Universities cannot facilitate the transition to the global economy if their researchers focus on research for homogeneous products. In allocating research resources, we must consider the potential for adding value. Closer attention must be paid to the end use of products and to the means of tailoring product characteristics to those uses. Today, major agribusinesses are not looking for farm-level technologies to decrease their ingredient cost by a fraction of a cent per pound. Rather, they are looking for new technologies with which to deliver products at a time and place and in a form that will improve their competitiveness in the world economy.
Few states add value to agricultural commodities better than Pennsylvania.
Against this backdrop, Thompson's department has set out to do its part in helping Pennsylvania's food processing industry to maintain and enhance its competitive position. Often in collaboration with industry partners, Penn State takes a multidisciplinary approach to tackling problems and issues, combining faculty expertise in chemistry, microbiology, engineering, nutrition, and consumer education. Much of the department's research activities are organized into four areas, with projects and personnel often overlapping. The Microbial Food Safety and the Ingredient Functionality groups are not focused on specific commodities but serve a variety of needs. With these two research groups, we're trying to identify and encourage collaborative research that has broad application throughout the industry.