The Canadian food industry is producing new foods and food ingredients in response to consumer demand and lifestyle, new crops that offer advantages over traditional crops (e.g., improved resilience against pathogens or environmental stressors or enhanced nutritional attributes), and functional foods for the maintenance of health and prevention of disease. The goal of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the regulatory frameworks that are in place to ensure a safe food supply and to ensure communications made in food labeling and advertising are not deceptive.

Through a series of guests lectures from individuals in government, industry, and academia, students will be exposed to several aspects of scientific and regulatory affairs and will have a unique opportunity to interact and discuss topics with experts in a variety of fields. Students will be exposed to such topics as the structure and application of the Canadian Food and Drugs Act and Regulations, health claim and labelling requirements, study design and standards of evidence for regulatory submissions, and the roles of government, industry and academia in controlling food products in Canada and internationally. This course is an excellent opportunity for students to form networks with current subject matter experts, and to gain exposure to career opportunities in industry, government, and academia.