Carleton’s months-old food science and nutrition program is already competing against other older and well-established food science programs, said Bob Burk, chemistry professor at Carleton.
The program began in the fall and received 100 applicants, despite competing with programs at the University of Guelph and McGill University. There are now 19 students in the program, including one student completing an honours thesis.
“The fact that we got any [applicants] was great because we are up against Guelph who has been doing this for a hundred years,” Burk said. “Right now [students] are weighing old status at Guelph with a new, more interesting program at Carleton.”
According to Burk, Carleton’s program differs from other schools because it offers a solid base in food science and also incorporates the policy side of the food industry in its teachings.
“Carleton has a very strong school for public policy and to bring those two things together is very important because Health Canada and the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) told us they want someone who understands the science, but someone who can also operate at the interface between the government and the food industry,” Burk said.
Catherine Carver, a student in the program, said she hopes the degree will lead her into employment in the field of dietetics. An athlete herself, Carver said she knows the importance of nutrition and hopes her employment will allow her to pass on this knowledge.
“Although Carleton’s program has not, as of yet, been accredited by the Dietitians Association of Canada, it follows quite closely to the structure of the other accredited programs at other universities. I’m sure it won’t be long before it receives its accreditation,” Carver said.
Graduates of the program are eligible for membership in the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology. Burk said the combination of science and policy leads students to numerous employment options.
Students are required to take a range of science and economics courses. Therefore, they are exposed to areas of study like legislation and risk management, which aren’t usually offered to food scientists at other universities, Burk said.
As of yet, the program does not offer formal co-op, but Burk said the CFIA and Health Canada have already put out a call for 15 students to work in their labs this summer.
“We didn’t think it would happen this quickly, that they would pick up our students, but we’ll probably make it into an official co-op now,” Burk said.
Ottawa is an ideal spot for food science students because of its access to the “really big players” in the food industry, like CFIA and Health Canada, Burk said.
A new master’s degree in gastronomy (the study of food and culture) is set to begin at Carleton in the fall. It will be offered in conjunction with Le Cordon Bleu, a culinary, patisserie, baking, hospitality and restaurant management school that uses classical French technique. The original school was established in 1895 and has a location in Ottawa.