Richardson Centre for Food Technology and Research

The Richardson Centre for Food Technology and Research (RCFTR) is a world-class research and development facility on the University of Manitoba’s (UM) Fort Garry Campus that provides expertise and services in traditional and innovative food processing techniques to industry partners. The site hosts a federally regulated grain milling and dry fractionation facility, a suite of analytical testing services for food ingredients, laboratory- and pilot-scale oil pressing capacity, tablet manufacturing and capsule filling, and a nutritional research unit able to conduct clinical nutrition trials. Additionally, the 55,000-square-foot RCFTR leases office, laboratory, kitchen and pilot plant space to public and private organizations involved in food research and innovation.

Photo of the entrance of the Richardson Centre for Food Technology and Research taken on a sunny day in the summer 

Unique to the RCFTR is the expertise offered through an affiliation with UM’s Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, with researchers in food chemistry, processing, metabolic and applied nutrition. The department also offers added capability through its analytical, extraction, processing, cell and tissue culture and genomic laboratories.

The mission of the centre is to advance food quality and human nutrition through traditional and innovative food processing techniques.

The mandate of the centre is to support the food and agriculture value chain by engaging in collaborative research and development activities with the food industry and providing the following services:

  • Pilot plant scale dry seed milling and fractionation processing of agricultural food products;
  • Semi-pilot plant scale (greater than 1 litre and less than 100 litres) development and functional characterization of food ingredients;
  • Investigating the effects of food products, extracts or specific nutrients on human nutrition and wellness;
  • Semi-pilot plant scale (greater than 1 kilogram and less than 100 kilograms) encapsulation, tabletting and packaging of dry food or plant extracts that enhance human nutrition; and
  • Fostering research and development innovation in food and nutrition through industry-university research partnerships and technical service agreements or contracts.

Contact

For more information on the centre, visit RCFTR's website. If you would like this information in an alternate format email us at: mbproteinadvantage@gov.mb.ca.