FAPC Magazine Spring/Summer 2014

The official magazine of the Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center, Oklahoma State University

fapc.biz

Spring/Summer 2014

DASNR

Champion Page 10

fapc.biz

contents

Spring/Summer 2014 Volume 9 | Issue 1

Managing Editor/Designer Mandy Gross | mandy.gross@okstate.edu Editors Rebecca Bailey | rrbaile@ostatemail.okstate.edu Dorothy Pugh | dorothy.pugh@okstate.edu Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center | Oklahoma State University 148 FAPC, Stillwater, OK 74078-6055 405-744-6071 | 405-744-6313 FAX www.fapc.biz | fapc@okstate.edu

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10 accomplishments Photo/Todd Johnson

DASNR Champion

David Howard of Unitherm Food Systems in Bristow, Okla., was named a 2014 recipient of the Oklahoma State University Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Champion award. Howard is an avid supporter of FAPC and member of the center’s Industry Advisory Committee.

3 director’s comments Perfect partnership

14 oilseed processing Adding value to wheat bran

4 client success Certified organic

16 food safety Norovirus

6 industry perspective #TheWorldofSocialMedia

17 meat processing New rules, amended regulations

8 business & marketing Private label vs. name brand Two Oklahoma programs, Two different purposes

18 product development Past & present of pasta

12 foundation focus Call to give

20 food processing Another take on food processing 22 quality management Internal audit

Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid and educational services. This publication is printed and issued by Oklahoma State University as authorized by the vice president, dean and director of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and has been prepared and distributed at a cost of $2,200 for 700 copies. 0514 MG.

director’s comments

perfect

PARTNERSHIP The Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center is a unique unit on the Oklahoma State University campus. It is a functioning bricks-and-mortar center with staff, faculty and administration.

Its research mission is directed to value-added food and agricultural products and processing with applications for the food and agricultural industries in Oklahoma. Its extension mission is related to business development in the food and agribusiness industries in Oklahoma.

It has no teaching mission, but it hosts about 500 students in classes and laboratories during the year, and it averages about 30 graduate students that it educates and trains each semester for leadership roles in the academic and business worlds.

Essentially, FAPC is a large applied research, outreach and practical education laboratory that blends all three components of the land-grant university’s core mission for economic development, particularly focused on the Oklahoma food industry. It has done this effectively with a small faculty and staff base.

Economic impact data show that FAPC has affected more than $300 million of annual sales revenue for the Oklahoma food industry and has affected the growth and stability of more than 1,000 jobs during its 17 years of service. It has been central to the launch of more than 60 new sustainable startup businesses in 35 communities across Oklahoma, generating more than $11 million of annual sales revenue.

This success has been well worth the cost of FAPC with a payback on the original investment well within its first 10 years of operation. However, FAPC has yet to see its best days to discover, develop and deliver technical and business information that will stimulate and support the growth of food and agricultural value-added products and processing in Oklahoma.

One of the several valuable and largely untapped resources that FAPC is developing is a working partner relationship with the business community. An example of this is FAPC’s partnership with DuPont Health and Nutrition, particularly with one of its science fellows, Mac Orcutt, Ph.D., to develop a higher level of excellence in our research, outreach and teaching activities.

Orcutt has been working with FAPC and the department of animal science to deliver contemporary science and technology of processed food products in the food science-teaching program.

He has created lectures and labs for six different food science courses and has interacted with hundreds of undergraduate students and most of the food science graduate students to enhance their knowledge on contemporary food science and processing.

Mac Orcutt of DuPont Health and Nutrition educates students about food science and food processing.

Photo/Mandy Gross

Orcutt has participated in one-on-one sessions with FAPC and animal science faculty and staff to explore research opportunities and has participated with FAPC in outreach activities and trade association meetings. The department of animal science worked closely with FAPC and helped secure the nonpaid position of adjunct visiting professor in food science for Orcutt.

As a working scientist and fellow with DuPont Health and Nutrition, Orcutt has an aggressive set of goals that he must achieve separate from his involvement with OSU. Nevertheless, he has committed to develop and grow this active partnership with FAPC and help us best meet the needs of our contemporary food-processing industry in Oklahoma.

Orcutt is a great asset to FAPC and serves as a model for this type of relationship with other food industry leaders. We greatly appreciate Orcutt and DuPont Health and Nutrition in their commitment and contributions to FAPC’s mission.

If you are interested in developing a partnership relationship with FAPC to help deliver best practice science and technology to the Oklahoma food industry, call 405-744-6071 and discuss your thoughts with us.

By Roy Escoubas, director roy.escoubas@okstate.edu

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client success

Certified

Whole Foods Market helps FAPC launch certification program.

Organic. Orgánico. Organique. Organik.

Whatever the language, the worldwide trend of producing organic foods is rising and showing no signs of slowing down.

FAPC understands the importance of keeping on the forefront of trends affecting the food industry and is now certified organic through the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.

Earning certification

Certifying its pilot processing facility allows FAPC to serve producers developing organically certified foods, and the center has a great track record helping existing and startup companies develop new food products, says Chuck Willoughby, FAPC business and marketing relations manager.

“Because the center maintains a food manufacturing license from the Oklahoma State Department of Health, any new food products developed in the pilot plant are permitted to be sold in commerce,” Willoughby says. “This opportunity to test market newly developed products gives company decision-makers valuable information to determine refinement for products before undertaking a larger-scale market launch.”

However, without organic certification, test-market products developed at FAPC could not be labeled organic.

“We have worked with several organically certified producers and food companies since we opened our doors in 1997,” Willoughby says. “It became apparent while helping a client develop a pet treat

Photo/Rebecca Bailey

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made from organically certified ingredients that FAPC should gain certification as well.”

The ‘whole’ story

Producing food products under organic certification requires good record-keeping and the ability to prevent co-mingling of organically certified and non-certified ingredients. Special care in the handling of packaging and final products, cleaning of equipment and pest-management practices are also required, which leads to additional expenses.

Also, certifying a facility costs $500 annually, and there is a $5 fee for submitting each product profile.

client success

FAPC knew these expenses meant launching the certification program quickly would require a partner.

Willoughby says the first idea was to partner with Whole Foods Market, the world’s largest retailer of natural and organic foods with stores throughout North America and the United Kingdom.

