The Eastern Regional Research Center (ERRC) is a

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

laboratory A laboratory (; ; colloquially lab) is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. Laboratory services are provided in a variety of settings: physic ...

center in

Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania Wyndmoor is a census-designated place (CDP) in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,498 at the 2010 census. Wyndmoor has the same ZIP code, 19038, as the towns of Glenside, North Hills, ...

. The Center researches new industrial and food uses for agricultural commodities, develops new technology to improve environmental quality, and provides technical support to federal regulatory and action agencies. With approximately , ERRC is the largest of the Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) research centers.

History

ERRC was one of four regional labs set up by the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, when

was chosen to host this facility, named the Eastern Regional Research Center. The other regional labs set up by the 1938 act are located in Peoria, Illinois (

National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research The National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) (sometimes still called the Northern Lab; known locally as the Ag Lab) is a United States Department of Agriculture laboratory center in Peoria, Illinois. The Center researches new ...

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

(

Southern Regional Research Center The United States Department of Agriculture Southern Regional Research Center (SRRC) is one of four regional laboratories within the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. Principal research areas of the SRRC incl ...

), and Albany, California ( Western Regional Research Center).

Landmark Designation

The

American Chemical Society The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 155,000 members at all ...

designated the research on food dehydration processes at the Eastern Regional Research Center as a National Historic Chemical Landmark in a ceremony in

, on April 18, 2007. The plaque commemorating the event reads: "Chemists, chemical engineers, and food technologists at the Eastern Regional Research Center developed innovative dehydration technologies, most notably the potato flake process and explosion puffing. These technologies created opportunities for the development of novel, high-quality convenience foods and food ingredients for domestic and global markets. Instant mashed potatoes and formulated potato crisps, both made from potato flakes, are among the most popular and recognizable food products ever created. These food dehydration technologies increased U.S. potato production and utilization, provided key products for food aid programs, and made a lasting and significant impact on the ways in which foods are processed worldwide."

References

External links

Eastern Regional Research Center
— official website {{authority control 1938 establishments in Pennsylvania Agricultural research institutes in the United States Buildings and structures in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania United States Department of Agriculture facilities Research institutes in Pennsylvania