Food Science Insights with Rachel Zemser of A La Carte Connections

Episode notes

In this episode of Food Tech Talk, Lydia Adams interviews Rachel Zemser, a food science industry consultant with nearly three decades of experience. Rachel, the Founder of A La Carte Connections, shares her journey in the food industry and her passion for food science, which was sparked by her international upbringing and exposure to diverse food cultures. Rachel discusses the critical steps in the R&D process, emphasizing the need to balance creativity with practical considerations such as manufacturing processes, packaging, and shelf life. She highlights the challenges of integrating new ingredients into products, stressing the importance of evaluating their safety, availability, and regulatory compliance. The conversation then explores the complexities of creating nutritionally specific foods while maintaining consumer appeal. Rachel provides insights on navigating client expectations and the realities of food formulation, using examples from her work with keto products and high-protein bars. A significant portion of the discussion focuses on scaling up from kitchen prototypes to commercial production.

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