EllisDon
took it over from the receiver and approached consultant
Larry McNamara, now the company president, to create a
new business plan. Partners were then brought in to form
Associated Proteins Limited Partnership.
“Typically you don’t spend that kind of money on building
a crushing plant,” says Larry, formerly President and CEO
of Canbra Foods in Lethbridge, Alberta. “But the previous
owner duplicated everything so it’s an engineer’s dream.”
The operation started crushing canola using expeller
pressing in November 2004, making it the largest expellerpressed oilseed crushing facility in the world. The unique
solvent-free crushing process results in naturally stable oil
that also leaves more energy than usual in the canola cake
produced, which allows for new market opportunities, says
Larry. Expeller pressed oil is suitable for animal feed and
biodiesel although a big market exists for finished oils for
food products.
“We introduced the refining equipment that supports super
degumming which removes the soaps and gums out of the
oil, the natural lecithins. That allows us to sell to refiners in
the U.S. who further refine it into fully refined vegetable oil.
This also allows us to sell to the biodiesel trade in Europe
and the U.S. A good portion of our product is split between
refiners and biodiesel.”
Larry says the company also put a financial plan together
to support expansion into finished oils processing, starting
August 1. “It opens up the market in North America for a
highly stable canola oil which will provide a good shelf life
for salad dressings, mayonnaise, and snack foods.”
Larry notes a difference in world trends since 1997 with
recognition of the healthful benefits of canola oil and the
greater demand for biodiesel. “With the shift now in the U.S.
from food oils to biodiesel, all at once we are seeing a greater
demand for our canola, especially the expeller canola. So it
opens up all kinds of market opportunities as we bring our
new plant online.”
For more industry news, please turn to page 20.
In Memoriam
Photo courtesy of the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame.
World’s largest expellerpressed oilseed crushing
facility opens in Manitoba
The operation, which has been used as a CIGI tour site, is
also unique as it is supported by a farm program where
this year 30,000 acres of canola seed is contracted out to
producers who are paid a premium on the percentage of
oil delivered, he says. “Eventually we’ll build that up to
300,000 acres to support this plant. The main difference is
the continuity of supply, and the overall quality control
of different oilseeds to service our different markets. This
gives us control from the field all the way through to the
finished product. Not many crushers can offer that. We’ll be
contracting a variety of seeds to meet our customer needs.”
In April 2006 Charles
Lemington (Lem)
Shuttleworth, the first
chairman of the board
at CIGI, passed away in
Minnedosa, Manitoba at
the age of 95. Lem was
appointed board chairman
in July 1972 and held the
position until September
1977. During his tenure CIGI
experienced considerable
growth, as the number of
programs and participants
more than doubled. It was
also during this period that
CIGI held its first offshore program, which have since
become an integral part of CIGI’s activities.
Lem was highly regarded for his contributions to
agriculture and public service throughout his lifetime.
He served as agriculture minister in the Manitoba
legislature during the 1950s, and in 1965 he was
appointed to the Board of Grain Commissioners for
Canada where he chaired a committee conducting a
complete revision of the Canadian Grains Act. In 1982
Lem was presented with a Certificate of Merit from the
University of Manitoba in recognition of his work in
the agriculture field and in 1996 he was inducted as a
member of the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame.
7
F E A T U R E
Expansion opportunities emerge
for Canadian food barley in Japan
Members of the food barley mission to Japan visited with management of the
Nagahura Barley Milling Co. Company President Hidehiko Nagahura (front, left) had
also attended CIGI’s International Food Barley Program in 1998.
Canadian hulless barley may be facing new but
welcomed changes that could increase demand
for its use in food production, in part as a spinoff from a recently approved U.S. Food and Drug
Administration health claim. The claim, announced
last December, allows food manufacturers to state
that foods containing barley may reduce the risk
of coronary heart disease. Barley, particularly its
hulless varieties, has high levels of beta glucan
which can reduce serum cholesterol. CIGI, the
Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) and the Canadian
Grain Commission (CGC) have been working
together on a number of fronts to develop this
potential.
Japanese Market
A CWB investigative food barley mission to Japan,
a major importer of barley for food, revealed
most Japanese food producers using barley were
aware of the U.S. health claim and were interested
in its potential impact on the sale of barley food
products in both their country and North America,
says Andrea Hilderman, CWB Program Manager
in Product Development and Marketing Support.
Some of the Japanese producers are also looking
to diversify their pool of international food barley
suppliers, which may offer Canada an opportunity
to increase its food barley exports (Canada already
has a strong history of malting barley exports).
Members of the mission, conducted last February
25 to March 9, included Andrea Hilderman
and Joan Anderson from the CWB, Dr. Linda
Malcolmson and Ashok Sarkar from CIGI, and Dr.
Marta Izydorczyk from the CGC’s Grain Research
Laboratory.
“The CWB has always worked closely with other
stakeholders on food barley opportunities, and
even more so in the past few years as there
has been more interest and more scientific
development,” says Andrea. “Then last December
the health claim in the U.S. drove us to go see
what is happening in Japan as it is one of the
most developed food barley markets in the world.
We thought the time was right for us to find
out what we could learn by giving key scientific
and technical people some exposure to Japanese
processors and their requirements. I think it
turned out to be a very successful exchange of
information.”
She explains that the Japanese have a tradition
of popular barley-based products not generally
consumed in North America, such as barley tea,
sochu liquor, miso and rice extender. Other newer
F E A T U R E
Barley is commonly used as a rice extender in Japan.
drinks and snack foods made from barley have
also emerged on the Japanese market. “So there
has been a lot of interest from Japan in what
our barley might offer. Last fall the Japan Barley
Processors Association visited Western Canada
in part because of their interest in our hulless
varieties for various end uses.”
“Japan has always been a consistent user of
barley in food products,” says Ashok, Head of
CIGI Milling and Pasta Technology. “Our mission
was almost a continuation of the Japanese barley
mission here last year, to expand our knowledge
and provide them with information as well.”
He says work had been done in the development
of Canadian hulless, waxy and non-waxy varieties
and Japanese processors have tried using some in
various products with mixed, but mostly positive,
results overall. “We wanted to see what their
needs are, which varieties should be looked at and
why. They have used Canadian barley mainly for
barley tea, with good results. Canada continues
to increase its participation in the Japanese food
barley market and over the last few years has had
some successes. There is, however, much work to
be done. For example, we need to work on certain
varieties to ensure good pearling properties,
including texture and colour, while offering
improved nutritional properties than what is
currently used for rice extender.”
Japan is ahead of North America in its extensive
use of barley for food (in North America barley
is used mainly in soups), but is not up to date
on the best barley varieties available, says Marta
Izydorczyk, Program Manager of Barley Research
at the CGC. “The Japanese are aware of the
health claim and the nutritional value of barley
but they may not be using the most suitable types
for their specific purposes. We tried to obtain
more information about the desired quality
characteristics of barley they are looking for. Our
discussions were very useful and they wanted to
learn from us as much as we did from them.”
