05/27/2026
We’re to introduce you to Ayush Patel, a food science and technology major and recent CEIP Student of the Year award winner! He put his polytechnic education to work as a quality assurance specialist intern at SMK Global in Parsippany, New Jersey.
“This experience with SMK helped me grow both professionally and personally,” said Patel, of Anand, India. “As an international student, adapting to a new work environment and contributing to a real production system gave me a lot of confidence. It confirmed that I want to build my career in food safety and quality assurance.”
His main roles included:
✅ Inspecting powder products and packaging
✅ Testing for moisture, weight, texture and seal integrity
✅ Verifying labeling accuracy
✅ Reviewing ingredients and labels in compliance with FDA regulations
✅ Supporting regulatory documentation
✅ Supported Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) compliance checks during internal audits
✅ Packaging line quality control, helping identify issues with filling, sealing, and labeling
✅ Working closely with QA, R&D, and production teams to ensure product quality and safety.
He credits Stout's hands-on courses—such as Food Safety, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), and Food Chemistry—for giving him a strong foundation for understanding quality lab systems.
Read the Q&A with Ayush! 🔗
https://www.uwstout.edu/about-us/news-center/co-op-qa-ayush-patel-smk-global-new-jersey
