Summary

Cornell’s Department of Food Science has been a leader since its inception more than a century ago. Ranked the premier food science department in the nation by the Chronicle of Higher Education in 2007, researchers, staff, students, and faculty are at the forefront of identifying outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, devising new ways to protect the safety of our food supply, making advancements in nutrition and food quality, and supporting New York state’s economy through applied research for agriculture, dairy, and consumer food industries.

The Issue

In response to state and national needs, the department’s programs are focused in three critical areas:

• food protection from both unintentional and intentional contamination by dangerous materials, including microorganisms;
• food nutrition and health;
• value-added food products and processing.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates 76 million cases of foodborne illness a year and Cornell food scientists are making significant advancements in the search for solutions to this national problem. In 2006, outbreaks of serious illnesses from farm produce, especially lettuce and spinach, focused public attention on food safety. In New York, food scientists bring new jobs to the state and enhance existing businesses by working closely with farmers and dairy producers, creating safer and higher quality products, improving food processes, and addressing specific processing needs of companies, from small local firms to consumer food giants.

Impacts

Food Protection

Identification and control of foodborne illness outbreaks

Researchers in the department investigate how pathogenic organisms are transmitted from foods to people with the goal of designing cost-effective intervention strategies to reduce the burden of the 76 million cases of foodborne illnesses a year. Through collaborative efforts with the NYS Departments of Health (DOH), NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM) and the Cornell University Veterinary College, food scientists collect and “fingerprint” pathogens obtained from food production, from the farm to the plate. In 1998, the group identified a nationwide outbreak of listeriosis and pinpointed its source, helping to remove the contaminated foods from the market and save lives by limiting the scope of the outbreak. Researchers also proactively addressed a potential food safety issue with a New York smoked seafood firm, one of the largest in the country. With Cornell researchers’ assistance, the company updated its food processing and expanded its markets.

Cornell faculty and staff provide workshops, web-based information and technical advice on Good Agricultural Practices for farm product inspectors, fruit and vegetable growers, farmworkers, processors and food retailers to promote practices that protect consumer health and reduce the possibility of foodborne illness outbreaks.

In collaboration with the NYSDAM’s Division of Food Safety and Inspection, researchers provide an annual Food Inspector Update with the latest technical information and knowledge state inspectors need to protect the safety of the food supply and the health of New Yorkers.

Food and health

Improving the healthful aspects of our food supply

Iron deficiency is a health problem world wide, affecting more than 2 billion people and causing impaired development in children, reduced productivity in adults, and increased health risks for women during pregnancy and childbirth. Adding iron—or the process of biofortification—to staple foods such as wheat flour is the most effective strategy for preventing iron deficiency. Unfortunately, iron fortificants with the highest bioavailability are also the ones that can cause discoloration and off-flavors in food while the best-tasting and most widely-used iron fortificants have fewer health benefits. A western New York company is working with Cornell faculty and graduate students to produce a better tasting, more absorbable, higher-quality iron fortificant.
Cornell faculty and graduate students are conducting groundbreaking research on health-promoting components, referred to as nutraceuticals, of New York state fruits and vegetables. The goal is to improve dietary recommendations for New Yorkers and boost sales of the state’s fruits, vegetables and grains, including apples, onions, wheat, beets, strawberries, raisins, grape juice, corn, tomatoes, and raspberries.

Food products and processing

Improving the value and marketability of products manufactured in New York

Food scientists at Cornell are working with a local food product development company with global clientele to provide sensory testing services, including product appearance, smell, taste, and overall acceptability. These testing services help the company tailor product design for the global market. Faculty also provide technical advice on kosher and halal food regulations to Cornell students and food companies across New York, as well as science-based discussions of the interface between religion and foods in collaboration a local public school district. Additionally, food scientists work with a major food manufacturer in western New York to enhance dough production capabilities to improve product quality and processing plant efficiency.