She explains the health benefits of the U.S. claim
are connected to the high beta glucan content
found in hulless varieties but the Japanese have
been using malting barley for food uses which
is not high in beta glucan. “It would be ideal if
we had one barley variety that could be used
for everything but that is not the case. We have
to figure out the suitability of specific barley
continued on next page
9
F E A T U R E
Barley tea
is a popular
Japanese
beverage.
varieties for particular end uses. They appreciated
our knowledge and experience with hulless
barley and its bioactive constituents and in fact
one company, Sapporo Breweries Ltd., is sending
someone to visit our laboratory. In a sense, with
our work on barley beta glucans, milling and
incorporation of barley into food products, we
have already taken a leadership role in the area of
hulless barley for food uses.”
The quality of newer hulless barley varieties in
Canada is much better now than when the CWB
conducted its first fact-finding mission on food
barley in Japan in 1999, says Marta. “We now have
more hulless barley varieties than ever before
and we were able to show that barley can be
used as an ingredient in many food products.
Research has been done with barley flour and
fibre-rich fractions (milled by-products other than
flour) added to bread, noodles, and pasta. Some
varieties have done very well.”
She points out that fibre-rich fractions, obtained
by roller milling barley, have more nutritional
value than the flour, traditionally considered
the prime product from milling but actually
consisting mostly of starch. “We have to change
our thinking about milling. We
are used to aiming for a high yield
of white flour but nowadays we
are interested in more nutritious
fractions originating from the outer
grain layers or from the endosperm
cell walls.”
North American Market
Dr. Linda Malcolmson, CIGI
Director of Special Crops, Oilseeds
and Pulses, points out that
although the health claim was
made in the U.S., barley is not a
traditional food product in North
America. However, ingredients
can be developed, for example, for blending with
wheat flour into existing products such as bread.
As a result of the mission Linda and Marta have
initiated a joint project called ‘Development of
Barley Food Ingredients with High Functional and
Nutritional Properties.’ “Our aim is to characterize
barley food ingredients and their applications,“
says Linda. “This information can then be used
to help promote barley to the North American
industry.”
Marta says the joint project is another positive
result of the mission, which enabled its members
to share their ideas. “This project will likely be
part of an ongoing research program to create
functional food ingredients that could be used in
the wider North American market. The objectives
are to create novel, ready-to-use food ingredients
from barley grain via physical means including
roller milling, pin milling, air classification,
pearling, cutting, and flaking. We also want to
evaluate the effects of grain pre-treatments on
functional, nutritional and sensory qualities of
barley food ingredients.”
In light of relatively recent developments, the
CWB and CIGI also plan to hold two food barley
programs in the coming year, one for Japan and
the other for the North American market, says
Linda.
“Now is the right time to prepare a strategic plan
for the development and use of hulless barley
for food purposes in Asia as well as in North
America,” adds Marta. “There’s more awareness
of the importance of a healthy diet and how it
can improve the quality of life. Hulless barley can
play a role.”
Nihon Seibaku Co., barley processors, displays a prominent sign.
T E C H N O L O G Y
Pasta Technology area
activities take on a new twist
Ashok says that although the mill
has lab-scale equipment to produce
and test smaller quantities of wheat or
barley, CIGI is also considering adding
lab-scale equipment both for milling
durum and for processing pasta
products.
“This would allow us to work
with a small amount of material
so we can evaluate an even wider
range of durum varieties as there
are sometimes only small samples
available for testing,” he says. “We
would be able to work with perhaps
three kilograms of semolina instead of
80 kilograms which is the amount the
pilot pasta plant requires.”
Myl Subramaniam (right), Technical Specialist in CIGI’s milling
area, discusses a commercial pasta product made with a blend
of commodities with customers from Pastas Doria, Colombia.
Pasta is no longer simply pasta, as
shown by customer support activity
and other innovative research in
CIGI’s pasta technology area. Much
has changed and evolved since the
pilot mill was converted to mill durum
into semolina in 1980 and the facility
was further upgraded to accommodate
the opening of the pilot pasta plant in
1999.
“We were able to mill durum and
test semolina but it wasn’t until 1999
that we could actually have pasta
prepared and evaluated which
completed our testing ability,” says
Ashok Sarkar, Head of Milling and
Pasta Technology. “Since then we
have operated a modern facility that
allows us to compare semolina milled
from different durum varieties and
put together a complete information
package.”
Improvements in the mill have also
allowed for the testing of semolina
for customers on the spot, he says.
“Customers may decide they want
a blend of semolina from different
durum varieties or semolina and
common wheat flour to make pasta of
one kind or another. We are able to do
that with this system and see the effect
on quality immediately.”
Gord Carson, CIGI Director of Cereal
Technology, says CIGI has begun
developing some expertise in different
areas of pasta production, using other
commodities for products that may
be geared toward premium markets.
“We’ve been working on value-added
ingredients in pasta that are focused
on health such as flax, fibre and soy.
We have loads of experience with
making pasta out of durum semolina
but when we add other ingredients, it
changes its functionality and storage.
You start looking at the overall impact,
how to improve it, and you may get
into different formulations which
creates new challenges.”
For example, CIGI blended semolina
with flax milled by a Manitoba
company to process a different kind
11
T E C H N O L O G Y
of pasta. The company was looking to
sell flax to an international company
that produces specialty value-added
pasta with other commodities such as
lentils and chickpeas.
Gord says that developing new
products through work for customers
and CIGI-driven research projects
provides CIGI with opportunities to
work with other commodity groups
and to offer new courses specific to
customer needs.
rice pasta for the first time basically
for our own information in case we
have customers inquiring about it.
We also tried corn in pasta which was
quite good. This product is already in
the marketplace for people with celiac
disease who can’t tolerate gluten in
their diet.”
One current project involves the
use of pulse flour in pasta, Paul says,
adding that he would like to try more
commodities as well such as barley.
technology area in the near future,
allowing for the processing of
different types of products like instant
pastas and puffed cereals. “This is
a departure from other work done
in the pasta area but there is a lot of
potential, even to extrude products
for pet food manufacturers or animal
feed, which is a low cost by-product of
flour milling.”
Paul says he received training in
extrusion in addition to his initial
training on the pasta equipment in
Switzerland at Buhler Inc. when he
moved from the noodle technology
area to the pasta area in 1999.
Paul Ebbinghaus, Technician in Pasta
Technology, says he has conducted
some unique tasks for both customers
and on his own in anticipation of
future customer needs while more
traditional work involves evaluation
of durum varieties for the Canadian
Wheat Board. “I just finished a
project for an international company
processing pastas with flavours such
as olive oil, basil, and butter. They
seemed really happy with the work
done so far.”
Other tests have included measuring
the effect of using different salts in
processing on quality and how drying
temperature affects pasta colour
using a different number of drying
programs. “We have temperatures
ranging from 40°C to 88°C so if a
customer comes in and asks if we
can duplicate their product using
their drying temperature, we can
do that. We also used different salts
that affected colour, just for our own
reference.”
Paul says he has also tested the use of
rice and corn in pasta. “We produced
Gord says a lab-scale table-top
extruder may be added to the pasta
Variety of pasta
work rewarding
working in this area and was sent to
Switzerland for training at Buhler on
setting up and running the plant as
they were providing the equipment.”
