Profs, Research In the News
March 01, 2013 - In the News
University of Guelph professors and researchers are making international and national headlines this week.
Food science professor Keith Warriner appeared on CTV’s national news Tuesday night, talking about contaminated lettuce. In a first-ever large-scale study, Health Canada researchers tested how clean pre-washed packages of leafy greens really are and found parasites in dozens of samples purchased in Ontario.
A sought-after food-safety expert, Warriner discussed how consumers can reduce the risk of illness, including keeping leafy greens refrigerated, which stops the growth of pathogens. He and his research team have developed decontamination methods to improve food safety and tested the effectiveness of a sanitizing system aimed at neutralizing bacteria on food and surfaces.
Psychology professor Benjamin Gottlieb was on Global National TV March 3. He was interviewed for a series on heart health and talked about the health benefits experienced by older adults who volunteer.
Gottlieb studies the health effects of volunteering for seniors, including how activities associated with volunteering, such as bending, lifting, carrying and walking, and route navigation affect physical and mental well-being.
Profs. Paul Hebert and Dirk Steinke, along with forensic technician Chris Weland, all of the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario (BIO) at U of G, were interviewed by CNN and had their work on DNA barcoding and food products showcased Feb. 25.
The BIO has been at the forefront of identifying mislabelled food and foods that have had ingredients substituted that differ from what is on the list of ingredients. Reporter Paula Newton conducted the interview for CNN International, giving viewers in North America and around the world a look at the BIO.
Prof. Sylvain Charlebois, associate dean in the College of Management and Economics, was interviewed by CTV News Channel Feb. 27 for a report on budget cuts to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Charlebois is an expert on food supply, inspection and pricing. He was also interviewed by Global National for a story on increasing food prices by reporter Robin Gill on the same day.
The author of two books and numerous articles, Charlebois belongs to the CFIA's national expert advisory committee.
School of Environmental Studies (SES) undergraduate student Jacob Cecile, former SES graduate student Lucas Silva, and SES professor Madhur Anand had a letter published in the Feb. 22 issue of Science on global tree declines. See the "Letters" section for the entire debate.
