Petfood Forum to Open with Innovation Workshop: Meat & Novel Proteins

A new theme has been announced for an interactive one-day workshop opener for the annual Petfood Forum conference and exhibition. The Petfood Innovation Workshop: Meat & Novel Proteins will debut on April 18, 2016, featuring a themed program focused on meat and alternative protein ingredients, which are the leading growth category in pet food and treats.
Functionality, sustainability, and safety challenges that businesses face in creating successful high impact meat and novel protein products will be the main topic of the Workshop demonstrations. Companies such as Extru-Tech Inc., Sonac, Sensient, F.L. Emmert Co., APC and VIDEKA will show how meat and other proteins react with other ingredients and binders; the effect that adding meat as an ingredient has on nutritional value; and how technology can most effectively be utilized to address food safety challenges.
The Petfood Innovation Workshop will again feature a hands-on format, which in 2015 spurred registrations to hit maximum capacity months in advance. Registrants will be transported to the Kansas State-Olathe Food Innovation Accelerator Lab where they will rotate among stations and create new types of protein-based pet food. Tentative schedule details are available on the event website.
“The Petfood Innovation Workshop and Kansas State University partnership produced two highly popular and successful events in 2015, as the opportunity to create new pet food and treat products hands-on is not something you get to do every day,” said Steve Akins, vice president and publisher of Petfood Industry. “The selection of the ‘Meat & Novel Proteins’ theme was made because proteins are a very hot category in the marketplace. As pet food becomes more competitive with human food, we need to get more creative with sourcing sustainable ways to provide high impact meat and alternative protein products. This workshop will provide the type of learning experience that participants can take back to their offices and immediately apply in their work environment to help their businesses grow.”
Petfood Forum 2016 will be held April 18-20, 2016, in Kansas City, Mo. The Forum and workshop provide participants with opportunities to network with industry peers; learn from petfood experts, consultants and technical experts; visit suppliers; and transact business.
The Pet Food Program at Kansas State University was started in 2012 and has established degree programs, short courses, and research concerning pet food and nutrition. Kansas State University is a public teaching and research institution founded in 1863 and located in Manhattan, KS.
Petfood Forum is organized and hosted by Petfood Industry magazine. For more information, visit www.PetfoodForumEvents.com.