Technical Advisors

Meet our Team of Technical Advisors

Every product that displays the Health Check symbol must first meet the program’s nutrient criteria. Health Check’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) guides the development and revisions of the criteria. TAC is made up of registered dietitians and nutrition experts from across Canada who volunteer their time to Health Check.

TAC members have backgrounds in academia, government and nutrition consulting. These experts keep up to date on regulatory and scientific issues, evaluate food trends and track similar programs worldwide and incorporate this information into the Health Check nutrient criteria. TAC members also contribute to educational strategies as well as research and evaluation.

Members of TAC

Chair, Rickey Y. Yada, Ph.D: Dr. Rickey Yada received his PhD from the Department of Food Science at the University of British Columbia in 1984. He has served as Chair of the Department of Food Science and as the Assistant Vice President Research, both at the University of Guelph. He is presently a Professor in the Department of Food Science, a Canada Research Chair in Food Protein Structure and the Scientific Director of the Advanced Foods and Materials Network in Canada. He has participated on numerous research awards panels and committees, both at the national and international levels. Among other activities,   he is the Chair of the Scientific Council, International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST), the North American Editor for Trends in Food Science and Technology and is on editorial boards for several journals. He is the author of over 170 refereed journal publications and several book chapters. Dr. Yada is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology, International Academy of IUFoST and the Institute of Food Technologists.

Chantal Blais, RD: Chantal is head of the clinical nutrition department at the Clinical Research Institute of Montreal. She is a member of the Ordre Professionnel des diététistes du Québec and a member of the Executive Committee of the Quebec Society for lipids, Nutrition and Metabolism and of the Quebec Society for Hypertension.

Sharyn Joliat, MSc, RD: Sharyn is President of Info Access (1988) Inc., a company specializing in computer-assisted nutrient analysis of recipes, menus, product formulations, nutrition labelling and related services to a variety of clients. In addition, she provides consulting services on the implementation of computer systems in institutional food service and dietary departments.

Laurie A. Wadsworth, PhD, PDt, FDC: Laurie is an associate professor of the Department of Human Nutrition at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. She has over 12 years of experience in Public Health. Her research interests include effectiveness of nutrition communications, effects of mass media use on food choice behaviours and health promotion program planning and evaluation.

Cara Rosenbloom, RD: Cara is the president of Words to Eat By, a nutrition communications company based in Toronto. Cara educates the public by translating complex nutrition information into usable and helpful advice. Cara is recognized by the media as an authority on nutrition, and spreads the message of wellness through her CTV News blog, monthly columns in Canadian Living magazine, dynamic group presentations, and appearances on TV and radio.

John Jenkins, B. Sc.: John has worked within the packaged foods consumer products industry for over 30 years with major corporations. He also has his own consulting business which specializes in working on a variety of scientific and regulatory issues.

Over the years, John has taken many industry related courses, and has also chaired and participated on many industry committees.

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