2026 April

Food Engineering

ON THE COVER:
► 2026 Plant of the Year

FEATURES:
► Why AI Fails for Mid-Sized Food Processors
► How to Build Flexibility into Food Plant Design
► Additive Manufacturing in Food Production

2026 Plant of the Year

Recipe for Growth: How CJ Schwan’s Powers Pizza Production with People and Automation

With comprehensive automation and cross-departmental collaboration, CJ Schwan’s frozen pizza manufacturing facility and distribution center in Salina, Kansas is the 2026 Plant of the Year.

Alyse Thompson-Richards

April 14, 2026

Blending advanced automation with purposeful design, this year’s Plant of the Year reflects how food manufacturers are engineering smarter, more efficient operations to meet evolving industry demands.

Engineering for Uncertainty: How to Build Flexibility into Food Plant Design

Carrie Woehler

February 24, 2026

In an environment defined by rapid changes in consumer behavior, long-term success depends not on guessing the future correctly, but on ensuring the facility can adapt when the future shifts.

AI chip on a dark circuit board with glowing blue lines and orange bokeh.

The Data Dilemma: Why AI Fails for Mid-Sized Food Processors

Chao Yi

February 23, 2026

It is critical for manufacturers such as food processors to recognize that while AI has the potential to become the "turbocharger" of operations, that transformation rarely happens by simply bolting on use cases.

How to Select the Right Pump for Food and Beverage Processing Environments

Calle Danielsson

February 16, 2026

Proper pump selection begins with understanding how the dynamics of each food type affects pump performance.

Regulatory Watch

FDA to Reassess Use of BHA in Food

February 13, 2026

BHA is used to prevent spoilage of fats and oils and can be found in various food products including frozen meals, breakfast cereals, cookies, candy, ice cream and meat products.

On Demand Kelley Rodriguez, Editor in Chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, will be joined in this 60-minute webinar by industry experts to help unpack the latest research.

On Demand Driven by climate goals, business risk, client interest, and resilience considerations, food and beverage companies are increasingly turning their attention to decarbonizing their production processes.