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food preparation methods. Ancillary to the food preparation area is the sensory evaluation laboratory with taste panel facilities. Trained panelists are used to evaluate food flavour, color and texture associated with product/process modifi- cations or development projects. III. Pilot Plant Process Development The pilot plant area consists of four separate areas - a registered Federal Health. of Animals meat processing area, wet process, dry process and fine particulate area. Pilot plant equipment can provide simulation of industrial production processes to assess and evaluate product or process perfor- mance. Processing problems or devia- tions in product quality may be identi- fied and corrective measures instituted prior to commercial scale operations. The pilot plant is equipped with a wide range of process equipment to facilitate a degree of flexibility of unit operations common to all commercial food processing system. The following capabilities are available to the food processor: size reduction, separation, heat transfer, concentration, smoking, freezing, mixing and packaging. Equip- ment can be integrated to accommodate continuous or batch processes. The pilot plant is available to food processors, industrial or commodity groups, university researchers, federal or provincial agricultural personnel and equipment, ingredient or packaging suppliers who wish to demonstrate their products. Food Processing Development Centre xvi / Affaires de l'Institut The Centre is staffed by five food specialists who have a broad range of industrial and food research experience. At present the staff currently provide services in the areas of new product development, innovative process/tech- nology applications, industrial process start-up or modification and technology transfer. Industrial clients are encouraged to provide personnel for extended or com- plex projects. Results remain the property of the client and are kept con- fidential. Further information can be obtained by contacting: Dr. David J. Schroder Food Processing Development Centre, Alberta Agriculture P.O. Box 1217 Leduc, Alberta T9E 2Y7 Telephone: (403) 986-4793 Telex: 037-3308 Regulatory Herbs and Botannical Preparations Throughout history, herbs and botan- ical preparations have been used as foods or food ingredients and, because of the presence of pharmacologically active components, many have also found use in the treatment of certain medical conditions. However, the cor- rect use of herbs and botanical prepa- rations is essential to ensure personal safety. While the majority of herbs may be sold as foods, there remains a small per- centage of such substances which are inappropriate for use as foods because of the preseI)ce of potentially toxic com- ponents. The fact that herbs are natural products does not mean that they all may be used indiscriminately without any possibility of harm. Because of these safety considerations, certain adjustments to regulatory control mechanisms for these particular sub- stances may be necessary. This involves the classification of such herbs and botanical substances into two categories in addition to those which may be sold in an unrestricted manner. The first category would include those substances which warrant some restriction on their use but which may be sold as foods providing that the product carries an appropriate label statement. The second category would list substances containing toxic compo- nents of sufficient concerns to warrant their possible classification as adulter- ants and their consequent prohibition for sale as foods or food ingredients. The health Protection Branch intends to establish an expert advisory commit- tee on herbs and botanical preparations under the conditions stated in Informa- tion Letter No. 598 to assist in refining the regulatory concepts outlined above. The committee will be asked to review the available information and provide advice respecting: 1. Assessment of the dimension of the safety concerns associated with the sale of herbs and botanical prepara- tions as foods. 2. Development of the two categories of herbs and botanical preparations for the purpose of providing a com- prehensive listing and for a range of regulatory control mechanisms. To comply with the conditions for establishing an expert advisory commit- tee, interested parties are invited to make written representations to the Health Protection Branch on the above issues being referred to the committee. The representations must be made within 90 days of the date of publica- tion of this Information Letter. These representations should be factual and non-argumentative and must be accom- panied by a concise summary. They will form part of the information base to be reviewed by the committee. All representations on this issue should be addressed to: Chief, Food Regulatory Affairs Division, Food Directorate, Health Protection Branch, Department of National Health and Welfare, OTTAWA, Ontario KIA OL2 Telephone: (613) 990-8874 Comments that are received will be summarized and published in a subse- quent Information Letter. Comments will not be attributed to the contribu- tor unless the Branch is requested in writing to do so. If copies of specific comments and names of contributors are requested under Access to Informa- tion, personal information will be pro- tected in accordance with the Privacy Act and remaining parts of the record will be subject to the provisions of the Access to Information Act. Contributors are requested to identify trade secret, proprietal, commercial and other con- fidential information in submissions in order to avoid errors when comments are reviewed for possible disclosure. Correspondence intended as private or confidential must be marked as such. J. lnst. Can. Sci. Technol. Aliment. Vol. 18, No. I. 1985
