Canadian Canola Gets a Protein Boost

Mar 28, 2024

By: Farms.com

Canadian researchers are investing in the future of canola and sunflowers. A $31 million project led by Protein Industries Canada aims to develop high-protein canola and sunflower meal for various applications. This will increase the value of these crops for Canadian farmers and create new market opportunities.

The project focuses on creating high-protein canola seeds that produce meals with more protein and less fiber. This meal will be ideal for animal feed, particularly for non-ruminant livestock and farmed fish.

Additionally, researchers are developing new processing methods to create high-value products from canola and sunflower seeds, such as protein concentrates and oil bodies. These ingredients can be used in plant-based dairy and meat alternatives.

This project is expected to benefit Canadian farmers by increasing the profitability of canola and sunflower production. It will also create new jobs in the agriculture and food processing sectors.

This investment is part of a larger initiative by Protein Industries Canada to position Canada as a global leader in sustainable food production. By developing innovative new products from Canadian crops, this project will contribute to a more prosperous and sustainable agricultural industry.

Video: Finding a Balance of Innovation and Regulation - Dr. Peter Facchini

Regulations help markets and industry exist on level playing fields, keeping consumers safe and innovation from going too far. However, incredibly strict regulations can stunt innovation and cause entire industries to wither away. Dr. Peter James Facchini brings his perspective on how existing regulations have slowed the advancement of medical developments within Canada. Given the international concern of opium poppy’s illicit potential, Health Canada must abide by this global policy. But with modern technology pushing the development of many pharmaceuticals to being grown via fermentation, is it time to reconsider the rules?

Dr. Peter James Facchini leads research into the metabolic biochemistry in opium poppy at the University of Calgary. For more than 30 years, his work has contributed to the increased availability of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic genes to assist in the creation of morphine for pharmaceutical use. Dr. Facchini completed his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at the University of Toronto before completing Postdoctoral Fellowships in Biochemistry at the University of Kentucky in 1992 & Université de Montréal in 1995.