Bioresource Engineering - News

Green LED light could help keep leafy greens fresher longer, ɬ�﷬ study suggests

ɬ�﷬ — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 13:44:04 +0000

Low-intensity green lighting in refrigerated storage can slow spoilage in leafy greens, helping maintain their appearance and nutritional value, according to a new study from ɬ�﷬.

“We found that something as simple as changing the light in refrigerated storage may help fresh produce stay fresher for longer,” said Shafieh Salehinia, lead researcher and affiliate member in the Biomass Production Lab, headed by Prof. Mark Lefsrud.

ɬ�﷬-led project strengthens Indigenous leadership in global action on plastic pollution

ɬ�﷬ — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 18:02:50 +0000

Supported by SSHRC and ECCC, Professors Niladri Basu, Treena Delormier, and PhD student Lynn K. Jacobs will partner with Indigenous organizations in Canada and internationally to address the disproportionate impacts of plastic pollution on Indigenous Peoples.

122 ɬ�﷬ research projects awarded $30 million in NSERC Discovery Grants funding

ɬ�﷬ — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 17:43:39 +0000

Funding supports bold ideas across natural sciences and engineering disciplines at ɬ�﷬, in fields ranging from ophthalmology and physics to music research and electrical engineering.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) has awarded 122 ɬ�﷬ research projects funding from its Discovery Grants competition for a total investment of $30 million.

ɬ�﷬ study provides further evidence that aspen patches can mitigate wildfires

ɬ�﷬ — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:15:43 +0000

Researchers at ɬ�﷬ have confirmed that aspen play a key role in forest fire prevention and mitigation across Canada. Planting these trees near communities can reduce both the likelihood and severity of fires and limit how far they spread, the researchers said.

“Aspen is not a 100 per cent effective fire deterrent, but compared with other species, it is a better choice to plant around communities or critical infrastructure,” said Flavie Pelletier, lead author and recent PhD graduate in Natural Resource Sciences.

A Well-Deserved Retirement for Four Mac Staff Members

ɬ�﷬ — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 18:23:07 +0000

The Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (AES) is proud to celebrate four members of the Macdonald Campus community who are preparing to embark on a well-deserved retirement: Luis Agellon (Professor in Human Nutrition), Shelly Johnston (Research Finance Services Supervisor), Roger Cue (Associate Professor in Animal Science) and Yvan Gariepy (Academic Associate in Bioresource Engineering.)

We sat down with Roger and Yvan to reflect on their journeys at ɬ�﷬- the paths that brought them here, some of the work that defined their careers and what lies ahead.

Convocation 2026 at Macdonald Campus: The Big Day Starts Long Before June 4

ɬ�﷬ — Thu, 28 May 2026 18:23:42 +0000

As convocation ceremonies continue across ɬ�﷬, preparations are reaching their final stage at the Macdonald Campus, where celebrations will begin on June 4. While graduating students prepare to mark the completion of their studies, teams across the campus are focused on ensuring the environment is ready to welcome them and their families.

ɬ�﷬’s Bravo Gala shines a spotlight on research excellence

ɬ�﷬ — Thu, 14 May 2026 16:18:30 +0000

At event honouring 116 winners of major awards, keynote speaker and SSHRC Gold Medal recipient Myriam Denov emphasized the importance of listening.

ɬ�﷬ celebrated more than 100 researchers at the 21^st edition of Bravo, a gala event May 7 honouring the winners of major provincial, national and international research prizes and awards in 2025.

ɬ�﷬ awarded 16 new or renewed Canada Research Chairs

ɬ�﷬ — Wed, 13 May 2026 17:51:34 +0000

From fundamental physics to child well-being, ɬ�﷬ researchers advance discovery across disciplines

ɬ�﷬ has been awarded $18.1 million in federal funding to support 16 Canada Research Chairs – six new and 10 renewed.

$1.25 million for ɬ�﷬ research from the New Frontiers in Research Fund

ɬ�﷬ — Wed, 13 May 2026 17:34:01 +0000

Federal fund will support transformative high risk, high reward research across engineering, science, and medicine at ɬ�﷬.

AES Researchers Celebrated at ɬ�﷬'s 2025 Bravo Gala

ɬ�﷬ — Mon, 11 May 2026 18:13:49 +0000

Each year, ɬ�﷬'s Office of the Vice-President (Research and Innovation) hosts the Bravo Gala to celebrate faculty members and researchers who have earned major provincial, national, and international prizes. This year, the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (AES) is proud to have nine members honoured among ɬ�﷬'s brightest research leaders. Their work spans food safety, plant science, nutrition, material engineering, animal science, ornithology, and agricultural communication.

