Best Meatingplace Magazine / Alt Meat Magazine Podcasts (2025)

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From the vault: Collaboration, flavors and R&D 21:13

13h ago21:13

21:13

Developing custom flavors for new and existing foodservice and restaurant customers for sous vide proteins involves collaboration and communication, according to Keith Goerl, Vice President, R&D and Commercialization at Ed Miniat LLC. Successfully meeting client needs means employing a variety of channels to stay ahead of emerging flavor trends and…

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Ep. 207: A matter of trust 29:09

8d ago29:09

29:09

Confusion is a major barrier for alt-meat companies struggling to gain traction with shoppers — confusion about healthfulness, ingredients, labels. Add to that a disconnect between consumer expectation and reality on matters of taste and texture. In short, consumers don’t trust the information they’re getting. Trust in the food system is what the C…

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Ep. 206: New technology for HPAI detection 21:25

15d ago21:25

21:25

As avian influenza continues to affect the poultry industry – as well as dairy cows and other mammals like cats and even seals – researchers are developing a hand-held device that can detect the virus that causes bird flu in the air in minutes with a success rate of 90%. Dr. Rajan Chakrabarty at Washington University in St. Louis, is leading a team…

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From the vault: Advancing the Salmonella challenge 33:55

22d ago33:55

33:55

With current USDA rules on Salmonella in frozen and raw poultry products, the fight to combat microbial infection also is being waged on the hatchery level using research that ultimately could protect humans from some biological invasions. Dr. Margie Lee from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine is involved in groundbreaking researc…

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From the Vault: Food Safety & Profitability 19:38

1M ago19:38

19:38

According to Tim Vlcek, a food safety consultant and also the CEO of a direct-to-consumer meat business, explains how maintaining proper food safety protocols can directly impact a processor’s profitability because it makes managing operations more efficient. In this episode, he outlines the connection between maintaining consistent food safety sta…

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Ep. 203: It all starts in North Carolina 27:46

1M ago27:46

27:46

North Carolina is home to a number of groundbreaking alt-meat development centers, from the soon-to-be-completed Believer Meats cultivated meat plant, to the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab, and most recently, the first of three global Bezos Centers for Sustainable Protein at North Carolina State. Bill Aimutis has been in the proteins industry f…

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Ep. 202: A woody breast breakthrough 17:25

2M ago17:25

17:25

Working with a research team at the University of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture, Dr. Dongyi Wang will outline for our MeatingPod listeners new advances that can improve the detection rate of woody chicken breast on the processing line 95% of the time. Utilizing cutting-edge hyperspectral imaging as chicken breasts move down the line, the…

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Ep. 201: Tracking the avian metaneurovirus 29:26

2M ago29:26

29:26

As the ongoing threat of highly pathogenic avian influence (HPAI) enters its fourth year, research continues to develop preventative and protective approaches with regard to the nation’s poultry industry. Sunil Mor is an assistant professor at South Dakota State University and is one of the scientists focusing on the identification of various HPAI …

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From the vault: Food safety lessons post Boar's Head 25:33

2M ago25:33

25:33

Food safety veteran Sharon Beals offers perspectives on what food manufacturers need to know about continuing the learning process when it comes to protecting workers and customers from foodborne illnesses. In the wake of last year’s listeria outbreak that sent nearly 60 people to the hospital and played a role in the deaths of at least nine people…

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Ep. 199: The world's largest alt-meat trade show 16:56

2M ago16:56

16:56

The alt-meat sector has plenty of conferences, but this May, the largest trade show dedicated to alt-meat will be held in Frankfurt, Germany, adding to the list of global conferences for alt-meat networking. In fact, an entire hall at the triannual IFFA show, which otherwise is dedicated to conventional meat production, will focus on alternative pr…

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Ep. 198: Automation, AI and Robotics updates 24:36

3M ago24:36

24:36

Automation has been part of the U.S. manufacturing industry since the 1930s and an increasingly prominent factor in food manufacturing in more recent decades. Our MeatingPod guest is Steve Mustard, who has more than 35 years of experience in automated systems. In this episode, he'll cover some of that history and provide insights on how meat proces…

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Ep. 197: Hunting Campylobacter in retail chicken 21:22

3M ago21:22

21:22

With the monitoring of foodborne pathogens attracting even more focused efforts, today’s MeatingPod guest offers insights on methodologies that a recent study of Campylobacter showed that the pathogen could still be detected in poultry sold on store shelves. Dr. Agneta Dziegiel is a researcher at the Quadrum Institute in Norwich, England, and was p…

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Ep. 196: FSIS and new food safety approaches 23:13