“The costs of being certified organic is a small price to pay for assurance of product integrity,” Willoughby says. “It was not something planned in the current operating budget. Therefore, we asked our good friends at Whole Foods if they could help seed this program so it could be launched this budget year and eventually become a self-sustaining program.”

Whole Foods provided 1 percent of sales during the grand opening of its 91st and Yale store in Tulsa, Okla., to help fund FAPC’s organic certification program.

FAPC served as a Community Giving Day partner during the grand opening and provided the center with display space.

“We appreciate Whole Foods’ generosity in funding FAPC’s efforts to gain organic certification,” Willoughby says. “It was really great to have this opportunity to visit with Whole Foods’ customers and tell them about the center’s efforts to assist organic producers and food businesses in Oklahoma.”

Impact on Oklahoma

Becoming certified organic, FAPC strives to assist more Oklahoma companies with organic products and help companies to supply stores such as Whole Foods with quality products.

Sales data from Whole Foods Market has shown a significant economic impact on the state, region and nation.

According to Whole Foods Market, its annual sales of fresh produce and packaged foods for Oklahoma-based companies totaled $2.3 million from 2011 to 2013, including $985,000 in 2013. Whole Foods Market sales in 2013 of Oklahoma food products contributed an additional $1.2 million throughout the local economy, creating a total economic impact of $2.2 million.

“Several of the Made in Oklahoma companies that supply Whole Foods are clients of the center,” Willoughby says.

“Many times FAPC has helped these clients meet Whole Foods’ food safety and traceability program requirements or in some cases helped with reformulation to comply with Whole Foods’ ingredients restrictions.”

Coming full circle

John’s Farm of Fairview, Okla., became the first client to process product that could be labeled and sold as organic since the launch of FAPC’s organic certification program.

The expertise of the FAPC staff and the state-ofthe art facility are assets for all of Oklahoma, says Kris Gosney, owner of John’s Farm.

“The received organic certification further illustrates the staff’s dedication to their clients as it opens doors of opportunity for organic-product development,” Gosney says. “We are pleased to be the first client to produce a certified-organic product in FAPC’s pilot plant. Our hope is that other producers will move into the organic market with ease due to FAPC’s certification.”

By Mandy Gross, communications services manager mandy.gross@okstate.edu

Palgunan Kalyanaraman, FAPC wheat research specialist, works in the center’s pilot plant to produce a test run of organic dog treats for John’s Farm.

Photo/Whole Foods Market

Photo/Rebecca Bailey

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industry perspective

#TheWorldofSocialMedia As consumer appetites for information increase, this naturally translates to agriculture and the food we eat.

Social media can help organizations, businesses or people communicate important information relating to industry. However, social media also can be your biggest headache if you’re not prepared to handle the consequences that can come along with it.

I don’t profess to be a social media expert, but as I continue to watch how the mainstream media craves the next big story or headline, we all must be prepared to handle our own issues as they arise.

Social media can be your strongest ally or biggest foe, and the size of your organization, business or effort doesn’t matter. The world of social media is lightning fast, and you can find yourself drowning quickly.

Therefore, here are a few things to take into consideration when deciding how to navigate within this digital platform.

Tell your story yourself

Your message is paramount. What do you want people to know about your company or cause?

Be clear, honest and to the point. Most people don’t have time for long lengthy messages.

They want to know who you are, what you do and what you stand for. And if you don’t do this, someone else will do it for you — usually in a negative way, whether intentional or accidental.

That’s the beginning of perception superseding reality — and where you can find yourself having to go on the defensive if not careful.

#blackandwhite 6

#itmustbetrueifi

industry perspective

#

hash·tag [hash-tag]

noun 1. (on social-networking websites) a word or phrase preceded by a hash mark (#), used within a message to identify a keyword or topic of interest and facilitate a search for it: The hashtag #addingvaluetooklahoma was used to help identify FAPC services provided to Oklahoma food processors.

2. a hash mark used in this way. verb: hash·tagged, hash·tag·ging.

3. to add a hashtag to (a word, topic or message): Someone on Twitter just hashtagged adding value to Oklahoma.

Listen to your clients

We depend on consumers buying the products we produce or supporters giving financially to our causes. So when there is a complaint or when rumors start, we must be prepared.

Some people have a legitimate concern while others simply need something to complain about. Be prepared to respond quickly via a sales team, customer service department or through someone with public relations experience.

You must also be mindful of when NOT to respond. The last thing you want to do is get caught up in an opinion battle.

Remember, your overall message is paramount, and there are many ways to get your point across. Many great messages get lost in the communication.

Consider your audience

Social media means many different things to many people.

Some think it’s a single website on the Internet; others think it is the Internet. Some think it is texting. And others think social media is sites such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Then there are the bloggers.

All of this means your message can get lost depending on your target demographic. Depending on what you’re selling, what your cause is or what you’re potentially responding to, connecting with your audience can be very complex.

How and where you communicate should depend on the age and gender of your target audience. Remember that as popular as Facebook is today, it is quickly becoming the site that “my parents use” and hence uncool.

Look to what’s next in communicating — such as Vine and Snapchat — with younger age groups but not at the expense of ignoring your core audience.

fitsontheinternet

Message connection and relevance

Once you successfully reach your audience, make sure your message correctly resonates with them. For instance, if your product or cause appeals to both baby boomers and millennials, ensure you’re communicating via the correct media streams.

Research has shown that 20-somethings are spending more time in front of digital screens (phones, laptops, tablets, etc.) while baby boomers traditionally respond to print, radio and TV. Conducting focus groups to gauge the outreach and effectiveness of your messaging can be useful but expensive. Consider it an investment in helping your business grow.

The name of the game in using social media is exposure.

Understand how it fits into your business plan. Some organizations need it to grow, others need it to sustain, and some need it to change course or fix problems. But the bottom line is that we all use it and need it.

The core of how successful social media can be for you is trust. If you are trusted, consumers will come to you and interact freely. If you lose that trust, people stop visiting, which forces you to go to them and try to win them back.

Transparency, honesty and consistency should help you utilize social media more effectively by allowing you to stay focused on providing the products or services people want now and into the future.

