PageFood/Kitchen/Farm/Agriculture Archives - Page 4 of 22

Refrigeration

Stony Brook University’s New Ultra-Low-Temp Walk-in Freezer Farm

Walk-in refrigerators play a crucial role in food preparation areas in education communities; residence halls, hospitals, research laboratories and large football stadium not the least of them:

Food Storage: They provide space for perishable foods, such as fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, and prepared dishes. They help maintain the freshness and quality of ingredients by keeping them at the appropriate temperature.
Temperature Control: They allow precise temperature control, ensuring that food items are kept at the correct temperature to prevent spoilage and bacterial growth. Different shelves or zones within the refrigerator can be set to various temperatures to accommodate various types of food.
Extended Storage: Compared to reach-in refrigerators or freezers, walk-ins offer a larger storage capacity. This is especially beneficial for residential kitchens that need to store bulk quantities of ingredients, prepared dishes, and food supplies.
Organization: Walk-in refrigerators are designed with shelving, racks, and storage options that enable proper organization of food items. This organization makes it easier for kitchen staff to access ingredients quickly during busy service times.
Prep Space: In addition to storage, some walk-in refrigerators are equipped with prep tables or counters. This feature allows chefs and kitchen staff to work directly within the cold storage area, making it more convenient to prepare ingredients and assemble dishes.
Energy Efficiency: Modern walk-in refrigerators are designed with energy-efficient features, including well-insulated panels and energy-efficient compressors, helping to reduce energy consumption and operating costs.
Compliance with Regulations: Many health and safety regulations require commercial kitchens to store perishable foods at specific temperatures. Walk-in refrigerators are designed to meet these regulatory requirements.

ASHRAE 15 sets the standard of care for safe design, construction, installation and operation of refrigeration systems. It establishes safeguards for life, limb, health, and property and prescribes safety requirements. This standard does not apply to refrigeration systems using ammonia (R-717) as the refrigerant. (ASHRAE Standard 34-2022, Designation and Safety Classification of Refrigerants covers that domain.)

As of this posting we find only one markup on proposed changes to ASHRAE 15; that one having more to do with correlation with changes to the one of the ASME Boiler Code (a lower tier priority for us).

Proposed Addendum a to Standard 15-2022, Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems

~~Consultation on that markup closes October 22, 2023.~~

Energy Standard for *Sites* and Buildings

Other ASHRAE committees post their consultations at the link below:

Online Standards Actions & Public Review Drafts

We maintain the ASHRAE catalog on the standing agenda of nearly every topic we cover every day. See our CALENDAR.

Issue: [Various]

Category: Mechanical, Electrical, Energy Conservation, Facility Asset Management, US Department of Energy, #SmartCampus

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Larry Spielvogel, Richard Robben

The basis for modern refrigerators was created in 1755 AD, when Scottish professor William Cullen designed a small refrigerating machine. This machine had a pump and a container of ether. (24/26) pic.twitter.com/nw7GiSgbIE

— Bucknell_Thermo (@BucknellThermo) April 24, 2020

University Ave Pizza

Standards North Dakota

Student Musicians Perform Backyard Concerts | University of North Dakota@UofNorthDakota https://t.co/mOy8oKr6Ke pic.twitter.com/X8gobawkrQ

— Standards Michigan (@StandardsMich) June 24, 2023

North Dakota

While there isn’t a universally standardized pizza that everyone agrees upon, certain types of pizza have become iconic and widely recognized. Some of these include:

Margherita Pizza: This classic pizza features tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil. It’s named after Queen Margherita of Italy.

Pepperoni Pizza: Topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and slices of pepperoni (a cured pork and beef sausage).

Margarita Pizza: Similar to the Margherita, but without the basil. It typically has tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and sometimes a drizzle of olive oil.

Neapolitan Pizza: This style originated in Naples, Italy. It has a thin, soft, and chewy crust with simple and fresh ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil, and olive oil.

New York Style Pizza: Characterized by its large, foldable slices with a thin and flexible crust. It’s often topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza: Known for its thick crust, this pizza has layers of cheese, toppings, and tomato sauce. It’s baked in a deep pan, resulting in a substantial and hearty pizza.

