2010 IFT Fellows

Noel Anderson
Vice President, Worldwide Technical Insights, PepsiCo,

Noel was honored for creating collaborations between industry, government, and international groups and for his work with universities and students to promote continuums between the academic and professional sector. Anderson has led many product development and technical efforts at Kraft and PepsiCo across numerous product categories delivering significant innovations in the market place. He has been awarded three patents for his work with gelatin and gelled confections while working with Kraft Foods. As a leader and current Chair of the Food Science Advisory Board for the University of Massachusetts, Anderson spearheaded major fundraising efforts for research programs, food science conferences, and scholarships ($1 million) as well as helped create a strategic research alliance that fosters technology transfer opportunities between academia and 26 food companies. The most recent campaign has raised more than $1.8 million dollars to create the Fergus M. Clydesdale Center for Research in Health & Wellness. A firm believer in strong mentorship, Anderson is a tireless supporter of the Summer Scholars program at Cornell University and the University of Massachusetts. This program has given 150 undergraduate science students exposure to food science and the food industry, allowing them to conduct independent research under the guidance of a faculty member.

Alice Cha
Research Principal in Ingredient and Process Kraft Foods-Glenview Technology Center

Alice was recognized for being an expert in hydrocolloid chemistry and its application in food texture as well as for her in-depth knowledge of ingredient interactions in food products.

Cha has developed innovative technologies in dairy texture systems and has applied her expertise in support of strategies and business initiatives across multiple global businesses. Her leadership in identifying and qualifying lower-cost gum suppliers has resulted in millions in annual savings for Kraft. Cha is also active in planning and managing diversity and mentoring programs such as the KF-GV mentoring team and the Kraft Foods Asian American Employee Council, and organizing diversity and mentoring forums for IFT Annual Meetings. She received the Asian American Corporate Achievement Award from the Organization of Chinese Americans and numerous marketing and innovation award from Kraft Foods.

J. Peter Clark
Consulting Engineer

J. Peter was honored for his contributions to the design and construction of innovative food facilities, his pioneering process research, and his contributions to the profession through his publications.

Clark has led teams that designed and built award-winning plants for companies such as Post, Carnation, and Hill’s Pet Nutrition. He has shared his expertise internationally as a volunteer promoting food safety and processing under the USAID Farmer to Farmer program in Malawi and Moldova, and as a paid advisor in Albania, India, and Egypt. In addition to authoring two books and more than 40 articles, Clark has published a monthly processing column in Food Technology magazine since 2002. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and is one of the few food industry professionals to receive the Division Award from the Food, Pharmaceutical and Bioengineering Division of AIChE.

Hamed Faridi
Vice President of Research and Development, McCormick & Co.

Hamed was recognized for his accomplishments in cereal science, his innovation in nutrition, and his progressive application of food science to the industry.

While working at Nabisco, Faridi led the technical breakthrough development of Nutrajoint®, an introduction of the first dietary supplement marketed by a major food company, and provided the enabling technologies for the introduction of Snackwells. During his tenure at McCormick, Faridi established the McCormick Science Institute, which funds research to advance knowledge on the health benefits of spices and herbs, and has directed the development of the CreateIT process and CreateIT Center, which have transformed the technical competencies of the company. He holds three patents and has authored six books and more than 70 food science articles.

Anne Goldman
Vice President of Consumer Research, ACCE International

Anne was honored for international leadership in the integration of consumer sensory science to the product development process working with cross-functional business teams. Goldman is also an advocate of professionalism and proficiency testing schemes for the field of sensory science, supporting ISO 9001 certification at her own company and contributing to several ASTM E-18 Sensory Evaluation Standards and Manuals. She is author and co-author of numerous scientific journal publications and a contributor to Case Studies in Food Product Development, published in 2008. Goldman has directed consumer sensory research for many food companies, resulting in the development and launch of numerous successful new food products and ensuring the continued success of existing brands. An active supporter of professional organizations, she is a past president of CIFST, past secretary of NZIFST, board member of ESN, has chaired the international committees of IFT and CIFST and mentored numerous food industry colleagues around the globe.

