Food Industry

Breaking updates – Food Talks Q2: Presentation by Iowa Department of Inspection and Appeals (DIA) “Presto-Change-O: Tides of Change Amidst A Pandemic”.

CIRAS helps food manufacturers and feed manufacturers of all sizes navigate this complex and competitive industry. Over the past 5 years, CIRAS and our partners have worked with over 150 food manufacturers across the state, creating over $450 million in client-reported results.

We provide a broad range of multi-disciplinary resources for human food, animal food, feed, and beverage processors, leveraging our Iowa State University, state, and national networks to bring you the right expertise at the right time for your business. Our services and assistance are confidential and non-regulatory.

Some of the ways we help small food manufacturers include:

• Food Safety Fundamentals (see more information here)
  • Understand, plan, and implement strategies to meet state regulations, federal regulations, and global standards such as SQF, BRC, AFIA, and others
  • Implement controls to meet labeling claims such as organic, non-GMO, and others
  • Provide Preventative Control Qualified Individual (PCQI) training and HACCP Training
  • Learn and implement food safety with other small manufacturers in our Food Safety Collaboration
• Testing Services
  • Shelf-life studies, analytical services, consumer trials
• Managing a food manufacturing facility
  • Designing your plant layout, managing inventory, and selecting equipment in food processing
  • Implementing current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs)
  • Processed meats short courses
• Growth Strategies
  • Developing and implementing plans to sell food products to new customers and distributors

We help large food manufacturers implement advanced strategies and technologies including:

• Pilot facilities for product and process development
• Fermentation training and problem solving
• Water Strategies: water quality, effluent quality, water balances, watershed management
• Automation: food equipment design and selection
• Sensory Evaluation: consumer trials
• Shelf-life studies
• Hygienic sanitary equipment design
• Research studies – custom designed to your needs

 

Key CIRAS Partners in the Food Industry:

Center for Crops Utilization Research (CCUR)
Iowa Grain Quality Initiative (IGQI)
Iowa Sustainable Business Forum (ISBF)
Meat Science Extension
Learn more about all our partners here

To seek guidance about your food, feed, or beverage business contact CIRAS food industry Strategic Advisor Rachel Hahn.