The Drip by AQUALAB (formerly Water In Food)
46 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago -Welcome to The Drip (formerly Water in Food), where we keep your mind hydrated with some science, music, and a mantra. I'm your host, Zachary Cartwright, lead food scientist at AQUALAB by Addium
Hosted by Zachary Cartwright, Ph.D.
Lead FOOD Scientist at AQUALAB
https://www.aqualab.com/
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Episodes
The Drip by AQUALAB: Navigating Food Safety Challenges with Bruce Ferree
July 10, 2024 16:09 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBNavigating Food Safety Challenges: Bruce Ferree’s 40-Year Career in Food Science Bruce Ferree, a food safety consultant, unpacks the world of food safety and quality management. Bruce's career spans over four decades, encompassing meats, poultry, dairy, and aseptic processing roles. He’s a distinguished member of the Institute of Food Technologists and a former US Marine and cancer survivor. Bruce shares valuable insights from his vast experience in the food industry, the evolution...
The Drip by AQUALAB: Innovations in the Middle East and North Africa with Fidele El Achkar
June 26, 2024 15:28 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBDigitizing Food Safety: Innovations in Middle East and North Africa with Fidele El Achkar Fidele El Achkar is the visionary founder of FoodSight, an initiative aimed at revolutionizing the food industry in the Middle East and North Africa. By digitizing food safety and industry activities, Fidele seeks to modernize traditional practices, ensuring they align with global trends. FoodSight fosters collaboration among freelancers, international experts, and service providers, creating ...
The Drip by AQUALAB: Microplastics in Food with Angela Anandappa
June 11, 2024 16:53 - 21 minutes - 25.2 MBAngela Anandappa, Ph. D. is the founding director of the Alliance for Advanced Sanitation. Anandappa is an experienced food safety industry professional having worked in the supply chain, product development, and sanitation areas of the food manufacturing industry. In this episode we unpack the alarming prevalence of microplastics, explore their pathways into our food supply, and discuss the potential solutions and innovations in sustainable packaging. In this episode, you’ll hear...
The Drip by AQUALAB: The Truth About Raw Milk; Savana Everhart Nunn breaks down the risks
May 28, 2024 21:16 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBThe Truth About Raw Milk: Breaking Down the Risks with Savana Everhart Nunn Savana Everhart Nunn, PhD in One Health Sciences from Texas Tech University, joins the show to share why the US government agencies caution against consuming raw milk. We also explore the implications of not pasteurizing milk, and Savana’s groundbreaking research on mastitis in dairy cattle. Whether you're a food science enthusiast or just curious about the science behind your daily foods… you're in the rig...
The Drip: Why Does My Wine Smell Funky? Uncovering the Science of Wine Spoilage
May 14, 2024 18:45 - 24 minutes - 27.8 MBToday, we dive into the intriguing world of wine, exploring why some bottles can unpleasantly surprise your senses with aromas resembling barnyards or dirty socks. Drawing from my doctoral research on the pesky wine spoilage yeast, Brettanomyces bruxellensis, at Washington State University under Dr. Edwards, I'll unpack how this microorganism infiltrates wineries and impacts your wine’s bouquet. From unsettling findings in vineyard pumice to the challenges of eradicating Brett from ...
Episode 40: Food Safety with Ashutosh Jaiswal
December 19, 2023 17:37 - 34 minutes - 79.2 MBI'm your host, Zachary Cartwright, and today marks our 40th episode - a special milestone. To celebrate, we've got an equally special guest joining us, Ashutosh Jaiswal, a wizard in the world of food safety and a driving force in quality assurance with over a decade of experience at Sri Dut India Private Limited. Ashutosh shares his journey, from his formative years influenced by family ties to agriculture and the food industry to his current role, where he passionately oversees qu...
Episode 39: Michelle Schwenk, Bellis Food Solutions
November 21, 2023 17:05 - 28 minutes - 38.6 MBToday, we delve deep into the science and innovation with Michelle Schwenk, the president and food science consultant at Bellis Food Solutions in Decatur, Illinois. Bellis is a company renowned for its insights into formula development, technical guidance, and testing for the food industry, working with everything from candy to dairy. We reveal the joy of coupling water science with food processing. From the process of creating unique food products to understanding the importance ...
