Ecolab Center for Culinary Science
JWU Providence’s Ecolab Center for Culinary Science supports food entrepreneurs and the food industry with their innovation needs, from product development to nutritional labeling, basic laboratory analysis, and more.
Food Safety to Support Entrepreneurs
The mission of JWU Providence’s Ecolab Center for Culinary Science is to support food entrepreneurs and the food industry with their innovation needs, from product development to nutritional labeling, basic laboratory analysis, and more.
What We Do
The Ecolab Center for Culinary Science helps small and large food businesses with their product development needs and product introduction to the marketplace. We offer product development services, product safety evaluation, training, and help with regulatory compliance.
The Ecolab Center benefits from the expertise of the faculty of JWU’s College of Food Innovation & Technology (CFIT). The Center’s state-of-the-art lab is located in the university’s multiuse Food Innovation Design Lab (FIDL), housed on the first floor of the Friedman Center.
We can help your food company with product development, FDA regulations around nutrition labeling and shelf-stabilization requirements, lab analysis and more. Need assistance? Review our forms below.
Product Development
Food product innovation is a key driver of food business success. At the Ecolab Center, we help with your food product development needs using an on-a-budget approach when resources are limited or a streamlined approach when more resources are available.
On-a-budget product development is conducted by teams of students under faculty supervision in the context of a class. This is a low-cost alternative designed to help startups, solopreneurs, social entrepreneurs, and NGOs with limited resources.
Streamlined product development is conducted by a team of seasoned food product development experts capable of complex prototype development. Companies that benefit from this approach are larger ventures requiring a quick turnaround.
Process Authority Product Verification
The Ecolab Center offers process authority product evaluation for acidified foods.
Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulations require that all shelf-stable acidified products sealed in a hermetic container must be evaluated for safety by a process authority. The process authority conducts product analysis, reviews the process and list of ingredients, and then writes a letter confirming the product’s safety.
Nutritional Labeling
The Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods provides consumers important information about the food they are about to eat. Information such as calories, sugar and fat content, vitamin and mineral levels, and ingredient contents help consumers to understand how a particular food fits into their diet.
Lab Analysis
The Ecolab Center can conduct basic lab analysis for pH, water activity, and Brix measurement of food and beverage products.
Training (Coming Soon)
Better Process Control School for Acidified Foods
This is a two-day training that processors of low-acid and acidified canned foods need in order to comply with USDA and FDA regulations. Both government agencies require that food manufacturers of low-acid or acidified foods operate at all times under the supervision of a person who has attended Better Process Control School.
Preventive Controls for Human Foods (PCQI FSMA Training)
Completing this course is one way to meet the FDA requirements for a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI). This competency is required for individuals who oversee the identification and mitigation of hazards during the preparation and implementation of a food safety plan, review of records, and reanalysis of food safety plans. This course follows the standardized curriculum set by the Food Safety Preventative Controls Alliance (FSPCA).
Forms
To send your product for evaluation, download and fill out the relevant form, then submit it to us by email.
- For the evaluation of acidified foods: Process Authority Request Submission Form (668K PDF)
- For nutrition label assessment: Nutrition Facts Submission Form (576K PDF
Nutrition Labeling: $75/product for simple labels and $100/hour for complex formulations
Basic Lab Testing: $30/sample
Process Authority Evaluation Fees:
- Acidified canned products: $200/product
- Acidified canned product variations when the formulation does not differ significantly (like mild vs. hot salsa): $200 for the first product; $75 for additional product variations
- Letter amendment or correction: $50/product
- Products requiring heat penetration studies (like pickles processed in a hot bath): $300/product
- Process Authority letters for processes other than canned foods: $180/hour
- Consulting Services for Food Processing or Product Food Safety: $180/hour
Contact the Ecolab Center
Contact the Center with questions about food safety, labeling, BRIX analysis and more.
Ruben O. Morawicki, Ph.D.
Professor
Director, Ecolab Center
315 Harborside Boulevard, Providence RI 02905
401-598-2474