3M ago23:13

23:13

With USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service focusing new protocols to detect Listeria monocytogenes in meat, food safety veteran Sharon Beals offers her perspectives on steps meat processors adopted in the wake of the deadly Boar's Head outbreak that was connected to the deaths of 10 consumers in 2024. She also outlines the goals of the Women's …

1
From the Vault: Cultured meat safety, regulatory challenges 27:36

3M ago27:36

27:36

More than any other segment of the alternative meats sector, cultivated meat is where innovation meets controversy. Long before it hits store shelves, meat grown in bioreactors has sparked a heated debate in the food culture wars. Government bans and social media backlash are complicating its path to regulatory approval and consumer acceptance. For…

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Ep. 194: How poultry worker injuries plunged 15:31

4M ago15:31

15:31

Worker injury rates in the U.S. poultry industry posted a significant decline in the last 29 years and this week’s MeatingPod guest explains how this milestone was achieved through innovation, education and collaboration. Matt Spencer is vice president of human resources and safety programs at USPOULTRY, which monitors trends industrywide. He notes…

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Ep. 193: USPOULTRY on research and 2025 IPPE 24:05

4M ago24:05

24:05

Dr. Denise Heard, vice president of Research Programs at the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, updates recent results from research partially funded by the organization known primarily as USPOULTRY. She also outlines how the process works regarding the research support arms of the association and its USPOULTRY Foundation. Dr. Heard provides a sneak p…

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From the Vault: R&D, food safety for organic meats 21:57

4M ago21:57

21:57

In this MeatingPod episode, Brad Johnson, CEO of Verde Farms, outlines the challenges and processes to maintain innovations and safety standards for the company’s line of 100% grass-fed and organic beef products. The Mass.-based processor is focused on keeping the lines of communications open with its retail customers in addition to conducting its …

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Ep. 191: Best of both worlds 42:05

4M ago42:05

42:05

The way Jeff “Trip” Tripician sees it, he didn’t leave his job as CEO of a conventional meat company to become CEO of the Dutch cultivated meat company Meatable; rather, he went from CEO of one meat company to another. After decades working to institute progressive practices within the U.S. meat industry, Trip is pushing the cultivated meat industr…

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Ep. 190: Progress on sustainability, GHG emissions 19:46

5M ago19:46

19:46

This episode centers on a process that offers assistance to meat processors seeking methods to make sustainability more effective and consistent. Ryan Jones of Indigo Ag works with a variety of consumer product companies by connecting them with supplies of low-carbon grain that is used in animal feed, resulting in reduced rates of greenhouse gas (G…

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From the Vault: New systems, avenue for poultry processing 18:37

5M ago18:37

18:37

In this episode, Dr. Casey Owens and Dongyi Wang of the University of Arkansas discuss new advances in identifying quality defects on the chicken processing line and advances in robotics that can handle repetitive line functions like chicken hanging. Our guests also outline how students at the university are benefitting from internship opportunitie…

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From the Vault: End-User's Guide to the Meat Case, Vol. 3 29:12

5M ago29:12

29:12

In this third episode of a three-part series, Anne-Marie Roerink, principal at 210 Analytics and the author of the annual Power of Meat report for the last 19 years, describes how consumers feel about food safety and innovation in meat products they purchase, prepare and eat. She also will outline how product lines recover after recalls from the co…

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Ep. 187: 7 to 17 seconds to choose 33:59

5M ago33:59

33:59

U.S. consumers have a lot on their minds besides food, even as they’re standing in front of the supermarket’s display of meat or alt-meat packages. They’re keeping an eye on their kids, putting together a menu in their heads and gasping at the cost of proteins. An alt-meat brand has between 7 and 17 seconds to sell itself to a typical U.S. shopper.…

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From the Vault: Flexible automation, robotics update 25:15

6M ago25:15

25:15

Dr. Konrad Ahlin, senior robotics researcher at the Georgia Tech Research Institute provides updates on the use of flexible automated systems, robotics, artificial intelligence and virtual reality in food processing plants. In this episode, he outlines how these advances are affecting plant workers and refining specific operations, like movement of…

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Ep. 185 Talking Turkey with Butterball 21:16

6M ago21:16

21:16

Just in time for Thanksgiving 2024, Butterball LLC Chief Operating Officer Neal Walsh updates MeatingPod on the turkey processor’s recent automation upgrades and addresses supply questions in the wake of declining avian influenza outbreaks among birds this year. Butterball’s Head of Innovation Michelle Lieszkovszky also will join the conversation t…

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Ep. 184 The food safety/profitability link 19:38

