Chairholders
Profile
Ann Letellier
Department of Pathology and Microbiology
Université de Montréal
Chair title
NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Meat Safety
Chair program
Industrial Research Chairs program
Role
Associate Chairholder since 2011
Summary
Safety and quality are key considerations in the marketing of foods, particularly in the meat and livestock industry. For this export-oriented industry to remain competitive, quality improvement must be achieved at the lowest possible cost.
Despite the efforts made in the areas of slaughtering and processing, a certain percentage of meat, including pork and poultry, is still contaminated with pathogens and sometimes antibiotic residues. In this context, the production of foods of animal origin that are free of contaminants, or for which contamination is controlled, has become a necessity. The integrated "farm to fork" approach, advocated by the NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Meat Safety since its creation in 1999, is proving essential for achieving better control of levels of meat contamination and improving product safety. Under the direction of the Canadian Pork Council, the meat and livestock industry has put in place a quality assurance program that the Chair has had a significant role in implementing.
This quality assurance program has made it possible to improve the control of a number of biological and chemical hazards. Nevertheless, certain hazards still exist owing to a lack of basic knowledge. The presence of pathogens and antibiotic residues in meat and the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria are issues that are targeted by the program. The meat and livestock industry consider these to be crucial issues in order to be able to provide Canadian consumers with the safest food possible. That is where the research program of the NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Meat Safety has a role. The Chair intends to capitalize on NSERC's contribution to perfecting the training of students and qualified individuals, and to providing added value, through basic research, to the validation of the practical solutions expected by industry. Such practical solutions could include strategies for controlling the main emerging pathogens and take the form of natural food additives or new-generation vaccines.
The support of the Chair's industrial partners is essential to establishing a research program that is responsive to the industry's clearly identified need. That assistance involves support for the scientific inquiry conducted by the Chair, funding for research activities, and support for the scientific team to train graduate students in the application of the technologies arising out of the research program.
Partners
- Les Éleveurs de porcs du Québec (Porcima Inc.)
- Jefo Nutrition Inc.
- F. Ménard Inc. / Agromex Inc.
- Les producteurs d’œufs du Québec
Contact information
Department of Pathology and Microbiology
Université de Montréal
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
3200 Sicotte Street - P.O. Box 5000
Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec
J2S 7C6
Tel.: 450-773-8521, ext. 8640
Fax: 450-778-8128
Email: ann.letellier@umontreal.ca
