Food Research & Development Resources in the North Central Region
University Of Nebraska-Lincoln

Name: Food Processing Center

URL: http://www.fpc.unl.edu

Address:

143 Food Industry Building
University Of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 68583-0930

Communication:

Administrative Office Phone: 402-472-5301
Fax: 402-472-1693

Administrator: Dr. Steve Taylor, Director

Contacts:

Marketing/Business Assistance 402-472-5791
Custom Processing (Ed O'Neil) 402-472-6879
Pilot Plants (Laurie Keeler) 402-472-7803

Technical Assistance-Laboratories

(Geraint Evans) 402-472-8979

Entreprenuer Assistance

(Jill Gifford) 402-472-2819

Focus area:

Enhance research, economic and market/business development activities in valueadded food processing for the food industry through a willingness to conduct timely, cost effective and high quality, research and economic development assistance including proprietary activities.

Services available:

Contract research:

FPC conducts individualized and confidential research in many areas, both technical and marketing/business, for industry, commodity boards, and small businesses, as well as for state and federal agencies. Much of this research is proprietary in nature.

Intellectual property provisions:

Individual contacts are developed to reflect the interests of the clients, other parties involved, and FPC. Mutual confidentiality agreements are routinely utilized.

Capabilities:

Technical assistance involves a wide range of activities, laboratories provide product development, analytical, microbiological, and sensory services, pilot plants assist food manufacturers in the transition between lab bench studies and actual manufacturing products in every major food group. Marketing/ business assistance offers both primary and secondary research related to the production, manufacturing, distribution and consumer/end-user of food products (food supply chain). This also includes assistance with international marketing, custom processing, and entrepreneurial ventures.

PILOT PLANT PROCESSING:

Capabilities:

The Food Processing center has the ability to process many types of food products utilizing current pilot plant facilities. Opportunities also exist to bring in rental equipment or client owned equipment to complement existing equipment for many projects involving process/product development. The packaging pilot plant provides assistance in modified atmosphere and vacuum packaging, that may be used in conjunction with any of the processing equipment in the other pilot plants.

Fee:

Although some of the processing lines have daily fees, most fees for projects are determined on an individual basis depending on client's actual needs and usage.

Facilities:

FPC is housed in the 114,000 square foot Food Industry Complex, a new modem, and well equipped facility.

Complete processing systems:

• Twin Screw Extrusion in the cereal foods pilot plant offers product and process development services for extruded food products.
• Spray Drying and Other Dehydration Technologies in the wet pilot plant provides assistance with almost any wet material such as dairy products, egg materials, sugar solutions, or other wet materials. &
• Fruit & Vegetable Processing provides processing assistance in a wide range of processing technology for further processing of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Dairy Production & Research provides assistance in developing products and processes related to ice cream & frozen desserts, cheeses, yogurts, fluid milk products and other types of dairy based food and beverage products.
• Meat Processing assistance is provided for meat processing techniques such as grinding, mixing, emulsification, forming, smoking, fermentation and curing. 9 Bakery Processing in the grain processing pilot plant provides assistance in milling, mixing, sheeting, rounding, proofing, and baking processes which are utilized in the baking industry.
• Tortilla Processing Line provides assistance with complete process for corn (nixtamalization process to finished product) or flour tortillas and tortilla chips, also provides corn hybrid/quality assessment as well as ingredient/additive assessment and product development.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE LABORATORIES:
Product Development Laboratory provides services for bench top trials alone or prior to scale up in the pilot plants, assisting clients in developing new ideas and improvement of existing products. Analytical and Microbiological Laboratories provide analysis including routine and specialized analyses, nutritional labeling and shelf-life research. Sensory Evaluation Services offer assistance with acceptance and preference testing, consumer panels, and descriptive analysis. Informal evaluation of product prototypes is also offered by the Center personnel. The Acidified Foods Program offers evaluations of food products and processes to assist companies in determining compliance with the FDA regulations. The combination and coordination of pilot plants and laboratory resources provides food manufacturers with a full spectrum of technological assistance, all within the same facility.

Capabilities:

Product Development Services:
Comprehensive ProductDevelopment
Formula conversion to weight basis
Concept and prototype development
Ingredient development, functionality, substitution and sourcing
Manufacturing process development and scale-up
Line extensions and reformulations
Quality improvement
Developing specifications
Assistance with regulatory issues and requirements

Analytical (Chemical & Functionality) Services:
Chemical analysis
Nutritional analysis and nutritional labeling assistance
Physical properties testing (texture, color, viscosity & functionality)

Microbiological Services:
Microbial analysis (total plate count, yeast, mold, pathogen testing)
Shelf life evaluations with environment chambers
Development and implementation of HACCP programs

Sensory Evaluation Services:
Consumer acceptance testing
Preference testing
Quantitative Descriptive Analysis
Focus groups

Acidified Foods Program and Services:
Microbiological and analytical analysis
Review of product ingredients and formulation
Development of final reports and process source documentation's

MARKETING/BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE:

Entrepreneurial Assistance: The Entrepreneur Assistance Program (EAP) assists entrepreneurs with the development of a food manufacturing business. The two phase program provides specialized assistance through all phases of establishing a food business, developing a product formulation and process and introducing the product to the marketplace. Phase one is a seminar that provides attendees with critical information necessary in the initial decision process. Phase two is individualized and confidential assistance through every step of creating a product, establishing a business and product introduction. Upon completion of phase two, these existing companies will then continue to receive assistance through individualized and confidential FPC activities and projects.

Custom Processing Network:
The Custom Processing Network increases the usage of excess food manufacturing capacity in the State of Nebraska. The program works hand-in-hand with other FPC professional staff making an extensive variety of production and processing resources available to Nebraska's food manufacturers. The Custom Processing Network's activities and projects assist companies with sourcing ingredients for production, equipment needed to fill new processing contracts, and technology required to establish the processing line. The amalgamation of resources available to the industry supports new and existing food manufacturing companies secure new manufacturing opportunities and stay competitive in the ever changing global market place.

International Product Market Activities and Projects:
International markets represent vast opportunities for Nebraska food manufacturers in terms of size and volume. International markets do present other factors beyond the normal production/distribution cycle related to specific markets. Issues such as differences in tastes and preferences, foreign health regulations, and transportation logistics all require separate consideration from a conventional domestic transaction. Activities and projects related to international opportunities and introduction strategies include:

1. Foreign health regulation review
2. Targeted international market research
3. Specific international product profile research
4. International trade show and trade lead referral and recruitment
5. Direct Exporting/documentation/customs clearance assistance
6. Foreign market product refortnulation/labeling/packaging assistance
7. Market entry strategies and international project development assistance