Features

Featuring Erik Lo, Food Science Certificate 1997, and Francis Lo, B.Comm. Agricultural Business 1997

What are the ingredients of true food innovation? As the founders of plant-based yogurt company Yoso, brothers Erik and Francis Lo know the recipe all too well.

Originally from Hong Kong, the Lo brothers belong to a long line of dairy-free food innovators. Their father majored in dairy science at Gatton Agricultural College in Australia before joining his own father in the family business of soy milk manufacturing in the 1940s.

Featuring Jackie Fisher, ADA 1982

“You’ve got to try the duck!” That’s the tagline for King Cole Ducks, printed on every product they make.

As one of Canada’s largest producers of ducks in North America, King Cole Ducks offers a wide range of products including smoked duck breast, wings, eggs and confit. The company started after Jim Murby, OAC ’32 and ’35, and his son, Bob, purchased a farm on the outskirts of Aurora, Ont., in 1951.

The OAC Class of 1951 celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2021. OAC ’51s have always had a close bond and reputation that other classes have aspired for. To honour this impressive milestone, we spoke with OAC alumnus Dr. Clay Switzer, to learn more about his student experience from 1947 to 1951. Clay is a well-known alumnus and former OAC dean and faculty member. 

Featuring Dr. Vivian Adams, PhD in Food Science 2015

Creating the next big food product requires attention to detail, the ability to think outside the box and an inquisitive mind.

Who is going to like this product? What is involved in the process? Why does it work like that? How can it be better?

These are just a few of the questions Vivian Adams must ask herself every day in solving challenging and unique problems in the food sector. 

Featuring Bruce Martin, MLA 2009, and Tatiana Zakharova, MLA 2019

There’s a playground renaissance in North America, says Tatiana Zakharova, a playground designer with Earthscape Play, which creates, designs and builds brilliant, fun and award-winning playgrounds around the world. 

“It’s thrilling to be part of a Canadian company that pioneered design and creation of unique wood playgrounds – growing exponentially outward from local Ontario work to worldwide projects,” says Tatiana. 

Jennifer Mitchell (associate diploma in agriculture, 1999) is a passionate advocate of agriculture. She is a project manager with Koeslag Consulting Inc. and a board member of Farm and Food Care Ontario (FFCO). We talked with Jennifer to learn more about her roles and the importance of agricultural outreach.

Dr. Hanh Pham (PhD in environmental sciences, 2012) improved his scientific research skills and practical experience with honeybees, while studying at the University of Guelph. He returned home to Vietnam, where he works as the director of the Bee Research Center. We recently chatted with Hanh to learn more about his work with honeybees.

Apple growers can stem costly post-harvest spoilage losses by up to 20 per cent by applying a natural compound in orchards, according to a new University of Guelph study.

The study found that applying hexanal to apples pre-harvest helps curb losses from a condition called “bitter pit,” impairing fruit appearance and flavour, especially in the Honeycrisp cultivar that normally fetches a premium in the grocery produce section, said Dr. Jay Subramanian, a professor in the Ontario Agricultural College.

To celebrate the December break, we've compiled a list of activities to try this winter, recommended by OAC community members. Thank you to everyone who provided suggestions!

Dec. 5 is World Soil Day, a day targeted towards raising awareness about the importance of soil health and sustainable soil management.

Soil health and sustainable soil management is an ongoing focus for several University of Guelph researchers and their work aimed at soil conservation has become increasingly important in countering the risk of climate change impacts while growing enough food for the planet.