"We are your expert in retort processing and shelf life testing."
The Cryovac Retort Lab is a state of the art research, teaching and service laboratory focused on thermal processing of packaged food products.
The Lab includes three retort processing systems which can simulate any retort system currently in use.
Other services provided in the lab include shelf life testing of packaged food product, product and process development, retort package testing and evaluation, and training courses for industry professionals.
“My time at Clemson University was instrumental in shaping both my professional and personal growth. Serving as the Cryovac pilot plant manager under the mentorship of Dr. Scott Whiteside, I gained invaluable hands-on experience in food and packaging science while building connections with industry leaders who helped open doors for my future. Beyond the technical skills, the relationships I formed with fellow graduate and undergraduate colleagues were deeply impactful, creating a network of lifelong friends and collaborators. I’m truly grateful for the opportunities this lab provided, which laid the foundation for my career and personal development.”
James HayesApplications EngineerFluids Applications VFFS | Sealed Air Corporation
“During my PhD at Clemson University, I managed the Cryovac Flavour Mark Retort Laboratory and the Packaging Research Laboratory, supporting global thermal processing initiatives through process establishment, product development, and shelf-life studies. This experience deepened my passion for food and packaging innovation, particularly in thermal processing of LACF foods across various packaging formats. I also gained expertise in BPCS instruction and presented my research at IFTPS for multiple consecutive years. Working in the lab connected me to a network of thermal processing experts and was an invaluable experience in establishing my career in industry.”
Mollye MacNaughtonThermal Process EngineerBush Brothers and Company
“Working in the Cryovac Retort Processing and Food Testing Lab was one of the most valuable parts of my time at Clemson. I got to learn by doing—collaborating with my lab team on real industry projects, using different types of retorts, and exploring packaging analysis. The hands-on experience and mentorship from Dr. Scott Whiteside and Dr. Sneh Bangar helped me build the skills I now use every day at Westrock Coffee, developing products that have been featured at food shows across the U.S.”
Paulina JimenezFood ScientistWestrock Coffee
“The Cryovac Retort Processing & Food Testing Lab is uniquely positioned to offer not only world-class capabilities to lab users but also insights and knowledge based on years of world-class experience of Dr. Scott Whiteside and his team. From innovation to cost savings to solving real-world problems in thermal processing, packaging, or process development, there is no better place or group of resources available to industry leaders and researchers. Additionally, for prospective students and researchers, the interaction between the academic world and the commercial world readily occurs in this facility, offering the ability to learn and react to real-world needs with cutting-edge technology and vast industry experience.”
Curtis StoweResearch FellowConagra Brands
