IFT recognizes 50-Year members; Getting to know Padu Krishnan

IFT recognizes 50-year members
The following individuals are celebrating their 50th anniversary as members of IFT: Francis F. Busta, Percie Lamar, Norman Potter, Edward E. Chapman, Ronald A. Chung, Jerome J. Spicuzza, Theodore P. Labuza, Joseph M. Dono, and Dan R. Wilkinson.

IFT thanks these members for their support.

University of Guelph honors Singh
The University of Guelph recently awarded R. Paul Singh the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, in recognition of his numerous contributions to food science and promotion of the scientific and humanitarian aspects of the field.

Singh is a distinguished emeritus professor of food engineering at the University of California, Davis, and co-author of Introduction to Food Engineering, which is recognized as the definitive text for food science and engineering students. While under contract to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, he developed food processing equipment for NASA’s proposed manned mission to Mars.

An expert in food processing and math modeling of food processes, Singh has written numerous papers and books, received three patents, and earned worldwide acclaim for innovative teaching and presenting at international conferences.

A Fellow of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology and a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, Singh received a lifetime achievement award from the International Association of Engineering and Food. In 2010, the Institute of Food Technologists awarded him the Nicolas Appert Award, IFT’s highest honor.

Aimutis to Lead N.C. Innovation Center
IFT member Bill Aimutis has been named director of the North Carolina Food Processing Innovation Center (FPIC), a one-of-a-kind enterprise housed in the North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Serving as a “base camp” for the creation of food processing and manufacturing facilities across the state, the FPIC is the only university-based food innovation center that is cGMP certified, which means that an FDA-regulated system of controls will ensure a high level of quality at every step.

An R&D expert with more than 30 years’ experience in corporate and academic settings, Aimutis recently served as a research fellow and global director of external innovation for Cargill. Previously he held R&D positions at Land O’Lakes, Kerry Ingredients, Protein Technology, and Chr. Hansen’s Laboratory. In addition, Aimutis holds an adjunct associate professor position at Purdue University, where he has lectured on milk protein chemistry and functionality, new product development, and food forensic analysis.

“I’m excited to be part of this initiative to attract more of the food industry to North Carolina,” he said. “This center will provide unique food processing capabilities for both entrepreneurial and established companies to more rapidly launch new consumer products. It will also serve as a unique real-time food processing facility to validate new processes and equipment being developed.”

Aimutis has been a member of the Institute of Food Technologists since 1976 and was qualified as a Certified Food Scientist in 2013. He is also a Fellow of the American Dairy Science Association, where he served on the board of directors and as treasurer. He has published many papers in refereed and trade journals, written several book chapters, presented numerous abstracts, edited a book, and been an invited speaker to technical meetings worldwide.

An Indiana native, Aimutis earned his bachelor’s degree in food science at Purdue University and his master’s and doctoral degrees in food science at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Both universities have honored him as a distinguished alumnus.

IFT to present new webcasts
Two new dairy-based live webcasts are being offered by IFT in September, one that gives participants an understanding of how to survive a dairy-related foodborne illness outbreak and another that provides background on the composition and functionality of milk and whey ingredients.

One of the keys to successfully managing an outbreak is the ability to plan ahead. The webcast “Surviving a Dairy Related Foodborne Illness Outbreak” imparts an understanding of how an outbreak investigation and facility inspection is conducted and helps participants decide if a recall is necessary and, if so, how to manage it. The webcast will conclude with a discussion of how to manage the consequences. It will be held on Sept. 6, 2018, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. CT.

Dairy-based beverages are an important food application that can help deliver good taste and nutrition to consumers. High-protein beverages often have formulation challenges that can be improved through some basic understanding of dairy protein ingredients. The webcast “Formulating With Dairy Ingredients for Beverage Applications” will provide background on the composition and functionality of milk and whey ingredients. Food product developers will also learn some tools to help them choose the right dairy ingredient for their ready-to-drink beverage applications and gain some tips on optimizing the performance of dairy ingredients in high- and low-acid beverages. The webcast will be held on Sept. 20, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. CT.

For more information about the September webcasts and others that IFT offers, visit www.ift.org/knowledge-center/learn-online.aspx.