Paul Ebbinghaus, Technician in
Since his initial training at Buhler,
Inc., Paul has
With all
undertaken
the recent
further
innovative
professional
types of
development
pastas he has
in areas such as
processed
food extrusion
with
technology in the
commodities
U.S. and pasta
other than
technology in
durum,
Italy. Last June he
what might
also participated
Pasta Technician Paul Ebbinghaus removes
be Paul’s
in a Canadian
pasta processed from durum semolina from
personal
Wheat Board
the dryer.
favourite? “I
investigative
have tasted pasta made of flax, corn
mission on pasta and couscous to
and other blends of pulses and have
Italy, Spain and Morocco.
liked them… but my preference so far
is just ordinary pasta,” he laughs.
“I keep busy enough working in the
pasta plant,” he says. “What I like most
CIGI’s Pasta Technology area, is a
one-man operation in the pilot pasta
plant, ensuring proper functioning
of the pasta equipment, performing
demonstrations, and conducting
processing activity and test runs.
Paul started with CIGI in 1988 after
studying agriculture at the University
of Manitoba and working on his
uncle’s farm near Lockport, Manitoba
just north of Winnipeg. He began
in the pilot flour mill working with
Ashok Sarkar, now Head of Milling
and Pasta Technology, for two years
before moving to the pilot noodle
plant where he worked until 1999
when the pilot pasta plant started
up. “I approached Tony Tweed (then
Director of Food Technology) about
“The pasta area has really paid off,”
says Ashok. “It not only has enabled
us to offer programs of specific interest
to customers, but also has successfully
resulted in our ability to provide them
the information they require to make
sound purchasing decisions that has
culminated in the sale of Canadian
durum wheat. This has consequently
served both their needs as well as the
Canadian industry.”
is the variety of projects. I don’t do
the same thing every day. It’s great.
I also especially enjoy meeting the
people who visit CIGI and would like
to convey a special hello to all of those
I have worked with.”
T E C H N O L O G Y
More muffins
The preparation of another 2,000 plus
flax muffins is on the menu for staff in
CIGI’s analytical services area as CIGI
continues its collaboration with the
Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research
in Health and Medicine (CCARM) in
an ongoing study assessing the health
benefits of flax. The muffins are being
used in the second phase of clinical
trials being conducted by a team of
researchers at CCARM under the
leadership of Dr. Grant Pierce, Executive
Director of Research at St Boniface
Hospital Research Centre.
Flaxseed is a rich source of alphalinolenic acid (ALA), an essential omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acid that has
been shown to significantly lower the
body’s level of “bad” cholesterol and
raise its level of “good” cholesterol,
thus helping to prevent heart disease.
Scientists also think that omega-3s
play a beneficial role in other disease
prevention, including hypertension,
cancer, and inflammatory and immune
disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.
any side effects. Now Dr. Pierce and his
team will be evaluating the amount of
flaxseed needed to sustain appropriate
ALA levels in the bloodstream. Down
the road another phase will examine
other factors including age.
Dr. Pierce says this type of clinical
research is key to determining what kind
of health benefits people can expect from
functional foods and nutraceuticals. “We
want to know if they are efficacious. Are
they good for you, are they safe for you,
and if so which ones offer the greatest
potential benefit.
“Working with Dr. Linda Malcolmson
and her team at CIGI has allowed us to
undertake these trials as they are able
to tailor-make the muffins to deliver a
precise level of omega-3 in each serving.
They also taste great!”
CCARM is part of the St. Boniface
Hospital Research Centre and the
University of Manitoba in Winnipeg,
Manitoba.
CIGI produced over 3,000 flax muffins
last year for use in the first phase of the
study, which assessed what form of flax
best provides the beneficial omega-3
fatty acids, as well as effects on blood
clotting ability, and the identification of
please
13
T E C H N O L O G Y
Durum flour excels at putting
the yellow in alkaline noodles
Bin Xiao Fu (left)
and Esey Assefaw
were breaking
new ground
when they began
investigating the
use of durum
fine flour in Asian
noodles.
Want to enhance the quality of your yellow alkaline
noodle products? Use fine flour milled from Canada
Western Amber Durum (CWAD) wheat, says Dr. Bin Xiao
Fu, head of CIGI’s noodle and steamed bread technology
area.
Results of a CIGI study evaluating the use of durum wheat
fine flour in alkaline noodle processing are featured in the
July/August 2006 issue of Cereal Foods World, a publication
of AACC International. Bin Xiao was the lead author of
the research paper that details the ability of durum wheat,
which is more commonly associated with pasta products
and couscous, to produce smooth and uniformly hydrated
yellow alkaline noodles (YAN) like those made from high
quality common wheat flours.
“Durum wheat is not typically used in Asia where the
tradition has been to use common wheat in noodle
production,” says Bin Xiao. However, he believed that
durum wheat, which is much higher in yellow pigments
and lower in enzymatic activities responsible for noodle
discoloration, would be ideal for producing YAN,
particularly when colour is the first sensory quality by
which noodles are judged.
they began their evaluation. Their efforts were focused on
the production of Ramen and Hokkien noodles, two major
types of YAN.
It wasn’t long before Bin Xiao’s theory proved to be a
reality. Following a series of evaluations in which noodles
prepared from a sample of No. 2 CWAD flour were
compared against noodles made from samples of No. 1
Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and No. 1 Canada
Western Hard White Spring (CWHWS) wheat flour, it was
concluded that alkaline noodles made from CWAD fine
flour had much superior colour and better overall texture
than those made from the CWRS and CWHWS flours.
“It’s the best flour we’ve ever seen for YAN,” says Bin Xiao.
“The noodles made from CWAD had a very bright yellow
colour with very slow discoloration and a firm texture.
Not only did they meet our expectations, they went well
beyond our expectations. You could never achieve this
colour using common wheat flour.”
Their evaluation also determined that there is no need to
make any adjustments to formulation and processing when
using durum fine flour for noodle production.
This discovery holds great potential for premium markets
like Japan, says Bin Xiao, which unlike many other Asian
countries has the facilities to mill durum wheat. A Japanese
milling company is in the process of producing durum fine
flour for commercial sale after receiving a sample from CIGI
and testing it in the production of alkaline noodles.
“From a processing perspective, if you want to make a big
step forward in improving the quality of YAN, durum fine
flour is the way to go,” says Bin Xiao. “For producers I think
it’s exciting that we have identified another application for
the high quality durum wheat grown in Western Canada.”
To request a reprint of the research paper “Evaluation of Durum
Wheat Fine Flour for Alkaline Noodle Processing” appearing in
the July/August issue of Cereal Foods World, please contact Bin
Xiao Fu at bfu@cigi.ca.
With no scientific literature indicating that durum fine
flour had ever been tested in Asian noodles, Bin Xiao and
Technician Esey Assefaw were breaking new ground when
Minolta chroma meter readings for Ramen noodle sheetsa
3 hr
Flour
No.2 CWAD
No.1 CWRS
No.1 CWHWS-1
L*
a*
In CIGI test results, the b* and a* values
of the noodle sheets indicate that Ramen
noodles made from durum fine flour
have a vivid, strong, yellow colour. The b*
values for the durum noodle sheets were
more than 10 units higher than for the
CWRS and CWHWS noodles.
