Several companies across several continents are blazing a trail to a future cultivated meat market for consumers — and they’ve run into slippery slopes and rock slides. One company that has run into fewer obstacles is Australia’s Vow. Known for adding a dollop of showmanship to its hard-core R&D, Vow is both producing a product that’s consistently available on the market and promising new announcements in the near future. Vow CEO George Peppou joined MeatingPod from Australia to discuss the cultivated meat business in general, and Vow’s business in particular. 

A special panel of three specialists in virology and veterinary medicine will offer specific updates on how various forms of the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have affected U.S. birds, dairy cows and even humans in recent years. Our power trio of experts will focus on viral mutations, cross-species migration and what lessons the poultry industry might be able to offer regarding biosecurity efforts aimed at containing the spread of this ever-changing virus. They also note that processors can — and should — play a more specific role in efforts to limit the viral risk to overall food safety.

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 of the options available to the makers of such prepared foods have in addressing the new rules. Dr. Maurer has an extensive history studying how Salmonella colonization works in chickens and describes the status of plans being developed by the poultry industry to meet the FSIS standards when they go into effect in 2025. 

Food safety veteran Sharon Beals provides her perspectives on what food manufacturers need to know about continuing the learning process when it comes to protecting workers and customers from foodborne illnesses. In the wake of the recent listeria outbreak that sent nearly 60 people to the hospital and played a role in the deaths of at least nine people, Beals notes that deli meat processor Boar’s Head and others can glean new approaches to improve conditions at their plants. Vigilance, communication and sharing information on systems that work will be key to improving food safety down the road, she notes.

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 manning a facility. Many founders are vowing to build their business on an “asset-light” platform, but what does that really mean? Tony Moses, former executive at the food industry-focused design, engineering, construction and consulting firm CRB Group, explains the options, the pitfalls, the costs and the value of a solid TEA, which he explains in the podcast. 

In this third 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, describes how consumers feel about food safety and innovation in meat products they purchase and eat. She also will outline how product lines recover after recalls from the consumer perspective and the successful job that processors are doing in developing  new types of cuts and offering trending flavors that consumers are looking for when they shop or go out to restaurants for their meals. 

In this second 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, will explain whether consumers understand or care about the millions of dollars that meat processors are spending to upgrade their operations through robotics and AI. She also will provide data on the importance of food safety to consumers and how processors should take advantage of the opportunity to explain how these tech advances are benefitting consumers in terms of product choices and food safety. 

As robotics, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) move into more prominent roles in meat processing and other industries, our guest this week is predicting that using virtual reality equipment — think headsets and hand controllers —  are likely to become required so manufacturers can keep up with the competition. Colin Usher is research scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute at Georgia Tech University and specializes in VR systems that provide an interface between humans and robotic systems that resemble today’s high-end video games. He contends that VR equipment may eventually allow plant workers to do their jobs remotely in air-conditioned rooms instead of the cold, wet and damp floor in a meat processing plant. Usher also believes that companies will need to shift to VR systems and predicts that advances in the technology could ultimately lead to lower implementation costs. 

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 College of Veterinary Medicine. She also developed 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 researchers are using these findings and how a seminar on earthworms led to concepts that could have implications in protecting other species by paying attention to microbiome conditions.

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 Kosher-certified products and describes innovations and food developments that allow purveyors to expand their Kosher offerings. He also notes what meat processors need to do to address a looming global meat shortage that has been projected over the next decade, potentially expanding the market for new Kosher-certified products.

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 novel technologies but novel food experiences, Vow is both producing a product that is consistently on the market and is planning a series of new announcements in the near future. Vow CEO George Peppou joined MeatingPod from Australia to discuss the cultivated meat business in general, and Vow’s business in particular.

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 Excellence Leader, outlines how the Minneapolis-based processor’s Factory of the Future concept is spreading to 35 Cargill plants and how the high-tech modernization effort is affecting operations. 

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 compared with beef and pork. Roerink also will discuss trends among several generational demographics and the direction in which these also may be heading in 2024. The data could serve as a launching point for other consumer selections as well as potentially open doors for new concepts among protein producers.