Sicilian Pizza: Square-shaped and thick-crusted, Sicilian pizza is often topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and various toppings.

California Pizza: Often associated with innovative and non-traditional toppings, California-style pizza might include ingredients like barbecue chicken, goat cheese, arugula, and more.

North Dakota doesn’t have one iconic, universally recognized “official” pizza style that the whole country talks about. The state is more known for hearty, loaded, comfort-food pizzas that reflect Midwestern tastes — generous toppings, practical portions, and creative local twists. Pizza here often leans toward heavily topped pies (think “the more toppings, the better”), with locals frequently praising places that pile on ingredients rather than keeping things minimalist.

Overall, North Dakota pizza is more about satisfying, no-fuss, topping-heavy eats that pair perfectly with cold winters than about rigid “style” rules.

Next week, @kipras_r and I will be at Como – Optical Probes 2023 conference to try some authentic Italian pizza. If you'd like to meet up, drop me a message or simply catch us at the conference! See you there! #OpticalProbes2023 #femtoinfluencer @light_con pic.twitter.com/7vdMCFaOfN

— Greta Bučytė (@GretaBucyte) September 5, 2023

Towards Crafting Beer with Artificial Intelligence

Beer was discovered accidentally as a result of grains being left in water and undergoing fermentation. The process of making beer involves converting the starches in grains (such as barley or wheat) into sugars, which are then fermented by yeast to produce alcohol. It was often consumed as a safer alternative to water, which could be contaminated with disease-causing pathogens.

Beer was also used in religious ceremonies and was considered a valuable commodity for trade. Over time, beer-making techniques spread throughout the world, and different regions developed their own unique styles of beer; now supported by artificial intelligence algorithms that analyze chemical compounds to identify specific flavor and aroma profiles for more nuanced flavors.

Towards Crafting Beer with Artificial Intelligence

Marc Bravin, et al

Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Rotkreuz, Switzerland

Abstract: The art of brewing beer has a long tradition that dates back to the very dawn of civilization. While the brewing process has been automated to a great extent, the creation of new beer recipes remains the result of creativity and human expertise with only minor support from software to validate chemical constraints. We collected a dataset of 157,000 publicly available recipes from all over the world and created a transformer-based model to support the creative process in brewing by suggesting new beer recipe templates. As a proof of concept, we crafted the IPA “Deeper” along a recipe generated by our model. Over 100 international newspapers and radio stations have reported on the first AI-crafted beer from Switzerland over the past few months. For the first time, this paper reveals the underlying pipeline architecture of eight transformer networks trained end-to-end that made this remarkable success possible.

CLICK HERE for complete paper

There are several international organizations and agreements that set standards for beer production and labeling:

Food Safety Management

Codex Alimentarius

Animal Safety

University of Minnesota: Evaluating biosecure entry and exit protocols and education methods in a mock livestock facility

Evacuation Drills for Horses

“One of the Family” 1880 | Frederick George Cotman

NFPA 150 Fire and Life Safety in Animal Housing Facilities Code has entered its s025 revision cycle. Many education communities are responsible for animal safety in academic units, research enterprises. museums and even — as in the United Kingdom — large farm animals that wander freely on campus with students, faculty and staff. The number of colleges and universities that permit students to live with their pets has expanded; and with it the responsibilities of university administration.

From the document scope:

This standard shall provide the minimum requirements for the design, construction, fire protection, and classification of animal housing facilities. The requirements of NFPA 150 recognize the following fundamental principles:

(1) Animals are sentient beings with a value greater than that of simple property.

(2) Animals, both domesticated and feral, lack the ability of self-preservation when housed in buildings and other structures.

(3) Current building, fire, and life safety codes do not address the life safety of the animal occupants. The requirements found in NFPA 150 are written with the intention that animal housing facilities will continue to be designed, constructed, and maintained in accordance with the applicable building, fire, and life safety codes.

The requirements herein are not intended to replace or rewrite the basic requirements for the human occupants. Instead, NFPA 150 provides additional minimum requirements for the protection of the animal occupants and the human occupants who interact with those animals in these facilities.

