Wayne Labs

Wayne Labs has more than 30 years of editorial experience in industrial automation. He served as senior technical editor for I&CS/Control Solutions magazine for 18 years where he covered software, control system hardware and sensors/transmitters. Labs ran his own consulting business and contributed feature articles to Electronic Design, Control, Control Design, Industrial Networking and Food Engineering magazines. Before joining Food Engineering, he served as a senior technical editor for Omega Engineering Inc. Labs also worked in wireless systems and served as a field engineer for GE’s Mobile Communications Division and as a systems engineer for Bucks County Emergency Services. In addition to writing technical feature articles, Wayne covers FE’s Engineering R&D section.

Senior Contributing Technical Editor

Manufacturing News

The empathetic 21st-century engineer

Wayne Labs

November 5, 2014

While Dr. Frankenstein brought life to his creation, the result wasn’t exactly a warm, compassionate, empathetic being.

Food Safety

FSMA HARPC Update

While it may not seem like much is happening, a lot of work is going on behind the scenes to keep FSMA on track.

Wayne Labs

October 7, 2014

If you’re in the seafood or juice industry, each of which fall under HACCP rules, FSMA’s HARPC (Hazard Analysis and Risk-based Preventive Controls) doesn’t apply to your business—and probably won’t in the future.

Engineering R&D

Defense technology now applied in the food industry

MIT-Lincoln Laboratory research into rapid screening for anthrax and other dangerous pathogens has found its way into the food industry to detect both airborne and surface pathogens.

Wayne Labs

October 7, 2014

Remember the anthrax-tainted letters soon after 9/11?

State of Food Manufacturing

The state of food manufacturing: The need for speed

A focus on lean manufacturing, quality improvements and increased automation helps processors meet rapidly changing demands.

Wayne Labs

September 4, 2014

One glance at this year’s Food Engineering State of Manufacturing survey indicates, that for the most part, food and beverage processors are facing a lot of issues—many the same as last year.

Engineering R&D

The fantastic voyage of a temperature probe

Best way to measure the internal process temperature of a cooking stage: Send an RFID probe through the process piping!

Wayne Labs

September 4, 2014

Measuring the internal temperature or the doneness of any product as it travels through a continuous cooking system is not an easy task.

Dairy Processing

Tech update: Dairy processing

Wayne Labs

September 4, 2014

In the US, fluid milk sales are flat, but Greek yogurt and other specialty markets are hot, which means a processor’s survival will depend upon having the right automation tools.

Engineering R&D

In-shift pathogen test reduces time to market

Based on novel technology, a recent approach to pathogen testing eliminates the enrichment phase of assays, which means getting results before a shift is over.

Wayne Labs

August 7, 2014

Listeria—it’s seems like it’s everywhere.

Food Safety

GMPs, FSMA and GFSI: Making the Right Connections

Good manufacturing practices play an obvious role in both FSMA and GFSI schemes, but in reality, you won’t pass FSMA muster or obtain a GFSI certification if you haven’t done your GMP homework.

Wayne Labs

August 7, 2014

As FDA regulations spell out in 21 CFR Part 110, good manufacturing practices (GMPs) or current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs) are the basics you need to know and perform to keep the food products you make free of adulteration—whether from bacteria or chemicals.

TECH FLASH

The ABCs of GFSI

With FSMA heading towards finalization, GFSI accreditation goes a long way in securing a successful FSMA audit and getting a leg up on competitors

Wayne Labs

June 25, 2014

With GFSI certification, processors win in two ways: food safety and quality management.

Plant Construction

37th Annual Plant Construction Survey: Hygienic design for safe food

Wayne Labs

June 9, 2014

As FSMA gels, processors are concerned about safe food and plants while stepping up product output with the same energy inputs.

Join Lynn Dornblaser, Client Advisor at Mintel, and Alyse Thompson-Richards, Editor-in-Chief of FOOD ENGINEERING, as they break down the 2026 Top 100 Food and Beverage Companies and discuss the factors affecting this year’s rankings.