Labs, Organizations and Consultants

Once you have solidified a product concept, there are many labs, organizations, and consultants available to help you incubate this idea and formulate your final product. These entities support "good food" product development ranging from culinary and food science labs to foundations and networks in the academic and industry worlds. 

Labs

• Drexel Food Lab: "a faculty-mentored interdisciplinary food product design and culinary innovation research lab solving real-world problems in sustainability, health promotion and access"
• Cornell Food Venture Center "Provide assistance to ensure safety and stability of food products entering the marketplace"
• Eurofins: Provides a "unique range of analytical testing services to the pharmaceutical, food, environmental and consumer products industries and to governments"
• Invisible Sentinel: Lab testing services in food, beer, wine, and cannabis
• EMSL Analytical, Inc.: "Provides testing services, sampling supplies, test kits and building inspection tools to identify microbial and chemical exposure risks following storm damage in residential, commercial and institutional properties."
  
• Rutgers Innovation Center: "supports established early stage entrepreneurs and existing food companies from concept to commercialization... [providing] business, marketing, food safety, product design and scale up expertise within FDA and USDA certified facilities to help companies successfully build and grow their business."

Organizations

• Upcycled Food Association, Foundation, and Certification: "A nonprofit working to prevent food waste by accelerating the upcycled economy."
• Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia: "A community of local independent businesses that demonstrates the degree to which businesses can build profitable enterprises while serving community needs, sharing wealth, and protecting the environment."
• Startup CPG: " A national community for emerging brands and those who support them. Share questions, opportunities, and expertise."
• The Dorrance H. Hamilton Center For Culinary Enterprises: "supports both established and start-up food businesses and food processors in need of commercial kitchen space and business support."
  

Consultants

These consultants are experts in a range of fields; from food science to FDA-compliant labeling. They can be helpful to contact with specific questions, challenges, or requests. 

• Kantha Shelke: Author, educator, and food scientist "who expedites new product and technology development int he food and nutrition sector."
• Lauren Swann: Nutrition communications, food & nutrition labeling consultant, writer, registered dietitian at Concept Nutrition, Inc. 
• Catapult Consulting: Co-packing headhunter, food science R&D
• Rodeo CPG: "For brands in need of a trusted partner to help with their product development, operations, or retail sales"
• Cohere: "Specializes in design-forward branding and marketing for hospitality"

Certain guidelines must be followed in order to widely distribute a food product. The guidelines span disciplines including food safety (see Operations page) and dietary guidelines. 

Dietary Guidelines

• Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): "The DRIs represent the most current scientific knowledge on nutrient needs of healthy populations. Please note that individual requirements may be higher or lower than the DRIs."
• DRI Calculation for Healthcare Professionals: "Enter height, weight, age, and activity to generate a report of the following items: Body Mass Index (BMI), Estimates daily calorie needs, Recommended intakes o macronutrients, water, vitamins, and minerals based on DRI data."
• MyPlate Resources: "The MyPlate Plan shows your food group targets - what and how much to eat within your calorie allowance."
• City of Philadelphia Nutrition Standards: "Nutrition standards are an evidence-based strategy to align meals and snacks within the latest dietary guidance. They are a model for other large institutions and employers, and send a market signal to suppliers to provide competitively prices healthy food options." 
• Fraud and Nutrition Misinformation: Identifying nutrition misinformation and fraudulent health claims.
• Historical Dietary Guidance Digital Collection: Are you a history buff? This site provides context in the U.S. approach to human nutrition since the 1890s.

Labeling

Once you have a finalized food product, follow the FDA's Food Labeling Guide to ensure the labels on your packaging are appropriate and compliant with FDA standards.

  If you would like your laboratory or organization listed on this page, please email all applicable information to Drexelfoodlab@drexel.edu. Hyperlinks or references to any businesses, services, organizations, or websites of third parties on this website do not constitute or imply their endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation by Drexel University