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Our Food & Nutrition Group has a team that is specialized to meet the various needs of our clients. Each senior staff member has the reassuring knowledge of knowing that behind them stand numerous, educated supporting scientists and toxicologists to ensure our clients’ needs are met with a team. To learn more about our Food & Nutrition primary consultants, please select a name from the list below.  We have only listed senior staff on the website, additional members of the team have bios that are available upon request.

Senior Management

• Ian C. Munro, Ph.D., F.A.T.S., FRCPath, Executive Vice President and Senior Scientific Consultant
• Ashley Roberts, Ph.D., Vice President, Food & Nutrition
• David Bechtel, Ph.D., DABT, Vice President, New Jersey Office, Senior Scientific Consultant
• Tatsuyuki Hayashi, B.Sc., Director, Japan Office, Senior Scientific Consultant

Senior Scientific & Regulatory Consultants

• Larry G. McGirr, Ph.D., Associate Director, Food & Nutrition Group
• Melody Harwood, M.Sc., Associate Director, Food & Nutrition Group
• Lois Haighton, B.Sc., DABT, Associate Director, Food & Nutrition Group
• Nigel Baldwin, B.Sc., MIFST, Senior Scientific & Regulatory Consultant
• Barry Lynch, B.Sc., DABT, Associate Director
• Kathy Musa-Veloso, Ph.D., Senior Scientific & Regulatory Consultant
• Bernadene Magnuson, Ph.D., Senior Scientific and Regulatory Consultant

Scientific & Regulatory Consultants

• Lina Paulionis, M.Sc., MHSc, RD Scientific & Regulatory Consultant
• Karen Young, Ph.D., Dietary Intake Specialist
• Georges P. Bergen, M.Sc., Scientific & Regulatory Consultant
• Jennifer DePietro, M.A., Scientific & Regulatory Consultant
• Stephanie M. Martyres, B. Sc., Scientific & Regulatory Consultant
• Barbara Danielewska-Nikiel, B.Sc., Scientist
• Andrea Wong, Ph.D., Scientist

Tatsuyuki Hayashi, the Director of our Japan office, is striving to harmonize strategies for our foreign clients wishing to expand into the Japanese market as well as other parts of Asia .  Tatsuyuki Hayashi has over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing in the health care industry in Japan .  Much of his work has involved developing import approvals and sales in Japan for new active natural food ingredients in the Japanese market.  His experience spans the development and establishment of business alliances between Japanese companies and foreign ones.  Mr. Hayashi was active as part of the NNFA-J (National Nutrient Food Association Japan) for expansion of the Japanese food supplement market through deregulation and its international harmonization for 6 years.  His work experience has him well versed in the regulations and approval processes in Japan .

Tatsuyuki Hayashi is a graduate in agricultural chemistry at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. 

Mr. Hayashi can offer not only food industry clients but also pharmaceutical and agricultural industry clients the know-how and expertise needed to achieve successful approval and product development in the Asian markets.

Larry G. McGirr, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Food & Nutrition Group

Dr. McGirr, a Senior Scientist, is the Associate Director of the Food & Nutrition Group. With over 15 years experience in the field of biochemical toxicology he has developed an extensive practice dealing with international regulatory issues related to the safety of major food materials. This expertise has led to the resolution of several clients’ complex regulatory issues.

Being well versed in the evaluation and development of safety programs for direct and indirect food additives, food ingredients, novel foods, drugs, cosmetics, and pesticides required for international regulatory approvals, he has participated in many expert panels regarding various food and dietary supplement product safety. Dr. McGirr has successfully managed the development of complex regulatory petitions involving safety data, methodology for estimating food additive/ingredient and contaminant intakes, and appropriate food and nutrition labeling.

He has published extensively in the area of biochemical toxicology concerning the molecular mechanisms associated with the toxicology of a wide range of chemicals including drugs, mycotoxins, and environmental chemicals. His diverse background in chemistry, knowledge of structure activity relationships, and of biochemical mechanisms of chemical toxicology have been applied to the area of risk assessment of various environmental chemicals, food contaminants, and major food ingredients/food additives.

