Food For Thought

It has been nearly 20 years since the Enivronmental Protection Agency (EPA) has updated the effluent limitation guidelines for meat and poultry processing plants, and the agency is now quietly taking steps to make a proposal on new standards. Chris Young, executive director for the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP), joins the Food For Thought podcast this week to talk through the process thus far.

This episode is the first in a two-part series sponsored by RSM. Listen to Part 2 here.

Creating resiliency throughout a food and beverage business has been a target of many companies in the industry, and technology today can help them attain their goals in many instances.

In today’s Food For Thought episode, which is the first of a two-part series brought to you by R S M, Christian Winzeler, principal at RSM, discusses food and beverage companies’ desire for building resiliency, as well as some of the tools those businesses should be using to achieve their targets in this space.

Learn more about RSM

Stephanie Powell, director of marketing for Alpha Baking Co., discusses the results of a survey Alpha Baking commissioned to determine how consumers construct sandwiches using their Thanksgiving leftovers. From their choice of bread type and whether they use turkey or ham, to pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes — plus a few non-leftover "must haves" — the choices consumers make are interesting! At the least, they demonstrate a cornucopia of culinary experimentation over the Thanksgiving weekend.

View the article, including several charts of data from Alpha Baking's survey, by visiting our web site.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, from all of us at Food Processing!

This episode is sponsored by IDS Imaging Development Systems.

Artificial intelligence is here, and food and beverage processors, as well as manufacturing at large, would be best served to take notice and get moving, or they might miss out on the benefits that AI and machine learning can bring.

Philip Freidin, an applications engineer at IDS Imaging Development Systems, joins us in this episode to give his perspective on what the short- and long-term outlook is for these innovative technologies and what applications might benefit most from the solutions they can provide.

Learn more about IDS Imaging Development Systems

As the 2023 calendar year winds down, the protein industry sits in an interesting position. Each segment of the industry — whether conventional animal protein, plant-based, alternative and cultivated animal products — stands at a different point in its evolution, and the short-term future is certainly intriguing for all.

We sat down with Nicole Johnson-Hoffman, a CEO, independent board director and protein-industry veteran, to get her insights on what to expect in 2024 and beyond for the industry and companies dealing in plant-based, conventional animal, cultivated and alternative protein products.

Visit the Food Processing web page to learn more.

When Tyson Foods announced a partnership with insect ingredients company Protix in mid-October, it made significant headlines and raised a positively curious eyebrow or two, at least among consumers. And although Tyson’s initial plan focuses on insect protein as a feed and pet food ingredient, we wanted to discuss the idea of insects as a food source both today and in the future. Alexandra Kazaks, PhD, RDN, joined us for that very reason. She is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists Nutrition Division and an experienced communicator of nutrition and health information from a scientific viewpoint for healthcare, industry, and the general public.

To be successful in the food and beverage processing world, processors must keep up with the ever-increasing pace of innovation in operations. Plant and equipment design standards are always on the move, and we spoke with Paul Krechel, vice president of Sales, Service and Parts for Deville Technologies to get his take on how collaboration between processors and vendors can help the industry keep up.

This episode is sponsored by Deville Technologies.

Read the transcript of this episode on Food Processing's web site.

Geoff Coltman is a vice president at Catena Solutions, a supply chain-focused consultancy with deep ties to the food and beverage space. In today's episode of the Food For Thought podcast, Geoff gives his insights on the recently announced acquisition of Hostess Brands by J. M. Smucker, analyzing what it means for each company, its customers and the industry at large. In addition, Geoff offers his thoughts on the mergers and acquisitions landscape in the food and beverage industry today and in the near future.

The unsung heroes of a processing plant’s operation, drives and motors keep operations running effectively and efficiently — and often aren’t noticed unless they’re not performing up to standards for throughput, efficiency and food safety. Tony Pariseau, key market specialist for food and beverage at Nord Drivesystems, joined us recently to share what the team at Nord views as pushing the envelope of innovation in drive technology in the food & beverage industry today. This episode is sponsored by Nord Drivesystems.

Kristin Demoranville is the founder and CEO of AnzenSage, a cybersecurity firm focused on the food sector. In this episode of the Food For Thought podcast, Kristin offers her thoughts on where the food and beverage industry stands on cybersecurity and what processors should be doing to bolster their defenses and champion the cause within their organizations. Read more on our Web page.