History of the Melvin E. Waters Experimental Processing
Laboratory (ESPL)
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| The Experimental Seafood Processing
Laboratory, Test Kitchen, and Equipment Triage Center are located
adjacent to the Pascagoula River (Singing River). The original
test kitchen/office building was purchased from Mississippi Power
Company in the mid 1980's at the location of the old bus repair
shop for the city of Pascagoula. The processing facility, located
on Frederic Street in Pascagoula, MS, was built by Mississippi
State University and dedicated in June 1985, in the name of Mr.
Melvin Waters. Mr. Waters worked for the National Marine and
Fisheries Service as a Research Food Technologist. A leader and
innovator, he unselfishly shared time and knowledge with co-workers,
scientific organizations, and the seafood industry. Original
equipment housed in the facility was transferred from several
state and federal government seafood processing facilities located
on the East Coast of the United States. Most of the original
research at this facility focused on fish processing with special
emphasis on surimi technology and menhaden. Today, this facility
is used to research seafood quality and safety of both fish and
shellfish species. |
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| Located on the same property
is the Bertha V. Fontaine Laboratory Test Kitchen. In the 1950's,
1960's and 1970's, Ms Fontaine served as a Seafood Consumer Specialist/Home
Economist specializing in seafood promotion and safety. The test
kitchen has been used to develop new products and to train seafood
inspectors in the area of fish quality. In 1998, Hurricane George
destroyed the office and test kitchen. This building had been
completely renovated and houses multiple offices, a test kitchen,
microbiological and chemical laboratories as well as a large
conference room. |
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| The Mississipi State University
Experimental Seafood Processing Laboratory has provided "state
of the art" processing equipment for use by Mississippi
State Scientists, Scientists with the USFDA and National Marine
Fisheries Service and other Seafood Researchers and Specialists
in the Gulf Coast Area. Research personnel now housed in the
ESPL pride themselves on establishing and maintaining good working
relationships with the USFDA, NMFES, NOAA, US Navy and Air Force
and Ingalls Shipbuilding. Many privately sponsored research projects
have utilized the processing facility and today it is still available
for government and privately sponsored research. |
