Page 2 - Eureka! Fall 2007

the introductions
Message from the Dean
EUREKA
NEwslEttER OF thE FAcUlty OF scIENcE
carleton.ca/science/
Editorial Advisory Board
Dean, Faculty of science: George Iwama
Associate Dean (Undergraduate Affairs): John Armitage Digital Dream Machine. Please send your feedback, letter
Associate Dean (Research): Mark Forbes
eureka.carleton.ca chief Advancement Officer: serge Arpin
senior Development Associate: David timms, BA/85
Director, Alumni services: Nancy lynn, BA/91
Editor: Amanda costen
Design: Richard Bootsma
website: Darin cosgrove, BA/95
Newsletter Mission Statement
EUREKA! is published for the alumni, faculty, staff, friends and partners of the Faculty of
science. the newsletter is intended to communicate the Faculty’s goals, strategic direction
collaboration with the Department of University Advancement.
2 and activities in order to connect alumni to each other and the university. It is published in
EUREKA! FAll 2007
Wwrite my first welcome to you, as the new dean of science. In doing so, I due to natural evolution, climate change, attributable to a particular hazard. Hot topic
the introduction of novel foods and
It all comes down to understand-
elcome to the 2007 fall edition of EurEka! It’s with great pleasure that I
ing the nature of the risk agent
changes in manufacturing practices. The
(Which pathogen are we dealing
globalization of trade in agricultural
with? How “armed and dangerous”
take up the reins from Jean-Guy Godin, the outgoing dean. To his credit, I find
commodities and changes in consumer
a youthful faculty of great positive energy and outlook. You will get a sense of
habits may also foster new risks. An
is it?) and the context in which it
example is the increasing demand for
is encountered (What type of food
this as you read through EurEka! Please consider this an invitation to visit
product is it found in? How will the
campus to deepen that taste of excitement and to reconnect with all that is
imported, ready-to-eat foods, such as
fresh packaged salads and meats, which
happening in research, the learning experience, and connection to community
product be processed, distributed
at Carleton Science.
can develop critical levels of live patho-
and handled by the consumer?). With
genic bacteria. Another factor is the
What do we want to be? Where do we want to go as a Faculty of Science? In
this knowledge, it may be possible
practice of centralizing large-scale food
consultation with each of the departments, schools and institutes, we have begun
to predict whether its presence in
to answer these questions. We’ve had lively discussions about vision and objec-
significant health hazard.
tives for the academic units and, of course, about history and past experiences.
distribution bases. In North America,
I have appreciated the respectful attitudes and the positive outlook in these ses-
where the majority of ground beef is
Of course, an important element
in an effective risk-based inspection
processed in a handful of mega-plants,
sions. Our goal is to have these discussions lead into a planning process that will manufacturing operations with broad a particular scenario constitutes a
guide our priorities and actions in the coming months and years. I am optimistic even a small amount of microbiologi- system is the research laboratories
that a solid plan will develop each unit in distinctive and strategic ways that cally compromised raw meat can con- that develop the analytical technolo-
will be rewarded with the resources we need to ensure our continued success. I taminate an entire production lot with gies to detect food safety hazards
believe that we need to communicate effectively our accomplishments and plans The risky continent-wide distribution. and provide tools to characterize the
within our Faculty, Carleton University and our off-campus communities. With Many North American food manu- hazards so that the degree of risk can
the addition of Mandy Sinclair, our first communications officer, we can more facturers have implemented a system- be determined. For example, in the
actively tell our stories and celebrate our successes in a visible manner. business of ic approach to reasonably assure the development of analytical methods
Behind the scenes, Yolana Junco, Faculty administrator; Julie Madsen, ad- safety of their products. Developed for the detection of Salmonella, the
ministrative assistant; and John Armitage, associate dean for undergraduate by the Pillsbury Corporation and CFIA is interested not only in quickly
affairs, have been providing me with support and guidance in my first months food safety NASA to ensure the safety of the food identifying the pathogen’s presence
at Carleton University, for which I am very thankful. I would like to introduce for the first manned space missions, in foods, but also in determining the
Mark Forbes, professor and Canada Research Chair in biology, as our new asso- By Burton Blais, the widely used Hazard Analysis and presence of virulence factors—the
ciate dean of research, and thank Jörg Sack for his past service in that capacity. MSc/87, PhD/90 Critical Control Point system allows toxins and proteins that enable it to
I also welcome Tiffany Shields to the post of administrative assistant to the food manufacturing operations to colonize a human host—and the abil-
dean. Please come and say hello to the team whenever you are on campus. reaches in food safety, such as evaluate their systems for risks by ity to resist antibiotics used in the
I hope I’ve conveyed the tremendous excitement I feel in beginning my term Bthe widespread cases of tainted identifying microbial or chemical treatment of infections.