A full description of the project is linked below:

Fire and Life Safety in Animal Housing Facilities Code

Access to the 2025 Edition is linked below:

FREE ACCESS NFPA 150

We provide the transcript of the back-and-forth on the current 2022 edition to inform how education communities can contribute to the improvement of this title; a subject that stirs deep feelings about animal safety in research enterprises.

NFPA 150 First Draft Agenda

NFPA 150 Second Draft Report

We contribute to NFPA 150: SAFETY IN ANIMAL HOUSING FACILITIES https://t.co/PxSznGDGw1 #TotalCostofOwnership pic.twitter.com/BmJ0HgvpQ3

— Standards Michigan (@StandardsMich) March 9, 2016

~~Public comment on the Second Draft of the 2025 Edition will be received until March 27, 2024.~~

We have been advocating risk-informed animal safety concepts in this document since the 2013 Edition and have found that it is nearly impossible to overestimate the sensitivity of educational communities to the life safety of animals — either for agriculture or medical research.

We maintain the entire NFPA catalog on the standing agenda of our Prometheus colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.

University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment facebook cover horses 1919 723

"i thank You God for most this amazing day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes" -- e.e.cummings ('Seventy-One Poems' 1950)

NC State College of Veterinary Medicine & Veterinary Hospital north carolina animal facebook cover 1919 721

Kids raised right….

pic.twitter.com/Ock1UATXc5

— Carissa (@njoyzgrl81) April 6, 2024

Issue: [11-1] and [19-5]

Category: Fire Protection, Facility Asset Management, Academic, Risk Management

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Josh Elvove, Joe DeRosier

More:

”Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.„ Psalms 51:10
Have a blessed Sunday all who feed humanity! #dairy #beef … pic.twitter.com/BG68A4Sn5h

— Ion Moraru 🇺🇦 (@IonMoraruDairy) February 18, 2024

Protecting Animals When Disaster Strikes

Animals 300

‘Tension and Uncertainty’: How a diverse technical committee rife with opposing viewpoints created the new NFPA 150 https://t.co/sqam82C0G7 pic.twitter.com/BvcveX6dwM

— NFPA (@NFPA) December 31, 2018

Bibliography:

25 Most Pet-Friendly Colleges

National Institute of Health: Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals

International Building Code: Section 304 (Business Group B): Animal hospitals, kennels and pounds

Terrestrial Animal Health Code

IEEE Guide for Animal Deterrents for Electric Power Supply Substations

ASHRAE Animal Facilities

IEEE Livestock Monitoring System

Ventilation Design Handbook on Animal Research Facilities

HVAC Design in Animal Facilities

USDA Animal Welfare Information Center

ISO Assistance Dogs

US Department of Agriculture: Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations

S. 4288: Reducing Animal Testing Act

Guaranteeing safety of animals under risk of fire: conceptual framework and technical issues analysis

Protecting Animals When Disaster Strikes

Hot Dog University

The iconic American “street food” traces its origin to 19th century German immigrants who brought frankfurters from their homeland.

In the 1860s, the term “hot dog” emerged in reference to these sausages being sold in buns at street carts. The popularity of hot dogs soared during the late 19th and early 20th centuries particularly at baseball games where the hot dog is virtually synonymous.at the sport.

In many college towns push cart hot dog vendors may be welcomed and even embraced as part of the local food scene. They can add variety and convenience for students, faculty, and staff by offering affordable and quick meal options. These towns may have regulations and policies in place to support and accommodate such vendors.

Syllabus

The case against hot dogs as a food primarily revolves around health concerns and potential risks associated with their consumption. Some of the key arguments include:

Processed meat and additives: Hot dogs are often made from processed meats that can contain additives, preservatives, and high levels of sodium. These additives, such as nitrates and nitrites, have been linked to increased risks of certain health issues, including cancer and heart disease.

High in unhealthy fats: Hot dogs are typically high in saturated and trans fats, which can contribute to elevated cholesterol levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Potential for contamination: There have been instances of foodborne illnesses associated with hot dogs, such as outbreaks of bacterial contamination, including E. coli or Listeria monocytogenes. Improper handling, storage, or undercooking can increase the risk of such contamination.

