Rising food prices have caught the attention of Canadians, leading to less meat consumption and a more careful approach to shopping. Meanwhile, one academic says Statistics Canada may be underestimating how much food inflation has taken place. Even if Statistics Canada’s estimates are on the conservative side, the increase is still substantial. The agency reports that meat prices have risen about 10 percent in the past six months, while the price of groceries has risen 8 to 10 percent over that time. However, Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University in Halifax, says the increase could be even higher. “Currently, Statistics Canada could be underestimating the food inflation rate by at least 1.5 percent, if not more,” he said in a commentary published Sept. 22. “A 1.5 percent increase for an average family of four would represent approximately $180 to $200 worth of food each year.” To …