By John Patick Lopez, Lopez Foods jplopez@lopezfoods.com

#perceptionvsreality 7

business & marketing

PRIVATE vs. NAME BRAND LABEL Today’s private-label products are far more superior to those old black-andwhite labels from years ago. Privatelabel products are more commonly known as store brands or retailer brands.

Initially, private-label product lines were limited to vegetables and some fruits but that has changed over the years. Now, you can find store brands in everything from pet foods to health and beauty products, and the variety of choices continues to grow.

One of the most significant changes is the vast improvement in label graphics and designs and packaging, which has made private-label products a viable competitor to name-brand products.

The success of private-label products provide a lower-cost option for many items versus name-brand products. The popularity of private label has helped many retailers’ bottom lines.

Who makes private-label products?

Several manufacturers make private-label products. Some large name-brand manufacturers use their excess production capacity and expertise to produce private-label products for retail or food-service clients. Some large

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retailers make private-label products at their own production facilities.

Kroger is an excellent example of a major retailer that reports 40 percent of its private-label sales are produced at its company-owned production plants. Kroger has 18 dairies, 10 deli and bakery plants, five grocery plants, three beverage plants, two meat plants and two cheese plants serving its 2,640 U.S. stores. Also, many regional medium and small co-packers that specialize in specific product categories contribute to the retailer’s growth in private-label products.

Good for consumers and retailers It is difficult today to tell the difference between store brands and namebrand products in taste and quality.

Several surveys validate the growing satisfaction with the quality of private label products. A Nielson Co. survey shows the lower price point attracted more consumers to private-label products during the last economic recession, and many have continued to buy them.

Steven A. Burd, Safeway’s former chief executive officer, says that food retailers generally make a 25 percent gross profit margin on name-brand products

compared with a 35 percent profit margin on private-label sales.

“That’s a significant source of additional profitability for a competitive business such as the retail grocery industry,” Burd says.

Why buy name brands?

The short answer is that many consumers who stay with name brands cite their confidence in the products’ quality over years of loyalty. While some consumers have been willing to purchase certain store brands they have found to be of equal quality and lower cost, many consumers are not looking for a lower price point.

Even such name brands as Heinz ketchup, Oscar Mayer deli meats, Sara Lee, Minute Maid, Kellogg’s, Nabisco and others that still enjoy brand loyalty feel the presence of store brands and their growth. For some retailers, privatelabel products can account for as much as 26 percent of sales in units and 20 percent of sales in dollars.

By Jim Brooks, business and marketing services manager jim.brooks@okstate.edu

business & marketing

Two Oklahoma Progams Two Different Purposes As the Made in Oklahoma program and the Made in Oklahoma Coalition both grow stronger, it’s probably time to explain the differences between them and how FAPC is involved.

The Made in Oklahoma program and the Made in Oklahoma Coalition work toward the same goals. Both programs are managed by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, funded by the state Legislature and help market the importance of buying local through retail, food service and gourmet segments.

The MIO program is free for any business that grows, processes or manufactures an agricultural product in Oklahoma. This is usually food, but it can also be wood products, bath products, candles, etc.

Member companies are listed on the MIO website at www. madeinoklahoma.net and get free use of the MIO logo.

Marketing opportunities such as reduced booth rates at the Oklahoma State Fair and the Tulsa Home and Garden Show and other events help members promote themselves, creating customer awareness about these products at local, regional and even national levels.

FAPC introduces new companies to the MIO program during its Basic Training workshop for food business entrepreneurs, held six times per year. A representative from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry discusses MIO program opportunities. FAPC also directs consumers to the MIO website for information about where to purchase these products.

The MIO Coalition (www.miocoalition.com) is an extension of the MIO program and shares its mission statement: to promote brand awareness and consumer loyalty for Oklahoma food products through collective marketing to increase sales, retain businesses and expand Oklahoma’s food-processing sector.

In 2000, some of the state’s larger manufacturers wanted to take the MIO program to the next level. Special funding made this possible, and the companies continue to match public funding with private donations.

The MIO Coalition was established with 12 members and 14 years later, it has more than 40 companies in its membership.

The funds promote MIO products and awareness through social media, television, radio, billboard and retail advertising, recipe contests, food service sales contests and promotions. The coalition has a different logo than the original MIO program.

Companies joining the coalition must show that they are active in the retail or food-service sectors, must be in a distribution center and must pay an annual fee of $250.

The coalition is responsible for the MIO-branded paper towels manufactured by Orchid Paper Products in Pryor, Okla.

Proceeds from the paper towel sales are donated to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma’s Food for Kids Backpack Program.

Since 2009, the MIO paper towels have generated more than $120,000 for this program.

FAPC is an associate member of the MIO Coalition and assists the group in developing a report measuring the employment, payroll and sales impacts of coalition member companies on the state’s economy. FAPC also introduces and guides potential members to the coalition as they reach the levels of current members.

By Andrea Graves, business planning and marketing specialist andrea.graves@okstate.edu

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accomplishments

DASNRChampion

Pictured with his daughter, Camilla (left), and wife, Amanda (right), David Howard of Unitherm Food Systems in Bristow, Okla., was named a 2014 recipient of the DASNR Champion award.

Photo/Todd Johnson

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accomplishments

A

A European by birth, David Howard has become a great American success story, to the benefit of the U.S. food industry, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

“We are privileged to name David Howard of Bristow, Okla., a 2014 recipient of the OSU DASNR Champion award,” says Mike Woods, DASNR interim vice president, dean and director. “He is well deserving of this recognition, which is one of the most prestigious honors presented by the division.”

The DASNR Champion award recognizes individuals with exceptional records of providing meaningful and lasting benefits to Oklahoma as part of the state’s production, processing and related agricultural industries, in addition to being outstanding leaders in their communities and supporters of OSU’s land-grant mission.

Howard was born in England, raised in Northern Ireland and returned to England where he completed the National Higher Diploma with Distinction in Business Studies at North East London Polytechnic in 1985.

While at North East London Polytechnic, Howard launched a startup business in 1983. He named his new business Unitherm Food Systems, which developed and built thermal processing systems for the United Kingdom’s food industry. After graduation, he concentrated on the day-today management of his business, expanded his operations and placed thermal processing units in food manufacturing facilities throughout the United Kingdom.