Allergens and dietary restrictions: Hot dogs often contain common allergens like wheat, soy, and dairy. Additionally, they may not be suitable for individuals with dietary restrictions or preferences, such as vegetarians, vegans, or those following specific religious or cultural dietary guidelines.

Environmental impact: The production and consumption of hot dogs contribute to environmental concerns. The meat industry, including processed meat production, is associated with greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation, and water pollution.

These arguments against hot dogs do not necessarily apply to all hot dogs or to every individual. Moderation, choosing healthier options, and considering individual dietary needs and preferences can help mitigate some of the concerns associated with hot dog consumption.

Paul Mitchell The School | Tinley Park

Perfect or overcooked? 🌭. pic.twitter.com/5FOQkS47yo

— Maga Nadine (@femalebodybuil6) July 8, 2026

Relevant codes, standards and regulations:

Food Safety and Inspection Service: Federal Meat Inspection Act

U.S. Department of Agriculture: Hot Dogs and Food Safety

Codex Alimentarius

Nourriture d’automne

Breakfast in East Lansing

Michigan Central

Why are cities liberal and rural areas conservative?

Michigan State University

Commercial Kitchens

Ventilation for Commercial Cooking Operations

Increasing energy efficiency in bakery ovens

Commercial Kitchens

2026 PUBLIC COMMENT AGENDA | Complete Monograph 2087 Pages

2025 GROUP B PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE I-CODES: Complete Monograph (2630 pages)

Quick View of Results

36 kitchen related proposals were reviewed during our precious sesssion

~~2024 GROUP A PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE I-CODES: Complete Monograph (2658 pages)~~

Commercial kitchens offer several benefits, such as efficient food preparation and large-scale production, allowing businesses to meet high demand. They provide professional-grade equipment and ample space, enabling chefs to explore culinary creativity. Commercial kitchens also promote hygiene and food safety standards, with dedicated cleaning protocols and inspections. However, hazards can arise from the high-temperature cooking equipment, sharp tools, and potentially hazardous substances. There is also a risk of burns, slips, and falls, emphasizing the importance of proper training and safety measures. Adequate ventilation and fire safety systems are vital to prevent accidents and maintain a healthy working environment.

The International Code Council is re-configuring its code development process in nearly every dimension. While that situation stabilizes let us review the back-and-forth on this topic during the previous revision cycle (linked below):

2021 International Building Code Section 306 Factory Group F Moderate Hazard

2021 International Fire Code Section 606 Commercial Cooking Equipment and Systems

The International Code Council has recently re-configured its code development calendar:

2024/2025/2026 ICC CODE DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE

~~Public hearings on the proposed changes happen in Orlando, April 7-16.~~

This is a summary of the actions taken on the 2024 Comments on Proposed Changes to the ICC International Codes at the October 23-28, 2024 Committee Action Hearings #2 held at the Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, California. Balloting of local building code officials is now underway.

Welcome to the future: robot chef whips up tasty meals at FIU | FIU News – Florida International University https://t.co/IE4qDASlJv

— StandardsState (@StandardsState) July 7, 2026

Commercial kitchen electrical power wiring requirements are covered extensively in Article 210 through Article 215 of the National Electrical Code. Standards action in this domain is referred to IEEE Education & Healthcare Facility Committee.

ASHRAE International: Calculating Airflow Rates, Cooking Loads in Commercial Kitchens

AGA Response to The Atlantic Article about Natural Gas Cooking

Thomas Edison State University: Undergraduate Certificate in Gas Distribution

International Fire Code

Farmer’s Dinner Theatre

Cooperative Extension Service

“Kentucky Landscape” 1832 James Pierce Barton

Kentucky

This project was created a few years ago in Kentucky to bring awareness to farm safety through a dinner theatre is continuing to gain momentum in rural communities. The focus now is more on farm mental health and wellness.

