Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The Montana State University (MSU) Extrusion Unit operates the only pilot-scale food research extruder for the public in the Mountain states, providing critical regional technology for value-added innovations. To adhere to food safety and workspace safety codes and improve product quality, we propose renovating the Extrusion Unit, including storage, entry, and cleaning areas, dust mitigation, and humidity control. The renovation will reduce manual cleaning and maintenance time to increase our annual extrusion projects from three to six, enable public product tasting, and speed up product development and commercialization.Since its inception in 2022, the Extrusion Unit has conducted a $39K extrusion testing for a national brand, created an extruded snack for a startup to commercialize, and conducted graduate research developing three specialty crop extruded products (puff, couscous, and meat analog). We have secured 89% of the match from University and industry commitments and will fundraise the remaining $12.9K with the MSU Alumni Foundation. The renovation will enhance our testing service capacity to sustain our long-term facility operations.The lack of value-added innovation infrastructure has led to the co-existence of food production and food insecurity in many rural agricultural areas. With the renovated facility, we aim to engage underserved stakeholders in value-added innovation of underutilized crops. Such an effort can diversify cropping and localize food manufacturing, ultimately creating a more resilient food system. These outcomes align with the national research priorities in rural America productivity, rural economy and technology transfer, value-added new products, higher education in agriculture, nutritious and safe supply of foods, and international collaborations.???
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The goal of this project is to?renovate the Montana State University Food Extrusion Unit to adhere to food safety and workspace safety codes and improve product quality. The renovation will reduce manual cleaning and maintenance time to increase our annual extrusion projects from three to six, enable public product tasting, and speed up product development and commercialization. With the renovated facility, we aim to engage underserved stakeholders in value-added innovation of underutilized crops. Such an effort can diversify cropping and localize food manufacturing, ultimately creating a more resilient food system.?Specific Objectives:Design and verify the renovation plans to be compliant with facility regulations and accurately produce the ultimate goals of the renovated facility.?Renovate the food storage areas to provide sufficient, food-safe storage space to support increased extrusion research projects.?Renovate the entry?and post-processing cleaning zones to enhance facility hygiene and sanitation management and comply with commercial food manufacturing safety codes.?Purchase and install a food-grade?auger, a dehumidifier, a drier, and an air purifier, and rebalance HVAC to improve material handling and processing environment for food and workspace safety.?
Project Methods
Project conduction: We have worked with MSU Facilities Services to develop a comprehensive renovation plan and cost estimates for this project. We will upgrade and renovate the Extrusion Unit whilecomplying withfederal, state, and local regulations, including considerations for historic preservation. The renovations timeline prioritizes workplace and food safety in years one and two, and processing quality and facility improvements in year three. The project plan includes a series of activities that will be undertaken within the three-year timeline.?Spanning the renovation across three years allows sufficient time for meaningful fundraising for the remaining 11% of the match ($12.9K). Plus, the stepwise renovations allow us to continueoperatingthe Extrusion Unit for research and industry services, which supports steady outreach and stakeholder partnerships on extrusion innovation even during the renovation periods.Phase ICurrent-Sept2025Phase IIOct 2025 - Sept2026Phase IIIOct2026- Sept2027Preliminaryproject designRenovate the food storageareasRenovate the entry hygieneareaRenovate the post-processing cleaningroomInstall the food-gradeaugerHVACrebalanceRenovate thestudentofficeRelocateprocessingequipmentEquipmentpurchaseandinstallation (dehumidifier, pasta dryer, air purifier)Dryer equipmentpurchaseandinstallationAnnual short course supportAnnual consultation with Montana Manufacturing Extension CenterAnnual equipmentinspectionsby Buhler, Inc.Outcome evaluations: The Extrusion Program Manager will conduct internal evaluations of the renovation progress bi-monthly to ensure the renovation timeline is on track and the direction aligns with project goals in improving food and workspace safety and product quality. Food safety and workspace safety in the renovated space, before, during, and after each phase of the renovation, will be monitored and evaluated via consulting with an FSMA lead instructor and the MSU Office of Research Safety and Risk Management.Evaluation list: FSMA food manufacturing safety standardsOSHA workspace safety standardsExtrusion processing quality standards (humidity and temperature variations in the facility and in the installed dryer, product textural quality variations)Efforts: Share the renovation documents digitally publicly via websites and via our extrusion workshops for other research institutions at a similar scale to use as a reference for food safety and workspace safety planning.