BATON ROUGE – Food safety and food security took center stage as more than 100 industry representatives met for the fourth annual Louisiana Food Processors Conference April 2-3.

The conference was designed to enhance food processing and other activities that add value to Louisiana’s food production, said organizers from the LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Economic Development.

“The conference brings information from speakers on issues and trends timely to the food processing industry in Louisiana and provides a great opportunity for people in the industry to network,” said Kelsey Short, director of agriculture, forestry and food processing for Louisiana Economic Development.

Short said although it’s billed as an annual conference, this year’s meeting was the first since hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit Louisiana in 2005.

“It was important to get the conference back on track,” Short said. “The attendance is about the same as the last conference in 2005.”

The seminar on current trends and processes “is invaluable,” said Bobby Yarborough, CEO of Manda Fine Meats in Baton Rouge. “Topics were very good, very current. It gives us a chance to see the big picture, think broadly and go home to be more productive and efficient.”

Dave Fusaro, editor in chief of Food Processing and Wellness Foods magazines, talked about trends in food consumption and production. He pointed out that signs of a recession are moving people to eating more at home and less in restaurants.

“Even in a bad year, the food industry will grow,” Fusaro said.

But to be successful, food processors will have to manage the costs of energy, agricultural ingredients and other inputs, he said.

“What to do in 2008,” he said, is to “hold the fort, make it safe, manage costs, increase prices, enjoy labor stability, think green, and innovate. . . a little. Be open to innovation when you can do it affordably.”

Food production and processing are important in Louisiana, but processors need to be aware of food safety, said Dr. Mike Moody, associate director for research and development with the national Center for Biomedical Research and Training.

He pointed to a difference between food safety and food defense. Food safety is concerned with accidental contamination while food defense is concerned with intentional contamination.

Moody said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has developed Internet-based training programs in food defense for food processors, and he recommended that all processors use the training documents to assess and evaluate their facilities.

One theme of the day-and-a-half conference was using Louisiana products to produce foods in Louisiana.

“We want to leverage the reputation of Louisiana for food and develop it outside the state,” said Dr. John Finley, head of the LSU AgCenter’s Department of Food Science.

Finley said innovation comes from small companies like those that operate in Louisiana. “Major companies generally only do line extensions,” he said.

Ewell Smith, executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, said he wants to feature the brand of Louisiana throughout the United States.

He said the state’s industry is differentiating its products to compete with “commodity” products by labeling its products Certified Louisiana Seafood. The program is operated in conjunction with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

In addition to presentations on food packaging, food safety and trends in the food industry, participants were able to attend technical seminars presented by faculty members in the LSU AgCenter’s Department of Food Science.

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Writer: Rick Bogren at (225) 578-5839 or rbogren@agcenter.lsu.edu