Episode 38: Inside McCormick & Company: A Conversation with Dr. Milda Embuscado
October 31, 2023 16:07 - 21 minutes - 48.5 MBIn today's episode, we have a special guest, Dr. Milda Embuscado, a distinguished scientist at McCormick and Company. Dr. Embuscado is an expert in materials and processing technology, with a focus on powder science and technology, flavor compounds, flavor encapsulation, and food emulsions. She shares her insights on the role of water activity measurements and moisture absorption isotherms in understanding ingredients and developing new products.
Episode 37: Ian Fretheim of Cafe Imports
October 17, 2023 14:42 - 55 minutes - 128 MBToday, we have a very special guest, Ian Fretheim, joining us from Cafe Imports. Ian is the Director of Sensory Analysis, where he passionately explores the depths of coffee quality. He's not just an observer but a hands-on enthusiast who dedicates his talents to ensuring the highest standards of coffee. In the quality control lab, Ian's daily routine involves processing an astounding number of taste-bud signals. He's like a sensory superhero, utilizing his seventh, ninth, and tent...
Episode 36: AUPA co-founder Rob Rebich
October 03, 2023 15:57 - 19 minutes - 43.8 MBWe had the recent pleasure of talking with Rob Rebich, Co-Founder of AUPA, a company on a dedicated mission to provide customers with convenient, nutrition-packed meat-based snacks, all free from harmful industrial additives. Rob's vision is to champion small, local regenerative farms and ranches by sourcing ingredients locally, thereby contributing to a broader transformation aimed at enhancing the entire food system. AUPA firmly believes that incorporating animal products is a ke...
Episode 35: Imran Ahmad of Florida International University's Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
July 24, 2023 17:35 - 27 minutes - 63.6 MBToday my guest is Dr. Imran Ahmad, a Research Assistant Professor at Florida International University where he is part of the Food Agriculture and Biotechnology Lab. This lab focuses on four core areas of food and beverage science including 1) studying product and process development for optimization of safety and quality, 2) developing novel microbes for commercial applications, 3) investigating sensory and consumer behavior, and 4) conformance with regulations. Dr. Ahmad has posth...
Episode 34: The Science of Water Activity and Pathogen Survival in Low Water Activity Foods
May 12, 2023 17:46 - 27 minutes - 62.9 MBIn this episode of Water In Food, we explore two new technologies that have the potential to revolutionize food safety. The first is hyperspectral imaging, and the second is ultra-fine bubbles, which can increase the potency of antimicrobial solutions and promote the growth of probiotics in milk products. Our guest speaker is a food scientist passionate about dairy and microbiology. He teaches food science and conducts research in a dairy microbiology lab nationally recognized for i...
Episode 33: Suresh Chander from Arboreal Stevia
February 28, 2023 17:17 - 30 minutes - 69.1 MBWe sit down with Suresh Chander, R&D lead at Arboreal Stevia! Learn more about the sugar substitute and its various implications in food production. Discover what misconceptions exist around it, plus weigh up some of the pros and cons of this unique sweetener on our latest episode of Water In Food.
Episode 32: My Food Job Rocks with Adam Yee
January 17, 2023 23:47 - 31 minutes - 72.7 MBToday my guest is Adam Yee, the podcast host of My Food Job Rocks! He interviews people from the food industry and discusses why they love their jobs and how they got to where they are today. With over 250 episodes and hundreds of blog posts about career advice, Adam’s goal is to show that the food industry is full of intelligent, driven, and passionate people. Today, the podcast has been downloaded over 150,000 times and his website has over half a million views, helping those inte...
Episode 31: University of Arkansas Department of Food Science
October 10, 2022 16:09 - 21 minutes - 49.2 MBThis week on Water in Food is Dr. Jennifer Acuff from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. She's also an assistant professor of food microbiology and safety in the department of food science at Dale Bumpers College. Currently, her focus is microbial contamination in low-moisture foods, including products like spices, nuts, dried fruits, and powders. Her goal is to expand the body of knowledge about pathogen contamination in low-moisture foods and conduct applie...
Episode 30: Milkify
August 02, 2022 15:05 - 18 minutes - 42.4 MBWelcome to another episode of Water in Food. Today my guest is Dr. Berkley Luck, who is the Co-Founder and COO of Milkify. This was the very first company to offer a service for nursing mothers that enables them to safely powder their breast milk for storage and convenience. By understanding water activity, Dr. Luck’s team is able to prevent nutrient degradation and achieve long-term storage without refrigeration.
Episode 29: Cael Bar
July 14, 2022 16:29 - 30 minutes - 70.3 MBToday my guest is Cael Byrd, the founder and owner of Cael Bar, a company specializing in energy bars and pet treats. Cael’s vision for his company came from his desire to provide his family with healthy, energizing snacks. So he started by building a full-scale commercial kitchen out of a garage space in western Washington. As his company began to grow, Cael realized the importance of having water activity measurements to ensure the safety and quality of his products. Let’s hear wh...