24 hr
b*
75.4±0.4b -1.04±0.08c 39.6±0.2a
75.9±0.2b -0.22±0.01a 25.5±0.2c
78.3±0.3a 0.53±0.04b 27.8±0.2b
L*
a*
b*
70.1±0.3c
71.3±0.1b
73.4±0.1a
-0.56±0.05c
0.08±0.02a
-0.08±0.02b
38.1±0.1a
24.5±0.1c
26.0±0.2b
ª Means ± standard deviation, different letters within the same column denote significant differences (p ≤ 0.05)
P R O G R A M S
Program Highlights
3rd ANAC Grain Handlers Seminar
April 4
Korean Millers Executive Seminar
May 8 to 9
This one-day seminar held in Agassiz, British Columbia
was developed by CIGI in cooperation with the Animal
Nutrition Association of Canada (ANAC), the Canadian
Grain Commission and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
It provided hands-on training in grain grading to feed
manufacturing personnel. Sessions included instruction
and demonstration of proper sampling techniques and the
determination of test weight and dockage.
A seminar was held in Seoul, Korea for 22 milling
industry executives from the Korea Flour Mills Industrial
Association (KOFMIA). A Canadian resource team of five
representatives from CIGI and the CWB gave presentations
on a number of topics including the quality of Canadian
wheat classes, information about the new Canada Western
Hard White Spring (CWHWS) wheat class and a discussion
on quality and new developments regarding Canadian red
wheat.
The 14 participants at the ANAC Grain Handlers Seminar
took part in a number of hands-on sessions.
The seminar concluded with a visit and dinner at
the Namseoul Country Club.
Osaka Bakers Association Fellowship Program
May 23 to July 22
This fellowship program was sponsored by the
CWB’s Japan office for the winner of the 2005 Osaka
Bakers Association contest. The winner, Hajime Shimizu,
spent two months in Canada with Canadian bakers and
industry representatives in a study and work environment.
In addition to practical technical sessions in CIGI’s pilot
processing facilities and the CGC’s Grain Research
Laboratory, Hajime participated in numerous tours,
week-long training sessions and visits to commercial
bakeries in Western and Eastern Canada. As part of the
program Hajime also attended the 39th International Grain
Industry Program. In Japan, Hajime works for the DONQ
Boulangerie française in Osaka, a 101-year-old bakery that
produces hundreds of different products on a daily basis.
Hajime at work in CIGI’s pilot bakery.
15
P R O G R A M S
Maspex-Poland Technical Exchange
May 23 to 26
39th International Grain Industry Program
May 29 to June 11
Three representatives from Maspex in Poland attended
this technical exchange which focused on durum wheat.
While in Winnipeg, the participants took part in technical
sessions in milling, grading, pasta processing and sensory
testing. The group also traveled to Saskatchewan where
they visited a farm, elevator, and the Semiarid Prairie
Agricultural Research Centre in Swift Current. Prior to
leaving Canada, they also toured a commercial pasta plant
in Brampton, Ontario.
Spanning a two-week period, CIGI’s flagship international
program welcomed 32 participants from 17 countries—one
of the largest and most diverse group of customers ever to
attend this program. By providing a broad understanding
of grain handling, transportation, marketing and
technology from both a Canadian and an international
perspective, the program provided industry specialists
with a broad array of information about subjects outside
their usual areas of expertise. Lectures, practical sessions,
and laboratory demonstrations by CIGI staff and industry
resources formed the core of the program, which also
featured a field trip across Western Canada for tours of
a farm, processing facilities and primary and terminal
elevators.
(l-r) Marcin Wiercinski, Hanna Danuta Mazurek and Anna
Maria Chmiel examine pasta samples with Paul Ebbinghaus,
Pasta Technician, during a technical session in CIGI’s pilot
pasta plant.
Participants attended a session in CIGI’s test bakery
led by Dr. Mingwei Wang, Technical Specialist, Baking
Technology (right).
Barilla Technical Exchange
Program
June 8 and 9
This technical exchange program
focused on Canada Western Amber
Durum wheat and in particular the new
varieties Strongfield and Commander.
The two participants spent time in
technical sessions and discussions with
representatives from CIGI, the CWB and
CGC.
Participants (l-r) Greg Viers and William Ziehm with Gord
Carson, CIGI Director of Cereal Technology.
P R O G R A M S
International Risk
Management
Program for Buyers
June 12 to 16
This program provided buyers
an overview, with applications,
for using risk management tools
and practices when trading in
the wheat market. The program
included lectures on the structure
and function of the wheat futures
market together with current
market outlooks. A series of eight
workshops gave the 16 participants
the opportunity to put theory
into practice in a competition to
successfully merchandise wheat
for a fictional flour mill. Other
topics included selecting a broker,
and a discussion on corporate risk
management issues.
The 16 participants attending the International Risk Management Program
included buyers from six countries.
9th Canadian Millers Executive Program
June 23
This one-day program for 24 senior representatives from the Canadian
milling industry included a half-day forum to address and update
participants on current issues related to wheat quality and marketing.
CMBTC-CIGI Vietnam
Malt & Malting Barley Program
June 24 to 30
3rd CIGI-CMBTC China
Malting Barley Program
July 10 to 20
Canada’s malting barley industry was front and centre
during two programs held for customers from key Asian
markets. In June eight people representing the largest
brewing company in Vietnam and the country’s only
malting plant, attended the CMBTC-CIGI Vietnam Malt
& Malting Barley Program. This one-week program
featured a series of classroom presentations, discussions,
tours, and hands-on exercises in the Canadian Malting
Barley Technical Centre’s (CMBTC) pilot malting plant and
brewery. Vietnam is an important new market for Canadian
malting barley.
Just over a week later 15 representatives from China, the
world’s largest malting barley market, participated in the
3rd CIGI-CMBTC China Malting Barley Program. The
participants were from 12 of China’s largest malting and
brewing companies. In addition to classroom lectures and
technical sessions in CMBTC’s facilities, the group also
participated in a week long industry tour through Western
Canada that included visits to a grain farm, malting plants,
a brewery, an inland terminal and research centres. The
program concluded in Vancouver where the focus was
on the handling, inspection and certification of malt and
malting barley cargoes.
Vietnamese
participants
Phuong Chi Tran
(middle) and Anh
Tuan Vu (right)
examine a barley
sample with
interpreter Ngoc
Tran during a tour
of the Agricore
United South
Lakes Elevator
in Stonewall,
Manitoba.
Participants from the 3rd CIGI-CMBTC China-Canada
Malting Barley Program toured the International Malting
Company (IMC) plant in Winnipeg, where they met with
Doug Wilkie, Assistant Plant Manager.
17
P R O G R A M S
Molinos Modernos-Guatemala Technical
Exchange Program
June 26 to 28
During this three-day technical exchange program, three
representatives from Molinos Modernos in Guatemala
studied the grading specifications and the milling and
baking qualities of CWRS wheat. Time was spent in a series
of practical exercises and discussions with technical staff in
CIGI’s pilot flour mill, pilot and test bakeries and with staff
from the Industry Services Division of the CGC.
