Date: July 6, 2022 RRC Polytech Paterson GlobalFoods Institute Photo by Jason Halstead

Proof is no longer exclusively in the pudding that the term upcycling is here to stay – it can now be found in a nutritious blueberry pancake or rich chocolate brownie made from a mix using saved coffee grounds and the remnants of brewing a cold beer. It may sound like sorcery but transforming these previously discarded by-products into tasty treats is not the work of a magician, but that of an entrepreneur.

However, he couldn’t have done it alone.

President of GroundUp eco-ventures, Shawn Leggett didn’t invent the idea of upcycling, but he did see an opportunity and had the time to do some research when his work in Alberta’s oil and gas industry slowed.

“People’s mindsets are shifting. They care about the future of the planet, they want sustainable food options and they’re willing to pay for it, providing it tastes great,” says Leggett.

After months of collecting waste material from local businesses, dehydrating it in his oven at home, and experimenting with recipes and processes, he was ready to take his creation to the next level.

But even with a solid concept, a passionate belief, and an unrelenting work ethic, Shawn needed expertise, resources and a facility, all of which he found at RRC Polytech’s Prairie Research Kitchen (PRK).  

“We experimented enough to know we had something worth pursuing but going from a good idea to a great item is such a huge leap,” he says. “Time is money, so you want to move quickly but as a start-up actual money is still an obstacle – PRK offered us a cost-effective solution to professional research and development.”   

GroundUp eco-ventures enlisted PRK to support the development of an eco-friendly, locally sourced, high protein, instant pancake mix made with brewers’ by-products and a brownie mix made with used coffee grounds. 

Culinary Research Manager, Heather Hill jumped at the opportunity to demonstrate the transformative powers of her team and provide Shawn with a marketable product that would lead to a significant return on his investment.

Research Assistant, Anna Borys was tasked with perfecting a useful, upcycled flour using a base of brewer’s spent grains (BSG) and saved coffee grounds (SCG). Borys was confident she could overcome the project’s main challenge of reducing the gritty texture that comes with such a high fibre material and embarked on weeks of trials and testing to prove it.

Her analysis of extensive sieving trials and multiple ingredient combinations led to a formulation that improved the functionality of BSG flour – from there, the entire PRK team worked together with GroundUp on tasting trials.

Dozens of samples of each baking mix and hundreds of pancakes, waffles, and brownies later, a refined recipe and optimal cooking procedure emerged, as well as feedback and recommendations for future products.

“Everything we do at PRK requires a team effort because scientists and chefs have different approaches and priorities when it comes to food,” says Borys. “Our ultimate goal is to strike the perfect balance between science and art so it’s incredibly rewarding when we reach a consensus and the final product functions well, looks appealing, and tastes great.”        

Shawn’s instincts were also proven correct as the immediate reaction to GroundUp’s delicious, easy-to-use, baking mixes that highlight sustainable and healthy ingredients was overwhelmingly positive.

Better Breakfast High-Protein Pancake Mix and Born Again Brownie Mix won gold for innovation of the year at the SIAL Montreal tradeshow in April 2022. Their success at Canada’s largest food industry exhibition with over 1200 exhibitors from 50 different countries established the GroundUp eco-ventures brand and prompted orders to roll in.  

“It’s mind blowing how quickly our upcycling concept transformed into an award-winning product after we tapped into the incredible resources at Prairie Research Kitchen,” says Leggett. “Combining their technical knowledge with our passion and energy allowed the team to perfect our idea and we are shattering all projections.”

GroundUp’s successful venture is a source of pride but not of shock for Anna Borys, because finding innovative and creative solutions is just part of the daily routine at PRK. While the results can appear quite magical, it’s not a trick or an illusion – just another example of RRC Polytech living its commitment to use the power of partnership to elevate people and industry.

Today, during Global Entrepreneurship Week, Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), announced a more than $22.7 million investment to support innovation and growth in Manitoba. This funding was awarded to 16 projects across the province, including RRC Polytech’s Advanced Composites Development Centre (ACDC), operated by the Technology Access Centre for Aerospace and Manufacturing (TACAM).