6M ago19:38

19:38

Maintaining proper food safety protocols can directly impact a processor’s profitability because overall it makes managing operations more efficient as well as affecting brand protection efforts, according to Tim Vlcek, a food safety consultant and also the CEO of a direct-to-consumer meat business. In this episode, he outlines the connection betwe…

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Ep. 183: How to forge a new alt-meat path 37:22

6M ago37:22

37:22

Several companies across several continents are blazing a trail to a future cultivated meat market for consumers — and they’ve run into slippery slopes and rock slides. One company that has run into fewer obstacles is Australia’s Vow. Known for adding a dollop of showmanship to its hard-core R&D, Vow is both producing a product that’s consistently …

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Ep. 182: A deep dive into H5N1 issues 33:54

7M ago33:54

33:54

A special panel of three specialists in virology and veterinary medicine will offer specific updates on how various forms of the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have affected U.S. birds, dairy cows and even humans in recent years. Our power trio of experts will focus on viral mutations, cross-species migration and what lesso…

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From the Vault: Meeting the FSIS challenge 23:59

7M ago23:59

23:59

Now that USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued its final ruling designating Salmonella as an adulterant in raw, breaded and stuffed chicken products, poultry processors may soon be required take another look at their operations. In this episode, Dr. John Maurer from the School of Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech will outline some …

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Ep. 180: Food safety lessons post Boar's Head 25:33

7M ago25:33

25:33

Food safety veteran Sharon Beals provides her perspectives on what food manufacturers need to know about continuing the learning process when it comes to protecting workers and customers from foodborne illnesses. In the wake of the recent listeria outbreak that sent nearly 60 people to the hospital and played a role in the deaths of at least nine p…

1
From the Vault: The lowdown on asset-light 35:18

7M ago35:18

35:18

All meat analogue companies face a potentially huge hurdle right out of the gate: The cost of the physical plant necessary to make their particular foodstuffs, whether in the form of bioreactors or extruders or mixers, or any of an endless number of other pieces of equipment. And that doesn’t account for the cost of running and maintaining and mann…

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The End-User's Guide to the Meat Case, Vol. 2 28:04

8M ago28:04

28:04

In this second episode of a three-part series, Anne-Marie Roerink, principal at 210 Analytics and the author of the annual Power of Meat report for the last 19 years, will explain whether consumers understand or care about the millions of dollars that meat processors are spending to upgrade their operations through robotics and AI. She also will pr…

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The End-User's Guide to the Meat Case, Vol. 3 31:25

8M ago31:25

31:25

In this third episode of a three-part series, Anne-Marie Roerink, principal at 210 Analytics and the author of the annual Power of Meat report for the last 19 years, describes how consumers feel about food safety and innovation in meat products they purchase and eat. She also will outline how product lines recover after recalls from the consumer pe…

1
Ep. 178: How VR changes the processing game 19:54

8M ago19:54

19:54

As robotics, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) move into more prominent roles in meat processing and other industries, our guest this week is predicting that using virtual reality equipment — think headsets and hand controllers — are likely to become required so manufacturers can keep up with the competition. Colin Usher is research scien…

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Ep. 177: Advancing the Salmonella Challenge 33:55

8M ago33:55

33:55

With new USDA rules on Salmonella in frozen and raw poultry taking effect, the fight to address microbial infection actually is also being waged on the hatchery level using research that ultimately could protect humans from some biological invasions. Our guest is Dr. Margie Lee, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies at Virginia-Maryland …

1
From the Vault: Advances in Kosher meat production 33:13

8M ago33:13

33:13

This episode will focus on a specific category of food products that includes meat that is marketed to consumers following strict Jewish dietary laws or those who appreciate the value of foods that carry the Kosher seal. Felipe Kleiman, founder and CEO of KLM Kosher, outlines the efforts meat processors (and other food companies) must make to offer…

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Ep. 175: How to forge a new alt-protein path 36:58

8M ago36:58

36:58

Several companies across several continents are blazing a trail to a future cultivated meat market for consumers. They have, invariably, run into slippery slopes and rock slides. One company that has run into fewer obstacles is Australia’s Vow. Adding a tablespoon of showmanship to a gallon of hard-core R&D, and remaining dedicated to not just nove…

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From the Vault: Cargill’s Factory of the Future 21:06

9M ago21:06

21:06

With major meat processors making bold investments in high-tech upgrades, companies like Cargill Inc. are seeing benefits in terms of increased efficiency, higher levels of plant safety, improved yields on the production line and workers with new skills. In this episode of MeatingPod, Enrique Villars, Cargill North America’s Manufacturing Excellenc…

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Ep. 173: The End-Users Guide to the Meat Case: Vol.1 31:20