Molinos Modernos participants (second from left) Jorge
Verbena Pacheco, Jürg Gygax, and Manuel Mendoza
Castellanos display some of the baked goods produced during
practical sessions in CIGI’s pilot bakery with Yvonne Supeene,
Technical Specialist, Commercial Baking Technology.
6th Latin America-Canada Milling Program
July 17 to 21
Thirteen participants from seven countries participated
in this week-long program which focused on Canadian
wheat and its quality characteristics and end-use processing
properties. In addition to technical sessions in CIGI’s pilot
and test facilities, the group also toured a grain farm and
primary elevator and visited the CWB and CGC.
Participants take a close look at a wheat field during a visit
to Braun Farms in Rosser, Manitoba.
Offshore
2006 China-Canada
Malting Barley
Seminars
March 20 to 24
The 2006 China-Canada Malting Barley Seminars, featured here
in Hangzhou, China, included representatives presenting from the
Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre, Canadian Wheat Board,
Canadian Grain Commission and University of Saskatchewan.
Seminars were conducted
in Harbin, Chongqing,
and Hangzhou, China to
provide customers with
information on the quality
and performance of the
current year’s malting barley
harvest and the advantages
of using Canadian barley in
malt and beer.
P R O G R A M S
Interbake China 2006 and Technical Visits
May 12 to 18
CWB Brazil-Chile Technical Mission
April 16 to 29
Visits by CIGI and CWB representatives to locations in
Brazil and Chile included flour mills and bakeries with an
aim to determine the requirements of the industry and for
end products. Contact was also re-established with past and
present customers who import Canadian wheat.
Representatives from CIGI and the CWB attended
Interbake China 2006 in Guangzhou from May 12 to 14
and conducted technical visits until May 18. Held annually,
Interbake China is one of the leading trade fairs in Eastern
Asia, focusing on bakery-related equipment, materials
and end products. The technical visits were aimed at
investigating and gathering information on the Chinese
market such as types of flour, end-use products, and market
trends as well as to establish contact with customers. Visits
included mills, bakeries and a baking school.
Yvonne Supeene (third from left), CIGI, visited with
management and bakery staff at La Estampa in Santiago,
Chile.
CIGI and CWB representatives visited with management of the
Guangdong Baiyan Grain and Oils Industry Company Limited.
2006 Morocco, Spain and Italy
Durum Technical Mission
June 15 to 22
Paul Ebbinghaus (far left) and Ashok Sarkar (far right), CIGI, and Earl
Geddes (third from right), CWB, visited with representatives of Pasta
Agnesi (Gruppo Colussi) in Imperia, Italy.
CIGI and CWB representatives visited
Canadian durum customers and pasta
and couscous manufacturers in Italy,
Spain and Morocco to determine
future demand for extra strong gluten
durum, to promote new varieties, and to
understand customers’ needs.
19
I N D U S T R Y
N E W S
Retirements
Jim Daun, Section Head
of Oilseeds and Pulses
with the Canadian Grain
Commission (CGC), retired
last March after 31 years.
As an oilseeds scientist
in the Grain Research
Laboratory (GRL), Jim
was responsible for
research and crop
monitoring programs
involving the
quality of Canadian
oilseeds. His areas of
expertise included
the composition and
quality of canola,
flaxseed, sunflower
seed and soybeans;
oilseeds processing
and analysis;
quality factors in
pulse crops; and
nutritional aspects
of fats and oils.
gave me opportunities to do
things I wanted to do. They
were very supportive.”
“Dr. Daun’s extensive work
on the composition and
quality of oilseeds and
pulses has greatly helped
the Canadian oilseed
Jim Daun
Last year he retired
from his long-time
membership on the
Western Canada
Canola/Rapeseed
Recommending
Committee, the
Prairie Registration
Recommending Committee
for Grain and as chair of the
Expert Committee on Fats,
Oils and other Lipids under
the Canada Committee
on Food. He continues to
serve as chair of two ISOrelated committees under
the Standards Council of
Canada.
and pulse industries
develop,” says Dr. Peter
Burnett, Director of the
GRL. “He has been active
within the Canadian
and North American
scientific communities,
furthering our knowledge
of oilseed analysis and crop
monitoring.”
“I always found the CGC
was a great place to work,”
he says. “A couple of times
I was invited to work
elsewhere but I enjoyed
my work at the CGC and it
In 2005 Jim was elected a
Fellow of the American Oil
Chemists’ Society (AOCS),
in which he served as
president and in many other
capacities over the past 33
years. The AOCS awarded
him the H.W. Dutton award
for Analytical Chemistry
and the Canadian Section of
AOCS presented him with a
lifetime achievement award.
He was also honoured with
a Queen’s Jubilee Medal in
2002.
Jim has authored 114
technical articles including
70 in refereed journals,
16 book chapters, more
than 400 reports and crop
bulletins and 36 articles in
conference proceedings.
He also still serves as an
Adjunct Professor at the
University of Manitoba.
Even in retirement, he
remains as busy, having
formed a one-person
consulting business in
which he has worked on
a couple of projects. He is
also currently co-authoring
an international book on
canola and rapeseed with
Bill Scowcroft, former GRL
Director. “My wife says
I do more research now
than when I was working,
which may be true because
I don’t have all those crazy
meetings!”
Jim says he is heavily
involved in church
activity and is looking at
additional volunteer work.
He also wants to continue
mentoring young people
in science, especially those
interested in the Sanofi
Aventis Biotechnology
Competition. “I’ve always
liked working with
students, most of whom
spent some time in the GRL
lab. As a mentor you make
sure they do things right
and give them a chance to
learn what science is really
about.”
He adds that he also
enjoyed working with CIGI
since 1975 on programs
and as a contributor to the
CIGI Grains and Oilseeds
textbook. “I was on courses
as a resource person on
the oilseeds side and it was
invaluable both ways. I
always felt the international
contacts were great. I used
to also invite some people
from the groups over for
dinner as it was nice for
them to see a Canadian
household. It had an impact
on my daughter too as she
has a degree in international
studies and is quite involved
in international work. She
said that was one of the
things that influenced her,
meeting people from all
over the world.”
Jim says another highlight
was the opportunity to
meet with producers during
CIGI’s domestic programs.
“Farmers were my favourite
group to talk to because
they always had the best
questions and kept you
focused on what you should
be doing.”