Our Knott County Extension Office recently worked with UK student-athletes who conducted the Cats Holiday Toy Drive, spreading holiday cheer to children in Eastern KY 🎁

Read more >> https://t.co/NvscaMbIQZ pic.twitter.com/4fOtsRaLGl

— UK Extension (@UKExtension) December 22, 2022

Standards Kentucky

Morrill Land Grant Act

This program has been adopted or implemented by extension services and related organizations in several other states. This initiative uses short plays performed during a community dinner to educate farmers and their families on health, safety, mental health, and farm-related issues in an engaging, non-traditional way:

Nebraska — Cooperative Extension services have hosted events as part of the program’s expansion.
North Carolina — The program is active through local extension efforts.
Tennessee — Events have been held, often in collaboration with extension agents.
Virginia — Particularly notable in the Shenandoah Valley, where Virginia Cooperative Extension offices (e.g., in Rockingham County) partnered with local groups like Valley Urgent Care and Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters to organize Farm Safety Dinner Theaters, adapting the UK model for community-based participatory approaches.

The program is designed to be replicable nationwide. The University of Kentucky provides an online Farmers Dinner Theater Toolkit for any cooperative extension service, community group, or organization to stage their own events, customizing scripts to local needs. This has enabled wider adoption beyond the original sites. These efforts focus on helping farmers by addressing critical topics like injury prevention, hearing loss, skin cancer, stress, and suicide awareness in a social, farmer-friendly setting that encourages discussion and behavior change.

“Asparagus Officinalis” Soup

Standards Indiana

Indiana

Indiana girls like this are the backbone of America pic.twitter.com/FCJu7IzcL5

— TastefulLindy (@LindyTasteful) January 1, 2026

Hard to beat Michigan summers

Look at all that asparagus 🫠 pic.twitter.com/8YUCudd6XB

— Chelsea (@ChelsElaina) May 31, 2026

Nourriture de printemps

University of Vermont | Chittenden County

Today we break down the catalog for food safety in education communities; with primary attention to consultations from private standard developing organizations and federal agencies charged with food safety. We do so with sensitivity to animals and plants and sustainability of the global food supply chain. Many schools are the communal cafeterias for the communities that own and operate them and run at commercial scale.

We prepare responses to public consultations released by standards developing organizations which, in many cases, have significant conformance enterprises. Core titles are published by the ANSI accredited organizations listed below:

3-A Sanitary Standards

Catalog

ASHRAE International

The ASHRAE catalog is the most cross-cutting and fastest moving catalog in the land. If you claim ownership of the United States energy domain you pretty much capture everything related campus safety and sustainability. Best to deal with it on a day-by-day basis as we usually do according to daily topics shown on our CALENDAR.

Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

National Electrical Safety Code (Our particular interest lies in the safety and reliability of off-campus agricultural and research facilities that receive power from regulated utilities)

Kitchen Safety and Security System for Children

TupperwareEarth: Bringing Intelligent User Assistance to the “Internet of Kitchen Things”

Designing an IoT based Kitchen Monitoring and Automation System for Gas and Fire Detection

Re-Inventing the Food Supply Chain with IoT: A Data-Driven Solution to Reduce Food Loss

International Code Council

Commercial Kitchens

International Building Code Assembly Group A-2

International Building Code Group U Section 312 Agricultural Buildings

International Building Code Moderate Hazard Factory Industrial Group F-1 (Food Processing)

Who Gets Rich From School Lunch

National Fire Protection Association

Kitchen Wiring

National Electrical Code Article 210 (Branch Circuits)

National Electrical Code Article 547 (Agricultural Buildings)

Standard for the Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating Systems

Public Input Report for the 2024 Revision

Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations

Public Input Report for the 2024 Revision

NSF International

Food Equipment

Commercial Warewashing Equipment

Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers

Commercial Cooking, Rethermalization and Powered Hot Food Holding and Transport Equipment

Commercial Powered Food Preparation Equipment

US Federal Government:

US Department of Agriculture

Food & Drug Administration (HACCP)

State Governments:

Lorem ipsum @StandardsState

Global:

International Organization for Standardization

International Electrotechnical Commission

Codex Alimentarius

Food safety and sustainability standards populate are of the largest domains we track so if we need a break0-out session, let’s do it. Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.