This investment is great news for expanding the frontiers of applied research and workforce development in Manitoba. It’s also a prime example of government, academia, and industry working together to strengthen our province.

“Our investment today will support both Manitoba’s economy and business, helping to continue to make Manitoba a great place to invest, do business, and create good jobs people can count on. Our partnership with Manitoba businesses will help them in acquiring the tools, capital, and support they need to thrive as significant contributors to the Prairie and Canadian economies,” said The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan.

Alongside PrairiesCan’s investment, National Research Council Canada, Magellan Aerospace, and Convergent Manufacturing Technologies have put a combined $1.5 million contribution to expanding the Advanced Composites Development Centre.

The funding will enable RRC Polytech to expand our capabilities in advanced composite manufacturing using robotics, automation, and data analytics. This collaboration will also help to industrialize emerging composite manufacturing technologies, improve our knowledge base, open doors for new business opportunities for the private sector, and develop a much-needed workforce in advanced manufacturing and aerospace. 

“The investment in the Advanced Composites Development Centre will help us do many things – build capacity for technology transfer with industry partners, specifically small- and medium-size enterprises who do not have resources for in-house research and development; teach advanced manufacturing skills to learners, using new and emerging technologies; and overall create new jobs and attract more investments in Manitoba,” said Dr. Dele Ola, Director, TACAM.  

Our province is a prairie powerhouse for manufacturing and aerospace. Together, through the strength of this collaboration of public and private organizations, we can continue to maintain Manitoba’s position as an international hub for manufacturing.

Learn more about RRC Polytech’s Technology Access Centre for Aerospace and Manufacturing at rrc.ca/tacam

Feature photo: L-R – Rick Penner, President, Emerge Knowledge; Jen Peters, Co-Founder, Emerge Knowledge; Louie Ghiz, Executive Director, New Media Manitoba; The Honourable Dan Vandal; DeleOla, Director, Director of the Technology Access Centre for Aerospace and Manufacturing, Red River College Polytechnic

You’re invited to the Technology Access Centre for Aerospace and Manufacturing’s (TACAM) first annual Fall Open House and Showcase.

Date: Thursday, November 17, 2022
Time: Drop-in between 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Smart Factory (Building T), Notre Dame Campus, 2055 Notre Dame Ave.
Click here for a map.
Cost: Free

Event highlights:
• Freestyle visit to all work areas within the Smart Factory and other facilities
• Showcase of leading advance manufacturing technologies
• Showcase of specific industry projects and success stories
• Connecting one-on-one with TACAM staff to discuss opportunities
• Networking with other attendees
• Refreshment and celebration

Please note that registration is required for this event. We are looking forward to seeing you at the event!

RRC Polytech student partners with Prairie Research Kitchen to create a new sauce honouring Indigenous heritage

For student Rayne Ryle-Cote, who is Anishinaabe (mother from Lake St. Martin, father from Cote First Nation), taking a chance on new path has led to a tasty new venture with RRC Polytech’s Prairie Research Kitchen.

Following the challenges that came along with the pandemic, Rayne was looking for a new direction in her life when she discovered the Compass Skills program at RRC Polytech, which was all about career exploration, goal-setting, and self-refection – an environment she says was a safe and inspiring space. Compass Skills is a holistic Indigenous-led 10-week program focused on creating a foundation of skills to enter employment and/or further education.

“I lost everything. I was in a dark spot and I was lost. My friend told me about this program, and when I learned how it can help me find employment and also provided cultural teachings, I instantly signed up.”

Along with seeking a new path of employment, Rayne also yearned to access Indigenous teachings, something her family did not pass down out of fear.

“My family went through a lot with Residential Schools, and it affected them largely where they were so afraid for me and my sisters. But I was always interested in learning about my culture. I always wanted to learn how to bead or how to make a drum and sing in Ojibwe. It was always in me, but I didn’t have access to it.”