I N D U S T R Y
N E W S
After nine
the NAFTA (North
years as general
American Free Trade
manager of the
Agreement) trade
Canadian Wheat
negotiations. However,
Board’s (CWB)
in retrospect some of
Tokyo office,
what has taken place
David Iwaasa
is not all that unusual
officially retired
and might have been
in June. However,
anticipated.”
retirement does
not mean he
He explains that being
will no longer
of Japanese ancestry,
be working.
he was attracted to
Embarking on a
working in Japan
different path,
and fostering a
David says he
better understanding
will be serving as
between that country
David Iwaasa (front row, kneeling) during a CWB
president of one
and Canada. Coming
investigative food barley mission to Japan earlier
of seven missions
from a farming
this year (see story on page 8).
of the Church of
background also
Latter Day Saints
made him particularly
in Japan which will
interested in being able to
have him take up
assist western Canadian
residence in the city
farmers. Heading up
of Fukuoka on the
the CWB office in Tokyo
island of Kyushi. He
also been very rewarding
provided him a natural
will be working for
to know that we have
venue to serve both of these
a three-year term with his
successfully sold the very
interests.
wife Jane, in which they
best western Canadian
will be responsible for
wheat to some of the
David says he has enjoyed
120 missionaries. “We will
most demanding wheat
working with CIGI on
be traveling extensively,
customers in the world, and
the various programs
meeting with all of the
at prices which contribute
developed to benefit
missionairies and leaders
significantly to western
marketing activities in Japan
working in the area. In
Canadian farm incomes. As
and Korea. “In particular,
short, we expect it will be a
a farmer’s son (growing up
I appreciated the help of
very full three years.”
in Raymond, Alberta) it has
CIGI in developing a special
brought me a great deal of
program where we were
David joined the CWB in
satisfaction to know that
able to take the winners
1997 specifically to head
the work I have done has
of the CWB bread baking
up the Tokyo office, after
been of benefit to western
contest in Japan and have
working for more than two
Canadian farmers.”
them visit Western Canada
decades in international
and see where the wheat
development finance,
David says if he had been
used in their bread is
economic relations and
asked 15 years ago where
grown. The bakers loved
financial institution
his career path would lead,
being able to meet with
regulation. “I have very
he would have seriously
the farmers who grew the
much enjoyed working
doubted that it would be
wheat they used. They
for the CWB, particularly
working for the CWB in
believed that western
being able to represent
Japan. “At that time, I was
Canadian red spring wheat
the CWB and western
working with the federal
was the best bread wheat
Canadian farmers in Japan
Department of Finance,
in the world. In addition,
and Korea,” he says. “It has
responsible for aspects of
I felt that the farmers were
David Iwaasa
pleased to meet the bakers.”
He says he also appreciated
CIGI’s efforts in developing
a special durum wheat/
pasta program every two
years, geared especially
to the needs of CWB’s
Japanese clients. “The
program is translated into
Japanese which enables
us to invite a wide variety
of durum and pasta
specialists to attend. This
has helped us to maintain
our 100 percent share of
the Japanese durum wheat
market for more than a
decade.”
One memorable story he
recalls about working with
CIGI didn’t happen to him
personally but to another
staff member from the CWB
Tokyo office. A group of
Japanese millers attending a
CIGI program on September
11, 2001 had their flight
from Winnipeg to Regina,
Saskatchewan cancelled
so CIGI chartered a bus to
drive the group there and
across the rest of Western
Canada. “Along the way, late
at night, one of the Japanese
millers saw the northern
lights for the first time in
his life,” David says. “He
persuaded the bus driver to
slow down so he could get a
better look. He credited the
CWB and CIGI for having
arranged for them to see the
‘aurora borealis’ in order to
compensate for the long bus
trip! Not bad for a job done
in a pinch.”
21
I N D U S T R Y
N E W S
Retirements
After 35 years with
the Canadian Grain
Commission (CGC) in
Winnipeg and Vancouver,
Ken Nash will be retiring in
September from his position
as Regional Director of the
Pacific Region.
Ken began his career
with the CGC in
Vancouver in 1971 as
an Assistant Grain
Inspector. Taking on
positions of increasing
responsibility with CGC
operations, he became
Supervisor of Inspection
Operations for the Pacific
Region, then moved to CGC
headquarters in Winnipeg
in 1989 where he was
responsible for the training
of inspection personnel
across Canada. In 1991, Ken
became Deputy Director of
the Inspection Division in
Winnipeg, responsible for
Standards and Technology,
and in 1994, he was
appointed Regional Director
of the Pacific Region,
responsible for a full range
of CGC operations and
business opportunities at
the ports of Vancouver and
Prince Rupert in British
Columbia.
“Through my various roles
with the CGC and the
opportunities presented
by CIGI, I have thoroughly
Ken Nash
enjoyed meeting and
interacting with people
from around the world,”
he says. “While one is
focused on showcasing
the Canadian system
for quality and quantity
assurance, you are also able
to learn so much from these
experiences.”
Ken says his involvement
with CIGI began in 1979
when he was a participant
on a course designed for
CGC staff. “Since the mideighties, I have been more
engaged as a resource
person and have many
lasting memories from
these courses. Two come
Tell us your news
If you have an appointment or news item
from your organization that you would
like included in the Industry News section
please forward your information to:
Ken Nash (back row, centre) with participants from the 39th
International Grain Industry Program in June 2006.
to mind in particular. First,
in the early nineties I was
on an international course
and remember the whole
class being in a hot springs
pool in Banff, Alberta as
the snow started to fall and
a Mormon choir began
singing carols which was
pretty impressive! The
other was when I was in
Cartagena, Colombia with
a small group and we went
to a piano bar. We had to
climb a crumbling outside
staircase high up into the
night but at the top we were
met with the spectacular
sight of a backlit cathedral
which was unforgettable.
But in spite of these lasting
impressions, it is truly the
people you work with on
these courses that make
everything worthwhile.”
Ken says although he plans
to spend his retirement
focused on his major
pastime as a landscape
artist he doesn’t anticipate
leaving the grain industry
entirely. “I will also be
available in a consulting role
within the industry, using
the experience that I’ve
gained over the years.”
Email: hjohnson@cigi.ca
Mail: Institute Images
1000-303 Main Street
Winnipeg, MB Canada R3C 3G7
Fax:
(204) 983-2642
Submissions may be edited for style and length.
I N D U S T R Y
N E W S
Changes at CSCA
Agricultural Hall of
Fame Inductees
Manitoba producer Owen McAuley
(below), whose family farm
operation was profiled in a threepart series in Institute Images in
2005, has been inducted into the
Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame.
A respected farm leader and prairie
producer, Owen has been described
as someone who is as comfortable
on a tractor as he is in a boardroom
or behind a podium. He has been
an active participant on many
boards and committees, advising
provincial and federal Ministers of
Agriculture on a number of issues.
François (far right) with participants from the Brazil-Canada Special Crops Program in 2004.
Former Canadian Special Crops
Association (CSCA) Executive Director
François Catellier left the CSCA in
May and is now coordinating a special
international project for 16 Manitoba
municipalities as president of his
own company, Golden Meadow
International. Based in Manitoba,
Golden Meadow offers international
market development assistance and
market intelligence to companies.
François was with CSCA for 10 years
on a part-time contract and during
that time he says it was a real pleasure
working with like-minded men and
women in building a better special
crops industry. He notes a major
achievement from that period was
the role the CSCA played, along with
pulse grower groups from across the
country, in creating Pulse Canada. “By
uniting the voice of the trade with that
of 25,000 pulse growers, we raised the
bar with decision-makers in Ottawa.
Pulse Canada is often referred to as
a model of success for other industry
associations.”
A frequent lecturer and participant
during many of CIGI’s special crops
programs in recent years, François
says that CIGI provided the
opportunity to spend quality time
with many of Canada’s special crops
customers. “The CIGI alumni will
always be there as the years go by,
and I look forward to keeping in
touch with many of them.”
For anyone wishing to contact
François his email address is
fcatellier@cdem.com
As of this spring, Pulse Canada
and the CSCA have merged staff
operations. The two organizations
remain distinct with their own boards.
