Alumni Profile: Maureen Gitata

Alumni Profile: Maureen Gitata

May 31, 2016

Growing up in Nyahururu, Kenya, Maureen Gitata knew that a scholarship was probably the only way she’d be able to go to college. Many in her community, including her parents, are part-time subsistence farmers, growing enough food to feed their families with a little left over to sell.

“I saw my parents struggle to put my siblings and me through primary and high school,” Gitata says. “I knew I’d need a scholarship if I wanted to further my education.”

So she set about earning one. Gitata got a scholarship to study economics at St. Lawrence University in New York, and after working in finance in Boston, Massachusetts for a year, arrived at UBC in 2015 as a MasterCard Foundation Scholar.

The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program at UBC provides academically talented yet economically disadvantaged young people from Sub-Saharan Africa access to quality and relevant university education who are interested in moving back and contributing to economic progress in their countries. Gitata enrolled in our Masters of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE) program, a one-year course-based professional master’s degree geared towards graduates and professionals looking to sharpen their skill-sets with more advanced economics and real world applications.

“The MFRE’s focus on applied economics, policy, and agribusiness management was very well aligned with my career goals,” she said. “I wanted to gain advanced studies in economics and specialize in a field relevant to international development, and it’s provided me with a wide range of skills and knowledge.”

In Kenya, agriculture contributes 30% of the country’s GDP. Through the MFRE program, Gitata learned the economics of the agricultural sector, and the policies that are necessary to uplift the agricultural sector and economy of Kenya, as well as other developing countries that rely on agriculture as the key driver of economic growth. After graduation, Gitata returned to Kenya, where she accepted a consultant position with Dalberg Global Development Advisors, a strategy consulting firm focused on development.

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Joy of Feeding 2016

May 26, 2016

This unique inter-generational, international food festival and annual fundraiser for UBC Farm celebrates home-cooked dishes from around the world.

Vij’s, Terra Breads, the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts and UBC Food Services bring together fifteen home cooks of different cultural backgrounds—from Egypt to Switzerland to Turkey and beyond—to offer a taste of their favourite recipes.

Showcasing culinary traditions from around the world, Joy of Feeding was created by Chef Meeru Dhalwala of Vij’s and Rangoli restaurants to celebrate whole foods, culture and cooking.

DATE/TIME: Saturday, June 25, 2016 | 5pm to 8pm – Rain or Shine

COST: $55 for guests 13 and over; children 12 and under are complimentary but must be registered.

Beer and wine will also be available for purchase. Meet the cooks, and learn more about the event.

LOCATION: UBC Farm, 3461 Ross Drive, Vancouver, BC (See Map)

Questions? Please contact Kirsten Armour at kirsten.armour@ubc.ca or 604.827.5831.

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Dr. Sara Dubois

Animal Welfare Researchers to Develop Wildlife Accreditation Program

Apr 26, 2016

The control of problem wildlife is a global issue and an unsolved problem of animal welfare. Although many wildlife control companies market their methods as “humane”, there are few standards and currently no third-party accreditation programs.

Earlier this month, LFS Adjunct Professor Sara Dubois and Professor David Fraser were awarded $180,000 from the Vancouver Foundation to create an accreditation program for humane wildlife control. The funding will support the development of the program in 2016, a BC pilot project in 2017, and a BC-wide strategy in 2018.

Drawing on global research and the BC SPCA’s experience in managing an accreditation program for animal-source foods, the new project will set out widely accepted principles and standards, and develop a self-sustaining accreditation program to certify that companies are using humane methods.

Prof. David Fraser

The project began in late-2014 with a Solutions Initiative grant from the Peter Wall Institute which funded the hiring of LFS alumna Erin Ryan (BSc APBI) for 2015 & 2016, and the hosting of an international workshop at UBC in July 2015. The additional funding from the Vancouver Foundation will bring Nicole Fenwick (MSc graduate from the Animal Welfare Program) into the team to work on implementing the accreditation program.

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Mission IMPULSEible 2016

Mar 30, 2016

Mission ImPULSEible is a food development contest where students are challenged to create an innovative and healthy new food product utilizing pulses as ingredients. The team also competed in the 2016 CIFST National Mission ImPULSEible competition, held in Vancouver, in February. A panel of judges evaluated these new food products based on aspects such as creative usage of the pulses, marketability, and overall health and sensory characteristics.

