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News Release

April 24, 2006

Cheese Talk at U of G Open to Public

People have been learning how to make cheese for more than 100 years at the University of Guelph, and U of G will mark the anniversary of its spring cheese-making course with a symposium April 28 at 4 p.m. in Room 1200 of the Thornbrough Building. The event, which marks 50 years since U of G started offering short courses in cheese technology, is free and open to the public.

Jacques Goulet, a professor of dairy science and technology at Laval University, will speak on “Canadian Cheeses: A Blend of Tradition and Innovation.” Refreshments will be available prior to Goulet’s talk.

“Prof. Goulet will describe some of the factors driving the important and continuing development of new Canadian cheese varieties,” said U of G food scientist Art Hill, the course co-ordinator and instructor.

Goulet’s talk is the final event of U of G’s one-of-a-kind extension course offered by the Department of Food Science and the Guelph Food Technology Centre.

The course in its current form was initiated by now retired U of G professor Don Irvine and has attracted cheese makers and managers, artisans and students to campus since 1956. Cheese-making instruction began on campus in 1893 in the original dairy school of the Ontario Agricultural College.

“Cheese making continues to be a growing industry,” said Hill. In 2004, Canadians ate about 459 million kilograms of domestically made cheese, according to statistics from Dairy Farmers of Canada. Cheddar cheese continues to dominate Canadian production, with about 120,000 tons produced each year.

Hill is recently back from chairing what is considered the Canadian Oscars of cheese. Champion cheeses from the 2006 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix will be presented by celebrity Food Network chef Carolyn McCann during this year’s course. The winning cheeses are listed at www.dairygoodness.ca.