In this episode, Stephanie Major, a senior at Iowa State University, outlines a research project that aimed to better understand how bacon becomes discolored under varying types of retail lights. With Major as co-leader of the research team, the study involved treating cured bacon with natural antioxidants and then packaging the product in aerobic (overwrap) and anaerobic (vacuum packed) containers. Major and Dr. Terry Hauser, associate director at Iowa State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, explain the results of the study, which found that the type of packaging was more effective than an antioxidant treatment alone in preventing photo-oxidation in bacon in storage or on retail shelves.

In this episode, Kromm will outline the specifics of the original USDA plan to monitor Salmonella contamination levels in processing plants as well as the goals for tracking various serotypes of Salmonella as well as other pathogens among poultry. She also notes that the proposed regulations – which were challenged by the poultry industry and other stakeholders – ultimately could have complicated the processing and supply chain needs of the chicken and turkey processors. She also will update the status of the battle against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which is now in its fourth year and has affected wild birds, broilers, egg layers and a wide range of other mammals, including dairy cows, cats, dogs, otters, foxes and other domestic and wild animals. Kromm also outlines other approaches under consideration in response to HPAI, including the use of vaccines.

Developing custom flavors for new and existing foodservice and restaurant customers for sous vide proteins involves collaboration and communication, according to Keith Goerl, Vice President, R&D and Commercialization at Ed Miniat LLC. Successfully meeting client needs means employing a variety of channels to stay ahead of emerging flavor trends and testing new concept inside the in-house kitchens, he adds. In this episode, Goerl also addresses operational lessons learned during the pandemic and how the resurgence of foodservice and new relationships forged during COVID affected Miniat’s post-pandemic business.

Confusion is a major barrier for alt-meat companies struggling to gain traction with shoppers — confusion about healthfulness, ingredients, labels. Add to that a disconnect between consumer expectation and reality on matters of taste and texture. In short, consumers don’t trust the information they’re getting. Trust in the food system is what the Center for Food Integrity is all about, and CFI has new data that segments consumers by levels of trust, in their food and in the players in the food industry. From the “progressive disruptor” to the “comfort seekers,” Charlie Arnot, CEO of CFI, has studied these micro-communities. He knows who they listen to, and why — drawing a road map for alt-meat companies to build brand relationships with their end-users.

As avian influenza continues to affect the poultry industry – as well as dairy cows and other mammals like cats and even seals – researchers are developing a hand-held device that can detect the virus that causes bird flu in the air in minutes with a success rate of 90%. Dr. Rajan Chakrabarty at Washington University in St. Louis, is leading a team of scientists that previously created an electrochemical capacitive biosensing (ECP) device to detect the virus that spread COVID-19 five years ago. The current goal is to shorten the time to confirm bird flu in such places as poultry barns, farms and commercial hatcheries. He also tells MeatingPod that the team plans to develop an ECB that simultaneously senses multiple types of viruses in the air with the same level of effectiveness.

With current USDA rules on Salmonella in frozen and raw poultry products, the fight to combat microbial infection also is being waged on the hatchery level using research that ultimately could protect humans from some biological invasions. Dr. Margie Lee from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine is involved in groundbreaking research on how the chicken microbiome allows chicks to fight off Salmonella after they hatch in a concept called competitive exclusion. Dr. Lee offers insights into how these findings are advancing the cause against Salmonella and how a seminar on earthworms sparked the concepts that ultimately could better protect other species by monitoring microbiome conditions.

According to Tim Vlcek, a food safety consultant and also the CEO of a direct-to-consumer meat business, explains how maintaining proper food safety protocols can directly impact a processor’s profitability because it makes managing operations more efficient. In this episode, he outlines the connection between maintaining consistent food safety standards that start with upper management and, in an ideal situation, work their way down to the production line. He also describes how his meat company develops new products by making sure he and his team understand what customers want either in retail or in foodservice.

North Carolina is home to a number of groundbreaking alt-meat development centers, from the soon-to-be-completed Believer Meats cultivated meat plant, to the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab, and most recently, the first of three global Bezos Centers for Sustainable Protein at North Carolina State. Bill Aimutis has been in the proteins industry for decades, and now is co-director of the Bezos Center in North Carolina. In this episode, he makes a return visit to MeatingPod’s Alt-Meat edition to discuss what makes the US Bezos Center unique, as well as an integral part of the global alt-meat ecosystem, and what to expect from the center in the coming year.