New Research Center 'Beefs Up' Food Manufacturing

5-6-97
University Park, Pa. --- Did you ever wonder how much fat is really in that fast-food hamburger patty? Researchers at Penn State's new Center for Food Manufacturing (CFM) have, and they're focusing on questions like this to improve food manufacturing processes and, in turn, make your food cheaper and better in quality.

Determining the fat content of beef is one example of current CFM research. Through bringing state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies to the food industry, researchers are developing innovative applications of near infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy. Using this technology, the fat content of beef can be determined precisely and time-efficiently as it comes out of a meat grinder. NIR spectroscopy is not a new technology, but has rarely been used in the food manufacturing industry for continuous on-line monitoring and control.

Foods like ground beef with a heterogeneous composition are difficult to monitor. The research at Penn State is aimed at monitoring the fat content of meat streams from several grinders operating simultaneously. These streams of meat are then blended, based on the NIR fat measurements, to consistently achieve the target fat content. The beef blending project is sponsored by I.H.F.P., which owns Chef Boyardee, etc., and Perten Instruments, two of the 15 companies involved with Penn State's CFM, an interdisciplinary institute to assist with the technological developments and educational initiatives for food industry companies.

In addition to the CFM's sponsoring companies from the food manufacturing industry, Penn State experts in manufacturing, food processing and engineering are part of the new institute.

"Our center's focus is uniquely matched with two of Penn State's strongest colleges, Agricultural Sciences and Engineering," says Paul Walker, director of the Center for Food Manufacturing and professor of agricultural and biological engineering.

According to Walker, few research centers focusing on food manufacturing exist in the country. He saw establishing the CFM as a unique opportunity to fill a research gap while also capitalizing upon the resources of two of the University's leading programs.

Focusing on productivity, competitiveness and safety in food manufacturing, the CFM's goal is to better educate students and train industry professionals concerning issues facing today's food manufacturing industry. A main objective, therefore, is effective technology transfer from research labs directly to industry.

"We need the input of food, food equipment, and instrumentation/controls companies to help us mold the Center for Food Manufacturing into something that will be beneficial to them. We want their guidance to know what challenges they face. We also need the companies to be willing to invest in the research of the Center by becoming members, and participating in the decision-making process," explains Walker.

Industry membership to the CFM requires a $5,000 yearly commitment, which entitles a company to help determine the Center's research focus. Companies sponsoring a specific CFM research projects such as the NIR spectroscopy research for blending ground beef pay half that annual commitment.

The CFM roster includes top graduate students and 35 faculty from five colleges at Penn State: Agricultural Sciences, Engineering, Business Administration, Health and Human Development, and Science.

Walker, the center's director, is assisted by three associate directors: Richard A. Wysk, the Leonhard Chair in Engineering and professor of industrial engineering; Greg Ziegler, associate professor of food science; and Joseph Rose, the Paul Morrow Professor in Manufacturing and Design in the College of Engineering. The CFM is supported by funding from the Penn State Colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Engineering, and a Ben Franklin Technology Center Grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Other sponsoring CFM companies include Girton Manufacturing Company, Heinz U.S.A., Hershey Foods, Just Born, Lockwood Greene, Ocean Spray, Papetti's Hygrade Egg Products, PECO Energy Company, Pennsylvania Power and Light, Lee Industries, Readco, and Qualicon, a division of DuPont.

Directors of the CFM are currently seeking funding from the National Science Foundation to establish an Engineering Research Center at Penn State in 1998. If awarded, the CFM will expand in operation to serve a larger portion of the U.S. Food Industry.

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Editors: Dr. Paul Walker may be reached at (814) 865-4582.

Media Contacts: Brent Hurley Engineering College Relations (814) 863-2132 Lani Bloomer Coordinator of College Relations Penn State College of Engineering phone: (814) 863-2132 fax: (814) 863-4749