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Texas Food Processors Association

2025 Annual Conference

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M.S. Food Science & Technology, Texas A&M

Food Technologist, Pecan Deluxe

Ph.D. Nutrition, Texas Woman’s

Visiting Assistant Professor, Texas Woman’s

Postdoc/Research Scientist, AgriLife Research

2009

2021

2022

Shannon Combest, PhD

Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist

2025

2009

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Department of Food Science & Technology

Food Science Extension Specialist

Lead educational and training programs in food processing, safety, regulations, and quality, while guiding industry and mentoring future food scientists.

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Texas Food �Industry Landscape

Ranks #2 nationally in industrial food manufacturing and commercial food companies

Valued at $5.2 billion in 2020¹

Addressing Stakeholder/Constituent Needs:

Knowledge and technology transfer
Suitably Trained Workforce
Food Safety Culture
Regulatory Guidance
Process Authority

¹Texas Manufacturing Industry. https://businessintexas.com/

Situation/Needs and Assets/Problems/Stakeholders

FOOD & BEVERAGE FRONTRUNNER: Texas’ food manufacturing industry ranks second in the nation for establishments, employment and exports—valued at $5.2 billion in 2020.

Knowledge Gap:

Require knowledge and technology transfer through education and training programs in plain, non-technical language

Trained Workforce:

Current and future industry leaders
BPCS (acidified foods in hermetically sealed containers), PCQI (preventive controls qualified individual)
Biological contamination and allergens (96%) of food & beverage (F&B) Class 1 recalls¹
Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella (40%) of all F&B recalls¹
Allergens (28%) of all F&B recalls¹

Hazard Analysis & Risk Based Preventive Controls for Human Foods: Draft Guidance for Industry²:

Food Safety Plans
Food Allergen Control Program
Supply Chain Program Preventive Control

Define business: manufacturer, brand, cottage
Struggle to find and access information
Information tailored to their needs

Processing resources: co-packers
Regulatory: licensing state and federal
Brand positioning and marketing
Funding: Government grants

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This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

North Texas (DFW)

CPG: DFW CPG

Enterprises/Brands: PepsiCo/Frito-Lay, Yum Brands/Pizza Hut, Renfro Foods, Ben E. Keith, Circle U Foods, Poppi, Mooala, Borden Dairy, Apogee Foods, Mission Foods, Xochitl, Pecan Deluxe, Parker Products, Valdez Spice, Holy Kombuchas, Mateo’s Gourmet Salsa

Product Categories: Snacks, salsas, seasonings, dairy, ingredients/inclusions, fermented beverages

Identifying

Texas food businesses

Southeast, Coastal Texas (Houston)

CPG: None

Enterprises/Brands: Krispy Kreme, Quality Bakery, Bread Man Baking Co., Omega Protein, Chung’s Food

Product Categories: Bakery, dietary supplements, frozen foods

Central Texas (Austin)

CPG: Naturally Austin

Enterprises/Brands: Amplify Snack Brands, Siete, Serenity Kids, It’s Skinny, Me & the Bees, Yellowbird, Fischer & Wieser

Product Categories: Snacks, beverages, sauces/dips/dressings

South Texas (San Antonio)

CPG: San Antonio CPG

Enterprises/Brands: H-E-B, Adams Extract, C.H. Guenther & Son, Lone Star Bakery, Sterling Foods, Aspen Beverage, Bolner’s Fiesta Products, Texas Star Nut & Food Co.,

Product Categories: Bakery, flavorings, spices, nuts and snacks

To develop an Extension program and trainings that are impactful to stakeholders, we must identify the issues and needs of the Texas food industry

We need to ID the hot spots for Texas F&B businesses. This will help us determine where to conduct in-person workshops, train Extension Agents in those counties, and learn if there are regional or commodity-based educational needs.

I’ve created a spreadsheet where I’ve identified nearly 200 food and beverage businesses around the state, their location, and the product category they manufacture or sell (brand). I used numerous resources to identify these businesses from my conversation with online databases like Crunchbase and the Go Texan brand portal to conversing with Richard Ricardo (co-founder of DFW CPG) who shared many additional resources including a co-man and co-packer list with manufacturing capabilities. Working with the CPG organizations and food industry professional orgs will be paramount in connecting with the end-users (smaller and emerging brands) and identifying their needs to develop Extensions programs and resources that support them.

