Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada – Food Research and Development Centre and Caldwell Bio Fermentation Canada Inc.

Excellence in Technology Transfer Award

For the successful development, transfer and commercialization of unique natural stabilization and lactic fermentation technologies for processed organic vegetables.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada – Food Research and Development Centre and Caldwell Bio Fermentation Canada Inc.

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Known around the world for its preservative-free products, Caldwell Bio Fermentation Canada (CBFC) began packaging fermented organic vegetables in 1994. The timing was perfect: the American and European health food markets opened to imports of this home-grown product in 1995.

However, CBFC faced serious problems when it tried to ship products over long distances. So much gas was created by secondary fermentation as a result of uncontrolled secondary fermentation that some packages puffed up. Annual sales plummeted from 35 tonnes to just nine tonnes. Competitors tried to cope with the same problem by using preservatives or pasteurising their vegetables.

CBFC turned to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to develop a way to keep selling its organic product to export markets. Under four collaborative research agreements, the team developed controlled fermentation technologies using starter cultures that combine bacteria and yeasts with biological control tools.

The net result is impressive. This technological platform has generated annual sales of nearly $2 million in 2006 for CBFC and four other companies to whom they have sold the products of their technologies. Furthermore, 20 jobs have been saved. Because of the technology, a niche market was created for a host of wholesome, value-added Canadian products, including sauerkraut, kimchi, carrots, black radishes and beets.

Team

Steve Bittner
Claude P. Champagne
Marc D'Aoust
Nancy Gardner
Tony Savard
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Food Research and Development Centre

Gary Caldwell
Caldwell Bio Fermentation Canada Inc.