As the first year of a new Red River College program wraps up, food producers, chefs and tasters are eating it up.
Before new food products hit your plate they have to pass a test.
Researchers at Paterson GlobalFoods Institute give marks for smell, look, texture and, of course, taste.
That's valuable information for local food producers who partner with aspiring chefs.
Anyone who visits this cafe can participate and serve up opinions about what they're eating.
"We get a great cross-section, and we need a minimum 100 people for each test to make the results reliable and we have no problem being able to get that many people through here,” said Jason Wortzman with food producer Granny's Poultry Farmers.
Unlike many food research centres, students in culinary arts prepare the food, giving them a cutting edge as they enter the job market.
"To be able to work with a product before it goes into the industry is a really cool thing,” said student Donnie Favereau.
Sampling the products before they hit the market means everyone involved helps shape the tastes of the future.
"Let your opinion be known - at least you can't say, ‘Well, nobody asked me,’” said taste-tester Christine Cleveland.
Fat, sugar and salt often lead the taste buds but new products test if healthier options can compare.
"The general palate is geared towards things that are a little more processed and that's what we want to start moving away from, " said Jon Royal, chef with Paterson GlobalFoods Institute.
For instance, chickens fed flaxseed adds omega 3 fatty acids to the meat. Research will determine if the product needs tweaks before hitting shelves this fall.
