Autumn is here! Cookbook fans unite! Read this issue for the latest reviews and releases of fall cookbooks. You will also get the scoop on the U.S. FDA’s new response network, the Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation (CORE).
September 1, 2011
The Menu
Meet the Pluerry
A fruit hybrid called the pluerry, a genetic combination of a cherry and plum, could be entering your neighborhood supermarket in the future. Although breeding a hybrid like the pluerry is a very arduous process, the market for specialty fruit can be quite profitable. Fruit growers try to sell the hybrid fruit at a premium price compared to conventional fruit. The new variety of fruit must also have a long harvest period and produce an abundant supply of fruit.
It can take several years for the cross-pollination of seeds to be successful. A hybrid seedling usually bears fruit after three to four years. Leith Gardner works at Zaiger's farm in Modesto, California, where the pluerry is currently being sampled. In the next month, the owners of Zaiger's Farm will decide if they will sell the exclusive rights to the pluerry.
"If they [customers] eat it down to the pit, you know it was a real winner," says Gardner.
Read the full article here, courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
New U.S. FDA Response Network
The recent outbreakof Listeria monocytogenesin cantaloupe has been widespread in the media. A new integrated and streamlined approach that rapidly responds to human and animal foodborne illnesses has been established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation (Core) Network is comprised of specialists working in a variety of environmental, health, and medical sectors who will work closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state agriculture and public health agencies.
"A real benefit of the network approach is embracing communication and coordination with federal, state, and local food safety agencies, as well as industry and consumers," says Dr. Kathleen F. Gensheimer, Chief Medical Officer at CORE.
Read the press release here.
Google Acquisition of Zagat
Zagat Survey LLC, the review service for hotels, restaurants, and retailers, has been acquired by Google Inc. Zagat will play a significant role in offering local information and boosting ad sales from regional businesses.
"Moving forward, Zagat will be a cornerstone of our local offering- delighting people with their impressive array of reviews, ratings, and insights, while enabling people everywhere to find extraordinary (and ordinary) experiences around the world," says Marissa Mayer, Google's Vice President of Search Products.
Visit the article here, courtesy of Bloomberg News.
Funding Available for FREE-B Workshops
As part of a contract with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, IFT contributed to the development of the Food Related Emergency Exercise (FREE-B) web-based tool that the FDA released this summer. The FREE-B toolkit is a set of five tabletop exercise scenarios, available online, based on both intentional and unintentional food contamination events. These scenarios will help government regulators, public health organizations and the food industry test their readiness for food-related emergencies, such as a human health emergency caused by an unintentional contamination of produce with E. coli O157:H7.
FREE-B is designed with the intention of assisting stakeholders in assessing existing food emergency response plans, protocols, and procedures, or to assist in the revising or development of a food emergency response plan. Each scenario is stand-alone, allowing for the flexibility to choose the most relevant one for an exercise. IFT is issuing a request for proposals (RFP) to provide interested State, Local, Tribal or Territorial-based entities with strategic guidance and limited financial support to conduct one of the scenarios that are part of the FREE-B portfolio. For more information please visit: http://www.ift.org/freeB
The Specials
The Write Stuff
Is your IFT section hosting an upcoming New Professionals event? Submit your event info for the next issue of Eat Your Words. Email newprofessional@ift.org.
Eat Your Words is the official New Professionals monthly newsletter about cool stuff in the world of food science. Do you like to play with words? We are always looking for writers. Email newprofessional@ift.org if you would like to contribute to an upcoming feature article.
Advance Your Career
Are you familiar with IFT's online Career Center? IFT provides insight and information to help advance your career in food science. The Career Center offers a listing of food science employment opportunities, salary data, and more. Visit the IFT Career Center today!
Food Policy Impact: Register Now
Establishing food regulations and standards is critical to ensuring the safety and wholesomeness of our food supply. IFT's first-ever Food Policy Impact, an expansion of the former Food Law & Regulations Division and the IFT Washington, DC Section mid-year meeting, brings like-minded individuals and organizations in food laws, regulations, and policy together. This one-day conference on December 1, 2011 is designed to provide attendees with practical learning that will make an immediate impact in 2012 with regards to food safety, product tracing, food marketing and more! To learn more information about this conference including registration details, click here. Please direct all questions to knowledge@ift.org.