9M ago31:20

31:20

In this first episode of a three-part series, Anne-Marie Roerink, principal at 210 Analytics and the author of the annual Power of Meat report for the last 19 years, offers perspectives from the consumer point of view on protein purchases and consumption. This episode will focus on poultry, which posted measurable gains in the inflationary times co…

1
Ep. 172: R&D, food safety for organic meats 21:57

9M ago21:57

21:57

In this episode, Verde Farms CEO Brad Johnson outlines the challenges and processes aimed at maintaining innovations and safety standards for the company’s line of 100% grass-fed and organic beef products. The Mass.-based processor is focused on keeping the lines of communications open with its retail and restaurant customers in addition to conduct…

1
Ep. 171: A guide to cultured meat safety, regulatory approval 27:36

10M ago27:36

27:36

More than any other segment of the alternative meats sector, cultivated meat is where innovation meets controversy. Long before it hits store shelves, meat grown in bioreactors has sparked a heated debate in the food culture wars. Government bans and social media backlash are complicating its path to regulatory approval and consumer acceptance. For…

1
Ep. 170: Forging a path on the AI frontier 18:22

10M ago18:22

18:22

In this episode, Agrimesh Technologies Vice President of Sales and Operations Erik Longtin outlines how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is opening doors for farmers, growers — and, even some processors — to increase operating efficiencies, reduce costs and generate valuable data that can help improve how their facilities work. The Canadian-based compa…

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From the vault: Transforming training into jobs 26:02

10M ago26:02

26:02

In this episode, a panel of Danville Community College administrators and instructors describe a relationship the Virginia-based school has established with Tyson Foods Inc. The school offers a specific technical training program that gives eligible students who complete the program a chance to move into technical maintenance jobs at a high-tech Ty…

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From the vault: Flexibility in food safety 25:42

10M ago25:42

25:42

Beyond managing programs at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences that focus on food safety protocols, Dr. Francisco Diez-Gonzalez also is the co-author of recent research into the eradication of Listeria monocytogenes using blue light and polymers. In this MeatingPod, he’ll discuss progress in food safety m…

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From the vault: Chunk ‘steaks’ its claim on restaurant menus 22:55

11M ago22:55

22:55

The Israeli plant-based meat company Chunk has skipped over the patties and nuggets that dominate the alt-meat space at retail in favor of filets that fit quite nicely among high-end steakhouse offerings. Using a fermentation process, Chunk replicates the “grain” of a whole cut of beef steak, so it cooks and eats like its animal-based counterpart. …

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Ep. 166: Plant automation the Butterball way 20:29

11M ago20:29

20:29

The expanding role of automation and robotics in meat processing plants remains a hot topic as companies and workers adapt to systems that can improve yields, affect food safety and avoid potential worker injuries. In this episode, Neal Walsh, chief operating officer at Butterball LLC outlines how these advances also have improved communication bet…

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Ep. 165: Meeting the FSIS Salmonella challenge 24:14

11M ago24:14

24:14

Now that USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued its final ruling designating Salmonella as an adulterant in raw, breaded and stuffed chicken products, poultry processors may soon be required take another look at their operations. In this episode, Dr. John Maurer from the School of Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech will outline some …

1
From the vault: Juggling R&D, QA and Projects 22:57

11M ago22:57

22:57

Applegate Farms Vice President of R&D, QA and Project Management at Applegate Farms Chad Clem wears a lot of hats as he guides his teams through the process of developing and fine-tuning the processor’s lines of all-natural and organic deli meats, bacon, sausage, chicken, snacks and cheese. In this episode, Clem describes how staying on top of regu…

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Ep. 163: Experience Counts 27:53

11M ago27:53

27:53

A few years ago, drawing comparisons between software development and food product development was seen as evidence of forward thinking. That phase didn’t last long, though, because food is not software — and nobody knows that better than JJ Kass, senior vice president and managing director for TiNDLE, a maker of plant-based chicken, sausages and d…

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Ep. 162: Cargill's Factory of the Future 21:46

12M ago21:46

21:46

With major meat processors making bold investments in high-tech upgrades, companies like Cargill Inc. are seeing benefits in terms of increased efficiency, higher levels of plant safety, improved yields on the production line and workers with new skills. In this episode of MeatingPod, Enrique Villars, Cargill North America’s Manufacturing Excellenc…

1
Ep. 161: Transforming the GHG paradigm 15:13

12M ago15:13

15:13

Drew Getty, vice president of environmental sustainability and government relations and chief compliance officer at Perdue Farms, provides insights into two greenhouse gas abatement programs that the poultry processor launched and expanded within six months. The program with GreenGasUSA has reduced carbon emissions by 17%, representing the eliminat…

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Meatingplace Magazine / Alt Meat Magazine Podcasts

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