Reviewing his business expectations and food industry growth potential, Howard projected greater opportunities for growth could be realized in the United States market. In a bold and entrepreneurial move, he relocated his already very successful business to the United States in 1995, and established offices and a manufacturing facility in Ponca City, Okla.

He spent the subsequent six years establishing Unitherm Food Processing Inc.

“

in the American marketplace as an equipment supplier and innovator and then, in 2001, the potential for facility expansion and increased ease of doing business led him to relocate Unitherm Food Processing Inc. to the industrial park in Bristow, Okla.

Today, Unitherm is a market leader in innovative equipment technologies for pasteurization, cooking and chilling of raw, partially cooked and fully cooked

edge, serving for three terms on the FAPC Industry Advisory Committee, including stints as chair and vice-chair.”

Over the years, Howard has funded four FAPC graduate research assistantships for the full term of each assistantship, totaling approximately $200,000 in money provided. He has funded more than $100,000 worth of focused FAPC research projects and has provided $25,000 in fund-

We are privileged to name David Howard of Bristow, Okla., a 2014 recipient of the OSU DASNR Champion award. He is well deserving of this recognition, which is one of the most prestigious honors presented by the division.”

—Mike Woods DASNR Interim Vice President, Dean and Director

food products and agricultural food commodities. Unitherm’s annual sales now exceed $25 million, with more than 40 fulltime employees from the Bristow area.

The company has opened business and sales offices in Europe and Australia.

“The company is known throughout the food processing industry for its innovative approach to the design and creation of machines and systems to maximize yields and reduce processing times, while enhancing safety and profitability,” says Roy Escoubas, FAPC director.

An avid proponent of the DASNR center, Howard has donated state-of-theart equipment vital to helping FAPC serve food industry clients and businesses across Oklahoma, notably the electrolyzed water treatment system, boot washing system and spiral oven system.

“David has never put any constraints on any of his donations because he appreciates the value of what FAPC provides to state food businesses,” Escoubas says.

“He also freely gives his time and knowl-

ing for focused FAPC marketing and business projects such as the Dallas Gourmet Market project.

Howard has provided funds to support travel by FAPC faculty and staff to national and international trade shows as a way to promote Oklahoma’s food industry and the role of science-proven knowledge in advancing its business opportunities and capabilities.

“David also has been a major proponent of the FAPC at his own food industry client visits and trade show presentations,” Escoubas says. “He truly has been one of our greatest champions.”

By Don Stotts, Ag Communications donald.stotts@okstate.edu Mandy Gross, communications services manager mandy.gross@okstate.edu

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foundation focus

Call to Give

Help FAPC add value to Oklahoma FAPC has experienced great success in its first 17 years, assisting more than 1,000 Oklahoma clients with 3,000 technical and business projects.

Equipment donations and a drive to establish the Charles B. Browning Chair (currently held Rodney Holcomb, Ph.D.) were early gifts that benefited FAPC, soon after its 1997 opening.

In 2003, FAPC Director Roy Escoubas worked with the OSU Foundation to establish the FAPC Product Innovation Fund to support innovation areas: product and process development, industry employee training, food safety and security, industry waste and biofuels, and the general work of FAPC. Since then, funds supporting global food safety initiatives and endowments in food product development have been established. This financial support has enhanced FAPC’s capabilities in meeting its mission.

Respondents to FAPC’s recent fiveyear impact study directly attributed increases in annual payroll of $2.1 million and annual sales of $5.7 million to the assistance they received from FAPC. Even during an economic recession and the highest statewide unemployment rates in decades, the total (direct, indirect and induced) annual statewide impacts of FAPC assistance were 367.8 jobs, $8.9 million in payroll and $18.7 million in total economic activity.

These results affirm that FAPC is meeting its mission of “adding value to Oklahoma.”

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FAPC’s Foundation Focus Team, faculty and staff are dedicated and driven to continue providing invaluable service to Oklahoma and its value-added agricultural industry.

Your help is needed to further our mission.

As of 2013, FAPC has received almost $1.8 million from the Oklahoma valueadded industry and from private individuals. Much ($826,718) of this has been via equipment donations and other in-kind gifts. Donations to the Product Innovation Fund have reached nearly $480,000, while direct program support, including the funding of student research stipends, have reached $73,000. FAPC’s Global Food Safety Initiative has received $65,000 in two years.

Your tax-deductible donation will contribute to FAPC’s success. A pledge/ payment form with a self-addressed return envelope accompanies this issue of the fapc.biz magazine.

To learn more about planting seeds of success, visit www.fapc.biz/product-innovation-fund, or contact Chuck Willoughby, FAPC manager for business and marketing relations, by phone at 405-744-7300 or by email at chuck.willoughby@okstate.edu.

By Chuck Willoughby, business and marketing relations manager chuck.willoughby@okstate.edu

Photos/Mandy Gross

foundation focus

Support FAPC in 2014!

Product Innovation Fund FAPC innovation helps keep products, jobs and dollars home in Oklahoma. However, state funds to support this essential work are increasingly constrained. Since 2003, the Product Innovation Fund has enabled FAPC to accomplish its objectives with the aid of increased financial support from private donors. Through a donation to the Oklahoma State University Foundation, you can contribute to this fund and assist FAPC in adding value to Oklahoma.

FAPC’s Product Innovation Fund is distributed among five innovation areas: • • • • •

Products and Process Development Industry Employee Training Food Safety and Security Industry Waste and Biofuel Program FAPC Central Fund

Your commitment to the Product Innovation Fund will keep Oklahoma on the forefront of cutting-edge, valueadded processing and technology. Please mail completed form in the enclosed envelope to: Oklahoma State University Foundation, P.O. Box 258818, Oklahoma City, OK 73125-8818.

Yes! I’m ready to support FAPC’s Product Innovation Fund.

My check, payable to the OSU Foundation, of $ Please bill my gift of $ Credit Card Number

Monthly

Quarterly

Please provide your updated information:

to my credit card.

Signature I pledge a total of $

is enclosed.

/ Expiration Date Name on Card

Annually

Beginning:

and Ending:

Signature I want my bank account charged automatically. Please send me the necessary bank draft forms.

My employer participates in a matching gift program. I have enclosed forms.

Please contact me about making a gift to the Product Innovation Fund.