Dairy Industry

Increasing efficiency and production of safe, wholesome dairy foods

The Department of Food Science began as the Department of Dairy Industry at Cornell in 1903. The long and rich history is partially responsible for current research and outreach emphasis that includes the entire spectrum of the New York dairy industry, from the farm to the consumer. Milk is New York’s leading agricultural product, accounting for over one-half of the state’s agriculture revenues. The Department’s dairy foods research and outreach are conducted through two major programs:

The Northeast Dairy Foods Research Center (NEDFRC) coordinates and conducts research to increase utilization of milk produced on dairy farms, particularly in the Northeast. Research and technology transfer under this center are funded by dairy farmer dollars through the New York State Milk Promotion Advisory Board (NYSMPAB), by the nationally based Dairy Management, Inc, by individual dairy processors, and by the U. S. Department of Agriculture.

The Milk Quality Improvement Program, funded through the NYSMPAB, in collaboration with the NYSDAM, provides a multi-pronged, non-regulatory, educational approach for improving dairy product quality. Nationally, fluid milk products account for about 18 percent (more than 17 billion pounds) engaged in research to develop biosensors and analytical instruments for applications of edible food lost, for example because of expired sell-by dates. Programs designed to protect and improve the quality and safety include surprise visits by Cornell scientists to New York milk processing plants twice a year to sample and evaluate the microbiological, sensory, and chemical characteristics of products. Advice on quality improvement and feedback on plant procedures and processes are provided in a timely fashion. Cornell food scientists conduct additional plant visits for targeted trouble-shooting.

In a single year, the Milk Quality Improvement Program worked with 23 fluid milk and five cottage cheese processing plants in New York. More than 1,080 raw and processed product samples were collected and 5,300 individual analyses were conducted on samples. Rapid feedback on relative plant ranking and processed product quality throughout shelf-life for all products was provided to each plant. Research shows that consumers buy and consume more dairy products if they taste good. Further, as spoilage is reduced and product shelf-life is extended, products can be marketed over larger geographical regions and in new venues (e.g., vending machines), thus expanding market potential for New York state products.

Training

Protecting the safety of New York’s dairy food supply

In collaboration with the NYSDAM, food science staff provides training for every segment of the dairy industry, including NYS certified milk inspectors, dairy product specialists and processing plant superintendents. Cornell faculty engage with the 286 registered processing plant superintendents who are located across the state at least once a year. The superintendents represent all dairy product manufacturers, even those who purchase pasteurized ice cream mix, freeze it, and then sell it wholesale. The strong and collaborative three-way relationship that Cornell has with dairy processors and the NYSDAM is unique. Cornell faculty develop science-based, cutting-edge programs aimed at helping the New York dairy industry remain competitive. In addition to mandated training programs, food scientists are also responsible for coordinating programs for industry professionals through the New York State Cheese Manufacturers’ Association, the NYS Association for Food Protection, the American Dairy Science Association, and the International Association for Food Protection.
The dairy extension team conducts workshops, conferences, individual presentations, and in-service events that reach more than 3,000 participants annually.

Making a Difference

Recent Benefits to New York Businesses Include:

Cottage Cheese sales rise

New York produces more cottage cheese than any other state in the U.S. In the 1970s, the industry hit hard times when cottage cheese sales began to decline, hitting a low point in 1995. Cornell researchers responded by developing a technique for improving quality and product shelf-life from 21 days to between 50 and 90 days, using levels of carbon dioxide undetectable to the consumer. Increased shelf-life enhanced marketing and distribution. The year after commercial implementation of this technology in 1996, cottage cheese sales in New York increased for the first time in 20 years and have continued to increase.

Cheddar Cheese improvements

A major New York cheddar cheese manufacturer has also implemented various results of food science research using carbon dioxide as a processing aide in the manufacturing of cheese to improve coagulation, cheese yield, and cheese quality.

New businesses

A Cornell food scientist co-founded Agave Biosystems, a private company that is engaged in research to develop biosensors and analytical instruments for applications in food, environmental and medical industries. In June 2006, this company, which includes a location in Ithaca, NY, employed 20 scientists.