During the program, Rayne expressed her interests in cooking. First inspired by her mother, she grew to love cooking, hosting and how food brought people together. Her and her sisters even took over preparing the large family Christmas meal which brings her so much joy and pride. She didn’t realize that her skills and interests could be transferrable towards a career. 

“I shared my dream with my teachers of becoming a chef, and to create or modernize Indigenous recipes, and that I wanted to travel. I really do love the Compass Skills program. It provided an environment where I could create my goals and feel comfortable learning about my culture. I realized my full potential.”

With no prior formal culinary training, her instructors in Compass Skills helped her create a road map to achieve her goals. After being connected with the Prairie Research Kitchen, she was hired as a co-op student for the summer.

The Prairie Research Kitchen operates out of RRC Polytech’s Paterson GlobalFoods Institute in Winnipeg’s Exchange District and offers creative solutions to support food processors and food service providers through research and development, technical services and training. The Prairie Research Kitchen brings together a unique blend of food science and culinary arts to develop solutions for our clients

“I didn’t realize what kind of journey it would take me on and how much my life would change. I would have never thought of working at the Prairie Research Kitchen. It’s been a dream job, and I’m so grateful to be working here.”

Following some initial training, for her co-op, Rayne was invited to create a new sauce with the support and mentorship of the PRK team. With her product creation, she says it was vital to integrate her culture, family, and part of herself.

She was inspired by her grandparents love for cranberry sauce – which was always a meal-side staple for meats, fish and Bannock. But she also wanted the sauce to include notes of sweet and sour, a personal favourite.

“I wanted to incorporate more berries that were accessible to the Prairies where my ancestors had lived so I have cranberries, raspberries and dried juniper berries in the sauce.”

It took some time to experiment to get the right balance and texture. For example, the dried juniper berries didn’t blend in as well so the team suggested cooking the ingredient in vinegar first which remedied the texture.

Rayne says the sauce can be used as a dipping or coating sauce and would work best with meatballs, fried fish, chicken nuggets, and fried Bannock.

It was also very important for her to have an Anishinaabemowin name for the sauce to honour her heritage have the project immediately representative of Indigenous culture. She worked with RRC Polytech Indigenous Language Instructor Corey Whitford to name the sauce Wiishkobi dago zhiiwizipogwad mawinzwaanwinan baashkiminasigan (sweet and sour berry sauce).

She is working through the next steps with the PRK to upscale the production and create packaging. Of the whole process, working with the PRK team has been her favourite part. Walking in with the stigma that the food industry might be isolating and difficult, she has felt embraced, supported and welcomed.

“The PRK works in a team environment and they are so friendly. It feels so good to know that like the PRK I’m always going have a team with me wherever I go and whatever kitchen I go into. I know I’m going be OK because I’m going have a team. So I’m really excited for that.”

In the fall, she will continue her studies with the Culinary Skills Indigenous program at the Notre Dame Campus. She dreams of culinary career that will take her coast to coast working with Indigenous people – learning and sharing her teachings along the way.

Name in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe)
Wiishkobi dago zhiiwizipogwad mawinzwaanwinan baashkiminasigan

English translation:
Sweet and sour berry sauce

Ingredients:
Water, honey, cranberries, raspberry puree, vinegar, juniper berry, cornstarch

Ingredient translation into Anishinaabemowin

Ingredients:                                    Dagonigaadewinan
Water                                              Nibi
Honey                                              Aamoo-ziinzibaakwad
Cranberries                                     Mashkiigiminag
Raspberries                                    Miskominag
Juniper berries infused vinegar Gaagaagiwaandagominag dago zhiiwaaboo
Food starch modified                    Ashkaawangi-bakwezhigan

RRC Polytech is proud to be a member of Community-Based Research Canada (CBRCanada), a national champion and facilitator of community-based research excellence (a research approach addressing challenging societal problems). CBRCanada is a membership-based organization of community organizations, colleges, universities, research institutes, and community-based researchers.