Staff now report through Pulse
Canada CEO Gordon Bacon. Victoria
Umin continues on as a staff member
and is the anchor for CSCA activities
within Pulse Canada.
Joining Owen on the list of five
2006 inductees is the late Esmond
Jarvis, chief commissioner of the
Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) for
13 years. Esmond led the CWB
during a period of record wheat
exports. He was renowned for
his work with the Manitoba and
federal agriculture departments
prior to his appointment as chief
commissioner.
A formal induction ceremony was
held in July. For more information
visit the Manitoba Agricultural
Hall of Fame web site at
www.mts.net/~agrifame/
23
I N D U S T R Y
N E W S
POS Pilot Plant Receives Site
License for Manufacturing
Natural Health Products
The POS Pilot Plant in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan has received its site
license for manufacturing natural
health products for sale in Canada.
Licenses are granted by Health
Canada based on a thorough review of
items including the facility’s premises,
equipment, sanitation, personnel,
training, hygiene, material and
process controls and recall systems.
The new license will provide an
important advantage to researchers
and clients by ensuring that potential
new products are produced in a
facility that conforms to regulatory
requirements, helping pave the way
for successful commercialization, say
POS representatives. “This site license
is a distinct advantage to our clients
in the wellness industries,” says POS
President & CEO Robert E. Morgan.
“Our clients can process and sell their
products in full compliance with the
natural health product regulations
without fear of having their products
pulled from shelves due to noncompliance within the manufacturing
facility.”
POS Pilot Plant is a contract research
and development organization
that specializes in process and
product development, toll
processing, and analytical services
for the bioprocessing industries
Organic wheat
marketing
partnership
established
The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) and the Canadian
Organic Certification Cooperative (COCC) are partners in a
new pilot program to market organic prairie wheat during
the 2006-07 crop year. The initiative is aimed at helping
organic wheat growers develop new markets by leveraging
the CWB’s international reputation for high-quality wheat
and its network of marketing contacts.
Under the trial program beginning this fall, participating
farmers will be offered the opportunity to market through
the CWB for a pooled return and organic premiums.
Currently, growers who want to sell organic grain either
such as nutraceuticals, food and
ingredients, cosmetics and skin
care, pharmaceutical, industrial
bioproducts, and agricultural
biotechnology. Its facility features 11
laboratories and five separate pilot
plant processing areas. Many CIGI
participants who have attended
past feed and oilseed programs
have spent time at the POS plant
for demonstrations in crushing,
extracting, refining oil and formulating
the finished oil products.
For more information visit www.pos.ca
From POS news release.
market it themselves under the CWB’s Producer Direct Sale
process or sell to the CWB’s accredited exporters.
The CWB will offer an organic delivery contract for
high-quality milling wheat (Nos. 1 and 2 CWRS with
high protein levels, to be determined once the harvest
grade pattern is evident). Producers will be paid the
conventional initial payment upon delivery, plus an initial
organic premium. Producers would receive conventional
adjustment, interim and final payments, with the
remaining organic premium paid out at the close of the
pool year. The CWB will also consider programs for lower
grades of wheat, depending on crop conditions and market
opportunities.
“Not only does this approach give us some riskmanagement benefits, it allows us to work cooperatively for
our mutual benefit,” says COCC secretary Bill Rosher. The
COCC will conduct contract sign-up, organize sampling
and coordinate delivery while the CWB markets the
organic wheat and administers the program.
From CWB news release.
I N D U S T R Y
N E W S
Research seeks to enhance malting barley quality
Projects aimed at
improving malting barley
quality through field
agronomy studies and
research into fusariumresistant barley varieties
have received financial
support from the Canadian
Wheat Board (CWB) and the
Alberta Barley Commission
(ABC).
Scientists from the
Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada (AAFC) Research
Centre in Lacombe, Alberta
are coordinating the
agronomy studies at sites
across Western Canada
which will evaluate the
impact of agronomic
management practices on
malt quality. The goal is
to provide farmers with
practical information on
how to optimize yield and
quality for selected malting
barley. The project is
being run in collaboration
with the Canadian Grain
Commission’s Grain
Research Laboratory.
The CWB and ABC are
jointly contributing $260,000
over four years to the
effort. The project is also
supported by Rahr Malting
and the Government of
Canada.
“This is very important
because of its potential
to increase supplies of
selectable malting barley
in Western Canada,”
says Earl Geddes, CWB
Vice-President of Product
Development and
Marketing Support.
Research into fusariumresistant barley strains
is also ongoing at the
AAFC Research Centre
in Brandon, Manitoba.
The ABC and CWB have
committed $135,000 and
$300,000 respectively to
this effort.
“Alberta has joined the fight
against fusarium to help
find ways to arrest this
devastating crop disease
before it can spread to our
fields,” says Mike Leslie,
ABC General Manager.
“This is now a prairie-wide
collaboration to combat a
problem that costs farmers
tens of millions of dollars
a year in damage to our
barley, and lost marketing
opportunities.”
The Brandon research is also
supported by Manitoba’s
Agri-Food Research and
Development Initiative,
Saskatchewan’s Agriculture
Development Fund
(through the University
of Saskatchewan’s Crop
Development Centre)
and AAFC’s Matching
Investment Initiative, which
matched funds from the
Western Grain Research
Foundation Barley checkoff. This collaborative
effort involves the public
barley breeding programs
in western Canada and
AAFC researchers across the
country.
From CWB news release.
25
P A R T I C I P A N T
U P D A T E S
2nd International Canola Program
Back Row L to R:
Randy Dennis, Orivaldo Balloni, Ray Bradbury, Charuphot Neesanant, Emeterio Gomez Sotres,
Gerald Umbach, Javier Morales, Jorge Enrique Ramos, Lyndon Peters, Marcelo Grimaldi,
Nelson De Maria, Bill Mooney.
Middle Row L to R: Dwayne Couldwell, Sethasan Sethakarun, Mohammed Masum, Tek Kuang Foo, Kyeong Won Cho,
Chin H. Leong, Vichit Vitayatanagorn, Grant Halm, Somsak Sivanawin, Geoffrey Dex, Manzoor A. Malik,
Pramotya Kaewphuang, Manish Kumar Agrawal, Jose Mendoza.
Front Row L to R:
Bohyun Kim, Fazlur Rahman, Dave Hickling, Arnold Tremere, Elis Simone Ferreira, Safiul Azam,
François Catellier.
The Second International Canola Program, held
from September 27 to October 6, 1993, was the
fourth and final international program held that
year. There were 31 participants from 11 countries.
The group spent the first part of the program in
Winnipeg learning about seed grading, handling
and marketing. The next three days were spent at
the POS facilities in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for a
combination of classroom discussions and hands-on
demonstrations, followed by visits to oilseed crushing,
refining and packaging plants and a terminal elevator
in Vancouver.
Here’s an update on the participants.
The largest group of international participants came from
Thailand. Four of the five individuals continue to work
for the Thai Vegetable Oil Co. Ltd. Charuphot Neesanant
is Managing Director, Sethasan Sethakarun and Somsak
Sivanawin are Deputy Managing Directors and Vichit
Vitayatanagorn is a Director with the company. The fifth
Thai participant, Pramotya Kaewphuang, has retired
from Industrial Enterprises Co. Ltd. where he was the
Production Manager.
