MeatingPod is the podcast of Meatingplace, the premier magazine and news source for the meat and poultry processing industry, and of Alt-Meat, the only business information resource for the exploding alternative meat industry. Each week, our award-winning editorial teams put you in the room as we interview industry thought leaders in business, plant operations, marketing, science and technology on the topics that matter to our community. Tune in on Mondays and get the inside track on the peo ...
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With new USDA rules on Salmonella in frozen and raw poultry taking effect, the fight to address microbial infection actually is also being waged on the hatchery level using research that ultimately could protect humans from some biological invasions. Our guest is Dr. Margie Lee, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies at Virginia-Maryland …
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This episode will focus on a specific category of food products that includes meat that is marketed to consumers following strict Jewish dietary laws or those who appreciate the value of foods that carry the Kosher seal. Felipe Kleiman, founder and CEO of KLM Kosher, outlines the efforts meat processors (and other food companies) must make to offer…
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Several companies across several continents are blazing a trail to a future cultivated meat market for consumers. They have, invariably, run into slippery slopes and rock slides. One company that has run into fewer obstacles is Australia’s Vow. Adding a tablespoon of showmanship to a gallon of hard-core R&D, and remaining dedicated to not just nove…
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With major meat processors making bold investments in high-tech upgrades, companies like Cargill Inc. are seeing benefits in terms of increased efficiency, higher levels of plant safety, improved yields on the production line and workers with new skills. In this episode of MeatingPod, Enrique Villars, Cargill North America’s Manufacturing Excellenc…
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In this first episode of a three-part series, Anne-Marie Roerink, principal at 210 Analytics and the author of the annual Power of Meat report for the last 19 years, offers perspectives from the consumer point of view on protein purchases and consumption. This episode will focus on poultry, which posted measurable gains in the inflationary times co…
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In this episode, Verde Farms CEO Brad Johnson outlines the challenges and processes aimed at maintaining innovations and safety standards for the company’s line of 100% grass-fed and organic beef products. The Mass.-based processor is focused on keeping the lines of communications open with its retail and restaurant customers in addition to conduct…
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More than any other segment of the alternative meats sector, cultivated meat is where innovation meets controversy. Long before it hits store shelves, meat grown in bioreactors has sparked a heated debate in the food culture wars. Government bans and social media backlash are complicating its path to regulatory approval and consumer acceptance. For…
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In this episode, Agrimesh Technologies Vice President of Sales and Operations Erik Longtin outlines how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is opening doors for farmers, growers — and, even some processors — to increase operating efficiencies, reduce costs and generate valuable data that can help improve how their facilities work. The Canadian-based compa…
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In this episode, a panel of Danville Community College administrators and instructors describe a relationship the Virginia-based school has established with Tyson Foods Inc. The school offers a specific technical training program that gives eligible students who complete the program a chance to move into technical maintenance jobs at a high-tech Ty…
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Beyond managing programs at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences that focus on food safety protocols, Dr. Francisco Diez-Gonzalez also is the co-author of recent research into the eradication of Listeria monocytogenes using blue light and polymers. In this MeatingPod, he’ll discuss progress in food safety m…
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The Israeli plant-based meat company Chunk has skipped over the patties and nuggets that dominate the alt-meat space at retail in favor of filets that fit quite nicely among high-end steakhouse offerings. Using a fermentation process, Chunk replicates the “grain” of a whole cut of beef steak, so it cooks and eats like its animal-based counterpart. …
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The expanding role of automation and robotics in meat processing plants remains a hot topic as companies and workers adapt to systems that can improve yields, affect food safety and avoid potential worker injuries. In this episode, Neal Walsh, chief operating officer at Butterball LLC outlines how these advances also have improved communication bet…
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Now that USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued its final ruling designating Salmonella as an adulterant in raw, breaded and stuffed chicken products, poultry processors may soon be required take another look at their operations. In this episode, Dr. John Maurer from the School of Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech will outline some …
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Applegate Farms Vice President of R&D, QA and Project Management at Applegate Farms Chad Clem wears a lot of hats as he guides his teams through the process of developing and fine-tuning the processor’s lines of all-natural and organic deli meats, bacon, sausage, chicken, snacks and cheese. In this episode, Clem describes how staying on top of regu…
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A few years ago, drawing comparisons between software development and food product development was seen as evidence of forward thinking. That phase didn’t last long, though, because food is not software — and nobody knows that better than JJ Kass, senior vice president and managing director for TiNDLE, a maker of plant-based chicken, sausages and d…
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With major meat processors making bold investments in high-tech upgrades, companies like Cargill Inc. are seeing benefits in terms of increased efficiency, higher levels of plant safety, improved yields on the production line and workers with new skills. In this episode of MeatingPod, Enrique Villars, Cargill North America’s Manufacturing Excellenc…
