Dr Riaz will be heading up a one-day seminar at the upcoming SPACE exhibition in Rennes, France between September 11-14. This will be on Aqua feed Extrusion and extrusion technology for aquaculture feed.
As the Head of Extrusion Technology at Texas A&M can you explain why education of extrusion through both higher education and the conferences you put on for professionals is so important?
Extrusion processing is one of the fastest growing areas in the world. Most aqua feed and pet food are currently extruded to fill the demand of this sector.
On the other hand, most of the agriculture commodities, like, cereal, grains and pulses are processed using this technology as well. Therefore, it is very important we train personnel through education and training programmes about this technology. Basic extrusion cooking principles are the same, but like any technology, there is always innovation that can be adopted to extrusion technology.
Following on from the last question, what kind of long lasting impact does this type and level of education provide?
This education will train and make any personnel better in extrusion technology in their field. We hear numerous comments from past participants that it was worth attending the extrusion training and now have a better understanding on how things work and can better handle their job.
What advice would you give to young feed professionals wanting to specialise in extrusion technology as a career, is there a particular course they should study or work placement they should get?
There are very few universities who offer courses and training in the area of extrusion in Europe and in the USA. There are several week-long courses and other seminars that take place about extrusion. Any basic degree in Food Science and Technology or Feed Technology background will be the best for someone who would want to enter in the area of extrusion technology.
You will be hosting an extrusion course at SPACE in September for Aqua Feed Extrusion – what can attendees look forward to at this conference?
This is a one-day course which basically provides the latest technology on extrusion and more in the area of aqua feed, such as grinding, coating, quality management, making aqua feed and analysing raw and finished product.
What developments do you see happening in extrusion technology over the next five years?
Most extrusion companies look to improve their existing system regarding energy efficiency, automation, safety of extruded products and drying of the finished product. We will see in the next five years several new adds on gadgets for the exiting extruder which can improve the efficiency of the extrude, a better automation system where someone can monitor their extrusion operation anywhere on their phone. These automation systems will provide verification and validation about processing conditions.
What conferences and interaction with the industry do you have planned for 2019?
The Process Engineering R&D Center at Texas A&M University will offer five courses in the area of extrusion. Three of them will be related to feed and two will be related to food. In these courses, feed industry personnel will be attending and will be discussing the opportunities in extrusion.
In January PERDC will offer our 29th annual Feeds and Pet Food Extrusion course, in July PERDC will offer their 4th annual Pet Food Extrusion and pet treats and in August, PERDC will offer their 26th annual Aquaculture Feed Extrusion and Feed Management.
How do you think R&D in aqua feed extrusion will contribute to keeping aquaculture as the fastest growing industry in the world? And from that, contribute to creating a sustainable food future for the planet?
We all know that our population is growing rapidly, and we always have a need for more protein to feed this growing population. Therefore, R and D in aqua feed will contribute the latest innovation that can improve the aqua feed extrusion and utilise the novel ingredients, which were not used before, like insect protein and algae biomass. Understanding of these new ingredients will help in future sustainability for this planet.
What has been your biggest challenge throughout your career in the industry and how did you overcome it?
The greatest challenge I faced in my career to date has to be the key role I played in making my extrusion programme one of the best in the nation. After continuous hard work, myself and my staff have been able to bring my extrusion programme to be one of the best in the nation and any US university.
What’s your favorite part about what you do?
I love giving talks at different seminars, conferences, and training programmes. It gives me pleasure that I am doing my civic duty by providing knowledge through these talks.
Is there anything that you’re doing, or a student or bit of technology perhaps the industry should keep an eye on over the coming 12 months – a “one to watch” if you will?
Currently, we are working on texturisation of pulses and legumes using extrusion technology. We have done some basic work and now we are entering in the next phase where we can understand how this texturisation can be improved and applied to the industry needs.
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