From Korea, Bohyun Kim is now President of EWHA Oil
and Fat Industrial Co. Ltd. At the time of the program
he was Managing Director with the company. Kyeong
Won Cho is General Manager for the Industrial Fibre
and Product Business Unit with Samyangsa Co. He was
previously an Assistant Manager with the company.
Fazlur Rahman from Bangladesh continues as the owner
of Hasan Vegetable Oil Mills Ltd. Fazlur is also chairman
of City Group, one of the largest commodity traders in the
country. Under the group he owns a seed crushing plant, a
flour mill and a water purification plant. He also has other
businesses in the financial and metal sectors. In addition,
Fazlur is Senior Vice President of the Bangladesh Vegetable
Oil Refinery Association and Chairman of the Dhaka
General Insurance Company Limited.
U P D A T E S
We were unable to obtain information on their current
activities.
Marcelo Grimaldi from Paraguay is now working in Sao
Paulo, Brazil where he works for ADM Brazil as General
Manager of their Cocoa Division in South America. At the
time of the program Marcelo was Commercial Manager
with Adesa in Asuncion, Paraguay. He left there in 1997
and prior to assuming his current position in 2003 he
worked as General Manager with Continental Grain before
joining ADM where he was the company’s president in
Paraguay. He transferred to Brazil in 2001.
There were seven Canadian participants. Ray Bradbury is
now Export Trade Manager with ADM in Decatur, Illinois,
U.S.A. where he trades crude oils including canola, palm
and sunflower. Prior to joining ADM two years ago, Ray
was on the trading floor at the Winnipeg Commodity
Exchange. During the program he was a Senior Trader with
XCAN Grain Pool in Winnipeg.
Participants visited the POS Pilot Plant in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan.
Also in Bangladesh, Mohammed Masum has set up a
new company, Surovi Enterprise, which is involved in
the commodity trading business. He also sells fertilizers
to the market. At the time of the program Mohammed
was Managing Director with Agri-Impex Ltd., which is no
longer in business.
Dwayne Couldwell who was with Northern Sales Co. Ltd.
at the time of the program is now Export Manager with
Paterson GlobalFoods Inc. in Winnipeg. He has been with
the company for 11 years.
Randy Dennis continues to work for the Canadian
Grain Commission (CGC) and was appointed Chief
Grain Inspector for Canada in May 2005. He is based in
Winnipeg. During the program Randy was working with
the CGC in Vancouver, British Columbia.
We were unable to locate Safiul Azam, a third participant
from Bangladesh. During the program Safiul was
Production Manager with Hamidia Oil Mills. The company
is no longer in operation.
In Brazil Elis Simone Ferreira continues to work for
Cocamar, where she is now Manager for International
Markets (finished products). Orivaldo Balloni who also
worked with Cocamar as Industrial Manager at the time
of the program, has left the company. We were unable
to obtain information on his current activities. We were
also unable to locate Nelson De Maria, who was General
Manager, Oil Seed Division with Esteve Irmaos S/A
Comercio e Industria in Sao Paulo. He is no longer with the
company.
Mexican participant Jorge Enrique Ramos continues to
work as General Manager of Aceites Del Mayo, S.A. de
C.V. Javier Morales also remains as General Manager
with Productos Lirio, which was formerly called Grasas
Mexicanas S.A. de C.V. He is now based in Monterrey.
Emeterio Gomez Sotres and Jose Mendoza have both left
their respective companies. Emeterio was with Industrial
Aceitera S.A. de C.V. and Jose worked for Cargill Mexico.
While on a field trip through Western Canada, the group
enjoyed a stop in scenic Banff, Alberta.
27
Grant Halm who was with Canagrain International in
Vancouver in 1993 now works in Kelowna, British Columbia
where he is a Senior Program Analyst in the business risk
management branch of the British Columbia Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.
Bill Mooney remains in Vancouver where he is General
Manager, Terminal Operations with Saskatchewan Wheat
Pool. Bill was with Pioneer Grain Terminal in Vancouver at
the time of the program.
In Winnipeg, Lyndon Peters is Product Manager with
Ceredian Canada, a human resources services company.
Prior to joining Ceredian, Lyndon worked for software
company Linnet Systems as well as the Winnipeg
Commodity Exchange. During the program, he was with
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Gerald Umbach, who was with Agriculture and AgriFood Canada in Ottawa, retired in 2003 from his position
as Senior International Commodity Officer in the
International Markets Bureau. During 2003-04 Gerald
served as President of the Ontario Institute of Agrologists
and continued as a board member until 2005. He now
enjoys golf and gardening in the summer and travelling in
the fall and winter.
Representing the Canola Council of Canada on the
program was François Catellier. François left the Canola
Council to become Executive Director of the Canadian
Special Crops Association in 1996. He recently left this
position to pursue other interests (see story on page 23).
CIGI representatives Dave Hickling and Arnold Tremere
have both left the organization. Dave is now VicePresident, Canola Utilization with the Canola Council
of Canada. Arnold Tremere retired in 2002 and is living
in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Arnold was CIGI’s Executive
Director and Dave was Director of Feed Technology.
In addition to those mentioned previously, we were
unable to obtain current information about the following
participants: Manish Kumar Agrawal (Nepal), Geoffrey
Dex (South Africa), Tek Kuang Foo (China), Chin H. Leong
(China), Manzoor Malik (Pakistan).
U P D A T E S
More news from participants
In July, Tony Tweed, CIGI’s Director of Programs received
a note from Mohamed Ben Issa in Libya. Mohamed
recently became Sales Manager (Libya office) with Two
Three Trading S.A./Switzerland. The company sells wheat
to domestic mills. Previously he worked for the National
Supply Corporation in Tripoli. Mohamed participated in a
durum wheat program in 2003.
Maureen Bader, one of the ‘lost’ participants from the 1st
International Feed Grains and Feed Ingredient Program
highlighted in the April 2006 issue, has been found. During
the program in 1993 Maureen was working with the
Canadian Wheat Board (CWB). After leaving the CWB in
1997 she moved to British Columbia where she worked
in Trade Finance for a major bank in Vancouver and later
became Manager of Communications with the Prince
Rupert Port Authority. She is now living in Victoria where
she is working in communications with the provincial
government’s Ministry of Energy and Mines.
Participant news and updates may be sent to
Institute Images as follows:
Email: hjohnson@cigi.ca
Mail: 1000-303 Main Street
Winnipeg, MB Canada R3C 3G7
Fax:
(204) 983-2642
Upcoming open enrolment courses
Asian Noodle Technology Short Course
September 11 to 13, 2006
January 8 to 10, 2007
Milling Short Course
October 16 to 18, 2006
January 29 to 31, 2007
Primary Elevator Operators Course
March 5 to 8, 2007
March 12 to 15, 2007
For details go to www.cigi.ca
Thank you to the staff of the Canadian Trade
Commissioner Service for their assistance in
locating the international participants from the
2nd International Canola Program.
This magazine is printed with inks containing
vegetable derived materials.

August 2006

Transcription

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