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 conducting its own research on consumer trends. Verde Farms, he notes, is focused on trying to keep ahead of what shoppers are looking for when it comes to grass-fed and organic meat products. 

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. Fortunately, Kimberly Ong is here as our guide: The consultant with Boston-based Vireo Advisors science and policy firm spoke with Alt-Meat about the headwinds that slow the progress of the science and the policy. And, she has advice for leaders in the alt-meat sector on what to do about it. 

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 company currently works with a variety of food production and animal growers in both North and South America and is looking at new approaches to expand the use of AI systems to monitor and manage control systems across the food production and related agricultural industries. 

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 Tyson chicken products plant in Danville, Va. Our panelists describe the progress the program is making in delivering qualified, full-time technicians and how the program is attracting new students in a “win-win” for all participants. The panel also describes how similar relationships with other types of companies in the region may be developed as feedback on the current partnership affirms the success of the program with Tyson.

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 management at food plants and the need for processors and researchers to maintain flexibility as pathogens adapt or emerge during the manufacturing stage. He also outlines the attributes that food safety experts of the future will need as challenges in maintaining food safety standards evolve.

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. Chunk founder and CEO Amos Golan spoke with Alt-Meat about its restaurant focus and the success the company has experienced in white-tablecloth steakhouses in the United States. 

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 between executives, plant employees on and off the line, sanitation partners and customers. He also addresses what other factors beyond cost that other companies might consider with regard to their future upgrade plans.

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 of the options available to the makers of such prepared foods have in addressing the new rules. Dr. Maurer has an extensive history studying how Salmonella colonization works in chickens and describes the status of plans being developed by the poultry industry to meet the FSIS standards when they go into effect in 2025. 

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 regulatory issues, innovation, food safety and other projects keeps his staff on their toes while meeting company objectives. He also discusses how working in partnership with parent Hormel Foods Corp. benefits both sides by making processes and operational strategies more efficient and effective. 

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 dairy products. With substantial business development experience in both software and agricultural products, Kass has led TiNDLE in a series of business successes in just the last few months — swimming upstream against strong economic currents. JJ Kass spoke with Alt-Meat to discuss her plan of action.

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 Excellence Leader, outlines how the Minneapolis-based processor’s Factory of the Future concept is spreading to 35 Cargill plants and how the high-tech modernization effort is affecting operations. 

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 elimination of 4.5 million gallons of gasoline being consumed by automobiles. Getty notes that the effort is expected to include more Perdue facilities beyond the current programs in Kentucky and North Carolina. 

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 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. 

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 manning a facility. Many founders are vowing to build their business on an “asset-light” platform, but what does that really mean? CRB Group’s Tony Moses explains the options, the pitfalls, the costs and the value of a solid TEA, which he explains in the podcast. 

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 maintaining yields throughout the processing line. Dr. Ahlin also discusses how collaborations with researchers at other educational institutions are affecting development of new ideas for automated systems and robotics.

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 opportunities that can open doors to other jobs in meat production or to a wider range of meat science research opportunities. The insightful conversation also marks the first time that two former MeatingPod guests appear in the same episode. 

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 highest quality beef, Dr. Lemenager also is teaching the next generation of meat scientists how to better understand what factors need attention when it comes to overall quality assurance.

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-up mindset from inside the international agri-giant, and the growth she sees in alt-meat’s future. 

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 company's team members expand their skills and, thus, enhance their careers, he notes.

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 emergency disease response while Dr. Michelle Kromm of Food Forward LLC has more than 15 years of experience in animal health and emergency disease response. They suggest that new technologies, potential vaccines and different approaches on epidemiology may pave the way for more effective management and improve biosecurity in the ongoing fight against HPAI.

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 well as the types of innovations and food developments allow such purveyors to expand their Kosher offerings. He also outlines what meat processors need to do in order to address a looming global meat shortage that has been projected over the next decade or so as the market for new Kosher-certified products continues to expand.

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 actively pursued partnerships with other companies in the space, as CEO Rich Dillon explains. 

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 is used in animal feed, resulting in reduced rates of greenhouse gas emissions in cattle, for example. Since reducing GHGs is among several factors that the meat industry cites as a goal to improve sustainability, Indigo Ag’s efforts may hold a specific role toward helping companies meet new standards with respect to the environment.