Dr. McGirr is a graduate of the University of Calgary in Chemistry and Queen's University in Biochemistry, with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Western Ontario. He trained in analytical chemistry, nutritional toxicology, and biochemical toxicology at the University of Guelph and at the University of Toronto before becoming an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto teaching courses in biochemistry, and has also held research positions within Agriculture Canada.

Ms. Harwood is an Associate Director within the Food & Nutrition Group. As a scientific and regulatory consultant in the area of product development and safety, she demonstrates a comprehensive knowledge of international regulations and guidelines pertaining to food and natural health products and supplements. She is responsible for compilation and critical evaluation of toxicological data used for safety assessments of various food additives and ingredients, natural products, and flavouring agents. She also monitors international regulatory developments on additives and ingredients, functional foods, dietary supplements/natural health products, food labelling, and health-related claims.

Since joining Cantox in 1999, Melody has prepared and integrated scientific and regulatory strategies for various food and supplement ingredients, including substances that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS). Her expertise includes the preparation of petitions and Notifications for review by international regulatory authorities such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and Health Canada, as well as monographs for submission to the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).

Melody holds a B.Sc. (Honours) with a major in Biomedical Toxicology from the University of Guelph and a M.Sc. from the Life and Health Sciences Department of the University of Ulster with a specialization in European Food Regulatory Affairs. She is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), and the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA).

Ms. Haighton graduated from Queen's University with an honours B.Sc. in Life Sciences. While at Queen’s and immediately following graduation, she assisted with mechanistic research of fetal alcohol syndrome. Ms. Haighton was certified in general toxicology by the American Board of Toxicology in 2002 and is a member of the Society of Toxicology.

Having a wealth of knowledge and experience with international food, food ingredient and specialty chemical regulations, he is a recognized expert in the area of novel foods and food supplements in Europe with extensive practical insight into the areas of feed ingredients and additives, infant formula, functional foods and health claims. Providing invaluable expertise to international companies seeking to develop and implement strategies for gaining approvals for new products and health claims in Europe.

Prior to joining Cantox in 2003, Mr. Baldwin worked in technical and regulatory affairs for over 15 years, encompassing nutritional and chemical microbiology, analytical chemistry, food science, quality management and toxicology. He was previously Corporate Regulatory Affairs Manager for a major international food ingredient company working on regulatory strategies for food additives and novel food ingredients. 

He was also European Director of Technical and Regulatory Affairs for a major functional food ingredient company during its initial development and market launches working extensively on novel foods, food supplements, health claims, infant formula and feed regulatory approvals and strategies. He therefore has first hand experience of the technical, time and cost pressures facing new product development.

Mr. Baldwin received his B.Sc. with honours in biochemistry and physiology in 1987 from the University of Central Lancashire, majoring in microbial biotechnology and pharmacology. In addition to having been an active participant of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), he is also a member of the Institute of Food Science and Technology, and the Institute of Packaging.

Kathy Musa-Veloso, Ph.D.
Senior Scientific & Regulatory Consultant

Having completed a combined Honours B.Sc. degree in Kinesiology and Health Science at York University, Dr. Musa-Veloso went on to receive her M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto.

Bernadene Magnuson, Ph.D.
Senior Scientific & Regulatory Consultant

Lina Paulionis is a Scientific and Regulatory Consultant in the Food and Nutrition Group. Since joining Cantox in 2007, Lina has applied her scientific expertise in the substantiation of health claims (safety and efficacy) to advance client business interests. Lina works with passion, thoroughness and efficiency. Her concise writing style and attention to detail deliver to clients scientific and/or regulatory dossiers of an exceptional quality.

Lina has prepared health claim substantiation dossiers for submission to national and international regulatory bodies. She has expert knowledge of health claim substantiation requirements in Australia/New Zealand, Canada, European Union, Japan, and the United States and has presented at various conferences on this topic. She is a leader in Canada in the health claims area.

Lina holds an Honours B.Sc. in Biochemistry from McMaster University , a M.Sc. in Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences from the University of Guelph, and a M.H.Sc. in Public Health Sciences, Community Nutrition, from the University of Toronto. She is also a Registered Dietitian.