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continue reading
Drew Getty, vice president of environmental sustainability and government relations and chief compliance officer at Perdue Farms, provides insights into two greenhouse gas abatement programs that the poultry processor launched and expanded within six months. The program with GreenGasUSA has reduced carbon emissions by 17%, representing the eliminat…
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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 involves employing a variety of channels to stay ahead of emerging flavor trends …
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All meat analogue companies face a potentially huge hurdle right out of the gate: The cost of the physical plant necessary to make their particular foodstuffs, whether in the form of bioreactors or extruders or mixers, or any of an endless number of other pieces of equipment. And that doesn’t account for the cost of running and maintaining and mann…
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Dr. Konrad Ahlin, the senior robotics researcher at the Georgia Tech Research Institute provides updates on the use of flexible automated systems, robotics, artificial intelligence and virtual reality in food processing plants. He also outlines how these advances are affecting plant workers and specific operations like movement of product and maint…
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In this episode, Dr. Casey Owens and Dongyi Wang of the University of Arkansas discuss new advances in identifying quality defects on the chicken processing line and advances in robotics that can handle repetitive line functions like chicken hanging. Our guests also outline how students at the university are benefitting from internship opportunitie…
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Quality assurance protocols don’t necessarily begin at the processing plant. The research that Dr. Ron Lemenager has conducted over his career shows that specific techniques even at the feedlot stage have a direct effect on the quality of the beef products that leave the plant. Beyond his research and development projects aimed at generating the hi…
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After almost a half-dozen years immersed in the animal side of Cargill’s protein business, Elizabeth Gutschenritter has been at the helm of the conglomerate’s alternative proteins business since 2019. In a wide-ranging interview with Alt-Meat, she discussed how Cargill balances the differing cultures of the two protein businesses, fosters a start-u…
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Marty Linn, Director of Engineering at the Tyson Manufacturing Automation Center in Springdale, Ark., discusses advances and challenges he and his team face as they develop automated and robotics systems for use in chicken processing. The goal of boosting efficiency, reducing costs and worker safety dovetails with Tyson’s commitment to help the com…
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As the latest wave of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases continues to wane after two years of confirmed outbreaks nationwide, our guests will outline where we stand now and what might be needed to improve monitoring and responses to new infections. Dr. Carol Cardona of the University of Minnesota is a specialist in animal health and eme…
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This episode will focus on a specific category of food products that includes meat that is marketed to individuals following strict Jewish dietary laws or those who appreciate the value of foods that carry the Kosher seal. Kleiman will outline the efforts meat processors (and other food companies) must make to offer Kosher-certified products as wel…
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continue reading
Ivy Farms is a U.K.-based company that is helping build the alt-meat industry in that country. Ivy Farms’ business model is different from most: strictly B-to-B, focusing on just one part of the process — in this case, developing and growing the harvested cell lines used to make cultivated meat products. To do that successfully, Ivy Farms has activ…
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This episode centers on sustainability efforts that meat processors are seeking to make more effective and consistent and a company that offers a concept that helps entities move closer to those goals from the farm and ranch level. Indigo Ag works with a variety of consumer product companies by connecting them with supplies of low-carbon grain that…
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In this episode, a panel of Danville Community College administrators and instructors describe a relationship the Virginia-based school has established with Tyson Foods Inc. The school offers a specific technical training program that gives eligible students who complete the program a chance to move into technical maintenance jobs at a high-tech Ty…
…
continue reading
Beyond managing programs at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences that focus on food safety protocols, Dr. Francisco Diez-Gonzalez also is the co-author of recent research into the eradication of Listeria monocytogenes using a combination of blue light and polymers. In this episode of MeatingPod, he will dis…
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continue reading
Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Malaysia — Asia is fertile ground for meat analogue R&D. One would expect a region with such a long history with non-meat proteins and so many people to feed would be a slam-dunk for alt-meat marketers, right? As it turns out, the role of food in Asian cultures is fundamentally different from experiences in t…
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Dr. Jeyam Subbiah, Project Director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Arkansas, outlines how five U.S. academic institutions are working together to achieve what he describes as a “transformational change” in poultry production. The USDA-backed research focuses on such advances as automated pathogen identification…
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Dr. Denise Heard shares inside information on research supported by U.S. Poultry & Egg Association and outlines how the latest outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) are affecting members of the all-feather organization. The director and coordinator of USPOULTRY's research programs also provides a sneak peek into the upcoming Interna…