Membership grants us access to valuable courses and professional development activities. Here are some upcoming events available to all RRC Polytech staff and students:

• Community of Practice (August 12)
  • Community of practice meetings actively bring together CBRCanada members to engage in meaningful discussions.
  • All involved in community-based research are welcome, whether you are a researcher, peer-researcher, student, project coordinator, administrator, director, or community leader.
  • The purpose of the community of practice is to network with others, learn from each other, and exchange best practices.
  • For more information/to register, please click here.

• The Fall 2022 Community-Based Research Certificate Course (begins October 12)
  • The Community-Based Research Certificate Course: Fundamentals and Excellence will enhance your research capacity in theory, methods, and tools for conducting research with communities.
  • Facilitated by leading experts in community-based research, this interactive course will take a deep dive into community-based research and emphasize practical applications of learning at each stage.
  • Participants will have an opportunity to workshop their own community-based research projects at the end of the course.
  • Please click here for more information and to register.

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2022 issue of Western Food Processor magazine.

Where Food and Culture Meet: Prairie Research Kitchen at RRC Polytech

Canada celebrates cultural diversity in a number of ways — especially through food. Manitoba is one of the leading provinces for cultural and food diversity, an apt location for the Prairie Research Kitchen (PRK) at RRC Polytech’s downtown campus at the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute.

From 2018 to 2020, immigration to Manitoba has primarily been made up of people from Africa, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific regions, accounting for between 80‐85 per cent of immigrants each year, according to data from the Province of Manitoba.

“Our diverse population is reflected in the new products and restaurants available here,” says Mavis McRae, director of PRK. “We are lucky to be a resource for bringing those ideas to market.”

Food processing businesses contribute to the diversity of food options available to Manitobans. Often, members of visible minorities seek foods from their own culture for ‘new’ product ideas and many such foods are either not available or only at a price premium.

“Our team works well with new product ideas and ingredients,” says McRae. “We’ve worked with over 70 companies from Manitoba to B.C. and have generated over 120 product ideas. Many of these have roots in global cuisine.”

PRK infuses their myriad of services with a foodservice perspective, serving clients seeking to adapt a recipe for many needs — like reaching a broader population or for larger scale production. One of three Technology Access Centres at RRC Polytech, they are funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

“We work with many new companies who look to their own cultures for food product ideas,” says Jeff Fidyk, business development specialist, Manitoba Agriculture. “PRK’s services offer timely, practical solutions to help these companies bring their products to grocery and foodservice markets.”

Their modern facility offers a bevy of research services from rapid prototyping and ingredient applications to consumer research trials and customized training with flexibility to meet any companies’ innovation needs. They also work with companies to identify research focused funding resources for eligible organizations.

The diversity of companies is not where equity, diversification and inclusion ends for PRK. The college is committed to building strong relationships with various communities in Manitoba and fostering reconciliation between Indigenous and non‐Indigenous Peoples.

“Since inception we have recognized the connection between culture and food,” says McRae. “We have built a diverse team through staff, instructors and students. We are fortunate to be in an environment that recognizes the benefits of providing diversity education. We are committed to our responsibilities toward Truth and Reconciliation actions.”

Staff at PRK have completed the 4 Seasons of Reconciliation course, developed by Reconciliation Education, offered in partnership with RRC Polytech and First Nations University of Canada, as well as several courses related to respectful workplace, anti-racism and gender diversity. The result is a talented group of food specialists backed by a plethora of expertise committed to bringing the best of all cultures to market.

A new high-protein, plant-based food product will soon be available to Canadians, thanks in large part to RRC Polytech’s Prairie Research Kitchen and Protein Industries Canada (PIC).

On April 21, PIC announced a major investment that will enable Big Mountain Foods, a Vancouver-based innovator of plant-based consumer packaged goods, and Prairie Fava, the leading Canadian grower and ingredient supplier of fava beans, based in Glenboro, Manitoba, to bring more fava-based consumer products, including fava tofu, to market. The Prairie Research Kitchen has worked with both companies as a product development partner.

