Advantages: First Class R&D Facilities

• Manitoba's commitment to growth in the food industry is demonstrated by the Food Development Centre located in Portage la Prairie. The centre provides state-of-the-art facilities for applied research and development. Clients can develop and produce new food products in this federally-licensed pilot plant.
  
  
• The Food Development Centre, in partnership with Great Plains Aseptic Processors, has the technical capability to package a wide variety of liquid products.
  
  
• The Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine, in Winnipeg, studies the health-related benefits of natural food products (nutraceuticals, natural health products and functional foods).
  
  
• The Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals unites researchers from a variety of disciplines, along with industry partners to study bioactive compounds in prairie crops and develop functional foods and nutraceuticals.
  
  
• Manitoba's thriving bioactives' cluster consists of these three internationally renowned facilities-Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine, Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals and the Food Development Centre. The strategic links between these agriculture and health sectors enable this cluster to offer research and product development capacity that is unique in Canada. For example, the Pulse Innovation Project is conducting clinical trials and product development activities with pea fibre and pea flour.
  
  
• At the University of Manitoba, in Winnipeg, among other activities to strengthen the food processing industry, researchers are studying the antioxidant content of six prairie fruits, the glucose-lowering properties of buckwheat and conducting product development projects with prebiotics and probiotics in novel dairy products as well as new foods made with dried distillers grain.
  
  
• Smartpark is a multi-tenant facility, located at the University of Manitoba, which brings industry and the university together to encourage technology development and commercialization.
  
  
• The National Centre for Livestock in the Environment at University of Manitoba provides sophisticated facilities and equipment to tackle issues such as odour, water quality, greenhouse gas emissions and fertilizer use, with the goal of developing environmentally sustainable livestock production practices.
  
  
• The Composites Innovation Centre assists companies in developing, testing and commercializing natural fibre composite products.
  
  
• The Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health is the first and only global centre with Level 4 bio-containment capability for the study of both human and animal disease. It was recently named the home of Canada's new Public Health Agency.
  
  
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, at the Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg, and research stations in Morden and Brandon, brings together expertise in the development of and uses for crops such as canola, wheat, oats, barley, flax and pulses.
  
  
• The Canadian International Grains Institute in Winnipeg offers technical expertise with respect to grains, oilseeds, pulse crops and special crops and strong commercial experience with on-site processing and testing facilities for baking and noodle making.
  
  
• The Canada/Manitoba Crop Diversification Centre evaluates irrigation technologies, field tests crop performance and evaluates specialty and niche crops.
  
  
• The Canadian Grain Commission's Grain Research Laboratory is an internationally recognized centre for research on grain quality and safety.

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