Audio: The Future of the Food Safety Modernization Act
In January, President Obama signed a $1.4 billion overhaul of the nation's food safety system with the Food Safety Modernization Act. IFT's Digital Media Editor, Kelly Hensel, interviewed John Bode who is an attorney in Washington, DC. Bode discussed legislation, the progress made since the law was signed, and how the U.S. debt crisis may affect its implementation.
Bode was deeply involved in the development of the Food Safety Modernization Act, as well as every other major change in federal food law over the past 25 years. While he was working in government, Bode was an assistant Secretary of Agriculture. Listen to the interview on IFT's ePerspective today and share your comments. Click here to access the live audio.
Deadline Approaching: IFT Leadership Call for Nominations
Do you know or work with a new professional that you feel would be a great addition to the IFT Board of Directors? The Nominations & Elections Committee is interested in leadership development and we encourage you to take the next step within IFT by nominating yourself or a colleague as a candidate for the Board of Directors or for President-Elect in the 2012 IFT Leadership Election. Nominees must be Professional Members of IFT to be considered for candidacy. Click here to find out more about Professional Membership.
It is easy to submit a nomination online. Click here to complete the Leadership Nomination Form. The deadline is Monday, October 3, 2011, so submit your nomination today! If you have additional questions, please contact Erin Carter, staff coordinator for the Nominations and Elections Committee, by email at ecarter@ift.org or by phone at +1.202.330.4983.
Breakfast Brews
Brewery companies love experimenting with different flavors. Now, you can order a chipotle-flavored beer to accompany your huevos rancheros. Visit the list of breakfast inspired beers here, courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
The Buzz on Coffee
What American city is the most caffeinated? Chicago ranks number one as the city that spends the most money on coffee. Households spend 2.9 times the national average on coffee. View this website here for the complete buzz.
Got Bacon?
Bacon lovers... there are two new bacon inspired products on the market. That's right. Visit these websites featuring bacon flavored dental floss and bacon candy.
New Professional Snapshot: Jayne Bock
Snapshot of my life now:
My life is a whirlwind of change right now, but I'm enjoying every minute of it! I completed my PhD at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and moved from the U.S. to Ontario, Canada. I recently started a post-doc position in cereal chemistry at the University of Guelph.
Outside of work you'll likely find me long distance running, cooking, baking, and exploring Canada. Although I miss American football, I'm learning to love hockey! Perhaps, you will see me ice-skating at the Gryph Centre later this fall.
How did I get interested in food science?
I originally began my education with a B.S. in feed science and management at Kansas State University. An honor's project working with a food science professor during my undergraduate studies led to a subsequent M.S. in food science at Kansas State and a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
How does my job impact the world?
I work with a wide cross-section of the grain industry from the wheat breeders and farmers to the ultimate end processors and consumers. I look at ways to improve the quality of wheat and other grain-based products.
My work focuses on determining the role that bran plays in perceived quality defects in whole grain products. The ultimate goal is to find a way to improve the health of consumers across the globe by producing whole grain products they love to eat.
What are three things you don't know about me?
- Like Temple Grandin, I think in pictures, not words.
- I spent most of my childhood training in classical ballet.
- I'm allergic to grain dust!
The Side
College Bowl Trivia ...
The College Bowl is an annual food science quiz hosted by the IFT Student Association. Teams from universities around the country compete regionally for the chance to contend in the finals at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo.
Let's see how well you will do ... ;
Q1: What does a manometer measure?
Q2: Name the university which the current IFTSA President attends.
Q3: Name the two major acids produced in sourdough bread fermentation.
Vintage Vending Machines
Did you know there was a vending machine prototype that sold hot meals like chicken pilaf and stewed steak? Take a peek here at Life magazine's online gallery, "In Praise of Vending Machines," which includes black and white photos dating back to the 1930's.
Cookbook Fans Unite
Are you interested in a new autumn cookbook? View the website here for the latest releases including recipes from Top Chef Winner Stephanie Izard. Think of all the pumpkin recipes that are waiting for you.
Answers to college bowl trivia:
A1:Pressure
A2:University of Kentucky
A3:Lactic and acetic