Division offers product analysis and process authority certification for canned foods
By Fred Miller
U of A System Division of Agriculture
@AgNews479
June 14, 2019
Fast Facts:
- Division offers product analysis and process authority certification service
- Documentation required for FDA approval of new acidic canned food products
- Information available on the AFIC services website: https://afic.uark.edu/services/
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A food product analysis and process authority certification service from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture provides product analysis and documentation for new acidified canned food products to meet FDA requirements.
Dr. Rubén Morawicki, associate professor of food science for the division’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, initiated the service in 2017 to meet the needs of small food companies and individual entrepreneurs that want to bring new products to market.
“Large food companies have in-house labs and process authorities for this purpose,” Morawicki said. “We are the only public institution offering product analysis and process authority certification to small companies and individuals in Arkansas.”
“The service provided by Dr. Morawicki is vital to food entrepreneurs and existing small food processors,” said Jean-François Meullenet, associate vice president-agriculture and director of the Experiment Station. “This is a good example of the type of quality outreach we provide to Arkansas citizens.”
The service is offered through the Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Food Innovation Center, located on the Arkansas Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Fayetteville. Information about it is available on the AFIC services website: https://afic.uark.edu/services/
Morawicki said he reviewed 40 products in 2018, the first full year the service was offered. As of early June this year, he’s already matched that number of products.
“Most clients are small food companies and first-time entrepreneurs,” he said. “We also have a couple Arkansas companies that process food products for individual clients.”
Canned food products include foods packaged for room temperature storage in cans or jars. Morawicki said FDA regulations separate them into two groups — low acid canned products, like green beans and other vegetables, and acidic products, which includes most pickles, barbecue sauce, salsa and similar foods.
Morawicki provides product analysis and process authority certification for acidic canned products. He reviews the list of ingredients and clients’ descriptions of the processing, and analyzes the products for pH, vacuum and other food safety criteria.
Once the review and testing is complete, he issues a letter that contains analysis data and either certifies the product’s compliance or recommends adjustments in the processing.
Clients enter test results from the letter into an online FDA filing system and also attach the letter. Morawicki said he can also help clients fill out the application for submission to the FDA.
Before Morawicki began the service, he said, Arkansas entrepreneurs had to go out of state to find process authority certification services. Fees could run as high as $500 per product for out-of-state clients, he said.
The Division of Agriculture charges $200 per product, Morawicki said.
“This service is especially beneficial to smaller companies and individual entrepreneurs that have no internal labs,” Morawicki said.
For more information, visit the AFIC website, https://afic.uark.edu, or email Morawicki at rmorawicki@uark.edu..
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch and Instagram at ArkAgResearch.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media Contact: Mary Hightower
Dir. of Communication Services
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2126
mhightower@uada.edu