A distinctive orange glow at Loyalist College has marked the commencement of an innovative research collaboration with the renowned local snack brand, W.T. Hawkins. Hawkins Cheezies have been produced in Belleville since 1956.
The pandemic forced changes for many, including Hawkins, whose packaging supplier was no longer going to be able to provide their familiar packaging for Hawkins Cheezies. Seeking new packaging posed risks to the stability of the product. To ensure consistency, they turned to Loyalist College’s Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis for a baseline study on the cheezies qualities.
myFM spoke with researcher Jennifer Zechel, who say’s they’ve been working with Hawkins for some time now and are nearing the end of their initial baseline project.
The researchers are focusing on a number of physical characteristics of the cheezies.
They conducted a microbial panel and periodically retested the samples to monitor any changes over time.
In April, they’re set to conduct their final test and establish a baseline for future work with their partner.
Zechel says this project is only scoped for this initial baseline
We also asked Zechel the question on most people’s minds, “Is your lab now stained orange?”
A.J. McGarvey, General Manager & CFO for W.T. Hawkins Inc. says they are “confident that this collaboration will support our continuous striving for excellence at W.T. Hawkins and benefit Hawkins Cheezie lovers across the country.”
You can learn more about applied research and innovation at Loyalist College here.
Take a peek into the lab here on their Instagram.
Written by Emily Chatwood
