The Food Files

Value-added Research: Increasing Product Shelf Life

Ravi Jadeja, food safety specialist, focuses research on reducing the number of foodborne pathogens and increasing the shelf life of ready-to-eat dips, such as hummus, at the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center. In this episode of The Food Files, Ravi discusses the role of natural antimicrobials to make clean-label products. The goal is to replace chemical preservatives commonly used in hummus production. 

Value-added Research: Product Innovation

Patricia Rayas-Duarte, cereal chemist, focuses on researching product innovation and development at the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center. In this episode of The Food Files, Patricia describes the importance of developing a variety of products and meeting consumer demands. The main goal is to add value to Oklahoma products with food processes, such as germination and fermentation.

Value-added Research: Affordable Food Textures

Tim Bowser, food process engineer, strives to help in-state clients optimize the potential of their food processes through research at the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center. In this episode of The Food Files, Tim describes research exploring affordable food textures measurement technology and its application. The main goal is to assist companies with product and process development to deliver a positive and quality experience  to customers.

Value-added Research: Probiotics in Processed Foods

Dani Bellmer, food process engineer, contributes to biosystems and agricultural engineering research at the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center. In this episode of The Food Files, Dani describes research exploring probiotics in processed foods, such as cookies. The main goals are to assist processors who are formulating food products and ensure consumers are buying products with expected probiotics.

Value-added Research: Direct-to-Consumer Marketing

Rodney Holcomb, agribusiness economist, focuses research in direct-to-consumer meat marketing at the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center. In this episode of The Food Files, Rodney explains what is driving the push for post-pandemic meat sales and the shift in consumer demand. The goal is to develop transparency in labeling with process verification and assisting clients in identifying with consumers.

Value-added Research: Clean Energy

Nurhan Dunford, oil/oilseed specialist, focuses research on renewable and clean energy technologies at the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center. In this episode of The Food Files, Nurhan explains the importance of storing energy in composite materials constructed from locally available but underutilized resources. The goal of the research is to optimize the technical design of composite materials made from biomass and lipids and incorporate them in solar panels for efficient and clean energy storage.

Food Trends with FAPC: Restaurants

Andrea Graves, business planning and marketing specialist at the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center, discuses the current trends with restaurants. In this episode of The Food Files, Andrea explains the evolution of restaurants now offering more gluten-free, vegan and local menu options.

Food Trends with FAPC: Hard Seltzers

Chuck Willoughby, business and marketing relations manager at the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center, explains the trend of hard seltzers. In this episode of The Food Files, Chuck discusses the market and encourages seltzer companies to engage with consumers for product development and flavor preferences.

Food Trends with FAPC: Upcycle Food

Rodney Holcomb, agribusiness economist at the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center, discuses the trend of upcycle foods. In this episode of The Food Files, Rodney explains the purpose of utilizing foods and turning them into value-added products, which otherwise would be considered waste.

Food Trends with FAPC: Packaging Innovations

Andrea Graves, business planning and marketing specialist at the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center, discuses the trend of packaging innovations. In this episode of The Food Files, Andrea explains how interactive packaging can be eco-friendly, accessible for consumers or feature scannable codes for “smart” packaging.