FOOD ENGINEERING Podcast

Christine Daugherty, vice president and chief sustainability officer at Conagra Brands, discusses the company’s approach to developing goals for packaging, carbon reduction and water stewardship, as well as Conagra’s Sustainable Development Awards, which recognize innovative, plant-level efforts to operate more sustainably. ▶ Watch the video of this podcast.

Richard Phillips, vice president of smart manufacturing for Polytron, discuss the foundations of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), detecting and deterring microstops, and using a manufacturing execution system to collect, synthesize and analyze valuable operational data. Let’s get started. Sponsored by Regal Rexnord

In this episode, Will Brady, chief operating officer of Top Seedz, a seed-based cracker company in Buffalo, New York, discusses how he and his wife, CEO and founder Rebecca Brady, have continued to grow and automate Top Seedz with support from local business programs – culminating with a recent expansion that has doubled the company’s production capacity.

Fortifi is dedicated to helping food producers work smarter through innovative technology and expert support. In this podcast, we explore how data-driven solutions are transforming food processing by improving operational insights, reducing reliance on manual labor, enhancing workplace safety, elevating product quality, and driving stronger business performance. Join us as we discuss industry tren...

Dharma Prime, senior controls engineer for Concept Systems, discusses her college experience, her interest in controls engineering, and the importance of mentoring in honor of International Women in Engineering Day. Check out our full story: Engineering Change: Discovering the Impact of Women Engineers in Food Manufacturing

Halak Mehta, reliability engineer for Sapporo-Stone Brewing, covers her experience in the food industry, the importance of taking on high-stakes projects, and developing a growth mindset in honor of International Women in Engineering Day. Check out our full story: Engineering Change: Discovering the Impact of Women Engineers in Food Manufacturing

In this episode, Bonna Cannon, president, owner and principal consultant of Bonnafide LLC, discusses how to prioritize true food safety over audit preparation, turning audit insights into operational improvements and building food safety into plant design. Sponsored by Fortrex

Explore how inspection and detection have evolved over 30 years, and how Fortress Technology is defining the next standard in food safety through automated testing and data-driven performance, helping food manufacturers improve consistency, compliance and confidence in modern production environments. Sponsored by Fortress Technology:

Kim Lovan, associate vice president, food, beverage and agribusiness, and Carrie Woehler, solutions lead, industrial and manufacturing for Black & Veatch, discuss how food and beverage manufacturers are implementing automation, considerations for vetting solution providers, and how automation projects have evolved.

Andrew Johnston, vice president and general manager, industrials, for Divert, Inc, discusses where food waste appears in food manufacturing, the role of anaerobic digestion, and how to build a culture of waste reduction.

Bob Garrison, chief editor of Prepared Foods, Kelley Rodriguez, editor-in-chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, and Alyse Thompson-Richards, editor-in-chief of FOOD ENGINEERING, combine their unique perspectives and discuss the biggest trends impacting the food industry in 2025 and beyond.

Rebecca Marquez, director of custom research for PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, talks the state of the packaging machinery market in 2024 and 2025, the food industry’s role in it, and what to expect in 2026 and beyond.

Melanie Nuce-Hilton, senior vice president of customer success for GS1, discusses consumer opinion surrounding recalls, building consumer trust through traceability and preparing for FSMA 204.

Fortifi Food Processing Solutions CEO Massimo Bizzi and Mark Dowdle, executive vice president of strategy and business development, discuss Fortifi’s founding and purpose, key challenges affecting food manufacturing and how automation will shape the industry’s future. Sponsored by Fortifi Food Processing Solutions

Rob Dongoski, global lead, agriculture and food, for management consulting firm Kearney, discusses major drivers for change in the U.S. food system, including generational purchasing patterns, growing interest in health and sustainability, and implementing technology to harness consumer insights and improve efficiency.

Regal Rexnord’s conveyance experts, Crystal Willey and Barry Voshell discuss how recent Food trends are impacting manufacturing production capabilities and why overall equipment effectiveness is more important than ever before. Leave this episode with key considerations to reduce production line risks and maximize OEE. Sponsored by:

Explore how Dorner and Garvey, part of CMCO Conveyance Solutions, are revolutionizing food production with sanitary conveyor design, 3A-certified belts, and integrated systems that reduce contamination risks and streamline packaging—from raw materials to finished goods. A must-listen for food industry professionals. Sponsored by:

Dirk Laibach, global senior product manager for water mist at Johnson Controls, covers potential fire risks associated with industrial fryers, the differences between CO2 and water mist technologies, and the role detection plays in fire suppression systems. Headshot courtesy of Laibach

Samara Heaggans, director of process quality engineering for Feastables, recently spoke to Food Engineering in recognition of International Women in Engineering Day, celebrated annually on June 23. Heaggans, who has taken a winding journey to and through the food industry, shares her college experience, her work at both major food companies and startups, and the importance of mentoring.

Shalima Sreenath, head of downstream processing for Cellibre, recently spoke to Food Engineering in recognition of International Women in Engineering Day, celebrated annually on June 23. Sreenath covers her experience in the food industry, the importance of taking on high-stakes projects and developing a diverse skillset.

Key experts from Sherwin-Williams share how to mitigate risks to food safety, personnel and your bottom line with the right high-performance coatings. Sponsored by:

Kelley Rodriguez, editor in chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods and content manager for FA&M, Alyse Thompson-Richards, editor in chief of FOOD ENGINEERING and Michael Levitt, editor of FOOD ENGINEERING, unpack highlights from the 26th annual Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo.

In this episode, Sara Bratager, senior food safety and traceability scientist for the Global Food Traceability Center at the Institute of Food Technologists, talks about the Food Safety Modernization Act, the Food Traceability Rule, the importance of data standardization and how it can help with preventing and managing recalls. Sponsored by

Arnaut Dubat, business development director for KPM, chats with former FE Editor Derrick Teal about how the better-for-you consumer trend continues to impact food manufacturers, particularly manufacturers of baked goods.

In this episode, former editor-in-chief Derrick Teal chats with Adam Webster, vice president of innovation for ProVeyance Group, about how conveying can help food manufacturers with their sustainability goals.