Scientific program of the Observatory
The Food Quality Observatory brings together renowned researchers and research professionals. Its work is based on the highest scientific standards and rigorous, internationally proven methodologies. While its studies focus on two main areas, namely Food Categories and Food in Institutional Settings, a third area, Knowledge Mobilization, supports their outreach.
Find out more about the 2021-2025 scientific program.
Overview of Food Categories
The work area of Food Categories observes the quality of the food supply and monitors its evolution over time.
Publications and reportsThe teams’ work contributes to the development and validation of innovative methods for observing and monitoring changes in all aspects of food quality.
Fifteen food categories are being studied. These were selected based on four criteria:
– Their penetration rate in households;
– The variability of nutritional composition within the category;
– Their potential for improvement;
– Their impact on health.
The data generated by these studies make it possible to identify and monitor the quality of these foods and consumer purchases over time.
The initial profile of the 15 categories was compiled between 2016 and 2022. The team is currently conducting follow-up studies, which are expected to be completed in 2026.
Team
The team working on Food Categories is led by Véronique Provencher, Dt.P., Ph.D., Scientific Director of the Observatory, and Marie-Ève Labonté, Dt.P., Ph.D., co-lead researcher for this area of focus.
Their team of research professionals includes:
- Dylan Guillemette, M.Sc., Research Professional
- Julie Perron, Dt.P., M.Sc., research professional – nutritionist
- Sonia Pomerleau, Dt.P., M.Sc., research professional – nutritionist
- Clara-Jane Rhéaume, B.Sc., research professional – statistician
Several students also contribute to the projects through research internships, master’s or doctoral work:
- Camille Bernard, M. Sc. candidate – Changes in the overall nutritional value of ready-to-eat foods based on price, organic status, and naturalness
- Virginie Drolet-Labelle, Ph. D. candidate – Healthy and sustainable consumption of non-alcoholic beverages in Canada
- Jolène Fournier, M. Sc. candidate – Assessment and monitoring the local aspects of commonly purchased foods in Quebec and associations with overall nutritional quality and price
- Isabelle Petitclerc, Ph. D. candidate – Analysis of the association between price and nutritional quality of foods in Canada: changes in food supply in response to marketing strategies and the new front-of-package nutrition symbol
- Kim Terrault, M. Sc. candidate – Changes in the overall nutritional quality of prepackaged foods and associations with the presence of sweeteners and sugar claims.
Food in Institutional Settings
Food in institutional settings is the second focus of the Observatory's work. Its studies aim to measure and/or monitor the quality of food in various settings. These settings may be institutional (hospitals, care centers, etc.), municipal, or educational. According to the Observatory's definition, the assessment of the quality of food provision in institutions must take into account issues of availability, accessibility, affordability, and acceptability to the population.
Publications and reportsCharacterization of institutional food offer (ALINS)
As part of the Government Health Prevention Policy (PGPS), the Observatory has been identified as contributing to the achievement of Measure 3.2, which aims to improve the nutritional quality of food in Quebec.
The ALINS project is divided into two phases. First, the Quebec government mandated the Observatory to conduct, in parallel with sectoral studies, a study of existing tools for measuring the quality of food supply for evaluation in health care facilities. The objective of phase 1 of this research project was to identify measurement tools for evaluating and monitoring the quality of food supply in all healthcare facilities, with the support of the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches regions. Since none of the tools identified during phase 1 were suitable for use in Quebec healthcare facilities, the Quebec government commissioned the Observatory to conduct a second phase of the project. The objective of this phase is to develop and validate a tool for evaluating and monitoring the quality of food offerings specific to the needs of healthcare facilities in the province.
Work on the ALINS project is led by Anne-Sophie Morisset, Dt.P., Ph.D., in collaboration with Marie-Ève Labonté, Dt.P, Ph.D., and Laure Saulais, Ph.D.
Nutritious and local food (ANEL)
Healthcare institutions in Quebec have a duty to be exemplary in terms of the nutritional quality of the food they offer, the standards for which are set out in the healthy eating reference framework established by the Ministry of Health and Social Services. More recently, the MAPAQ’s National Strategy for the Purchase of Quebec Food Products (SNAAQ) has extended this duty to set an example to procurement practices, encouraging institutions to increase the proportion of local products in their purchases. The challenge facing institutions is therefore to offer food that is both healthy and local. However, institutional purchasing is governed by very specific and sometimes complex rules that can make this reconciliation difficult.
What are the best ways to integrate these objectives of provenance and nutritional quality into the decision-making processes of healthcare institutions? This is the question addressed by the ANEL project.
More specifically, the Observatory’s mandate from the government for this project is to design a decision-making tool to help healthcare institutions implement a food offering that is both healthy and local. This project contributes to objective 3.2.3 of the government’s health prevention policy (PGPS).
The ANEL project is led by Laure Saulais, Ph.D., in collaboration with Anne-Sophie Morisset, Dt.P., Ph.D., and Marie-Ève Labonté, Dt.P, Ph.D.
Team
The team working on Food in Institutional Settings is led by Anne-Sophie Morisset, Dt.P., Ph.D., Laure Saulais, Ph.D., and Marie-Ève Labonté, Dt.P., Ph.D.
Their team of research professionals includes:
- Julie Fortier, M.Sc., research professional
- Stéphanie Harrison, Dt.P, Ph.D, research professional – nutritionist
- Jeanne Loignon, M.Sc., research professional
Several students also contribute to the projects through research internships, master’s or doctoral work:
- Justine Chouinard Ph. D. candidate – Eco-efficiency as a lever for sustainability: in-depth analysis of the nutritional quality, environmental impact, and cost of meals served in hospitals
- Florence Lemire-Daigle, M. Sc. candidate – Nutritious and local institutional food offer: Towards a better understanding of the decision-making process in Quebec’s health and social services network institutions
Knowledge mobilization
To bring knowledge “out of the walls,” several initiatives have been implemented with the help of media partners: articles, conferences, webinars, interviews, etc.
NewsThe objective is to ensure effective knowledge transfer to priority target audiences and all stakeholders in the food supply chain in order to improve food quality and accessibility.
The visibility activities in this area are aimed at:
- Decision-makers and partnersA
- The bio-food industry
- The scientific community
- Consumers
Team
The Knowledge Mobilization team is led by Laurélie Trudel, Assistant Director of INAF. Her team of research and support professionals includes:
- Émilie Chouinard-Cyr, MA, Media Relations Officer
- Julie Fortier, MSc, Research Professional
- Jeanne Loignon, MSc, Research Professional
- Julie Perron, Dt. P., MSc, Research Professional – Nutritionist