Dr. Jim House is a Professor in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba. He completed his Ph.D. in amino acid nutrition and metabolism from the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada in 1996. Since arriving at the University of Manitoba in 1998, he has maintained research programs in 3 primary areas: 1) understanding factors regulating sulphur amino acid metabolism in animals; 2) sustainable egg production systems, including novel value-added egg products; and 3) determining factors influencing the quality of dietary proteins. His research program has trained 40 graduate students and 15 post-doctoral fellows, as well as over 40 undergraduate research assistants. His research program has advanced our understanding of factors affecting the utilization of plant- and animal-based protein sources in the human diet. He has received awards from the Canadian Society of Animal Science, the Canadian Society of Nutritional Sciences (now the Canadian Nutrition Society), as well as awards for merit and administrative service from the University of Manitoba. In 2018, Dr. House was elected as President for the Canadian Nutrition Society, and currently serves as Past-President. His research program is funded via NSERC Discovery Grants, as well as numerous tripartite funding programs involving industry and government partners.
In 2019, the newest iteration of Canada’s Food Guide was released where a new “protein” food group encompassed protein foods of both animal and plant origins as part of healthy dietary patterns. The Food Guide also endorsed that Canadians consume plant protein foods more often, with principles emphasizing the importance of environmental sustainability. In some regards, Canada’s food guide aligns with global discussions that integrate dietary patterns that reduce risk factors for chronic disease and decrease the effects of food production on outcomes related to climate change and environmental preservation. Under the context of protein, adopting dietary patterns that are healthy and environmentally sustainable can be complex, given the need to balance consumer expectations of taste with societal goals. This session will focus on the plant protein landscape in Canada and the integration of plant protein into healthy and sustainable dietary patterns.