TORONTO — The Canadian Food Innovation Network is investing more than $3 million into five projects through its Food Innovation Challenge and Innovation Booster programs.

The Food Innovation Challenge funding recipients are Gastronomous Technologies Inc., Burlington, Ont., to develop automation solutions for commercial kitchens; and Laboratoire Innodal Inc., Lévis, Que., to increase the shelf life of food using natural and clean label antimicrobials as an alternative to traditional chemical preservatives.

The Innovation Booster funding recipients are Ag-Tronic Control Systems Inc., Lakeshore, Ont., to develop compostable fruit labels; Canadian Pacifico Seaweeds Ltd., Surrey, BC, to scale extraction, activation and utilization of water-soluble functional compounds found in Pacific seaweeds; and Groupe Foodarom Inc., St. Hubert, Que., to develop a natural solution with antimicrobial properties to eliminate multi-resistant fungal contaminants in concentrated fruit syrups and purees.

“By investing in breakthrough and transformative innovation, CFIN stimulates collaboration across the food sector and enables high-potential Canadian food innovators to advance past technical hurdles that create barriers to commercialization,” said Joseph Lake, chief executive officer of the Canadian Food Innovation Network. “This first round of investment programming will help Canadian players in the food sector compete and lead on the global stage.”

Established in 2021, the Canadian Food Innovation Network, a not-for-profit organization supported by the Government of Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund, connects Canadian food companies to insights, ideas and technologies. Membership is free and open to anyone in the Canadian food sector.