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Martin Bucknavage, senior food safety extension associate at the Penn State University Department of Food Science, discusses the latest advances he has seen in his role as a resource for meat companies and state regulators regarding food security and waste. His two decades of experience in the food industry have given him unique perspectives on con…
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Israeli plant-based meat company, Chunk, has skipped over the patties and nuggets that dominate the alt-meat space at retail, in favor of filets that fit quite nicely among high-end steakhouse offerings. Using a fermentation process, Chunk replicates the “grain” of a whole cut of beef steak, so it cooks and eats like its animal-based counterpart. C…
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continue reading
With nearly 80 years of experience, Godshall’s Quality Meats in Souderton, Pa., is focused on offering new concepts to address ever-changing trends among consumers who love smoked meats. In this episode, company President Ron Godshall explains how the company developed alternative smoked meat products in a market that’s been saturated in hot dogs, …
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Dongyi Wang, assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, describes his role as principal investigator of a team of researchers that received two major grants. Their research will study automated systems that can manage tasks that normally on the poultry line usually mu…
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Responsible for leading the Stampede Meats Inc. teams on food safety and quality assurance, Ann Clarton shares how consistent communication, keeping team members challenged and reinforcing the importance of these efforts has led to accolades from the world’s leading food safety and certification auditing company, Brand Reputation through Compliance…
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Bill Aimutis, director of the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab, brought a couple of decades’ experience in global innovation with Cargill to his position, so when he speaks on the best way to launch and grow an alt-meat (or any other kind of food) business, people listen. Aimutis shared his thoughts with Alt-Meat on how best to thrive in the roug…
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In this episode from the MeatingPod vault, Dr. David Gerrard, professor and director of the School of Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech University explains how today’s meat science students are starting their educational journeys better equipped to manage their training to become meat science professionals. He’ll also outline the current state of me…
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As the annual Thanksgiving festivities gather steam, MeatingPod chats with Neal Walsh, chief operating officer at Butterball LLC, on differences this year with turkey supplies versus the avian influenza scourge that killed a record number of domestic U.S. birds last year. Walsh will outline the lessons learned in a previous bird flu outbreak in 201…
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As Vice President of R&D, QA and Project Management at Applegate Farms, Chad Clem wears a lot of hats as he guides his teams through the process of developing and fine-tuning the processor’s lines of all-natural and organic deli meats, bacon, sausage, chicken, snacks and cheese. In this episode, Clem describes how staying on top of regulatory issue…
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continue reading
Parendi Birdie has spent most of her career in biotechnology — specifically, the science and business of the cultivated meat supply chain. With roots planted deeply in Kansas, however, she envisions a practical path toward a more non-meat-based diet for Americans in the largely untapped market in blended proteins. By combining conventional meat pro…
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A lifelong robotics enthusiast, Dr. Konrad Ahlin currently leads a team of researchers that are trying to assess and address the challenges of developing robotic systems for meat and poultry processing plants in addition to effectively integrating new technologies like artificial intelligence. He also discusses with MeatingPod how the industry is b…
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University of Arkansas professor and a poultry processing specialist Dr. Casey M. Owens discusses how larger birds resulting from growth performance improvements and longer growth cycles have led to some very specific meat quality issues like woody breasts. She also outlines the use of automation and artificial intelligence in poultry processing an…
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As former Under Secretary of Agriculture in Foods Safety at U-S-D-A between 2019 and 2021 Dr. Mindy Brashears has a unique observations on food safety initiatives and effectiveness from both the regulatory and academic research perspectives. She currently is a professor of food safety and public health and director of the International Center for F…
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Ivy Farms is a U.K.-based company that is helping build the alt-meat industry in that country. Ivy Farms’ business model is different from most: strictly b-to-b, focusing on just one part of the process — in this case, developing and growing the harvested cell lines. To do that successfully, Ivy Farms has actively pursued partnerships with other co…
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continue reading
Dr. Wesley Osburn, associate professor of meat science, at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences division at Texas A&M University, and his team are working on developing an alternative curing system for meat and poultry products using an amino acid that can still protect the food items from microbes and extend shelf life. The goal is to deve…
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Dr. Christine Alvarado of Prosur Inc. outlines the inherent challenges poultry processors face producing raw and cooked products when it comes to the inevitable pathogens that are present inside their plants. She also notes the advances in cleaning processes and other equipment in plants and describes the status of regulatory agencies and their pra…
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Anne-Marie Roerink of 210 Analytics – the author of the Power of Meat 2023 report along with other meat studies and presentations – will provide insights and updates on consumer trends and what meat companies and retailers can do to spark interest in their products. As a special bonus exclusively for MeatingPod, Anne-Marie also will introduce new m…
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