MSU Extension Product Center

MSU FOOD PROCESSING AND INNOVATION CENTER (FPIC)

Commercial processing Space with State-of-Art Food Processing Equipment and Facilities to create new innovative products for the market place

The Michigan State University Food Processing and Innovation Center (FPIC) is designed to be Michigan’s leading independent commercial food development, processing, packaging and research facility. It will provide a ‘Real Time’ production environment to support the creation of vibrant new food products, servicing the needs of both Michigan-based existing food businesses or larger scale startups in Michigan and the Great Lakes region.

The FPIC’s unique advantage is that it will be a fully licensed USDA/FDA certified food processing facility not only capable of creating new products or processes, but the ability to produce full scale medium size production runs for the retail marketplace. The FPIC’s turnkey capability allows businesses to recapture costs through product sales validating and mitigating the risk of product development and expansion programs for mid-sized processors throughout Michigan and Great Lakes region.

 The primary target client will be a food business looking to:

• Broaden into a new consumer identified product categories but lacking adequate validation or test facilities, technology and/or knowledge for new product development, processing, packaging and supply chain requirements.
• Scale-up their current production but lacking the necessary expansion knowledge requirements in production, equipment, and processes to do so.
• Conduct research and product development with limited or no R&D space or at capacity production space
• Experiment with new food processing and packaging techniques to extend shelf life and add value.

Location, Ownership, and Management

The FPIC will occupy a substantially renovated building referred to as the Hulett Road Building, 3361 Hulett Road, Okemos, MI.  Michigan State University is the owner. The MSU Product Center will manage the facility.

Production Capabilities

Six main central processing components at the FPIC have been included for both maximum diversity of food product development, to meet all production and industry needs including low acid, meat, pouch and frozen meal capabilities.

• Cooking – Steam Jacketed Kettles and Infrared Ovens
• Steam Retort with Overpressure for cans , jars and pouche
• Hot Fill Pasteurization and HTST processing
• IQF Spiral Freezer
• Cook Chill Processing
• RTE (Ready to Eat)

The FPIC is to be flexible in its production capabilities, equipment layout and operating conditions for a wide variety of products. What enables this flexibility is the FPIC’s ability to quickly connect and disconnect equipment through drop down service lines from the ceiling. The FPIC will have the ability for quick changeovers - removing one component and putting a new one in place with the original piece going into a cleaning room. This attribute is imperative in order to establish custom production lines for the client. The main central components will be fixed in place (retort, kettles, IQF and spiral freezers), while the rest of the floor will provide the necessary flexibility.  (See the accompanying floor plan.)

FPIC Product Floor

Funding for the FPIC has been made available through the Economic Development Agency (EDA), Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), Michigan State University (MSU) & Industry partners.

For full Details on the FPIC and presentation information, please contact Matt Birbeck, Project Director at birbeckm@msu.edu or 517 648 1776