Macdonald Scholarship Reception

ɬ�﷬ — Tue, 05 May 2026 14:12:10 +0000

The most recent Macdonald Scholarship Reception was held with a shared sense of honour and pride on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. The occasion brought together members of the Macdonald community to celebrate both the excellence of its student awardees and the generosity of its donors, whose commitment continues to shape meaningful academic pathways.

Moderate UV light is best when it comes to boosting the vitamin D content of edible mushrooms, ɬ�﷬ study finds

ɬ�﷬ — Mon, 04 May 2026 14:00:59 +0000

Researchers at ɬ�﷬ have discovered that moderate ultraviolet (UV) light exposure is best when the technique is used to enhance vitamin D₂ in edible mushrooms. Excessive exposure leads to nutrient degradation or a plateau effect, they found. The paper also provides quantitative guidance.

The researchers’ work supports efforts to address vitamin D deficiency, which affects between 30 and 50 per cent of the world’s population, as well as enhance the nutritional value of mushrooms more broadly.

The Macdonald Campus Community Pays Tribute to Professor Varoujan Yaylayan

ɬ�﷬ — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:59:41 +0000

The Macdonald Campus community gathered on Friday, April 10, to celebrate the life and legacy of the late Professor Varoujan Yaylayan, PhD., who was a cherished faculty member of the Faulty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences’ Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry.

When Theory Meets the Real World: ɬ�﷬ Students Shine at the IFTSA Competition

ɬ�﷬ — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:41:33 +0000

Imagining, designing, and developing a food product just as it would be done in industry within the framework of a prestigious international competition, was the challenge taken on by Cole, Jackie, and Deniz, students in ɬ�﷬’s Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Study finds treating peanuts with cold plasma could make them less allergenic

ɬ�﷬ — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:16:33 +0000

Researchers at ɬ�﷬ have found that briefly treating peanuts with cold plasma, an ionically charged gas that triggers chemical changes, reduces their potential to cause allergic reactions. The researchers say this is probably because the process causes changes to the protein structure, the part of the peanut that can trigger an immune response. The technology was also shown to improve functional properties important for food manufacturing.

ɬ�﷬ opens state-of-the-art greenhouse and research platform

ɬ�﷬ — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:42:42 +0000

ɬ�﷬ has officially opened a new teaching greenhouse and advanced plant phenotyping facilities at its Macdonald Campus, marking a major investment in climate-focused agricultural education and research. Designed for hands-on undergraduate and graduate training, the sustainable greenhouse features controlled growing bays, teaching labs, tissue culture facilities and classrooms, giving students direct experience with modern, climate-smart production systems.

NRS M.Sc. Linda Nong Wins ɬ�﷬’s English 3MT Competition

ɬ�﷬ — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:36:14 +0000

ɬ�﷬’s annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) and Ma thèse en 180 secondes (MT180) competitions showcased the diversity of graduate research, with finalists presenting complex topics in just three minutes to a general audience. Held on April 1 at the Faculty Club, the event highlighted research ranging from neuroscience and mental health to musicology and ecology.

ɬ�﷬ inaugurates new facilities at Macdonald Campus to advance teaching and research on climate‑resilient agriculture

ɬ�﷬ — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:32:51 +0000

ɬ�﷬ today inaugurated state‑of‑the‑art teaching greenhouse and plant phenotyping research facilities at its Macdonald Campus in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue. These represent major investments in teaching and research focused on food security, crop resilience and sustainable agriculture.

Food Science Students Selected as Finalists in IFTSA Student Competitions

ɬ�﷬ — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:23:50 +0000

ɬ�﷬’s Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry is celebrating an outstanding achievement by its students: all three ɬ�﷬ teams entered into this year’s Institute of Food Technologists Student Association (IFTSA) competitions have been selected as finalists. The teams will represent ɬ�﷬ at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo in Chicago in July 2026—one of the largest and most influential gatherings in the global food science community.

Building Canada’s Future Environmental Leaders

ɬ�﷬ — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:40:22 +0000

A new NSERC CREATE initiative, MIXCHEM, is reshaping how Canada prepares researchers to confront the growing challenge of complex chemical mixtures in the environment. Prof. Stéphane Bayen, a leading voice in Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, is helping drive this interdisciplinary program, which blends cutting‑edge analytical training with hands‑on experience across industry, government, and academia.

ɬ�﷬ researchers optimize process for converting human urine into clean energy

ɬ�﷬ — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 15:07:32 +0000

Researchers at ɬ�﷬ have improved the efficiency of a method for converting human urine into clean energy.

The method employs microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which use bacteria to turn organic waste into electricity, providing a sustainable and low-cost means of treating wastewater while generating energy from an abundant source. The ɬ�﷬ research provides insights into which urine concentrations are optimal for this process.