Division Accomplishments/Recognition

The Outstanding Volunteer award honors a current Division member who provided exemplary volunteer work to the Division in the current year. The 2023-2024 recipient is Tom Seymour.

The Outstanding Service award honors current Division members who have demonstrated a history of service to the Division or field. The 2023-2024 recipient is Eva Almenar.

Student Food Packaging - Development Competition winners

• First Place: Amarthya Benigna Achmadi, Que Trinh Tran, and Annisa Mutiara Faida, University of New South Wales, Bamboo-Wheat Straw Biocomposites: A Sustainable Solution for Food Packaging
• Second Place: Taylor Beck and Rinky Ghosh, The Ohio State University, Development of Sustainable Food Packaging with Enhanced Properties: Utilizing a Waste-Derived Plasticizer, Eggshells, and Natural Rubber in PHBV Bioplastic Blends
• Third Place: Monjurul Hoque and Rahel Suchinitita Das, University College, Cork, Greening the packaging horizon: Fruit waste and seaweed revolution in food packaging

3 published review papers in Encyclopedia of Food Safety

• Eva Almenar, Melvin Pascall, Min DeGruson – Novel and Sustainable Packaging
• Melvin Pascall, Shyam Sablani, Peyton Greenwood - Aseptic Packaging
• Min DeGruson, XiaoJing (Kate) Liu - Packaging Materials and Auxiliary Materials

Ongoing discussions on a grant writing activity

Quarterly newsletters

Division Oral Competition Finalists

• First: Aaron Dudley, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University: Nanoencapsulation of Hemp Extract in Electrospun Nanofiber: Characterization of Physical Attributes, Release Profile, and Application as Active Film for Packaging
• Second: Byeol Yi Kim, Seoul Women's University: Application of an Ethylene Indicator Using Potassium Permanganate to Monitor Freshness of Banana and Kiwi
• Third: Cecilia Hernandez-Hosaka, Oregon State University: Cellulose Materials Obtained From Spent Coffee Grounds as Functional Biopolymers