FoodPAC Technical Committees to Select FY 2009 Research Program

FoodPAC’s FY 2009 Call for Program Proposals received 32 submissions. The submitted proposals were divided among FoodPAC’s three research focus areas as follows: 14 Process and Product Improvement, 11 Food Safety and Health, and 7 Environmental. These proposals request funding totaling more than $3.4 million. FoodPAC’s leadership hopes to receive $1.3 million in state funds for project funding in FY 2009. (As of this writing, the General Assembly had yet to approve the FY 2009 budget.)

In order to select projects for the FY 2009 research program, FoodPAC’s three Technical Committees will meet separately in mid- to late March to rate and prioritize the proposals. During the selection process, each Technical Committee will rank each proposal for its responsiveness to the Proposal Call and relevance to priority needs. As part of that process, Committee members hear oral presentations from each research proposal leader. These oral presentations are designed to allow the research team to explain the thrust of the proposed research as well as update the committee on any previous work done in the proposed area.

During the Technical Committee ranking process, each proposal is given a numerical rating using a 20-point criteria scheme (10 points for Technical Merit, 5 points for Collaboration, and 5 points for Funding). After each proposal is rated, the respective Technical Committee ranks the submissions by overall score and puts together a final recommendation on its selections for the Steering Committee.

The Steering Committee will meet in early April to review, select, and approve the FY 2009 research program. All proposal submitters will be notified of the final selections by late April.

 

Annual Report Changes to Four-Color Format

FoodPAC’s 2007 Annual Report was released this past December. The new report now boasts a four-color format and an added Program Highlights/Financial Summary section. In addition, the report gives an overview of the Traditional Industries Program for Food Processing, provides the FoodPAC committee leadership listing, and highlights the research results of projects conducted during FY 2007 as well as activity plans for FY 2008.

The report is available to all members of Georgia’s food processing industry. If you did not receive a copy or would like an additional copy, contact Kristi Spivey at (404) 894-3412 or email kristi.spivey@gtri.gatech.edu. The report can also be viewed electronically on the FoodPAC website at here.

Website Gets New Look

Have you noticed our recently redesigned website? Log onto www.foodpac.gatech.edu to see a return to FoodPAC’s traditional blue and white color scheme. And as always, you can access previous issues of The Food Chain, FoodPAC Annual Reports, as well as learn more about FoodPAC and Georgia’s food industry.

Kudos to Steven Thomas for creating the new look.

Industrial Partners: A Closer Look

As a part of Georgia’s Traditional Industries Program, FoodPAC was designed to bring industry leaders and university-based researchers together to develop and implement practical solutions to improve industrial competitiveness. FoodPAC’s industrial partners represent companies across the food manufacturing sector, ranging from fruits and vegetables to beef and poultry. In each issue, The Food Chain will take a closer look at one of these partners.

Introducing...Keystone Foods LLC

Keystone Foods is a global manufacturer of food products and custom distributor to the food industry. The privately owned business was founded in the early 1960s as a small, beefboning operation. Today, Keystone Foods operates 49 facilities in North America, Europe/Middle East, Asia, and Australia. The company annually produces more than 1.4 billion pounds of poultry products and 348 million pounds of beef products. Its customer base exceeds 24,500 restaurants. To learn more about Keystone Foods, visit www.keystonefoods.com.

 

Project Spotlight

Imaging and Oven Control Development for Bottom Color of Baked Goods

Chris McClanahan, a co-op student, reviews images of bun bottoms that have been screened using the prototype conveyor system (shown in the background).

Industry’s Concern
The baking industry is the third largest segment of Georgia’s food processing industry (13% by sales volume) with operations located throughout the state. One of the largest segments of the market is buns and rolls for food service and fast food customers. A growing number of these customers are placing increasing demands on quality control for bun size, shape, color, and topping coverage (sesame seeds, etc.). Accurate control of the quality is challenging considering the high-volume production, with rates of up to 1,000 buns per minute on a line. The high volume also indicates the need for automated control (correcting a drifting color before it goes out of specification would save thousands of buns). The standard inspection process is for workers to remove a few samples of the product periodically and to inspect both the top and bottom manually against customer specifications. Interest is building for a more accurate and uniform assessment process, and a means to actively control this product.

System Design The system design consists of a special wire belt conveyor with an imaging system nested underneath it that is able to see the product through the belt (see photo above). The structure consists of two large sheet metal sides, which have aluminum extrusion stiffeners on the inside. These extruded sections provide increased stiffness as well as an adjustable mounting surface for vision system components. The belt is mounted on shafts joining the two sheet metal sides, and is driven by an AC motor with a speed controller to match the speed of adjacent belts. This unique wire belt is near 90% open for the vision system.

Project Overview

Researchers with Georgia Tech’s Food Processing Technology Division along with industrial partners Baking Technology, Inc. and Flowers Foods are developing an imaging system to inspect the bottom color and characteristics of baked buns for automated feedback to an oven control system. The team has designed a conveyor system that enables a view of the bottom of the product. This a departure from previous research efforts where all of the products were viewed from the top.

Also, an imaging system was integrated into the conveyor system design to collect visual data of the product as it is being conveyed. Existing algorithms developed for processing images of bun-tops were adapted to analyze the images of bun-bottoms and extract relevant color and quality information for feedback control purposes. The software inspects the bottoms for average color, color distribution, flour dust, baking residue, and foreign material, and feeds the relevant information to the oven controller.

The research team recently began work to refine the image processing algorithms and design and implement an adaptive controls system. System field trials are planned. Ultimately, researchers believe the system will enable bakers to more efficiently meet the increasingly more rigorous demands of their customers by improving the quality of the process. The methods and systems developed also have potential applicability to other bakery products such as biscuits, cookies, crackers, bread, and pies — all of which are produced in Georgia.

For more information, contact:
Project Director: Doug Britton
Georgia Tech Research Institute, Food Processing Technology Division
Phone: (404) 407-8829
Email: doug.britton@gtri.gatech.edu

Researcher Profile

Jinru Chen

Principal Investigator of FY 2008 Project:
“Use of a Multiphase Antimicrobial/Modified Atmosphere Packaging Material/Technology to Control the Safety and Quality of Processed, Ready-to-Eat Meats”

Job title: Associate Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia.

Education: Ph.D., Food Microbiology.

Areas of research expertise: Food Safety.

What I find most rewarding about working on FoodPAC projects: Interaction with industry participants and Georgia’s food processing industry.

A talent I wish I had: Skating.

Another occupation I’d like to try: Fashion Designer.

My first paid job: Lecturer at Beijing Agriculture University.

If I could meet someone famous, who would it be and why: Warren Buffet, he is the greatest investor of all time.

Hobbies: Hiking and snorkeling.

One thing people may not know about me: I was on the track and field team in high school.

My day would not be complete without: Taking my vitamin pills.

The last book I read: “The Power of Thinking Without Thinking” by Malcolm Gladwell.

The last movie I saw: “No Country for Old Men.”

My favorite song: “Did You Ever Know That You’re My Hero,” sang by Bette Midler at the memorial for September 11 victims in New York City.

My motto: Be dependable.