David Patrick Green
Professor and Department Extension Leader, North Carolina State University

David was recognized for outstanding contributions in engaging industry, government, and academia worldwide to advance seafood science and technology. Over the course of his career, Green has been awarded more than 60 contracts and grants valued at more than $3.4 million, published more than 200 research and extension articles, and participated in more than 100 conferences, workshops and short courses. He was responsible for establishing the Trans-Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference, a three-year rotating meeting between the Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference and the West European Fish Technologists Association. His research in molecular techniques to detect and quantify histamine-producing bacteria has attracted international interest to prevent scombrotoxin formation in fish. His commercial demonstration projects have resulted in new techniques in cryogenic freezing and value-added products for the seafood industry.

Robert Hutkins
Professor, University of Nebraska

Robert was honored for his research on probiotics and prebiotics and for his dedicated teaching and mentoring of food science and food microbiology students.

For more than 22 years, Hutkins has led an internationally recognized research program focused on the molecular physiology of bacteria in foods. His research led to the identification of pathways used by intestinal bacteria to metabolize prebiotic oligosaccharides and his group has also studied how prebiotics inhibit pathogenic bacteria. Most recently, Hutkins and his colleagues at Nebraska formed the Gut Function Initiative, a campus-wide group whose focus is on the role of the intestinal microbiota on human and animal health. He is the author of Microbiology and Technology of Fermented Foods, which is widely used as a reference in the fermented foods area.

Cherl-Ho Lee
Professor, Korea University

Cherl-Ho was recognized for fostering international collaboration in food fermentation technology and for his outstanding research efforts.

In an effort to enhance food safety and well-being in developing countries, Lee organized the UNU Workshop on Fish Fermentation Technology in Seoul Korea and co-edited Fish Fermentation Technology, which has served as a reference and guide in technical communication and collaborations in food science throughout Southeast Asia. He also established an International Training Course on Fermentation Technology at Korea University, which educated eight scientists from developing countries over a 10-month period. Lee has made a significant contribution to enhancing the collaborative relationship between IFT and the Korean Society of Food Science and Technology (KoSFoST) as well as linking the Korean American Food Technologists Association with KoSFoST.

Rui Hai Liu
Associate Professor, Cornell University

Rui was honored for his expertise on bioactive compounds, functional foods, and nutraceuticals, and for his innovative work in whole food synergy and bioactive compounds in the prevention of chronic diseases.

Liu’s multidisciplinary training in medicine, toxicology, food science, and nutrition has shaped his research, which integrates medical and nutritional research with innovative basic investigations, analytical chemistry, and food chemistry. His work has focused on the health benefits of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, cellular antioxidant activity, and the effect of processing on nutritional quality of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Liu has published more than 90 original scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and has given more than 200 invited research seminars and presentations around the world, and his research has had significant impacts on public policy and food product composition. He is an elected Fellow of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST), and an elected Fellow of the Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Kenneth McMillin
Professor, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center

Kenneth was honored for his outstanding achievements in meat and food processing, packaging, and safety, as well as international training in these areas.
McMillin has published widely on production and characteristics of forage beef, changes in lipids and proteins during processing and heating, ingredient and processing influences on meat properties, packaging, and goat meat. He serves as a resource for processors and inspection personnel on regulatory and compliance issues. McMillin has shared his expertise through presentations on meat processing, packaging, and food safety in 10 countries, which has led to increased food safety awareness, as evidenced by the recent adoption of the HAACP food safety regulations by Ukrainian food processors after participation in one of his workshops. He is a Fellow of the American Meat Science Association and a 2008-2012 Fulbright Senior Specialist in food processing and packaging.

Jonathan Merkle
Vice President, Research and Development/Technical Services, Michael Foods Inc.

Jonathan was recognized for his excellence in mentoring food science students and for providing dynamic leadership within IFT.

As an expert in egg functionality, Merkle has provided innovative uses for processed eggs and has patented processing techniques for multiple applications for both human and animal food products. He has been a leader in numerous IFT workgroups and committees including the IFT Foundation Board of Trustees, IFT Student Association Board, and the IFT Board of Directors. Merkle has provided key research direction on U.S. Dept. of Agriculture technical issues, contributing to the design of a 10,000-square-foot USDA pilot plant facility and analytical laboratory, which enhances the organization’s ability to analyze complex food matrices. He is an active member of the University of Minnesota Food Science and Nutrition Advisory Council, and the National Center for Food Defense Technical Advisory Board.

Charles Onwulata
Lead Scientist, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service

Charles was recognized for outstanding research in the areas of extrusion processing, microencapsulation and food structuring, leading to successful commercialized texturized whey products.