Name

Company

Address

to be paid: Semi-quarterly

21-44400

City/State/ZIP

Telephone

Email address

http://fapc.biz/product-innovation-fund

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oilseed processing

ADDING Greetings from Vienna! Currently, I am in Vienna as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar.

It’s an honor to be selected as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar, representing Oklahoma State University, FAPC and the department of biosystems and agricultural engineering in Austria.

While here, I will teach and carry out research at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Universität für Bodenkultur Wien-BOKU), department of food science and technology. My Fulbright research project, “Enhancing nutritional and economic value of cereal milling industry by-products,” is an extension of my research at OSU and a perfect fit for my host institute.

I will be collaborating with professor Wolfgang Kneifel, department chair of the BOKU food science and technology department. His group has been working on a cereal bran biorefinery concept focusing on adding value to functional food ingredients derived from wheat bran.

BOKU, the Christian Doppler Research Association and companies such as Buhler AG, Switzerland and Good Mills Group GmbH of Austria support this research and development project.

The Austrian Science Fund provides the funding for basic research in Austria, while the Austrian Research Promotion Agency supports research carried out by companies.

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VALUE to

The Christian Doppler Research Association is considered a pioneer in Austria for successful collaborations between research institutes and the private sector.

Its projects aim to facilitate the transfer of new product and processing technologies developed at research institutes and universities to commercial partners.

The association funds application-oriented basic research, providing companies access to new knowledge and operating as the interface between business and science.

The Christian Doppler Research Association-BOKU-private sector collaboration reminds me of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology’s Oklahoma Applied Research Support program, which also supports university-private sector research collaborations.

My research group has been working on an Oklahoma Wheat Biorefinery concept since 2001. Based on more than a decade of research and development work carried out in my research group, I envision a biorefinery system that produces value-added health beneficial products including functional foods and nutraceuticals from wheat milling industry by-products and straw.

According to the recent food industry market trend reports, the current global functional foods and nutraceuticals market

is more than $100 billion. Studies have shown that chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, coronary heart diseases and aging are associated with oxidative stress. Dietary antioxidants may reduce the risks of chronic diseases and improve general human health. Wheat germ and bran are rich sources of antioxidants.

The global beverage market continues to grow at a significant pace. Fermented foods have been shown to be rich sources of micronutrients with the potential to prevent various human diseases. In general, fermentation improves the nutritive value of cereals and leads to a general improvement in the shelf life, texture, taste and aroma of the final product. Several volatile compounds formed during cereal fermentation contribute to a complex blend of flavors in the products.

The long-term goal of the Fulbright project is within the framework of my research program at OSU, which is to develop and commercialize high-value products from Oklahoma-grown wheat.

The specific objective of the BOKUOSU collaboration is to formulate wheat germ- and bran-based health-beneficial fermented beverages. Water extracts of fermented germ and bran samples will be formulated into beverages. Dark chocolate, strawberry and vanilla flavors will be used in the formulations. Agave, which is

oilseed processing

o WHEAT

BRAN

Fulbright Scholar Program Shortly after World War II, former Arkansas Sen. J. William Fulbright sponsored the legislation that laid the foundation for the Fulbright Program. President Harry S. Truman signed it into law on Aug. 1, 1946. Subsequent laws, primarily the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, also referred to as the Fulbright-Hays Act, have refined and expanded the program.

The program’s goal is “to promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.”

Sen. Fulbright once said, “The Fulbright Program aims to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship.”

Annual appropriations from the U.S. Congress to the Department of State, along with contributions from other governments, the private sector and host institutions, provide financial support for the program. The Fulbright Program offers U.S. citizens and others grants for university lecturing, advanced research, graduate study and teaching in elementary and secondary schools. More than 300,000 individuals representing approximately 155 countries have benefited from a Fulbright experience during its 68 years.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs collaborates with the Institute of International Education’s Council for International Exchange of Scholars to administer the Fulbright Program for U.S. faculty, administrators and professionals.

Fulbright scholars get opportunities for intellectual and cultural pursuits in an environment of academic freedom and international cooperation. Fulbright scholars are chosen not only for their academic and professional excellence but also for their leadership potential to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared concerns after a rigorous review and selection process.

Photos/Nurhan Dunford

a plant nectar with a low glycemic index, will be used to sweeten the products.

Sensory profile including taste, mouth feel and product flavor will be evaluated by both trained and consumer panelists.

Optimum processing conditions resulting in the most favorable sensory characteristics and high antioxidant content will be determined.

I plan on extending this project beyond the Fulbright award. During the second phase of the project in the U.S., the sensory profile of the beverage formulations optimized at BOKU will be tested by trained and consumer taste panels formed of American consumers. The shelf life of the products also will be examined in my laboratories.

I expect this Fulbright experience will allow me to observe and learn about European food culture and choices and apply the scientific knowledge I gain in Austria to my research program and FAPC client projects.

Stay tuned to research findings and the new product in the next issue of fapc.biz magazine.

By Nurhan Dunford, oil/oilseed specialist nurhan.dunford@okstate.edu

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food safety

NOROVIRUS Leading cause of

FOODBORNE ILLNESS Norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis among all age groups in the U.S., annually resulting in 19-21 million cases, 56,000-71,000 hospitalizations and 570-800 deaths.

It is very contagious and can be spread in a multitude of ways: person-to-person (aerosolized in droplets from sneezes and coughing), contaminated food/water and contaminated surfaces in a food establishment.

Unlike bacteria that can replicate and grow on food products, viruses can only multiply by infection of a mammalian host, so the logistics of how the virus is transmitted and acquired are somewhat different than in typical bacterial foodborne illnesses. This is what makes it difficult to prevent from a food processor perspective.

There is no “temperature abuse” that would allow bacterial pathogens to grow to greater numbers and be a bigger problem. This is usually a problem associated with people, such as person-to-person or person-to-food contact, where the best control is to remove contaminated people from serving and preparing food, wash vegetables and fruit before serving them, and use sanitizers to clean and disinfect norovirus particles on food contact surfaces.

Consumers can best protect themselves by cleaning and washing fruits, vegetables and produce, as these are among the most handled non-cooked food items that are consumed daily.

Norovirus illnesses are more common in winter. This is because most places

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are sealed tight to prevent loss of heat in winter, and people are breathing recycled air, making person-to-person transmission more readily accommodated by sealed off living quarters than during the summer.