“We are thrilled to have played a part in the development of this exciting new project. This is a perfect example of how the Prairie Research Kitchen team can lend our expertise in food sciences and culinary arts, as well as our experience in pulse products, to work with companies to develop new products for consumers,” says Mavis McRae, Director, Prairie Research Kitchen.

The Prairie Research Kitchen has partnered with Prairie Fava since 2016, starting with research on fava flour, a protein rich gluten-free flour that can be used in baking and conventional recipes. In 2019, the Prairie Research Kitchen began collaboration with several research and industry partners to develop value-added platform technologies using Manitoba-grown plant proteins. This led to the base knowledge of how various protein sources function in a tofu platform, as well as showcased value-added applications for the co-products of tofu production. Prairie Fava was an industrial partner in this project, as well as an ingredient supplier.

“The Prairie Research Kitchen has been instrumental in our product development since day one,” says Hailey Jefferies, President and Co-Founder of Prairie Fava. “The Prairie Research Kitchen team brings a unique blend of skills and creativity to applied research. Their input has expedited our product development in the early days when we were investigating the use of fava flour and provided us with valuable information as we grew the company. We appreciate the team’s support, responsiveness and advice over the years.”

The Prairie Research Kitchen started working with Big Mountain Foods in 2020, initially conducting product and process validation work on a new process the company was trying to replicate. This grew into an ongoing partnership, and the Prairie Research Kitchen team became Big Mountain Foods’s product development partner. This work established the groundwork for a new product development project for Big Mountain to coincide with the investment the company was making into tofu manufacturing capabilities.

“The technical knowledge provided by the Prairie Research Kitchen team was crucial to our product development,” says Jasmine Byrne, President of Big Mountain Foods. “From many refinement trials to on-site troubleshooting, their expertise helped guide us to achieve the results we’d been looking for.”

Big Mountain Foods will produce the fava bean tofu at the world’s first allergen-free tofu factory. The company aims to produce 15 million units a year.

The product is anticipated to hit grocery shelves in Manitoba next month.

Today, Protein Industries Canada announced a major project that enables Big Mountain Foods, a Vancouver-based innovator of plant-based consumer packaged goods, and Prairie Fava, the leading Canadian grower and ingredient supplier of fava beans, based in Glenboro, Manitoba, to bring more fava-based consumer products, including fava tofu, to market. The Prairie Research Kitchen has worked with both companies as a product development partner.

Prairie Fava and Big Mountain Foods are joining forces to create a new line of fava-based food products, such as non-allergen tofu. This partnership will result in more healthy food options for Canadians produced in a next-generation manufacturing facility purposely designed to meet and exceed sustainability requirements.

Read more on Protein Industries Canada’s website.

Our eyes are the primary way we see the world and navigate daily life. They also are an important means to diagnosing unseen neurological changes, due to injury (concussion), stroke, or other neurological disorders.

Students from RRC Polytech’s ACE Project Space are at the cutting-edge of innovative technology development with researchers at Neuroptek, a new start-up headed by Drs. Neda Anssari and Behzad Mansouri.

“The Neuroptek project has been the backbone of my entire program,” said Navdeep Kaur Sran, student team lead. “It has given me firsthand experience at how to integrate and apply all the skills I’ve learned throughout my courses.”

The researchers’ vision was sparked by their experiences delivering eye exams to children in rural areas of Ontario several years ago. Anssari is a neurologist and concussion subspecialist, Mansouri is a neuro-ophthalmologist and neuroscientist.

“The team had to pack up equipment and travel for hours in order for us to get to the remote area,” said Anssari. “It’s very difficult to reach some remote areas with all the equipment. Add to that the Canadian winter weather challenges, we saw the need for a more sustainable solution.”

Anssari expanded on the importance of access for children. Refractive errors are very common in children and play a significant role in their literacy, especially in preschool ages, kindergarten and elementary levels.

Their new technology is called EyeMirage. It realizes their vision to put eye care in the hands of the public, making it available virtually via an easily downloadable app. Additional versions of the app are available for use in clinical settings and by elite athletes and training programs.

