Ray Matulka, Ph.D., Director of Toxicology,
Burdock Group Consultants
Ray A. Matulka, Ph.D. is the director of toxicology at Burdock Group, the leading food-safety consulting firm, headquartered in Orlando, FL. He has more than a decade of experience in the analysis of toxicity data and conducting safety and risk assessments. He earned a doctorate in toxicology from the Medical College of Virginia, and has post-doctoral experience at both Boston University School of Medicine and the University of North Carolina.
Ray has industry experience at the Nebraska Dept. of Environmental Control and as a senior genetic toxicologist at Genesys Research in North Carolina. He is co-author of two book chapters and has authored 20 publications since obtaining his doctoral degree.
Dr. Matulka has experience presenting information to the FDA, USDA and EPA. Among other responsibilities, He is accountable for the development of consumption analysis and reporting, and offers guidance in strategic scientific business planning and critical decision making to Burdock Group clients in the food ingredient, health and nutrition industries.
Global Food Forums Presentations by Speaker
2022 Protein Trends & Technologies Seminar
Novel-Sourced Protein Ingredients: Critical Scientific Components for Regulatory Compliance
Consumers are looking for a wider variety of better-for-you meat-alternative ingredients to promote a healthier lifestyle. New protein sources that may substitute for some of the typical animal-based proteins in a person’s diet remain one of the biggest food industry growth sectors. Before commercialization, any new ingredient needs a safety evaluation and be concluded as safe under the conditions of intended use for regulatory compliance. But what are the steps needed to conclude safety for a protein source such as insect larvae? This discussion focuses on the development of new protein sources, potential risks, and methods to decrease potential concerns.
Synthetic coloring agents used in foods have recently come under fire for having potentially negative effects on adults and especially, children. However, although consumers in the U.S. still want the vibrant, bold color effects that synthetic coloring agents provide in order to mimic the idealized appearance of freshly harvested produce, consumers also stipulate that colors should have the vague quality of being “minimally processed.” Industry has renewed its search to find suitable natural colors, using more modern techniques, re-examining old sources and looking new sources of color. But finding new colors is only half the battle. Before an ingredient can be used to color a food, rigorous and sometime not well-understood requirements must be met, among them the demonstration of safety. Attendees will learn the regulatory definitions of different colors approved for use in the US; the regulatory process to obtain approval to use naturally-sourced coloring agents in the U.S. market, and examples of some recently-approved food colors. These processes critically impact available ingredient options for food use and product labelling requirements that in turn influence a product’s marketplace success
