Food, Nutrition, and Health
The clinical nutrition laboratory is equipped with an array of state-of-the-art analytical instruments, such as headspace GC-FID, GC-MS, HPLC-DAD, and UHPLC-DAD, etc. Our researchers and graduate students are capable of determining and characterizing a wide range of nutrients (e.g., vitamins and amino acids), phytosterols, antioxidants, flavonoids and their metabolites. The clinical nutrition lab provides an excellent training environment for graduate students.
The clinical research unit comprises a reception lounge, clinic rooms, a sample preparation area and a meeting room equipped with an observation mirror and an audio/video system. The room is suitable for conducting small focus-group meetings, and behaviour and consumer studies. In addition, the unit is also equipped with many clinical research tools, including a bioimpedance scale, stadiometer, calipers, a blood pressure monitor, glucometers, hemoglobin analyzers, a urine analyzer, a metabolic cart and a fully stocked phlebotomy station for blood-sample collection.
The culinary laboratory is equipped with numerous modern kitchen stations and a demonstration station. The on-site audiovisual system enables filming, videoconferencing, distance education and live webcasting. The culinary lab provides a great learning environment for students to learn basic food theory and food preparation, as well as multicultural culinary techniques and skills. It has been frequently used for culinary classes on regional cuisine.
The sensory laboratory consists of 14 panelist booths complete with delivery windows and red lighting. The sensory lab is connected to the culinary laboratory for preparing food samples, and a boardroom for panelist training. The laboratory is ideal for teaching, research and commercial testing.
Food Safety and Quality
The pilot plant facility at the Food, Nutrition and Health (FNH) building is food-grade, and includes equipment specifically for food engineering/processing experiments. This facility is used for teaching in FNH325/326 and for student projects in FNH425, FNH497 and FNH499.
Food, Nutrition and Health (FNH) research labs on the second and third floor at the FNH building are used year-round for graduate research, and on a by-permission basis for undergraduate students in FNH425, FNH497 and FNH499. These labs offer a wide assortment of analytical equipment and reagents.
Undergraduate teaching laboratories for FNH325/326 and FNH 425 are located at the McMillan Building (2357 Main Mall, UBC Point Grey Campus). These adjacent laboratory rooms are equipped specifically for food chemistry/analysis and food microbiology experiments.