Episode 28: Sonoran Roots
June 15, 2022 16:13 - 23 minutes - 32.9 MBToday my guest is Jeremy Basha, the Chief Revenue Officer at Sonoran Roots, a recreational cannabis company known for its large-scale cultivation, extraction, and dispensary operations throughout Arizona. Like many cannabis producers, this company has recently started using water activity measurements to implement a more regimented, structured, and formulaic approach to make key decisions like when to take product out of cure rooms, what order to trim different batches, how to store...
Episode 27: Melissa Coppel Chocolate and Pastry School
June 01, 2022 20:40 - 39 minutes - 89.7 MBToday my guest is Melissa Coppel, who is the owner of the Melissa Coppel Chocolate and Pastry School in Las Vegas, Nevada. Many of her students have a dream of opening their own business someday, and she helps them realize that there is a lot more to chocolates and pastries than just making a delicious tasting product. From formulations to shelf life predictions, one key aspect of Melissa’s curriculum is understanding water activity and its impact on food safety and quality. Let’s h...
Episode 26: Kemin Industries
May 17, 2022 16:47 - 17 minutes - 39.8 MBToday my guest is Gregg Schieffer from Kemin Industries, a company that supplies specialty ingredients for human and animal health and nutrition, pet food, aquaculture, nutraceuticals, food technologies, crop technologies, and textile industries. Since its start in 1961, Kemin’s dedication and discipline in scientific research have remained constant. This company is the science inside countless products that you probably interact with every day. Today, Gregg is here to discuss his ...
Episode 25: Clif Bar
April 26, 2022 14:41 - 24 minutes - 55.6 MBToday my guest is Shaunti Luce from the energy foods company, CLIF Bar. From their flagship product to Luna bars and CLIF Kid Zbars, this company aims to make nutritious energy foods for every moment in your day and for every member of your family (now including your pets!). In this episode, Shaunti is here to discuss her role on the Food Safety Quality Assurance team as a Senior Innovation & Technical Manager and touch on why water is so important to the quality and safety of CLIF...
Episode 24: ITEGA (Institute of Packaging Technology and Food Engineering)
February 08, 2022 19:07 - 28 minutes - 65.7 MBMy guest is Dr. Anne Maltais, a senior scientist and researcher at the Institute of Packaging Technology and Food Engineering, located in Montreal, Canada. The Institute develops innovative and eco-responsible packaging solutions. Let's hear what Anne has to say on Water In Food.
Episode 23: Mori Food Technology
January 18, 2022 18:56 - 14 minutes - 32.8 MBOn this episode of Water In Food, we're joined by Nadia Hallaj of Mori. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Mori is known as being an anti-waste company, specializing in keeping food fresher for longer by using nature-inspired protection. Let's learn about how Mori is able to better understand the effectiveness of their protective layers using water activity measurements and moisture sorption isotherms in this episode of Water in Food.
Episode 22: Hostess Brands
December 07, 2021 15:43 - 28 minutes - 66.4 MBToday my guest is Dr. Vivian Allen who is a senior research scientist in product development at Hostess Brands. From new product conception to commercialization, Dr. Allen works in a fast-paced environment and is always looking for new solutions and technologies to improve her team’s R&D processes. One recent addition to her laboratory is the ability to create dynamic dewpoint isotherms, and in this episode we will be learning about how she is using this data to save time and make pr...
Episode 21: Science Says with Beatrice Zatorska
November 09, 2021 17:09 - 22 minutes - 51.2 MBBeatrice Zatorska joins the podcast to discuss an emerging platform for food science professionals and researchers. As co-founder and CEO, Beatrice launched The Science Says as a site to find and exchange reliable, evidence-based information about food. Though scientists make up the bulk of content creators, anyone can participate. Let's hear what Beatrice has to say on Water In Food ...
Episode 19: Trouw Nutrition
October 25, 2021 17:26 - 20 minutes - 47.8 MBToday we're joined by Prince Nanda of Trouw Nutrition, a global leader in innovative feed specialties, premixes, and nutritional services for the animal nutrition industry. The division provides species-specific nutritional solutions consisting of feed concepts, products, and nutritional know-how. Prince is a global program manager and he's here today to discuss why water is important in the animal feed industry. Let's hear what Prince has to say on Water In Food.