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 Tyson chicken products plant in Danville, Va. Our panelists describe the progress the program is making in delivering qualified, full-time technicians and how the program is attracting new students in a “win-win” for all participants. The panel also describes how similar relationships with other types of companies in the region may be developed as feedback on the current partnership affirms the success of the program with Tyson. 

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 discuss progress in food safety management at food processing plants and the need for processors and researchers to maintain flexibility as pathogens adapt or emerge during the manufacturing stage. He also outlines the attributes food safety experts of the future will need as challenges in maintaining food safety standards evolve.

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 the Americas, Europe or Australia/New Zealand. In this episode of MeatingPod, Keri Matwick, linguist and senior lecturer at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, has been studying the intersection of food and culture across the globe for years. In this MeatingPod episode, Matwick discusses the Asian consumers’ experience and what non-Asian marketers often get wrong about building a customer base in these regions.

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 at meat processing plants and new concepts in robotics aimed at boosting production efficiency and worker safety. 

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 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE), the annual poultry industry gathering, which is scheduled for Atlanta in late January. USPOULTRY is a main sponsor of the convention that offers attendees the opportunity to attend educational programs and workshops to help them learn the latest on industry issues and best practices.

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 continually evolving developments in food safety protocols. 

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. Chunk founder and CEO Amos Golan spoke with Alt-Meat about its restaurant focus and the success the company has experienced in white-tablecloth steakhouses in the United States. 

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, hams and pork-based bacon for decades. Standing out also involves addressing other consumer interests, including all-natural trends and turkey-based and beef-based smoked meats. He also explains how sustainability initiatives are helping Godshall’s Quality Meats differentiate itself from the competition. 

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 must be executed by human workers. The team also will test the use of artificial intelligence, sensors, robotics, mechanics, computer vision and machine learning as part of the research programs planned to cover the next four years.

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 Global Standard (BRCGS). As senior director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance, she also outlines how programs with meat science institutions offer opportunities to expose the next generation of food safety and QA managers to real-world situations through internships. 

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 rough economic waters now surrounding the alt-proteins business.

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 meat science school funding and how food safety has become what he describes as the “Holy Grail” of meat science to ensure the safest food is available on a global scale.

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 2015 and how Butterball met customer demand during the 2022 holidays. He also describes how turkey industry players open up lines of communication to discuss biosecurity measures that have worked or the types of operational approaches that can benefit turkey producers and processors as conditions change. 

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 issues, innovation, food safety and other projects keeps his staff on its toes while meeting company objectives. He also discusses how working in partnership with parent Hormel Foods Corp. benefits both sides in terms of making processes more efficient and effective as operational challenges crop up and need to be addressed. 

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 products and non-animal sources of proteins, change-resistant consumers can more easily incorporate alternative proteins into their meals; the key to blended success, she tells MeatingPod, is as much in the marketing as in the science. 

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 becoming more comfortable with the idea that today’s labor force needs robots, which are maturing and becoming more helpful for people as the overall comfort zone expands. 

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 and some of the eventual quality defects and texture issues that can occur based on the treatment of broilers. 

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 Food Industry Excellence at Texas Tech University She also serves as the Roth and Letch Family Endowed Chair in Food Safety and director of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence at Texas Tech. 

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 companies in the space, as CEO Rich Dillon explains. 

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 develop an alternative to nitrites currently used as a curing agent in such foods as sausages from beef, pork and poultry, hams, beef jerky and bacon. These agents prevent microbiological contamination and to extend the shelf life of the products, but there also are concerns about how nitrites may affect the human body. 

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 practices when it comes to ensuring food safety in poultry products.

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 material using audio responses from consumer interviews that provide additional context on how consumer feel today about menu planning and what attracts their attention in stores that sell meat products. 

Anne-Marie Roerink of 210 Analytics – the author of the Power of Meat 2023 report along with other meat studies and presentations – provides insights and updates on consumer trends when it comes to alternative proteins. As a special bonus exclusively for MeatingPod, Anne-Marie also will introduce new material using audio responses from consumer interviews that provide additional context on how consumer feel today about plant-based and cultivated meat products. 

