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University of Maryland Food Science & Technology Program
The seafood industry has long been important to the culture, heritage and economy of our region. So it is no surprise that the University of Maryland Eastern Shore has made it a priority with a graduate studies program and a state of the art research facility for food science and technology. Jurgen Schwarz is the director of the doctoral program there, which conducts research on food safety of local farm produce and seafood.

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Currently research is being conducted into whether experimental Asian oyster gardens can produce healthy oyster which are safe for the bay and for people to eat.

Tom Rippen is a seafood specialist with Maryland Sea Grant, which partners with the University to help educate local businesses about the current methods for addressing seafood safety concerns. His work with the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences and the Maryland Cooperative Extension continues a program to aid local seafood producers in their efforts to provide the safest highest quality products. As public standards and expectations continue to rise in the area of food safety so do those of the industry.

Science and marketing have intersected in projects which provide attractive canning for crab meat. Now they are progressing on to plastic containers which are safe to microwave and allow the consumer to see what they are getting. The program is working with seafood producers, packaging manufacturers, and with market researchers to develop this product.

The Rural Development Center along with its parent organization the Maryland Cooperative Extension helps connect the Food Science & Technology program to local food producers and the general public. While the Food Science & Technology program focuses on the scientific side, the RDC concentrates on the business end.

Each spring, the program conducts a food safety seminar for area restaurateurs and seafood distributors. They concentrate largely on food handling and presentation. Local and fresh aren’t just the latest buzz words in marketing agricultural products. They are the keys to producing and distributing environmentally friendly and healthy foods.

The collaborative nature of this work makes it very rewarding. Tom and Juergen give much of the credit to the industry. They have a service oriented approach and are available to assist local entrepreneurs as they discover how to produce and distribute their products.

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Contact Information
Jurgen Schwarz, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Director Food Science & Tech Program
University of Maryland Eastern Shore - Center for Food Science & Technology
410-651-7963
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Thomas E. Rippen
Seafood Specialist
Maryland Cooperative Extension
410-651-6636
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)


Links
UMES - Department of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology Ph.D.
http://umes.edu/Agriculture/Content.aspx?id=3080

Maryland Cooperative Extension Seafood Program
http://extension.umd.edu/about/1890/programs/seafood.cfm

Maryland Sea Grant - Outreach & Extension: Aquaculture & Restoration
http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/programs/extension/aquaculture/

Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences
http://web.vims.edu/adv/seafood/index.html