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Systems Approach: Developing Extension Program in Food Science

Research

Education

Extension

Food Businesses

(brands, processors)

Input

Suppliers

Food Processors

Retailers

Consumers

Regulatory, Food

Safety

Consumer

Demand

Economic Factors

Technological

Advancements

Supply

Chain

Adapted from Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems in Transition – a reflection paper (2012). Standing Committee on Agriculture Research (SCAR) Collaborative Working Group AKIS

Providing Science-Based Information

Addressing Stakeholder Needs and Industry Challenges

My approach to the Extension Food Specialist role is rooted in an innovation systems approach, where innovation leads to application. This position is inherently non-linear, involving multiple stakeholders, from end users to various other participants.

Food companies navigate numerous inputs and outputs affecting their decisions and practices, from selecting ingredient suppliers to developing products that meet consumer demands and regulatory requirements, all while considering economic and supply chain constraints. These decisions shape the development and manufacturing of food and beverage ingredients, whether sold B2B or directly to retailers and consumers. Extension plays a crucial role in this system by connecting university research with practical, science-based education, facilitating knowledge transfer that is both understandable and applicable to food businesses.

Useful concept to describe a system of innovation with emphasis on the organizations involved, the links and interactions between them, the institutional infrastructure with its incentives and the budget mechanisms. Although the components Extension system, Education and Research are often stressed, it is important to realize that there are many more actors in the food industry chain the directly influence decision making of food businesses (brands, processors) and their innovations (extension programs: science-based information, trainings, workshops, etc.).

Adapted from Actors in the AKI directly relevant for agriculture innovation in the food chain. AKIS Reflection Paper (2012).

Knowledge creation is not seen as a linear top-down process, but as a complex process with many iterations.

Inputs that can impact the decisions made by a food business to adopt new innovations, scientific advancement, food trends: Consumer Demand, Regulatory (Fed/State: FDA, USDA, FTC, TX-DHHS, TDA, TABC, Regulations), Marketing Competition, Economic Factors, Manufacturing capabilities, Supply Chain Demand, Suppliers, Trade Associations, Consultants

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Trainings

Workshop	Who
Cottage to Commercialization	Entrepreneurs, Small-Enterprises
Better Process Control School (hot-fill/high acid processing line)	Entrepreneurs, Industry
Preventive Controls for Human Foods (PCQI)	Industry
PSA Grower Training Course; Advanced (GAPs)	Fruit and vegetable growers

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Food Testing Laboratory

Process Authority for acidified foods (21 CFR 114)

Provide shelf-life and classification product evaluation for scheduled process filings
Partner with 3^rd party accredited, approved laboratories

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Programming Opportunities

Opportunities	Stakeholder	Collaboration
Rio Grande Colonias USDA Regional Food Business Center	Entrepreneurs, Micro-Enterprises	AgriLife, UT, non-profits
FSTC Coffee Program	Coffee Businesses (Processors, Baristas)	AgriLife, Borlaug Institute, FSTC, Aplin Center
Fort Worth Center	Entrepreneurs, Industry	AgriLife, FSTC, Industry
Sustainable Production of Prickly Pear Cactus	TX Farmers/Ranchers, Processors, Biofuel Refiners	AgriLife Extension/Research, NM Extension, Industry
Food Science Education and Advanced Skill Training (FEAST)	Teachers, youth (student, 4-H)	TX 4-H, FCH, FSTC, TFPA

(Entrepreneurs) Cottage to Commercialization
(Processors) Better Process Control School; Preventive Controls for Human Foods, PCQI Certification
(Growers) TX Dept Ag: Produce Safety Training
Food Science Education and Advanced Skill Training (FEAST)

From Cottage to Commercialization

FDA facility registration; state licensing and permits
Recordkeeping
GMPs
Insurance
Funding
Co-manufacturers/co-packers

BPCS for Acidified Foods with High-Impact Experiential Learning opportunity using the Hot-fill/High-acid processing line (demo or hands-on training). Partner with Best Maid, Renfros to develop/lead hands-on training component.

Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) Preventive Controls for Human Foods (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) – develop a Food Safety Plan (required by Food Safety Modernization Act)

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Student Success in Processing

No available university funds, student-tuition, or fees for FSTC student food processing
High impact learning funding may be further reduced with federal IDC being cut
TFPA generously donated $4,000 and ingredients for BBQ processing – Thank You!
Students started selling first commercial batch

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Empowering Texas in Food Science and Technology with Science-Based Solutions and Education

Thank You

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