Episode 18: Univ. of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture
September 29, 2021 23:42 - 25 minutes - 58.1 MBThe state of Arkansas is a major hub for rice production in the United States. As such, it's the ideal region for agricultural research on the venerable crop. Leading that research is the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture's Dr. Griffiths G. Atungulu and his graduate assistant Abass Oduola. Listen to how Dr. Atungulu and Abass use water activity and moisture sorption isotherms to advance their region's rice industry.
Episode 17: "Mr. Lactose," Kent Keller
September 21, 2021 22:18 - 30 minutes - 70.1 MBToday I'm joined by Kent Keller of Keller Technologies, Inc. A lactose specialist, Kent has educated people and companies about lactose for over 40 years. He's worked for Dow Chemical and Cargill to name a few, volunteered for the Peace Corps along with his wife, but eventually went into business for himself. He is highly regarded and often referred to as "Mr. Lactose." Let's hear what Kent has to say on Water In Food.
Episode 16: Outcast Foods
August 16, 2021 22:34 - 25 minutes - 58.4 MBToday we’re joined by Zack Farrar and Quinn Keily-Finlay of Outcast Foods based in Nova Scotia, Canada. Outcast uses plant-based technology that turns rejected produce from farmers, grocers, and food processors into nutritional supplements and powders. They do this by upcycling at-risk produce that would otherwise go to waste. A critical step towards Outcast’s success has been understanding the water in their products, setting the right moisture targets, and reducing variation throug...
Episode 15: AQUALAB Product Overview
July 16, 2021 16:27 - 40 minutes - 91.8 MBMost of the time on Water In Food, I like to get to know our customers better and highlight their success. Though their products vary in many aspects, underscoring their success is a firm grasp on food science and knowing what hardware fits best for their application. John Russell, application specialist, joins us again for an overview of AQUALAB water activity devices.
Episode 14: Edesia Nutrition
May 25, 2021 18:00 - 28 minutes - 64.4 MBRami Kawsara and Maria Kasparian from Edesia Nutrition join us on the podcast. Edesia's story and mission are quite extraordinary, as key players in mitigating malnutrition and hunger issues around the world. Although Rami works as a Quality & Regulatory Manager, and Maria as the Executive Director, they both have a strong understanding of why the role of water is important to the success of their products. Listen in to learn about Edesia's rich history, its mission, and future prod...
Episode 13: Peaceful Fruits
May 06, 2021 00:14 - 29 minutes - 68.1 MBIn this episode of Water In Food, we're joined by Evan Delahanty, founder of Peaceful Fruits based in Akron, Ohio. Inspired by his Peace Corp experience and entrepreneurial spirit, Evan is building a unique all-natural fruit snack company. His products promote healthy snacking and feature a full fruit serving in every pack. Working with fruit and developing new products can be challenging. Water activity helps him nail texture, taste, and sustainable growth. Let's hear what Evan has ...
Episode 12: Thorne Research
April 22, 2021 19:46 - 22 minutes - 31.1 MBWelcome to another episode of Water in Food. Today, I'm joined by Research Scientist Aaron Denzler of Thorne Research, a wellness-driven leader in health technology. Aaron works closely with Thorne's Effusio line of dissolvable beverage disks. He uses high-resolution dynamic isotherms to assess shelf life and evaluate packaging needs of Thorne's products. Let's hear what Aaron has to say on Water In Food.
Episode 11: Virginia Park Foods
March 23, 2021 03:31 - 25 minutes - 35.6 MBToday I am joined by Mohammad Hossain, the Director of Food Safety, Quality and Compliance at Virginia Park Foods based in California. Virginia Park Foods manufactures gluten-free certified pasta. In this episode, Mohammad talks about oven drying, moisture content, water activity, and his hopes of building a culture of food safety. Let's hear what he has to say on Water In Food.
Episode 10: The Hemp Mine
February 25, 2021 19:02 - 27 minutes - 63.4 MBToday I’m joined by Dr. Allison Justice who is the founder of The Hemp Mine located in South Carolina. Dr. Justice has combined her scientific education from Clemson University and her experience with cannabis producers in California to supply premium hemp in her home state. The Hemp Mine is known for its transparency to its customers and sound research, and in this episode, we discuss her highly regulated industry, current experiments, and use of water activity measurements. Let’s h...
Episode 9: Predicting Hydrate Formation Boundaries
February 17, 2021 18:31 - 23 minutes - 54.5 MBIn this special episode of Water in Food, we explore two articles published by Purdue University and Pfizer that address hydrate formation boundaries.