Lina’s past work experiences in academia (Program in Food Safety, Nutrition and Regulatory Affairs, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto) and government (as a Scientific Evaluator, Food Directorate, Health Canada and as a Nutritionist, Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Health Canada) have been invaluable to her professional development.

Karen Young, Ph.D.
Dietary Intake Specialist

Dr. Young is a nutritional scientist within the Food & Nutrition Group whose primary focus is the safety assessment of regulated products in the food industry, such as ingredients, neutraceuticals and dietary supplements. She assists clients by critically reviewing and interpreting scientific literature, while also developing protocols associated with the substantiation of specific health and structure function claims.

Being involved in dietary exposure assessment while also developing systems for intake assessment she additionally acts as an intake specialist. In her role as a leader of the intake team, she updates our global intake databases, and develops models for dietary exposure assessments.

Prior to joining Cantox in 2004, Dr. Young conducted several large clinical studies at an academic geriatric care facility affiliated with the University of Toronto. Previously she also furthered her business and marketing skills, which allow her to incorporate scientific regulations with the business and marketing strategies of our clients.

Dr. Young’s educational background was concentrated at the University of Toronto, where she received all of her degrees, beginning with her Honours Bachelor of Science in 1997, Master of Science in 1999. Most recently, in 2004, she received her Doctorate in Nutritional Sciences where she examined appetite regulation, and responses to nutrition interventions aimed at increasing food intake in seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and their associations with body mass index, cognitive impairment, and behavioural difficulties.

Georges P. Bergen, M.Sc.
Scientific & Regulatory Consultant

Mr. Bergen is a Scientific & Regulatory Consultant, based out of our New Jersey Office. Playing a key role in the preparation of GRAS (generally recognized as safe) documentation for a number of clients, he assists them identify new research and gather required safety data and exposure information to provide to internationally recognized experts for a final evaluation and determination of safety.

Since joining Cantox in 1996, Mr. Bergen has worked with clients wishing to market products containing saturated and unsaturated phytosterols, polyphenolic proanthocyanidin compounds, long chain poly-unsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA's), nondigestible polysaccharides, prebiotics, as well as with clients wishing to bring pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and nutritional supplement products to market. He has expertise pertaining to Health Canada and the introduction of Novel Food Submissions/Food Additive Petitions (FAP) into the Canadian marketplace. Spending considerable time assessing clinical and non-clinical data in the preparation of food and pharmaceutical regulatory documentation, Mr. Bergen plays an integral role in the planning, organization, and project management of projects. He has placed, reviewed and audited numerous toxicity studies for QA/QC and protocol compliance in support of the safety and use of pharmaceutical / food products.

Before joining Cantox, Mr. Bergen worked in the Drug Regulatory Affairs department for a multinational pharmaceutical firm. Responsibilities included preparing submissions to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including the compilation and assembly of investigational new drug applications (IND) and new drug applications (NDA).

Mr. Bergen received a Biology B.S. from Rutgers University and completed his M.S. in Environmental Sciences at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). In May 2006, he will receive an MPH in Environmental Toxicology from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Mr. Bergen is a member of the Society of Toxicology (SOT) and the American College of Toxicology (ACT).

Jennifer DePietro, M.A.
Scientific & Regulatory Consultant

Ms. DePietro, a scientist within the Food & Nutrition group, provides clients with her expertise in evaluating and summarizing toxicological data used in the assessment of human health hazards associated with exposure to chemicals and cosmetic products, as well as food additives and flavouring ingredients. In addition, she has prepared generally recognized as safe (GRAS) notifications, and pesticide and pharmaceutical submissions. Ms. DePietro is also experienced with the New Substances Notification Regulations of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), and preparation of new chemical submissions in accordance with this Act.

By critically evaluating non-clinical study reports she ensures compliance with international regulatory guidelines for the safety assessment of pharmaceuticals and food additives. As part of her responsibilities, Ms. DePietro assists in the research and review of published literature, relatable to current projects.

Previous to joining Cantox in 1997, Ms. DePietro worked as a Laboratory Analyst with Environmental Pro-Tech Services and as a Study Coordinator/Associate Research Scientist with Bristol-Myers Squibb, located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She brings to Cantox experience in analytic toxicology (water and sludge analysis), quality control, laboratory animal health, Good Laboratory Practice, and study monitoring. 

