Keith Belk, PhD
Dr. Keith Belk is the Director of Eurofins’ Advanced Learning Institute and Professor and Holder of the Monfort Endowed Chair, Center for Meat Safety & Quality, Colorado State University (CSU), and as an Adjunct Professor in the Colorado School of Public Health. Previously, he served as Professor and Head of the Department of Animal Sciences at CSU. He earned B.S. and M.S. degrees from CSU, and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. He currently serves in a consulting role as the Director of Education for Eurofins Rapid Microbiology Laboratories, LLC. Dr. Belk is also a member of the International Committee for the National Western Stock Show, the Board of Directors for the International Stockmen’s Educational Foundation, on the Academic Advisory Committee for the Meat Institute Protein PACT, and on the technical advisory committees for Sustainable Beef, JBS, Colorado Premium Foods, and Hawkins.
Below are resources from Dr. Keith Belk:
As we look back on 2025, one thing is clear: innovation didn’t slow down, it got sharper. Across major food, beverage, supplement, and ingredient tradeshows this year, the conversation shifted away from flashy novelty and toward proof, performance, and practicality. Here is our perspective on what to expect in 2026.
How do you know when it makes sense to bring in product development support and when it doesn’t? Based on what we see across brands, ingredient companies, and startups, here’s a practical way to think about it.
The rapid rise of mocktails and alcohol alternatives signals a deeper shift in consumer behavior. As the category matures, brands are discovering that removing alcohol is only the beginning.
As the category of sports nutrition matures, so does the science behind it, and few ingredients illustrate that shift better than creatine. Once viewed as a niche performance supplement, creatine has entered the mainstream, driven by a growing body of research, broader consumer education, and innovation in product formats.
Creating shelf-stable nutritional bars and other natural food products is about understanding the science behind food preservation, taste and appearance. One of the most critical factors in the formulation of long-lasting, safe and appealing products is water activity. Water activity plays a major role in maintaining texture, reducing the rate of fats oxidation preventing spoilage and ensuring safety from microbial growth. Keep reading to learn what is being done to create a longer shelf life.
An entrepreneurial brand wanted to develop a shelf-stable liquid formula that could deliver proven joint-supporting ingredients in a convenient, consumer-friendly format. They turned to The National Food Lab for help to bring their concept from ideation to execution with scientific rigor and market-readiness. Keep reading to find out how we handle these situations.
Explore the fast-evolving world of functional beverages with insights on formulation trends, innovation challenges, and scale-up strategies from Eurofins Product Development & Innovation.
Explore how The National Food Lab, Eurofins’ Product Development Center of Excellence, helped a start-up successfully launch a new Greek yogurt product line—blending innovation with tradition to meet evolving consumer demands.
Discover how The National Food Lab, Eurofins Product Development Center of Excellence, helped an entrepreneur turn an idea into a successful wellness brand, developing and commercializing functional herbal teas in just 10 months.
Discover how we helped a client reformulate their restaurant-crafted simmer sauces for retail success—reducing sodium from 2,000 mg to 200 mg per serving while preserving the bold, authentic flavors that made them a customer favorite.