Eskin celebrates 50 years
N. A. Michael Eskin, professor in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences at the University of Manitoba, will celebrate his 50th year at the university. Eskin is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of 15 books, including Biochemistry of Foods. He was elected Professor of the Year by the student body for 2016–2017 and is actively involved in teaching, research, and writing.

Eskin’s extensive research on canola oil, which furthered the development of the canola oil industry in Canada, earned him the Order of Canada in 2016. He was named an IFT Fellow in 2015 and received the IFT Stephen S. Chang Award in 2012. Most recently he was the recipient of the American Oil Chemists’ Society Stephen S. Chang Award. He is also well known for his “lipid rap” video on YouTube, which is used around the world—including at a nutrition center in Moscow, Russia—and he will shortly be releasing a new rap video on fat-soluble vitamins in celebration of his half century at the University of Manitoba.

Zasypkin named McCormick Scientist
Dmitriy Zasypkin has been named McCormick Scientist at McCormick and Co.’s headquarters in Hunt Valley, Md. The title is the highest technical position in the company and is given in recognition of scientific achievements, their impact to the business, and an outstanding reputation in the food industry.

Zasypkin has conducted academic and industrial research for 30 years, including 19 at McCormick and Co. He holds six patents and five patent applications and is the co-author of 25 scientific papers and book chapters published in peer-reviewed journals in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia. Zasypkin specializes in the physical chemical fundamentals of food technologies, including flavor delivery platforms, sodium reduction, emulsion technologies, and extrusion.

He has been a member of the Institute of Food Technologists since 1996 and is among the first group of members to earn a Certified Food Scientist certification.

Teaching food science to undergraduate and graduate students while maintaining an active research program in new food product innovation, food processing technology, and ingredient development has not kept Padu Krishnan from volunteering with IFT. The professor of food science in the Department of Dairy and Food Science at South Dakota State University has served in every position in the Great Plains Subsection and considers the work he does to promote food science an integral part of his life.

“I have infused resources and enthusiasm wherever possible to encourage students to do something to create an awareness of the profession and career,” he says. “Shaping young minds to work in our discipline for the future ensures that we have a vibrant organization. We need all sorts of people with all sorts of talents, as we have a very large tent. We are planting the seeds in those fertile minds.”

As a student, Krishnan was shy and came to his first volunteer opportunity at the request of a professor. “It is difficult to avoid eye contact when your professor says, ‘Do it!’ No one describes me as being shy now,” he says. “Volunteering has its own rewards.” Having arranged for students to attend IFT’s annual event, as well as serving on the Minnesota Section Scholarship Committee and facilitating student entries in national competitions, Krishnan knows firsthand the rewards of volunteering—as well as the value of paying it forward for the next generation.

“I have taken student teams to science fairs to teach elementary school-age children about food processing,” he says. “My food science students enjoy interacting with young children who are thrilled with hands-on learning experiences. Hand cranking the pasta machine and forming shapes of what used to be wheat flour brings amazement to the youngsters. They don’t separate work and play like we do.”

The time and effort put toward shaping young minds and finding opportunities for students to stretch themselves have reaped positive rewards for Krishnan. “I have received recognition by my peers who are also curious about what I do in my field,” he says. “This has provided national exposure to my research activity.” In addition, Krishnan has received front-page coverage in The Wall Street Journal for the unique research he does (search Padu Krishnan Snickerdoodle), which has helped him secure funding for high-impact food science research.

Krishnan’s teaching, research, and volunteer activities bring him in contact with a wide variety of people, which makes each day interesting and different. “There are always exciting things that keep my mind alert,” he says. “Problem-solving is key to this profession, and one needs to be flexible and nimble in applying scientific solutions to the technical challenges.

“Most of all, I get to draw out the talents and ingenuity of my students, who are asked to jump headlong into the discipline instead of being spectators. This field is 50% creativity and 50% science and all about knowing how to communicate ideas. You have to like people.”

Rocky Mountain
Sept. 20: Suppliers’ Night. Denver. Click here.

Have some news to share about yourself or another IFT member? Email [email protected].