Kraft Foods Inc. expands instead of contracting

In January of 2006, Kraft Foods announced its intention to close 20 processing plants and to cut 8,000 jobs at locations around the country. Critical guidance and directed research by Cornell helped New York retain factory jobs and even increased corporate investment. In fact, Kraft’s plants in New York have increased operations to compensate for plant closures in other states. Recently, Kraft announced a new $10 million investment in the Lowville, NY, plant. Cornell faculty were cited by the Lowville plant manager for providing crucial guidance that supported growth and expansion at the facility.

Finding sources of contamination

Following an outbreak of food poisoning, Cornell food scientists used their detective skills, including molecular fingerprinting and other investigative techniques, to track foodborne contaminants. Their findings helped clear a New York cheese manufacturer who was incorrectly suspected of causing a foodborne wave of illness by supplying contaminated foods. The scientists discovered the food products that caused the outbreak were from another country, thus averting the need for a product recall from the New York processing plant.

Software support

A major New York cheddar cheese manufacturer (and others around the country) adopted software programs developed by Cornell food scientists to improve manufacturing efficiency and enhance profits by monitoring composition control and yield losses.

Infrared milk analysis

Many dairy companies derive benefit from Cornell research with Foss Electric (a manufacturer of infrared milk analysis process control equipment that enables rapid in-line measurements of fat and protein to optimize the blending process and maximize profitability.

Improved payment for dairy farmers

Cornell faculty are involved with a long-term research and extension program to provide analytical testing systems to improve the accuracy and fairness of milk payments to dairy farmers. This technology is used to determine the milk payment amount made to dairy farmers every month. Over the years, faculty and staff have improved the accuracy of the calibration reference methods for milk payment testing. These improved methods for milk analysis have been implemented world-wide and accepted by the International Dairy Federation (IDF) and the International Standards Organization (ISO). One specific improvement in the Kjeldahl method used for reference testing for protein content of milk and dairy products eliminated the use of mercury in testing procedures. Other Cornell research formed the basis for a new quality component into the USDA Federal Milk Market Payment system for dairy farmers. Milk quality payments to New York dairy farmers have contributed an additional $1.5 to $3 million per year in quality bonuses. On a national basis, the impact is at least $68 million per year in additional revenue to U.S. dairy farmers.

New technologies

In collaboration with faculty in the Department of Applied Economics and Management, food science faculty conduct extensive research on dairy product manufacturing costs (particularly for cheese, whey products, and milk powder) and the cost effectiveness of new technologies. In one study, food scientists are developing strategies for removing microbes and somatic cells from raw milk on the farm using membrane technology. Results from this work are expected to enable transportation of raw milk over greater distances, which would benefit New York milk sales to other regions of the country. This work should lead to increased premium payments to New York dairy farmers when their raw milk products’ improve in quality. Food science faculty also work directly with small-scale specialty and artesian dairy companies to help ensure that this growing segment of the New York agricultural industry continues to develop and manufacture safe, high quality products for local, regional, national, and international markets.

Research funding sources

Collaborative partnerships and funding models at Cornell are the norm. In food science, these partners and funders include: the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture (Agricultural Research Service, National Research Initiative program, Special Research Grant program, National Food Safety Initiative program), National Institutes of Health, NASA, American Institute for Cancer Research, Ludwig Institute for Cancer, U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, Dairy Management, Inc., NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, Cranberry Institute, Dietary Habit Research Fund (Japan), Rich Products Corporation, PepsiCo Foundation, Boston Museum of Science, International Life Sciences Institute, National Institute of Justice, National Renewable Energy Lab, U.S. Apple Association, Papa John’s, and Select Cheese Co.

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Contact

Dr. Kathryn Boor, Ph.D.

Department of Food Science
Cornell University
413 Stocking Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853

Phone: 607-255-3111
Email: kjb4@cornell.edu
Web: http://www.foodscience.cornell.edu