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 regarding meat purchases in a post-pandemic world, especially cooking at home vs. dining out. As a special bonus exclusively for MeatingPod, Anne-Marie also will introduce new material using audio responses from consumer interviews that provide additional context on how consumer feel today about accessing meat. 

Anne-Marie Roerink of 210 Analytics – the author of the Power of Meat 2023 report along with other meat studies and related presentations – will provide insights and updates on consumer trends when buying meat. As a special bonus exclusively for MeatingPod, Anne-Marie also will introduce new material using audio responses from consumer interviews that provide additional context on the consumer relationship with meat at retail.

Dr. Jeyam Subbiah, Project Director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Arkansas, describes how a coalition of five U.S. academic institutions are working together to achieve what he calls “transformational changes” in poultry production. The USDA-backed research focuses on such advances as automated pathogen identification at plants in addition to new robotics that can boost production efficiency.

For all the excitement over the start-ups in the alt-meat space, it’s the giant multinationals, like Cargill, Tyson and ADM, with the muscle to make the biggest splash. Leticia Gonçalves, president of global foods for ADM, is leading that company’s holistic approach to the alt-protein supply chain. Gonçalves discusses ADM’s new deep dive report into what consumers are thinking now about the alt-protein sector, and the company’s omnichannel approach to investing and innovating for the next generation of alt-meat.

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 Tyson team members expand their skills and, thus, enhance their careers. 

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 the poultry processor launched and expanded within six months. The program with GreenGasUSA has reduced carbon emissions by 17%, representing the elimination of 4.5 million gallons of gasoline being consumed by automobiles. Getty notes that the effort is expected to include more Perdue facilities beyond the current programs in Kentucky and North Carolina.

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 allow him to provide unique perspectives on developments in food safety protocols. 

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 rough economic waters now surrounding the alt-proteins business. 

Dr. Glenda Humiston,  vice president of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department at the University of California, outlines the goals and plans for USDA’s Regional Food Business Centers. The $400-million program will involve establishing 12 facilities focused on the areas of food distribution from the processing level to the partnerships that help food to efficiently reach consumers. The new network will augment existing state-level programs and aims to help farm producers and food businesses expand their facilities using improved infrastructure and communications. 

Esteemed poultry scientist Dr. Christine Alvarado outlines the inherent challenges poultry processors face producing raw and cooked products when it comes to the inevitable pathogens that are present inside processing plants. She also notes the advances in cleaning processes and other equipment in plants and describes the status of regulatory agencies and their practices when it comes to ensuring food safety in poultry products. 

Meghan Clancy, R&D Specialist at Standard Meat, outlines how her background in animal science helps promote communication and teamwork among R&D practitioners at this Texas-based multi-protein processing firm. Clancy also describes her team's focus on meeting the needs of customers looking for custom and specialized processing services in an attempt to stay up to date on changing industry innovations, flavors and practices. 

What a difference two years makes. Design-build firm CRB Group is releasing its second Horizons report on infrastructure investment trends in the alternative proteins sector — its first was published in 2021 — and safe to say the “build it and they will come” approach is history. What remains is a more conservative, and sustainable, approach to ramping up production. CRB Group’s Tony Moses, a product innovation fellow, broke down the top-line results for Alt-Meat.

Dr. Jon Oatley, associate dean for research for the College of Veterinary Medicine and a professor at Washington State University discusses advances in gene-editing in livestock, a technique that alters an animal’s genetic code to focus on desired traits. His team recently received U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigational authorization to create food for humans from gene-edited pigs in a process that is akin to traditional selective breeding. Gene-editing also could play an important role in meeting the growing global demand for protein over the next few decades.

Dr. Bruce Stewart-Brown of Perdue Farms outlines the goals of a new partnership between Perdue, Cornell University and the University of Illinois that aims to study Campylobacter and Salmonella contamination at poultry processing plants. The collaboration is an extension of Perdue’s existing programs that use data collected from farm to processing facility to advance statistical analysis efforts, develop models and create concrete methods to reduce pathogen exposure on the processing plant level. He notes that these collaborations ultimately can help poultry companies improve overall food safety. 