as dean. The Carleton Science community—faculty members, staff, students pet food and bacteria-laden spinach hazards and monitoring the critical In the course of developing new
and alumni—provides me with this feeling and a sense of optimism as we look earlier this year, focus our attention control points where these hazards analytical technologies to meet the
ahead. This is a strong and caring community, and I look forward to working on what can go wrong with our food
together to realize our plans. I welcome your participation in the active life of supply. There is simply no way to even a small amount of microbiologically
the Faculty and any comments you may have about Carleton Science today, and guarantee that the food we eat is en-
what it might become in the future. tirely free of hazardous agents. To do compromised raw meat can contaminate an entire
so would require testing every morsel, production lot with continent-wide distribution
George Iwama leaving nought to eat!
Dean, Faculty of Science Instead, Canadians take the more can enter the process. The overall changing needs of regulatory inspec-
practical approach of focusing our effectiveness of the system is often tion programs, CFIA laboratories fre-
precious resources on those food verified by testing representative por- quently host university undergradu-
safety issues that represent the great- tions of the end product for the pres- ate and graduate students conducting
ence of the hazardous substance that
their thesis research projects. Thus,
est risk to public health. This entails
On the cover a close examination of the entire food the system is designed to eliminate. these regulatory research activi-
Michael Ryan with the holotype production chain—from primary In addition, the safety of the food ties provide an excellent venue for
skull of the new horned dinosaur, agricultural practices to the manu- supply is enhanced through com- training the next generation of food
Albertaceratops nesmoi.
facturing, packaging and distribution pliance with regulations aimed at scientists who can contribute to the
Photo courtesy of Chad Kerychuk, ensuring that food products meet development of effective strategies to
of foods—to identify those nefarious specific safety standards. To protect control future threats to the safety of
agents with the potential to con-
the Department of University Advancement protects your personal information. It is used continuum where problems are likely Agency (CFIA) uses a risk-based in- Carleton alumnus and former session-
Canadians from preventable health
the food supply.
taminate and harm. By identifying
!
your input
risks, the Canadian Food Inspection
and controlling those points in the
to the editor or story ideas to
is important!
newsletter_editor@carleton.ca.
spection system with comprehensive
al lecturer Burton Blais is a section
to creep in, the degree of risk to the
Take our online survey
@
inspection and testing activities to
integrity and wholesomeness of the
head at the Canadian Food Inspection
Visit eureka.carleton.ca to share your opinions.
verify the food industry’s compliance
food supply can be mitigated.
agency’s Ottawa laboratory. His focus
with standards. At the heart of the
When it comes to the safety of the
on the detection of food-borne patho-
system is risk assessment, a scientific
food supply in the industrialized world,
gens has resulted in the application
by the university to inform you about programming, events and offers from our affinity part-
address or stop mail, please contact Advancement services at 1-800-461-8972.
the probability and severity of illness
microbial or chemical threats can arise
safety of food in Canada.
eur eka.carleton.ca 3
ners, to communicate carleton news, and for fundraising purposes. to update your name or risk is continually changing. New process that provides an estimate of of novel techniques that increase the