That is also the reason that norovirus is called the “cruise ship virus” because it is readily transmitted by people held in close quarters during long stretches of cruise line travel in interior compartments.

Another factor that helps the spread of norovirus is infected people can be carriers for up to 30 days after acute symptoms subside. The Centers for Disease Control estimates 49 percent of U.S. foodborne illness outbreaks are caused by norovirus.

By Peter Muriana, food microbiologist peter.muriana@okstate.edu

Muriana’s Comments

During my current tenure on the National Advisory Committee for the Microbiological Criteria of Foods, one of two key projects the committee is focusing on is coincidentally, norovirus.

The committee is evaluating what has been done on norovirus, how it can be sanitized and eliminated from food processing environments, and what areas of research should be targeted in the future to help reduce illnesses from that virus.

Norovirus also recently touched a little closer to home.

My son was playing on his college golf team in Topeka, Kan., where the coach and team members stayed for a few days. After two rounds of golf on Monday, the coach took the team to a local barbecue eatery. The team was feeling good being in first place with one final round to play on Tuesday.

Tuesday morning was a different story. My son, the coach and two other players were vomiting and having bouts of diarrhea almost simultaneously.

There was no time for delay because the tournament started sharply at 8 a.m.

During play, the team had to visit every rest stop and vomited in between.

The coach was doubled up on the floor of the clubhouse as the team completed their round.

As the saying goes, “Watch out for the wounded player,” the team miraculously played well enough to win the tournament.

However, my son’s illness continued for the next three days causing him to lose 15 pounds during that week. After providing a sample to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, the cause of the sickness was identified as norovirus.

meat processing

New rules, amended regulations FSIS issues new rule for generically approved labels of meat and poultry products.

Photo/Mandy Gross

Beginning in January 2014, the rules changed for some labels of meat and poultry products.

On Nov. 7, 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service published a final rule that expanded the circumstances under which the labels of meat and poultry products would be deemed to be generically approved by FSIS. These type of product labels have been historically and colloquially referred to as generic labels, generally reserved for single-ingredient meat items without special claims, or for claimless products that have a standard of identity established.

The new rule identifies four categories of labels that require sketch approval. The remaining categories of labels that do not fit into one of the four categories do not require sketch approval by FSIS, and thus can be generically approved by processing establishments.

The new rule has resulted in a bit of a re-arrangement of the meat and poultry product inspection regulations. Previous regulations addressing generically approved labels were listed in Title 9 Code of Federal Regulations Part 317.5, but the new label approval regulations for meat

and poultry products are listed in 9 CFR 412.1, and the regulations for the approval of generic labels are listed in 9 CFR 412.2.

The new rule introduces the four categories of labels that require prior approval by FSIS: • temporary labels, • labels for products with religious exemptions, • exports with labeling deviations and • labels with special statements and claims.

The specific regulations addressing these four categories can be found in 9 CFR 412.1 (c).

Labels that do not fit into these four categories can be generically approved by complying with applicable regulations.

The new regulations do not prohibit the submission of a label for approval even if the label fits the newly defined criteria for generically approved labels.

So if an establishment is unsure about a new label and submits that label for approval, FSIS will execute a traditional label review and approval procedure.

However, if an establishment elects to submit a generically approved label to

FSIS for review, the label will be assigned a lower priority than those labels that require sketch approval, according to the regulations.

Many have experienced long wait times for label approval, reportedly due to a backlog of labels submitted to the agency. The new regulations are expected to relieve this stress, with the new procedures expected to save the industry $8.7 million over 10 years, the USDA says.

Still, labels with special statements or claims include numerous meat and poultry products in the market. This is simply to draw attention to the unique properties of a product to compete with rivals, especially in retail.

With that, the labeling and policy development staff at USDA-FSIS could still have a large stack of labels to approve. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/233653d0-62e14cc0-b23e-28d070f883af/Generic-Final-Rule-Overview-Industry.pdf?MOD=AJPERES FSIS Directive 7221.1, Rev. 1, 1/16/14

By Jake Nelson, meat processing specialist/facilities manager jacob.nelson@okstate.edu

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product development

“

And so we have The broth seasoned with three meats, The flour made of wheat of the fifth month.

Suddenly [the dough] swims in the water where it is stretched Out into long strings That are lighter than a feather in the wind.”

— Fu Xuan, 217-278

In the United States, pasta comes in many different shapes and colors and is made from many different types of flours and wheat, but what exactly is pasta?

The following is a partial definition from the book Pasta

by Silvano Serventi and Francoise Sabban, “… the end product of a series of technical operations … applied to a mixture of soft wheat flour or durum wheat semolina with water or other substances, more or less liquid, making it possible to obtain a kneaded dough that is subsequently cut into small regular shapes, which are then cooked in a moist environment. This series of technical operations includes mixing of ingredients, kneading the resulting dough, cutting it into pieces, shaping them, possibly drying them and possibly storing them…”

The United States Food and Drug Administration has standards of identity for pasta, specifically in the categories of macaroni and noodle products. It’s interesting to note the word pasta does not actually appear in the standards.

Durum wheat (Triticum durum or Triticum turgidum subspecies Durum) is a hard spring wheat and, in the United States, it is grown primarily in North Dakota. It is the durum semolina, a granular form of flour that comes from the durum wheat endosperm that serves as a base for most pasta products.

Whatever the definition, pasta is popular.

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According to a 2013 survey conducted by Harris Interactive for Noodles & Co. in celebration of National Noodle Day, 59 percent of adults in the United States eat noodles or a pasta dish at least once a week. The survey compiled the responses of 3,014 adults and tracked noodle preference and personality traits. It found that among pasta-eaters: • 82 percent of self-described “fashionable” people prefer Italian cuisine.

• 69 percent of self-described “funny” people like cheese on their pasta.

• 39 percent of self-described “artistic” people list Ramen as their favorite type of noodles.

Pasta does not always consist primarily of wheat. You can find pasta that includes spinach, tomatoes or beets at the local supermarket. Additionally, many larger grocery stores and Asian grocers carry noodles with ingredients other than wheat: Japanese soba noodles and Korean naengmyeon noodles are buckwheatbased, Japanese shirataki noodles are konjac-based, and Vietnamese mien noodles are rice and manioc flour-based.