Dr. Jeff Sindelar, professor and Extension Meat Specialist in the Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explains how revamping research facilities are expanding the learning experience for meat science students. He also notes that these upgraded campus complexes are helping to drive new ways of thinking and planning for the next generation of R&D professionals in addition to attracting prospects toward this specific track within the meat industry. The need for talent, he adds, will require training at all levels. 

In Ep. 111, Elysabeth Alfano, CEO of VegTech Invest and founder of Plant Powered Consulting lays out for Alt-Meat the market-based reasons for long-term investing in the alt-meat supply chain. Hint: Those reasons stand on global trends that are already well underway. Alfano also explains why the years 2026 and 2032 will be especially important to the future of the industry. 

In Ep. 110, Dr. David Gerrard, professor and director of the School of Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech University discusses 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 meat science school funding and how food safety has become what he describes as the “Holy Grail” of meat science to ensure the safest food is available on a global scale. 

In Ep. 109, 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 recently received two major grants. Their research will study automated systems that can manage poultry line tasks that normally must be executed by human workers. The team also will test the use of artificial intelligence, sensors, robotics, mechanics, computer vision and machine learning as part of the research programs over the next four years. 

In this episode, Manpreet Singh, department head and professor of the Food Science & Technology department at the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia discusses  research on evaluating best practices for Campylobacter and Salmonella reduction in poultry processing plants. Dr. Singh, a veteran in food safety, also will outline the work he and his students are conducting in an effort to limit pathogen risks during poultry processing operations.

An attaboy or -girl is always welcome, but it’s not the same as turning a profit and securing a deep-pocketed buyer. In this episode of MeatingPod, we discuss the pros and cons of business competitions and accelerators with Andrew Ive, founder and managing general partner of Big Idea Ventures. 

In this episode, Henrik Grothe of the Danish Technological Institute will outline the implementation of automated systems in meat processing facilities in Europe and elsewhere. He'll also explain why companies will need to become visionaries and think outside of the box in an industry  already focused on optimization of its processing operations. Grothe also will describe how algorithms, artificial intelligence and the proper training of plant workers can open new doors to improve tracking and production efficiencies.

In this episode, Dr. Casey Owens, a professor at the University of Arkansas and a poultry processing specialist at the Dale Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences, discusses how the trend toward larger birds because of improvement in growth performance and longer growth cycles have led to some meat quality issues. She also outlines the use of automation and artificial intelligence in poultry processing, and some of the eventual quality defects that can occur based on the treatment of broilers. 

In this episode, Dr. Reshani Senevirathne of Godshall’s Quality Meats outlines how her R&D team recovered from recent challenges caused by COVID-19 and supply chain issues. She also noted how utilization of the company’s state-of-the-art R&D and Culinary facility produces enhancements for the family-owned company’s specialty meat processing business. Dr. Senevirathne also discusses the pace of helping external companies enhance their offerings while also meeting Godshall’s internal specialty protein needs. 

Two years ago MeatingPod spoke with Kevin Ryan, anthropologist and food scientist, about the state of the alternative meat industry. A lot has changed since then. Ryan is back for a follow-up conversation about where the industry and consumers’ expectations for alt meat products are now and how he sees alt-meat technologies changing the food industry in the future.

In this episode, Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University and director of AgNext, a research hub for ag sustainability discusses the program’s goal to help find solutions to feed 12.3 billion people by 2100. Dr. Stackhouse-Lawson previously served as director of sustainability at JBS USA, where she coordinated the processor’s North American sustainability program. That effort covered JBS’ beef, pork, poultry, case-ready and branded product segments. Our discussion will focus on AgNext, sustainability and its place in Industry 4.0. 

In Ep. 101, Dr. Jada Thompson from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture discusses what the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) throughout 2022 is likely to mean to the structure of the poultry industry supply chain as well as to poultry production in the short and long term. She also will outline what the industry may see in 2023 in terms of feed and operational costs as well as the marketplace for eggs and poultry products in foodservice and at retail. 

In this MeatingPod Vault session, Bill Folk, vice president of operations at Butterball LLC, discusses trends affecting turkey processing in the most-downloaded MeatingPod episode of 2022. Folk outlines where the poultry segment is going next in terms of efficiency-focused innovation to optimize processes and how the industry can address ongoing supply chain issues.

