High-profile ransomware attacks to corporations like JBS and McDonalds shine a spotlight on the importance of prioritizing cyber security in the food industry. Susan Duncan is associate director of the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, director of the Virginia Tech Center for Advanced Innovation in Agriculture, and professor of food science and technology. She offers perspective and advice on how to take a collective approach to cybersecurity.

Drs. Francisco Najar and Phil Bass interview chemical engineer and meat scientist Diana Huerta, an Applications Engineering Manager for Sealed Air Corp. She uses the knowledge from both parts of her education to discuss packaging in the meat industry, as well as the role of automation in the industry.

Drs. Francisco Najar and Phil Bass are speaking with Iowa State University’s Dr. Rodrigo Tarte in a rather salty episode of MeatsPad. The language is fine, but the topic of the discussion focuses on salt and its use in the production of processed meats.

Analyzing the meat industry is PerkinElmer’s mission, using the latest data techniques to improve food safety and quality. In this special podcast, David Honig talks about the challenges of analysis in the meat industry and the tools PerkinElmer uses to overcome them.

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Papa Cantella’s is a family-owned and operated manufacturer of premium sausages and prepared foods based in southern California. Company President Tony Cantella joins us to discuss becoming the official supplier of the signature Dodger Stadium hotdog and other premium sausages. He also explains how this product and partnership fits into the broader Papa Cantella’s portfolio.  

Hosts Drs. Francisco Najar & Phil Bass speak with Dr. Dale Woerner of Texas Tech University. Dr. Woerner and two of his graduate students join the podcast to discuss their work in beef research. The beef industry has been active in researching genetics, but the dairy cattle industry also has its share of issues that can hopefully be resolved by cross-breeding. Listen to hear more about the Texas Tech research can benefit both the beef and dairy industry.

Heidi Diestel, fourth-generation farmer with turkey product specialist Diestel, joins us to talk about the company’s first-ever gravy offering, which is organic and incorporates bone broth from its own turkeys. She also talks about Diestel’s approach to thoughtfully raising turkeys, remaining family-operated, and advancing independent farming through business and community partnerships.