The LFS undergraduate team represented BC with their product called “cocoaPEA².” With the slogan of “happeaness is just a bite away,” this product is a vegan, gluten-free and nut-free fudge bar made with lentils and chickpeas. It is low in saturated fats and high in fibre and protein. The team experimented with various ideas – including breakfast bars that were Japanese yuzu, purple yam, and matcha red bean flavoured– before deciding to go with a fudge product that people could incorporate into their diets as a healthy dessert.

“It was a great experience to connect with food science/nutrition students and culinary students from across the world, as well as connect with professionals in the food industry,” explains Olivia. “The Pulse Canada staff showed genuine interest in our products and gave us valuable advice about school and work.”

“We gained a lot of valuable experiences from working together in a team to meet deadlines, make all of our ideas fit, and the numerous times we had to recreate our product from scratch,” says April. “Overall, it was very fun meeting everyone at the competition and I’m very proud of our accomplishments.”

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UBC Dietitian on the Possibilities and Pitfalls of Meal Replacements

Mar 17, 2016

By Corey Allen, UBC Public Affairs

The meal replacement industry is big business. Sales for the liquids and powders that act as a substitute for solid food have increased steadily over the past few years. In the United States, the industry is set to reach $3.9 billion in sales in the next three years, according to a 2014 report by Euromonitor, an international market research firm.

Economic success has led to stiff competition amongst the companies and labs concocting what some have called “food of the future.” From Boost to HerbaLife to Soylent, the variety of products available to consumers has never been more abundant.

But can these drinks really replace food? And how do you know which one to buy? Kara Vogt, registered dietitian and clinical instructor in the faculty of land and food systems, helps explain meal replacements.

Can someone solely survive on meal replacements?

It is technically possible. The products on the market are designed to contain a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals to meet the nutritional needs of the average person. It might not be terribly exciting, given these drinks have limited flavor options and lack texture. When we consider what a healthy approach to eating actually is, it’s a lot more complicated than simply consuming nutrients for survival. Taste, texture, and social interaction all play a big part in a healthy approach to eating. From a clinical perspective, some people live off of meal replacements out of necessity. For example, someone who has had a severe stroke and can no longer chew and swallow would rely on a fully liquid diet.Can someone solely survive on meal replacements?

With so many different brands available, how does a consumer know which product is the best meal replacement drink for them?

The balance of nutrients in most liquid products is quite similar. However, the source and quality of the nutrients can be variable. Proteins used in liquid products can be from plant or animal sources and fats can be unsaturated or saturated. Since liquid products are manufactured in an industrial setting, the ingredients are not the most natural even if products claim to be. That could be a concern for people who strive to choose foods that are closest to their natural form. The marketing campaigns behind each product make them appear to be very different from one another, when in reality many of the nutrients in each product are quite similar.

If marketing is the differentiator, do these drinks promise what they say they’ll do? How accurate is the packaging?

This is where it is challenging for the consumer. The regulations governing labeling and nutrition claims for liquid nutrition products are very complex. Oftentimes, the packaging can be misleading.

For example, Soylent states the sugar source in their product is isomaltulose from beets. On their website, Soylent says isomaltulose is a “slow-metabolizing” disaccharide. Some research has found that isolmaltulose is metabolized slower than regular sugar. However, it is certainly not slow-metabolizing compared to protein, fat and fibre. This doesn’t mean it’s bad; it’s just not very accurate to describe a dissacharaide as “slow-metabolizing.” The way the ingredients are explained or marketed in most of these drinks creates misconceptions about nutrition amongst consumers.

How can meal replacements factor into a healthy diet?

I think most of the people who incorporate meal replacements into their diet do so by balancing them with solid food, such as opting to have a shake for a breakfast and then solid food for lunch and dinner. They don’t exist solely on meal replacements. I think anyone can make it work in balancing meal replacements with other things to eat. One key pitfall of liquid nutrition is the risk of consuming too much throughout the day. Liquid drinks don’t keep you full for very long, which can lead to over-consuming calories.

This article originally appeared in the March 2016 edition of UBC Reports. It is re-printed here with permission of the author.

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