Episode 8: Arkopharma (Water in Pharmaceuticals)
January 18, 2021 18:07 - 22 minutes - 52.5 MBToday I'm joined by Fabienne Latournel-Perrot, a French research and development team manager at Arkopharma Laboratories. In this special episode, we're stepping out of Water in Food to learn about water in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals and how moisture sorption isotherms are applied to these industries. Let's hear what Fabienne has to say on Water In Food ...
Episode 7: Voyaging Foods
January 11, 2021 18:08 - 28 minutes - 65.3 MBToday I’m joined by Brynn Foster, founder of Voyaging Foods based in Hawaii. Brynn founded her gluten-free, artisan milling company in 2005 and does it all...from farming to distribution, to studying and applying food science principles like water activity. Let’s learn about Brynn’s company and her desire to make indigenous plant products more accessible on Water in Food.
Episode 6: Purdys Chocolatier
December 09, 2020 17:34 - 15 minutes - 36.4 MBToday’s episode is sure to tickle your sweet tooth as we’re joined by Rachel McKinley. She is a master chocolatier at Purdys Chocolatier based in British Columbia. As Canada’s number one, independently owned chocolatier, Rachel is in charge of creating delicious new products for the company. She says that water and chocolate aren’t very good friends, but where water really matters most is in the centers of chocolate confections.
Episode 5: Pan's Mushroom Jerky
October 08, 2020 22:20 - 21 minutes - 29 MBToday I’m joined by Michael Pan in Portland, Oregon. He is the creator of Pan’s Mushroom Jerky, a plant-based alternative snack to traditional meat jerkies. From taking a very novel approach for product development, to cultivating desired tastes and textures, Michael has been able to scale his production and improve his process measurements in a fascinating way. Let’s hear what he has to say on Water In Food
Episode 4: Balancing Stability and Continuous Improvement
September 25, 2020 18:05 - 22 minutes - 31.4 MBWe’re joined by my colleague John Russell, one of our best water application specialists at METER Group. More than most, John fully understands the often tangled relationship between food manufacturers and water. For the past 14 years, he has been answering questions like….”How can I confidently measure moisture?”... or…”how is water activity the foundation for product safety, quality and profit?” Through customer visits, support, and offering innovative solutions, John thinks the ke...
Episode 4: Balancing Stability and Continous Improvement
September 25, 2020 18:05 - 22 minutes - 31.4 MBWe’re joined by my colleague John Russell, one of our best water application specialists at METER Group. More than most, John fully understands the often tangled relationship between food manufacturers and water. For the past 14 years, he has been answering questions like….”How can I confidently measure moisture?”... or…”how is water activity the foundation for product safety, quality and profit?” Through customer visits, support, and offering innovative solutions, John thinks the key for foo...
Episode 3: Simmons Pet Food
August 24, 2020 16:07 - 20 minutes - 28.5 MBToday, I’m joined by Rick Stoller of Simmons Food, one of North America’s largest producers of poultry, pet, and animal nutrition products. Family-owned since 1949 and based in Arkansas, Simmons employs over 7,000 team members. Rick’s primary focus is process improvement in dry end treats. Let’s listen to his thoughts on Water In Food.
Episode 3: Moisture Is Money
August 24, 2020 16:07 - 20 minutes - 28.5 MBToday, I’m joined by Rick Stoller of Simmons Food, one of North America’s largest producers of poultry, pet, and animal nutrition products. Family-owned since 1949 and based in Arkansas, Simmons employs over 7,000 team members. Rick’s primary focus is process improvement in dry end treats. Let’s listen to his thoughts on Water In Food.
Episode 2: Nailing Water Specs in All-Natural Dried Fruits
June 19, 2020 22:00 - 24 minutes - 34.1 MBSunrise Fresh is a family-owned farm in California, growing and selling the number one dried fruit on Amazon. Jake and Case Samuel, CEO and VP of Sales, join Zachary Cartwright for a discussion on how this overachieving dried fruit farm leverages the power of water activity in annual production and product development.
Episode 1: Why Moisture Balances Suck
May 20, 2020 18:00 - 22 minutes - 31 MBDr. Zachary Cartwright is joined by METER CEO Scott Campbell. When it comes to using moisture balances, the food industry is mired in what Paul Graham coined as Schlep Blindness (tedious and unpleasant tasks). What if science and technology could speed up moisture content readings while, at the same time, optimize workflows in food production? Listen to find out more!