June 26

Nestlé Waters

We started our day around 8:30 am with the breakfast and left university accommodation at 9 am .we reached nestle waters ,the first destination of today around 9:30 am. We confronted warm welcome by Marjorie Chisholm (Quality Assurance Manager), Amy Taylor (Food Safety Manager) and Laura Winfield (Hygiene Resources Manager). Three of them then explained the three different aspects of Nestle Water, Canada. Marjorie gave us the insight of the Nestle as a whole, Amy explained the food safety policy where as Laura made us aware about the hygiene program.
As told by them, Henri Nestle founded Nestle company in 1866.Nestle has sale of US$100 billion in word in 2006. It comprise of 487 factories in 85 countries with 26500 employees. Some common brands are Nescafe coffee, Fancy feast (pet care), Maggi (soup), Kittkat (chocolate confectionaries). Nestle water has 17% of world wide water sale with 103 factories in 36 countries. Nestle water has revenue of US$13.8 million in Northern America employing around 91000 in individual. In total 24 bottling plants are operating in US and Canada with 15 brands which include spring water, flavored water and purified water. Some brands of Canada are Ozarka, Vittel, Deer park, Ice Mountain, Poland spring and Montclair.
Nestle Water Canada started in 1988 by Robert Elliot as “Aberfye Spring” and later acquired by Nestle to successive change in its originality with addition of eight more production lines till today. Since the establishment of Nestle water it has provided consumers with more choices from Flavored splash (Strawberry, Kiwi-Strawberry, lemon, raspberry orange), Teas (green and white), Vittel, Aqua Panna brands etc. The major consumers of Nestle water Canada are Walmart, Sysco, Kroger, US Military, Target etc. Though the business is seasonal but Nestle is rising more and more due to high hygiene quality process techniques, quality products and environmental friendly packaging. Nestle truly justified its vision of evolving from Food Company into a nutrition health and well being company.
After that we had a tour to the facility which revealed that Nestle is following the good manufacturing practices. They explained us how reverse osmosis system water distribution system process, cash filters, mineral injection equipments, injection holdings etc works there under strict quality monitoring. During our tour we came across some CCP (critical control points) locations in the production line and learnt there importance and control. Various quality monitoring experiments like weight and dimensions of bottles, turbidity, Ph, colorimetry, ultrametry, conductivity etc were also observed. There dedication towards safe production can be judged by the fact that they didn’t had an injury or accident in production line from the last two years. We also visited the laboratory were all the experiments whether microbial, sensory or clean in place are being conducted to be sure of quality of product.
After the tour Laura explained via presentation the sampling process, water distribution system, monthly line health tracking, daily line health reporting. It has also been explained the two types of release system (process release system and product release system). Later during the end Amy described the food safety management system, audit system quality monitoring system, calibration, lab & test methods, traceability system and how they are following the regulatory requirement.

Guelph Food Technology Centre

After taking lunch in Nestle Water we moved towards Guelph Food Technology Centre where we met John Michaelids, Director of the Institute. He described via presentation and tour to the facility, the insight, vision and achievements of the institution. He explained that Guelph Food Technology Centre is a non profitable institute engaged in providing research services to food industry. There main focus is on technical solution for Agri food industry, technology transfer, innovation and food safety. This institution is in collaboration with various countries and over 265 companies are its members. It has database of 10000 Canadian contacts and some of the members are Laatt, Canada bread, Kellogg’s, Beta Brands, Kerry etc. He explained that research done there for the client is confidential and technology developed there belongs to client who can have patent over it. They are focusing on improving the client’s performance in three fundamental areas of processes people and product. In Processes development there main concerned is food processing, engineering, pilot plant, food safety, quality services, consultancy and auditing. They are also proving training to students and industry personals which are in the form of regular symposium, in plants trainings or web based courses. In product development services they are working on Sauces, condiments, cereal technology, dairy functional foods, frozen foods, reformulation of food for better health (low sodium, low fat and high fiber). They explained how they help industry in new process developments in there pilot plant, patenting of process and pilot plant trials. Towards end we also learned how they are providing process consulting services in process and product developments.

UoG: Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety

After that we went to Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety where we confronted different types of advances scientific equipments, there operation and uses in food research. Scientist there were conducting research in Food ecology, Epidemiology, Microbial detection and characterization, Pathogenesis of Food borne micro organism, Food process engineering, Microbial physiology, Microbial risk assessment, Food policy and Toxicology.
They explained how they are conducting research there with high level of quality and safety in fully advanced laboratories. This institution is associated with many organizations like Agriculture and agri food Canada, Canadian food inspection agency, Ministry of agriculture, food and rural affairs, Health, Public health agency of Canada, Guelph food technology center, University of Guelph. After having the details of the research being done there and meeting various scientists with expertise in different areas of food technology, in the end we returned back to our university accommodation. (Pradeep Dahiya)