As might be expected, so many types of ingredients means different pastas have a range of enjoyable textures. Crunchy, gelatinous, soft, chewy, elastic and al dente textures can be experienced when enjoying the varieties of pasta. It is the protein content, or the lack thereof, that helps establish the texture.

Pasta’s diverse parentage stretches from China to Italy. Its ability to adapt to suit the needs of the consumer has also enabled it to maintain its place on the plate. Pasta can be enjoyed hot or cold, with or without sauce, as a side dish or the main attraction.

From a college dorm to an expensive restaurant, from the most well-to-do to those down on their luck, pasta can be bent to meet many needs, whether as a high-priced entrée, an inexpensive snack or somewhere in between.

By Darren Scott, sensory specialist darren.scott@okstate.edu Serventi, Silvano and Sabban, Francoise. 2000. Pasta: The Story of a Universal Food.

Columbia University Press, NY. Prepared Foods Network. 2013. Using the noodle http://www.preparedfoods.com/ articles/113283-using-the-noodle Kuntz, Lynn A. 1995. A Pasta Primer. http://www.foodproductdesign.com/articles/1995/01/apasta-primer.aspx Decker, Kimberly J. 2012. Shape of Things to Come: Innovations in Pasta. http://www.foodproductdesign.com/articles/2012/01/shape-of-things-to-come-innovations-in-pasta. aspx Uhl, Susheela. 2000. That’s Using Your (Asian) Noodle. http://www.foodproductdesign.com/ articles/2000/05/thats-using-your-asian-noodle.aspx Hunter, Andrew. 2009. Using Your Asian Noodle. http://www.foodproductdesign.com/articles/2009/12/using-your-asian-noodle.aspx

PAST PRESENT

& of Pasta

Photo/Mandy Gross

product development

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food processing

Another

fOOD pro

Food processing continues to happen.

We hear tales that food processing leads to processed foods, which fit into various stages of bad, not good, less good, maybe good sometimes or stay away from processed foods and eat something else.

Some say, “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.” I add, “Food processing is in the minds of the be-eater.”

When I think back on growing up, I do not have many nostalgic thoughts about the food being better. My one exception is fresh tomatoes from the garden.

Other memories include the milkman delivering the milk (cream at the top), getting fresh fruit and vegetables only from the garden or in season, lots of canned foods and meats, including Spam and ethnic foods usually from a can with a picture of a chef on it.

One of the big things was Wonder Bread that “built strong bodies eight ways.” I do not remember what the eight ways were, but it showed that food marketing was emerging.

The second big thing was TV dinners. They tasted pretty good at the time and could be heated in an oven in about the same time it took to cook a real entrée.

The third big deal was the arrival of McDonald’s. McDonald’s was a way to get away from the canned soup or stew and substitute two burgers, fries, a drink or a shake for less than a dollar.

Food processing was wonderful even before I knew what it was.

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Food processing was evident in prehistoric times and has continued to evolve ever since. Many principles remain the same but with greater understanding and control over the processes.

Some early systems included fermenting, sun drying, preserving with salt, packing in fat (confits), grinding grains and various cooking techniques. A primary objective was to preserve food for later use.

Systems to preserve foods have long been developed to serve military needs. For example, Nicolas Appert in 1809 developed a hermetic bottling process to preserve foods (an early MRE) for French troops. This led to the development of tinning and canning by Peter Durand in 1810.

Canned foods are still a staple worldwide. Of course, we cannot forget Louis Pasteur’s 1864 discovery we know as pasteurization. These methods relied on heat and isolation from contamination. Aseptic processing and packaging in various types of containers used are refinements of the earlier principles.

It is hard to imagine modern life without refrigeration. I consider refrigeration a form of food processing because it extends the shelf life of fresh and processed foods throughout distribution and storage. Refrigeration can be “natural” (cold climates, a cave or ice) or “unnatural” (various forms of mechanical systems).

From 1912 to 1915, Clarence Birdseye observed a natural weather-based freezing system in Labrador, located in the northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. He noted that fish caught by Inuit people froze rapidly under subzero weather conditions and were comparable to freshly caught when thawed and served.

This led to his invention and commercialization of flash freezing for seafood, vegetables, fruit and meats from 1923 to 1930. Packaging continues to evolve, often simplifying food preparation. One example is steaming in the original bag by heating in a microwave oven.

A dictionary defines food processing as “the transformation of raw ingredients into food or food into other forms. Food processing typically takes clean, harvested crops or butchered animal products and uses them to produce attractive, marketable and often long shelf life products.” There is no “bad” in the definition.

food processing

take on

ocessing The U.S. Food and Drug Administration defines processed food as, “Any food other than a raw agricultural commodity and includes any raw agricultural commodity that has been subject to processing, such as canning, cooking, freezing, dehydration or milling.”

The definition can vary somewhat by noting that processed foods are typically prepackaged in some way and sometimes contain ingredients that may be helpful or harmful based on science or other reason. I am not going to argue the merits of good versus bad ingredients that can be part of the finished food.

Food processing is sometimes synonymous with food preservation, which is defined as, “The system of treating and handling food in such a way as to greatly slow down spoilage to prevent foodborne illness while maintaining nutritional value, texture and flavor” (wordiq.com).

Under the above definitions, few — if any — foods or food products in a typical supermarket are “exactly as found in nature.” Even fruits and vegetables have been processed in some fashion. They may be cleaned, sorted, coated and packaged for shipment, or displayed before retail sale. They also are shipped and stored in a way to prevent external stress, minimize spoilage, maximize shelf life and prevent contamination (controlled temperature, environment, etc.).

Processing does not always mean more fat, sugar and salt.

The words “nature” and “natural” sound great when describing a diet to eat mostly “fresh, unprocessed” fruits, vegetables and other foods.

However, the words of biochemist Bruce Ames also must be kept in mind: “Nature is not benign.”

There are many forces in nature fighting against the food making it to the dinner table. External forces such as weather, microorganisms and insects can affect the taste, texture and safety of food. The plant tissue also must be saved from itself as metabolic activity continues until the product is considered spoiled. Similar actions take place in animal products and tissue. Processing serves to mitigate some of these issues and keep the “fresh” in “fresh.”

