The closing of a major federal government research centre in Guelph, Ont., is a “big blow” to food science and outbreak prevention in Canada, increasing the risk of food-borne illnesses at a precarious time for the North American food-safety system, a Canadian expert in the field is warning. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada confirmed last week that it would be shuttering seven federal research sites across the country, including the Guelph Research and Development Centre in southwestern Ontario.