IFT WORLD
Events abound at Annual Meeting & Food Expo
In these challenging economic times, it is more important than ever to keep your skills sharp, maintain your professional network, and make efficient business decisions. At the 2009 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo®, June 6–9, in Anaheim, Calif., you will have the opportunity to accomplish all three of these objectives, and so much more, in one convenient location. Join us for these and many more exciting events.
• Networking and career opportunities. Networking plays a key role in enhancing and advancing your career, and the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo offers plenty of chances. The newest way to connect is to check out the event and who is attending on Facebook. Visit www.facebook.com, and search “IFT09 Annual Meeting + Food Expo” in the “Event” application. The networking reception, which follows the IFT Awards Celebration, allows you to connect with old friends and meet new ones. Meet with fellow attendees to share, learn, debate, and discuss at the Attendee Networking Lounge located on the IFT Food Expo exhibit floor. If you are an employer looking for an opportunity to meet in person with a large number of potential candidates, or you are a food science professional who is seeking a new position, take advantage of the Employment Bureau. And the IFT Career Fair, a half-day event, will bring together employers and professionals in an informal setting to meet and exchange information.
• Product development solutions. Viewing information on the Internet is helpful, but it is not a substitute for seeing, touching, and experiencing the latest products and technologies or tasting creative prototypes that showcase the latest ingredient developments firsthand. The industry’s largest collection of ingredient, equipment, packaging, and service suppliers will gather under one roof at the IFT Food Expo. Self-guided trend tours, specialty pavilions that focus on emerging topics, and exhibitor spotlight presentations that allow exhibitors to share new products and services allow you to find the solutions to your particular projects.
• Education and research to use now. The Scientific Program brings together more than 130 education sessions and more than 1,000 poster presentations that cover the latest research and its applications. The sessions are led by experts in their respective fields of food science and technology. Additional learning opportunities include Pre-Annual Meeting short courses covering current food science topics; the Theme General Session (“Responsive Strategies to Changing Consumer Demands and Business Climate”), which will feature prominent senior executives from PepsiCo., Unilever, Costco, and Cargill, who will share their insights in the areas of food manufacturing, food retailing, and food ingredients; and the “Food Technology Trend Panel: The New Value Equation,” which will give you a better understanding of consumers’ new value behaviors and how they will shape the future.
• The future of food. Leading economic experts Todd Buchholz and Jeffrey Rosensweig will discuss questions regarding economic and policy issues affecting the food industry. Their discussion will address the economy and what companies can do to maintain their position and/or prepare for success in the changing economic and political environment.
• Students and new professionals. IFT’s Student Association and New Professional Community offer numerous activities. This year, IFTSA offers three student product development competitions that allow students to apply the skills and knowledge they have learned in school to real-world situations. The IFTSA mixer provides students an opportunity to meet and mingle with other IFT members. Likewise, the New Professionals mixer is the perfect forum for those who are new to the profession to network. Educational opportunities such as a short course and panel discussions provide information and tools needed to succeed in the global marketplace.
• IFT Cares. Once again, IFT is offering the opportunity to help fight hunger through IFT Cares. This year, IFT is partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, which feeds an average of 200,000 clients each month. Volunteers are needed to assist at the food bank with inspecting and sorting donated food and fresh produce, labeling products, repacking bulk products, and more. More information is available on the registration form or by sending an e-mail message to [email protected].
• Run for fun. Join your friends and colleagues for the 9th annual IFT Student Association/IFT Foundation Fun Run 5K run/1 mile walk. All proceeds from the event will fund undergraduate and graduate IFT Foundation scholarships. Register online until June 4, or register onsite the morning of the race, June 8.
• Ways to save. Register by May 1 and you will save $100 on your registration fee. And, if you are an IFT member, you will save an additional $200 off registration. For information about registration, housing, and more about the events planned during the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo, visit www.ift.org/IFT09. The May issue of Food Technology will include a comprehensive review of all the events scheduled for this year’s show.
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Beuchat presents Tanner Lecture
The Chicago Section IFT Tanner Lecture Committee has selected Larry R. Beuchat as the 47th Fred W. Tanner Lecture honoree.
Beuchat, Distinguished Research Professor, University of Georgia, has conducted extensive research on microbial growth and foodborne micro-organisms to help understand the root causes of foodborne illnesses. He will share his knowledge through his lecture, “Foodborne Pathogens on Fresh Produce: Getting to Know Them Better,” during the Chicago Section meeting on May 11.
In addition to his research, Beuchat has contributed to the food industry in a variety of other ways. He has written, edited, or co-edited five books and authored or co-authored 86 chapters and monographs, 476 refereed scientific journal articles, 110 miscellaneous scientific publications, and 527 abstracts in the area of microbiological safety and spoilage of foods. He served as an Associate Editor of Journal of Food Science from 1989 to 1994 and co-editor of Journal of Food Protection from 1994 to 2001, and is a member of the editorial boards of International Journal of Food Microbiology and Food Microbiology. He was elected a Fellow of IFT in 1985, and is a Fellow of the International Association for Food Protection and American Academy of Microbiology.
For more information about the Tanner Lecture, call 630-916-4960, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.chicagoift.org.
Takasago expands team
Takasago Americas, Rockleigh, N.J., has hired two new employees. Theresa Doyle joins the company as Senior Food Technologist. Her primary focus will be on sweet products, and she will be responsible for investigating and implementing technologies into product development and contributing to customer presentations that represent new flavor trends.
Previously employed at Kerry Foods as Senior Food Technologist, Doyle worked with key accounts in the confectionery, bakery, cereal, oral hygiene, and OTC segments. She earned a B.S. degree in foods and nutrition from Marymount College, part of Fordham University. She is a Member of IFT.
Jeff Rotondi was named Senior Flavor Technologist. He will focus on savory and bakery development and applications. Prior to joining Takasago, he was a product development scientist at Chr. Hansen and Senior Food Technologist at Advanced Food Systems. Rotondi, a Member of IFT, earned an Associate in Occupational Studies Culinary Arts Degree from the Culinary Institute of America and a B.S. degree from Montclair State University.
Profiling achievement: Scholarship recipient update
This occasional article will provide an update on former IFT scholarship recipients.
Effie Epke, a three-time recipient of IFT scholarships (2001, 2002, and 2004), currently works as a food scientist for International Food Network, where she is responsible for product development.
Effie Epke, a three-time recipient of IFT scholarships (2001, 2002, and 2004), currently works as a food scientist for International Food Network, where she is responsible for product development.While attending University of Nebraska, Lincoln, she interned with several companies, including Meadow Gold Dairy and ConAgra Frozen Foods. These experiences helped her identify the area of food product development as her career path.
“Food science is ever-changing and advancing, and it is really exciting to be on the forefront of new product development,” she said. “An [IFT scholarship] is a valuable resource not only monetarily but also in terms of networking with other students and professionals.”
Epke is a Member of IFT.
For more information about IFT scholarships, visit www.ift.org/foundation or call the IFT Foundation Development Office at 312-782-8424.