“I’ve been working in the field of concussion for a few years now. The major challenge that I see happening in our day-to-day practice is that we do not have a readily available objective measure to diagnose concussion and early diagnosis is important,” said Anssari.

RRC Polytech students were on the ground floor over the course of two terms, working with the two researchers and Samantha Phrakonkham, Project Manager for Neuroptek.

“Working with the RRC Polytech students has been very exciting and rewarding,” said Phrakonkham.

Initially, in spring and summer 2021, the first team of five students were tasked with developing an app to perform eye examinations.

“This wasn’t an easy task, given that none of the students had any mobile application development experience, which means they had to build this app from scratch. An experience that the majority of students that graduate from a postsecondary program would not have.”

For the fall 2021 term, a new four-student team have focussed on refining those eye examination tests to ensure that they meet the criteria for Clinical Standards.

“Currently, the students are making headway, but they do have a long road ahead of them, since most of the work is to improve the functionality of the app,” added Phrakonkham. “The most noticeable difference between this term and the last is our focus on quality control and engineering practices, in order to better prepare the students for the workforce.”

This synergistic partnership with RRC Polytech brings Neuroptek closer to their mission, while providing valuable industry experience for the students.

Phrakonkham noted, “Students have hands-on experiences with processes and tools they are likely to encounter in industry. They have had to move out of their comfort zone, adapt to the changes that might arise and take on duties that are not part of their existing skill set.”

Their days are structured to reflect the standard workflow of industry, like daily stand ups, road mapping, sprints, one-on-ones and brainstorming sessions.

“They gain practical experience using common tools, adopting common practices in the use of those tools, while providing them an agile work environment similar to agile software development processes in the industries they will seek employment with, post-graduation.”

RRC Polytech’s Vehicle Technology & Energy Centre (VTEC) will continue to lead the charge on the shift to zero-emission vehicles (ZEV), thanks to support from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).

The federal government, through NRCan recently announced a $225,000 grant for Enhancing Workplace Charging across Canada’s Prairie Region through Emphasizing Strategies for Cost-Effective Adaptation of Charging Infrastructure (Enhancing Workplace Charging), an initiative RRC Polytech will lead alongside partners Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) and Saskatchewan Polytechnic (Sask Polytech). This grant was provided along with funding for 22 organizations across Canada to undertake ZEV awareness projects.

Through this partnership, the College is extending its reach from Manitoba to throughout the Prairies to build public awareness of charging options for electric vehicles (EVs).

“Our VTEC team at the College is excited to build on the momentum of EV projects we’ve completed over the last decade. This initiative is particularly important because it addresses a major challenge of making the shift to EVs on the individual level, and how organizations can support charging infrastructure for the general public,” says Jojo Delos Reyes, Research Program Manager, VTEC.

The overall aim of the collaborative initiative is to address one of the most significant barriers to EV adoption, “range anxiety” due to lack of access to charging infrastructure. RRC Polytech and project partners have identified that the Prairie region presents a major opportunity to implement charging stations to meet workplace charging needs. Throughout Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, there are numerous existing plug-in-points (nearly 500,000 in Manitoba alone) due to the cold climate, which can be adapted in a cost-effective manner for Level 1 charging.

To support EV adoption, RRC Polytech’s VTEC team, NAIT and Sask Polytech will leverage collective expertise to research and distribute informational material to build awareness of charging options and how to adapt current infrastructure for Level 1 workplace charging.

RRC Polytech is a founding member of Accelerate and member of Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2), and the Enhancing Workplace Charging project goals directly align with the mandates of these alliances to support a greener future, highlighting the College’s commitment to sustainability.

In addition, the project will help build a future workforce trained for clean-tech jobs, through student participation in applied learning. RRC Polytech researchers, technicians, and students will also help build the College’s capabilities for new zero-emission technology initiatives.

RRC Polytech remains on the leading-edge of the drive to zero-emission vehicles, growing the province as a hub for EV innovation and adoption. To learn more about the College’s past vehicle technology projects, visit rrc.ca/vtec