Ms. DePietro received a B.Sc. in Pharmacology and a M.A. in Toxicology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Her graduate research involved assessing the effects of PCB congeners on reproduction in the Rhesus monkey. She is also a member of the Society of Toxicology.

Stephanie M. Martyres, B.Sc.
Scientific & Regulatory Consultant

Ms. Martyres, a Scientist with the Food & Nutrition Group, has been with Cantox since 2001. Working with numerous clients, her primary role is to critically review, evaluate, and interpret data for safety assessments of food ingredients and additives, flavouring agents, and natural health products and dietary supplements. In addition, she monitors current research and regulatory developments to ensure clients receive the most accurate and up-to-date advice possible.

With her strong scientific background, Ms. Martyres prepares numerous expert opinion letters and evaluations. Working with an international clientele, her responsibilities also include the preparation of scientific and technical reports and regulatory submissions that have been accepted by Health Canada, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European regulatory authorities. In this role, she acts as a liaison with international regulatory authorities, while also working on the development of regulatory strategies for a range of projects.

As a scientist, Ms. Martyres has considerable experience with GRAS (generally recognized as safe) ingredients, novel food ingredient petitions, natural health product license applications and dietary supplement notifications, as well as food additive petitions and monographs for flavouring agents. She is also responsible for conducting complex literature searches and identifying relevant scientific literature on topics related to a variety of Cantox projects.

Ms. Martyres received her Honours B.Sc. in Toxicology from the University of Toronto and regularly attends regulatory affairs workshops and courses.

Barbara Danielewska-Nikiel, B.Sc.
Scientist

Ms. Danielewska-Nikiel, a scientist with the Food and Nutrition Group, has been with Cantox since 2002. Her scientific expertise allows her to critically evaluate and assess the safety and efficacy of new food ingredients and additives, flavouring agents, natural health products, and dietary supplements, while her knowledge of international food regulations provides her with the ability to advise our clients regarding the most appropriate strategies for receiving approval for their products.

While at Cantox, Ms. Danielewska-Nikiel has been a key player in successfully preparing several GRAS (generally recognized as safe) dossiers for numerous clients. Along with preparing successful GRAS dossiers, she has also prepared dietary supplement notifications, food additive petitions, novel food petitions, and natural health product license applications for approval of new food ingredients and supplement products in the EU, U.S., and Canada. Her well written, organized, and extensively researched reports prepared for an international clientele, have been submitted to Health Canada, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the European Food Safety Authority. She has played a pivotal role in the preparation of monographs for submission to the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and has co-authored several publications related to food safety.

Ms. Danielewska-Nikiel received her Honors B.Sc. in Toxicology from the University of Toronto. She continues to take courses, including a number of regulatory courses, through the Michigan State University where she is currently enrolled on a part-time basis in a Master of Science degree program in Food Safety. Through these and other courses and regular conference attendance, she keeps up-to-date on current regulations, changing market trends, and new scientific findings concerning food and nutrition.

Andrea Wong, Ph.D.
Scientist

Dr. Wong is a Scientific and Regulatory Consultant within the Food and Nutrition business group. In this capacity, she critically evaluates and interprets toxicological data used in the assessment of human health hazards associated with exposure to chemicals, food ingredients and additives, and dietary supplements. Dr. Wong has played a key role in numerous successful GRAS (generally recognized as safe) determinations, and is involved in the preparation of petitions for evaluation by several international regulatory authorities, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health Canada, and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). She is experienced in preparing documentation for novel food, food additive, and food packaging submissions, as well as clinical trial applications.

Dr. Wong received her B.Sc. with honours in Life Sciences from Queen's University and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Toronto. During her graduate studies, Dr. Wong was awarded several scholarships, including the Society of Toxicology Novartis Graduate Student Fellowship and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Post-Graduate Scholarship.

Dr. Wong has published papers in peer-reviewed journals concerning mechanisms of toxicity and the safety of food ingredients, and has presented her research at international scientific meetings of the Society of Toxicology, the Society for Neuroscience and the Teratology Society. In addition to attending international conferences, Dr. Wong continues her education by participating in regulatory affairs courses. Dr. Wong is a member of the Society of Toxicology.