April 27-29, 2026

All Speakers

Dog and cat food research experts who will present at Petfood Forum & Petfood Essentials

Melissa Weber
Director Technical Services
Rangen
Melissa Weber, Ph.D., is director of technical services at Rangen (formerly Wilbur-Ellis), where she oversees innovation, cost-savings and technical service initiatives across pet food, livestock and aqua nutrition. She manages a multimillion-dollar research and development budget and leads a high-performing technical team, driving both new product development and strategic partnerships. Weber holds a Ph.D. in meat science from Kansas State University and has more than a decade of experience spanning technical services, research and development, and regulatory expertise, building a reputation for combining scientific rigor with commercial acumen. Beyond her technical expertise, she is a recognized leader in culture-building and team development.
Date/TimeTitle
Tue Apr 28
1:30 PM - 2:35 PM
Pet food regulatory, safety and technology: 1:30-2:35 p.m.
KCCC Room 2504
  • The changing U.S. regulatory landscape for pet food 

Dana Brooks, CEO and president, Pet Food Institute, examines the U.S. federal administration’s Make America Healthy Again initiative and its expected significant ripple effects for pet food manufacturers and ingredient suppliers. Increased scrutiny of the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) review process raises questions about whether ingredient suppliers will be able to continue relying on self-GRAS determinations or GRAS notifications as pathways for product approval. The Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine’s review of both the GRAS and food additive petition processes may be influenced by this initiative, potentially altering approval mechanisms and timelines that could ultimately impact the speed at which new pet food products and ingredients reach the marketplace.

  • Natural antimicrobial strategies for fungal control and shelf-life extension in semi-moist kibble

Charlie Connolly, business development manager, Videka, offers a novel approach to microbial control in pet food, evaluating the efficacy of a natural antimicrobial strategy applied to semi-moist kibbles in response to growing consumer demand for clean label and sustainable products. He explains microbial spoilage challenges in pet food and their impact on shelf-life and consumer trust, and assesses the impact of natural antimicrobials on pet food palatability through panel testing. The findings suggest such natural blends provide effective microbial control while maintaining product quality and consumer acceptance.

  • Freeze-dried pet foods: Unique oxidation risks and mitigation approaches in growing category

Melissa Weber, Ph.D., director of technical services, Rangen, presents the unique oxidative stability challenges associated with freeze-dried pet food and treats, a rapidly growing category valued for high nutrient retention and clean-label positioning. Unlike traditional pet food processing methods, freeze drying is a low-temperature dehydration process that preserves sensitive nutrients but also retains oxidizable substrates, leaving products susceptible to lipid oxidation if not adequately protected. Effective oxidation prevention relies on proactive stabilization of raw materials through incorporating antioxidants at the raw material stage, strategic selection of antioxidants suited for low-fat, low-moisture environments and implementation of oxygen-limiting packaging technologies.