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Product Development

The Food Industries Center (FIC) at The Ohio State University is well equipped with over 20,000 square feet of food processing facilities and lab space to help you develop your product ideas. Our expert staff and researchers can assist in all stages of product development from initial bench work to finished product and consumer acceptance.

• Process development
  This is the first step to define and establish your process at commercial scale that consists of product formulation, processing conditions, storage, marketing, distribution, and selling options. Additional services include identification of personnel that may be required, regulatory and supportive product analyses, information and description of necessary equipment.
• Ingredient selection
  Selecting proper ingredients is an important task. The FIC R&D team helps to identify and source commercial ingredients for your product.
  
• Bench-top formulations
  Bench work is the first step in development and the FIC has the laboratory capabilities and equipment to get you from the table to the processing plant.
  
• Scale up
  Scaling up of the finished product and manufacturing of product sale samples are carried out at the Ohio Department of Agriculture inspected plants. The food processing pilot plants can scale up to 100 gallons of finished product.
  
• Sensory Evaluation
  Sensory evaluation is often the final step in new product development. However, it is also effective throughout the entire process. Sensory analysis can provide initial guidance during the bench-top when the product is taking shape. Difference testing during the scale up may supply consistency from bench top to manufacturing. In the end, the product must be acceptable to your chosen consumer. Sensory can also contribute road markers along the way utilizing consumer expectations before a product is completed. Therefore, sensory plays a vital role in measuring production at the plant insuring product consistency and acceptability.
  
• Nutritional labeling
  Nutritional analysis and labeling is an important part of product development. The product label is made accurately to have the complete nutritional content that includes calories, calories from fat, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, total sugar, protein, moisture, ash, vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, and allergens.
  
• Analytical testing
  The FIC has access to analytical instruments and analysis that are necessary in new product development. Examples of FIC testing capabilities are basic food analyses such as proteins, fats, total solids, pH, water activity, moisture, color, salt content, and viscosity.

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Created: 2007-03-13, Updated: 2008-12-16