The five-day hybrid course brought together global pet food professionals to explore advanced extrusion technology, formulation strategies, and process optimization. Organized by Dr. Mian N. Riaz, the program bridged scientific principles with practical industrial applications.
Dr. Mian N. Riaz
TEES Edge at Texas A&M University has successfully concluded its 11th Annual Extruded Pet Foods and Treats Short Course. Held in a hybrid format, the five-day educational program attracted industry professionals, researchers, equipment manufacturers, and ingredient suppliers from around the world to address the technical demands of the rapidly growing pet food sector.
Organized by Dr. Mian N. Riaz, Director of the Extrusion Technology Program at Texas A&M, the course provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of extrusion processing, quality assurance, and emerging technologies. The curriculum covered a broad range of technical subjects essential to modern pet food manufacturing, including:
- Raw material selection, functional additives, and natural pet food formulation
- Extrusion hardware, die design, preconditioning systems, and screw configurations
- Fresh meat utilization, plasma technology, and low-pressure forming
- Shelf-life management, drying, cooling, and coating systems
- In-line process control, NIR ingredient analysis, and troubleshooting extrusion operations
- Advanced safety solutions, including electron beam (E-beam) processing applications

In addition to classroom instruction, the program emphasized practical learning through interactive exercises, component identification, and process challenge competitions. In-person participants also toured the university's facilities, including the Electron Beam facility, to view cutting-edge food safety applications firsthand.
Highlighting the success of the course, Dr. Mian N. Riaz expressed his appreciation to the international community: "I would like to thank everyone who attended and contributed to the success of the 11thAnnual Extruded Pet Foods and Treats Short Course. It was a privilege to host this program, and I truly appreciate the support of our speakers, sponsors, and participants from around the world. I look forward to welcoming you again next year."

Texas A&M University’s Extrusion Technology Program regularly conducts short courses and research initiatives dedicated to advancing processing technologies across the global pet food, aquatic feed, and livestock feed industries.