Food processing equipment to support value-added food product R&D on northern Vancouver Island

位于不列颠哥伦比亚省坎贝尔河的北岛学院（NIC）获得了NSERC的支持，用于购买食品加工设备，包括通用设备（清洗、切割、干燥）、专用设备（例如研磨机、商用面食搅拌机/制造机）和包装设备（秤、贴标机、真空包装机）。NIC的设施服务于一个广阔的区域（80，000平方公里），该区域拥有丰富的可持续初级食品，这些食品来自原始森林，海洋和淡水生态系统以及许多小规模农业农场。在北方温哥华岛建立当地的食品研发能力方面，有明显的区域需要和支持。事实上，坎贝尔河已被列入候选名单，作为一个潜在的食品中心的位置和NIC目前正在领导一个食品中心的可行性研究和商业计划，由不列颠哥伦比亚省农业部资助。拟议的设备完美地补充了北方温哥华岛食品创新的现有势头，并将立即提高NIC与渔业和水产养殖业，非木材林产品和小规模农业的中小企业进行研究的能力。涉及设备的项目将吸引/培训来自丰富多样学科的学生，包括烹饪艺术，水产养殖，商业和市场营销以及工业自动化。NIC的专家教师和现有的基础设施在这些相同的学科将使食品加工设备被用来充分发挥其潜力。

North Island College (NIC) in Campbell River, British Columbia, has received NSERC support to purchase food processing equipment, including general equipment (washing, cutting, drying), specialized equipment (e.g. mill grinder, commercial pasta mixer/maker), and packaging equipment (scale, labeler, vacuum sealer). NIC's facilities serve a vast region (80,000 square kilometers) that is rich in sustainable, primary food products from pristine forests, marine and freshwater ecosystems, and many small-scale agriculture farms. There is a demonstrated regional need and support for building local food R&D capacity on northern Vancouver Island. In fact, Campbell River has been short-listed as a potential Food Hub location and NIC is currently leading a Food Hub feasibility study and business plan funded by the BC Ministry of Agriculture. The proposed equipment perfectly complements the existing momentum toward food innovation on northern Vancouver Island and will immediately increase NIC's capacity to conduct research with SMEs spanning fisheries and aquaculture, non-timber forest products, and small-scale agriculture. Projects involving the equipment will engage/train students from a rich diversity of disciplines including culinary arts, aquaculture, business and marketing, and industrial automation. NIC's expert faculty and existing infrastructure in these same disciplines will enable the food processing equipment to be used to its full potential.