Onwulata has contributed significant knowledge to the area of dairy product process development, engineering encapsulation processes using milk-fat to produce shelf-stable powdered ingredients and conducting research on reduced-lactose products for lactose-intolerant consumers. He has developed healthy snacks and emergency feeding no-cooking-needed corn soy blends for overseas distribution through the USAID Food-for-Peace program. Onwulata has collaborated with international organizations to create nutrient-fortified snack products for low-income consumers in countries such as Brazil, and is currently working with scientists at the Ghana Council for Food Science and Industrial Research to develop nutritious products using plantains and cowpeas. He has also organized outreach teams of USDA scientists to visit Philadelphia area inner city schools for career days as well as facilitated the transfer of science equipment to these schools.

Robert E. Ross
President, Business and Technical Consulting LLC

Robert was honored for his contributions to the food industry in creating and growing businesses globally by the development and exchange of new products and technologies.
Dr. Ross brings a combination of strong management abilities and technical expertise to bear on a wide range of disciplines across the product development process, which has garnered him multiple awards for marketing and innovation within the food industry. He holds 15 patents for innovative technology, and has applied food science principles to help identify, develop, and introduce more than 600 new food products for companies such as Nestle, Pepperidge Farm (Div. Campbell Soup), Nabisco and Hunt-Wesson. His service to IFT includes being an IFT Foundation Board member and Chair of the Nutmeg Section. He is currently Chair of the Product Development Division and a member of the Foodservice and Nutrition Divisions.

Dr. Ross has degrees in Food Science from the University of Massachusetts (Ph.D., M.S.) and Rutgers University (B.S.).

Skip Rosskam
President and Chief Operating Officer, David Michael and Co.

Skip was honored for his contributions in the commercialization of innovative flavors, enabling the development of new or improved products.

Rosskam has been responsible for developing innovative programs for the food industry, including a Strategic Alliance Advisory Board to strengthen current corporate partnerships and develop and nurture new strategic alliances. He also initiated a program with 16 universities to recognize graduating students in food science, food marketing, and culinary, and to educate them about the flavor industry. He invented and patented a unique technology for producing frozen novelties and conducted research on vanilla, which resulted in two patents. As a way to provide education for the food industry, Rosskam created the Innovation Roadshow, which was designed to provide product developers with a first look at product, process, and flavor innovations as well as highlighting emerging trends and product development.

Donald Schaffner
Extension Specialist in Food Science, and Director of the Center for Advanced Food Technology, Rutgers University

Donald was recognized for integrating research in microbiology, modeling, and risk assessment into extraordinary programs to improve food safety through education of students, industry, and the public.

Schaffner has contributed science-based solutions for food safety through his service on expert committees for the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the World Health Organization, and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. IFT has utilized Schaffner’s expertise as a member of the IFT Food Defense Risk Factor Expert Panel and as a member of blue-ribbon panels for Food and Drug Administration contract work. Schaffner has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and abstracts and has given numerous presentations on microbial risk assessment and food safety issues.

Arthur Teixeira
Professor, University of Florida

Arthur was honored as a leading educator in food engineering with accomplishments in simulation, optimization, and control of thermal processing operations.

Teixeira’s work has led to increased safety assurance of sterilized canned foods producing optimum quality at lower cost and with improved manufacturing efficiency. A member of IFT for more than 40 years, Teixeira has served on the Editorial Board of Journal of Food Science and as an active member of the Food Engineering Division. He has served on national peer review panels for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) Advanced Food Technology Program, and the Fulbright Association, as well as having served as Associate Editor for Transactions of the ASABE and Journal of Food Process Engineering. He has served as the advisor of more than 30 graduate students, many of whom have received national and international recognition in the food engineering community.

Youling Xiong
Professor, University of Kentucky

Youling was honored for his innovative research on protein and peptide functionality and muscle food processing and his sustained contributions to food science and technology education. Xiong’s lab is one of the first in the U.S. to investigate peptides as natural antioxidants for food quality protection, which has led to 11 journal publications out of 165 total in his career. He also has a history of strong mentorship for food science students; he has directed the research of 45 graduate students, seven postdoctoral researchers, and 11 international visiting professors. Xiong has extended his mentorship internationally by helping develop a comprehensive food science graduate and research program at Jiangnan University in China, as well as serving as an adjunct professor for five universities in China and in the U.S.