Cultivated meat may not yet be a consumer product in the United States, but that doesn’t mean that these factories of the future aren’t already being designed. In Episode 99, Sebastian Bohn looks into his crystal ball and describes for Alt-Meat Editor-in Chief Lisa Keefe what he sees as project manager and process engineer in the evolving industry of alternative protein production.

In this episode from the MeatingPod Vault, Jill Stuber of Catalyst LLC ­– a specialist in helping companies create roadmaps for a sustainable food safety culture ­– outlines strategies that help food manufacturers and retail organizations implement those objectives. Jill also discusses what she learned about the subject from her 14 years in Quality Assurance roles at Gold’n Plump and shares takeaways on how technical professionals can become leaders in the meat, poultry and food industries. 

In this episode from the MeatingPod Vault, Maggie Smith, founder and owner of Viand Group LLC, a Tennessee-based consulting firm specializing in food safety and animal welfare, will discuss animal welfare audits, biosecurity and professional development in the meat and poultry industry. She’ll also outline why she advises that it is better to be a crockpot than a microwave!

In this episode from the MeatingPod Vault, Bob Hanson, principal of Hanson Tech LLC and Jeff Sindelar, professor and extension meat specialist with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will discuss their work with the North American Meat Institute’s Appendices A & B Core Working Group reviewing the science gaps in the 1999 and 2017 versions of the lethality and stabilization guidance documents. They give the scoop on how the various research activities will help meat and poultry processors better utilize the 2021 Appendices A & B revised guidance, which went into effect in December 2022. 

In Ep. 95, Quorn USA President Judd Zusel discusses how the O.G. alt-protein company ­– started with the discovery of a microorganism in the fungi family called Fusarium in the 1960s – is methodically building its presence in the U.S. market using sustainable mycoproteins that provide fiber, low levels of saturated fat and no cholesterol. The fermentation process creates 1,500 tons of mycoprotein from just under a gram of the microorganism, making the ingredient highly sustainable, environmentally friendly and highly nutritious. 

In Ep. 94, Dr. Audrey McElroy will discuss challenges and goals as she moves into her new post at the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences division. She outlines plans to hire more faculty and attract more undergraduate and graduate students to the poultry science program, in addition to expanding current infrastructure and curriculum options. McElroy – who earned her bachelor’s, master’s and PhD degrees at Texas A&M – also discusses how the school aims to offer more diverse options to develop soft skills like communication enhancement and provide a better understanding of technology advances like artificial intelligence. She also notes that the department also hopes to provide options that could offer poultry science students the opportunity to branch into a business administration or law degree in addition to developing their poultry science skills as they prepare to find jobs within the processing industry. 

In Ep. 93, Dr. Denise Heard ­– who directs the poultry association’s comprehensive research program – discusses how USPOULTRY determines which research projects submitted for review by hundreds of meat scientists each year and outlines some of the recent results from the research studies and how they may eventually affect the poultry industry on both the grower and processor levels. USPOULTRY annually distributes $1 million dollars in research funding and evaluates between 100 and 200 research proposals and Heard also describes for MeatingPod listeners some of the workshops and education programs scheduled for next month’s International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE), which USPOULTRY organizes with the American Feed Industry Association and the North American Meat Institute (NAMI).

In Ep. 92, Wendie Phelps ­– who leads a team of 12 scientists who support Cargill Inc.’s protein ingredients and international segments – describes the how communication, strategic partnerships and innovation leads to the creation of new ideas and, ultimately, new food products. Phelps – Research Development and Innovation Manager at Cargill – also discusses the “chicken-and-egg” challenge of balancing new ideas developed internally versus requests from customers seeking to improve their product offerings. She additionally outlines the traits and capabilities that people who want to enter the R&D and innovation portion of the protein industry should have if they want to succeed in this arena.