Processing is not always a dirty word nor does it always lead to less nutritious food. The recipe, expectations and perception also must be considered.

Food products are developed and designed to fit a specific category where economics, distribution

system and intended market influence the finished product design.

The design target, flavor and texture are different for a fresh entrée, frozen entrée or shelf-stable entrée.

Processing is the system to manufacture a product to fit certain specifications and quality standards. A recipe is the “creative” part describing the “what” (ingredients) and “how” (to do) parts of the system to prepare a consistent food product. The recipe can lead to a highly nutritious or less nutritious food product based on ingredients and what is being made.

As early 20th century writer H.L. Mencken notes, “What we need in this country is a general improvement in eating. We have the best raw materials in the world, both quantitatively and qualitatively, but most all of them are ruined in the process of preparing them for the table.”

I do not have a desire to go back to the food of yore where natural could mean inedible by today’s standards. Processing from simple to complex gives the opportunity to select from a vast assortment of convenient food products, including the betterfor-you products that are a trend now.

I prepared a recent meal from scratch using processed ingredients. The foods included baking potatoes (shipped from Idaho), pork tenderloin (vacuum bagged), salad mix (bagged) and steamed vegetables (frozen). It also included premixed seasonings, prepared dressings, sour cream and butter (with olive oil); all processed using hands, equipment, storage and shipment provided by others. The easy part was the final preparation, made simple because processing happens.

By David Moe, food process consultant david.moe@okstate.edu

21

quality management

Audit Internal

Q: A:

We conduct monthly good manufacturing practices, food safety and sanitation audits. Are we meeting the internal audit requirements?

No. These hygiene inspections are required but are used to meet other parts of the criteria. The internal audit criterion requires auditing the standard in its entirety.

Understanding exactly how the internal audit is to be carried out can be confusing at first. The internal audit assesses the current programs, policies, procedures and record-keeping against the Global Standard for Food Safety being implemented.

Companies that have been conducting intense monthly good manufacturing practices and hygiene audits for several years may have believed this type of audit meets the internal audit requirement.

The GMP audit is part of the internal audit, but companies need to refer to the Global Food Safety Initiative standard being used to correctly do the internal audits.

Read the criteria line by line and document how the criterion is met or document a nonconformance if you are not meeting the criteria. This is not about regulating and disciplining yourself. The self-audit is about finding opportunities for continuous improvement.

Safe Quality Food and British Retail Consortium make the internal audit man-

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datory. The BRC identifies the internal audit as one of its 10 fundamental clauses, saying, “The company shall be able to demonstrate it verifies the effective application of the food safety plan and the implementation of the requirements of the Global Standard for Food Safety.”

The requirement also says, “There shall be a planned program of internal audits with a scope, which covers the implementation of the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) program, prerequisite programs and procedures implemented to achieve this standard.”

Internal vs. external audit

The external food safety auditor is not responsible for your food safety system.

Many establishments don’t understand the need for an internal audit when they already have an external auditor.

The internal audit is an in-depth review of your food safety system against the standard.

Beth Driscoll explains in Food Quality magazine (December/January 2013): “An internal audit should be more intense than the external audit. External audits are a snapshot of the facility, and an external auditor has a limited amount of time to evaluate each program. These audits rely on discovery sampling and focus on areas where nonconformance is found. An internal audit, however, should be a deep dive into a program, looking at all the procedures and records.”

Internal audit report

Once the internal audit conformances and nonconformances are documented, the internal audit is still not complete.

Safe Quality Food requirements state, “Audit results are communicated to relevant management personnel and staff responsible for implementing and verifying corrective actions.”

Corrective Action Reports identifying the nonconformance are based on the audit report.

The CARs are assigned to designated personnel with deadlines for corrective actions.

A few GFSI programs may be implemented so robustly that the internal audit does not find a nonconformance. Finding a nonconformance is not to punish those responsible but to identify weakness, vulnerabilities and food safety risks in the food safety system.

While many believe the internal audit is to meet the GFSI criteria, it’s actually to find opportunities for continuous improvement. Robust food safety systems

quality management

Creating accountability and continuous improvement of your food safety system.

Jason Young, FAPC quality management and GFSI specialist, helps companies understand the requirements of an internal audit.

Photo/Mandy Gross

require mechanisms to identify deviations, nonconformance and customer complaints.

Having a good quality and food safety system in place helps recognize when the process deviates from the program and offers preventive action to bring the deviation back into control.

Denis Devos says in his article, “Risk is the Compass: A new Approach to Auditing Processes Based on Process Risks” in The Audit Report (May 2014), “Senior managers often don’t realize they have every right to expect findings that will expose areas of risk and move operational performance to a higher level.”

A good internal audit will help management review food safety systems for risks.

Corrective actions

In Food Quality magazine, Driscoll says, “The internal audit program is of little value if nonconformances are not corrected.

Failing to close the loop on a nonconformance not only allows an issue to continue, but it also results in the internal audit function losing credibility with the plant staff.”

The time and resources used in an internal audit should not be wasted. Meeting GFSI standards requires additional resources from management. That commitment is accented by the proper implementation of the internal audit program.

The BRC says, “Corrective actions and timescales for their implementation shall be agreed and completion of the actions verified.”

The third-party GFSI auditor will assess how well the internal audit program is implemented and verify that corrective actions were complete and verified.

Properly implementing an internal audit program is more than meeting the requirement. The internal audit should define how well the quality and food safety systems are implemented.

Is the system able to determine deficiencies and implement actions to prevent a recurrence?

“Performing an excellent internal audit is difficult, however,” Driscoll says. “A valuable internal audit requires that the facility be committed to performing the audit well and using the audit findings in a way that improves the production floor and programs.”

To learn more about internal audits, attend FAPC’s upcoming Internal Auditor course on July 17. To register, visit www.fapc. biz/workshops/interalauditorcourse.

By Jason Young, quality management and GFSI specialist jason.young@okstate.edu

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Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center 148 FAPC Stillwater, OK 74078-6055

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID STILLWATER, OK PERMIT NO. 191

Adding Value to OKLAHOMA Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Oklahoma State University 148 FAPC, Stillwater, OK 74078-6055 Phone 405.744.6071 www.fapc.biz