In Ep. 91, Better Meat Co. CEO Paul Shapiro ­– whose company develops mycoprotein ingredients for food companies – describes the formation of a new association that focuses on the technology and companies that are using fungi to help create alternative protein products. He notes that there are common interests among developers, investors and other stakeholders in utilizing a variety of fungus-based proteins to create alternatives to meat from animals. These interests include production efficiencies, labeling issues and meeting scale and marketing challenges that impact the growing number of technologists developing meat protein alternatives. He also likens the new Fungi Protein Association to other trade groups that represent beef, pork and chicken processors. 

With Henrik Grothe, Director of Research and Development at the Danish Technological Institute. In Ep. 90, Grothe will outline the current implementation of automated systems in processing facilities in Europe and how companies that are considering such systems will need to be able to become visionaries and think out of the box in an industry already focused on optimization of its processing operations. He’ll also describe how the development of algorithms and the proper training of workers can open new doors regarding improved tracking, efficiencies and transparencies on how meat proteins are produced.

In Ep. 89, Dr. Stewart-Brown describes how Perdue maintains and tracks its commitments to transparent, progressive and tactical animal husbandry practices in poultry and pork. He’ll also outline the latest findings from Perdue’s 7th Annual Animal Care Summit and spotlight progress in animal care practices on the live side as reported in the company’s 2022 Commitments to Animal Care Report. Stewart-Brown, a 24-year veteran at Perdue, also will offer perspectives at the plant level, including the use of controlled-atmosphere stunning and at the farm, where data collection on monitoring what exactly chickens are doing during the day is an expanding effort using RFID technology and more frequent weighing of birds. 

With Suzanne Finsted, Vice President, Food Safety and Quality Assurance, Poultry Division at Tyson Foods Inc. In Ep. 88, Finsted will discuss her job leading the food safety and quality assurance team for one of the world’s largest protein producers. She and her team are responsible for the development and implementation of strategies, policies and programs that ensure regulatory and specification compliance. Suzanne also provides education and technical support to the sales team in managing customer expectations.

In Ep. 87, Alt-Meat Editor-in-Chief Lisa Keefe speaks with Nicole Johnson-Hoffman about how global markets are becoming more aware and participatory in alternative proteins as a food option – including cultivated protein – versus traditional meat from animals. She is the CEO of the cultivated meat company Future Meat Technologies, having moved into the alternative protein space after a decades-long career in the conventional meat industry. She says the journey wasn’t that far.

In Ep. 86, we’ll discuss automation with Michael Crump, senior director of Fresh Operations at Wayne Farms, who notes specific ways that automation is changing the poultry processing industry. The deboning process, in particular, has become more advanced over the last decade or so and Crump describes how automated systems at meat processing plants have sped up specific tasks, but also have impacted jobs at modernized facilities. Crump oversees the company’s big bird deboning operations at Wayne Farms plants in Laurel, Miss., Pendergrass, Ga. and Union Springs, Ala., and other facilities after a career that included 14 years at Pilgrim’s Pride in a variety of roles. 

In Ep. 85, we’ll learn how Dr. Sukumaran and his students at Mississippi State’s Department of Poultry Science focus on developing successful strategies aimed at reducing bacterial pathogens in poultry meat products. Sukumaran’s current focus also includes helping poultry processors through workshops and training sessions that promote best practices in their operations. He notes that processors are doing more to prevent contamination from such pathogens as Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli than even a decade ago. He also suggests that the industry establish constant monitoring programs and upgrades in order to produce the safest food products possible for consumers.

In Ep. 84, we’ll discuss how Meghan Clancy, R&D Specialist at Standard Meat, relies on her background in animal science to help promote  communication and teamwork among R&D practitioners at this , Texas-based multi-protein processor. Clancy also is focused on meeting the needs of customers who often are looking for custom and specialized processing services who also are required to stay up to date on changing industry innovations and practices. 

In Ep. 82, we’ll discuss how Dustin Pendell and his colleagues at Kansas State University are preparing to launch a series of Town Hall-type seminars designed to help entrepreneurs and others to either launch new small meat processing operations or expand their existing businesses. The K-State effort is geared to help these small businesses navigate the financial and other opportunities offered by state and federal agriculture departments throughout Kansas. The program also ultimately will  provide internship opportunities for K-State students in the Agricultural Department so they can gain hands-on experience once these smaller processors begin their new or expanded operations.