IFT NEWS
Philip E. Nelson chosen IFT’s next President-Elect
Election results are in. IFT’s next President-Elect is Philip E. Nelson, Head of the Department of Food Science at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. Nelson will be formally introduced to the IFT membership in the July issue of Food Technology and will take office as IFT President on September 1, 2001.
Elected as Membership Representatives to the Executive Committee for three-year terms (September 1, 2000 through August 31, 2003) were Sheri M. Schellhaass, Vice President of Research and Development, General Mills Incorporated, Minneapolis, Minn.; and Michael P. Doyle, Head of the Department of Food Science, University of Georgia at Griffin, and Regent’s Professor and Director, Center for Food Safety and Quality Enhancement.
The Council previously selected Dicki Lulay and Wayne R. Bidlack to three-year terms as Councilor Representatives to the Executive Committee. Lulay is Vice President, Business Development, McCormick & Co., Incorporated, Hunt Valley, Md. Bidlack is Dean of the College of Agriculture, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
The IFT membership also voted by an overwhelming majority to ratify the amendment to the IFT Constitution.
Of the 25,558 ballots mailed, 5,450 were returned by the March 1 deadline for a 21.32% response.
IFT Basic Symposium addresses mycotoxins and world health
Unavoidable naturally occurring toxicants pose a unique challenge to food safety. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, at least 25% of the world’s food crops are contaminated with mycotoxins every year, and the production of agricultural commodities is barely sustaining the world’s increasing population. One of the most important strategies to reduce risks associated with mycotoxins, protect human and animal health, and assure a safe food supply is to understand the systems that create the problem.
This year’s Basic Symposium (Program #1) has been developed to help food scientists, companies involved in the handling and processing of susceptible products, and users of those products throughout the world to better understand how fungal toxins can be controlled.
“Mycotoxins and Their Role in World Health” will be presented immediately preceding the IFT Annual Meeting and FOOD EXPO® to be held in Dallas, Tex., June 10–14, 2000. The symposium will be held at the Dallas Adam’s Mark Hotel on Friday and Saturday, June 9–10. Program directors are Rebeca López-Garcia, Universidad La Salle, Mexico; and Albert E. Pohland, AOAC International.
Sponsored by IFT’s Continuing Education Committee, the symposium will serve as an introduction, an update, or a refresher course as well as an opportunity over a two-day period to hear eminent speakers from around the world who are experts in this subject.
Information may be obtained from IFT’s Professional Development Department at 312-782-8424; fax 312-782-0045; Web site www.ift.org; or call IFT •XPRESS at 1-800-234-0270 [outside the U.S. or Canada, call 650-556-9176] and ask for Document 1811.
IFT offers eight continuing education courses prior to the Annual Meeting
A “how to” guide to process development; food laws and regulations for marketing in the USA; use of antimicrobials and preservatives in food; fats and oils; sanitation and GMP compliance; food safety; functional foods; and translating consumer needs into a strategic business plan are this year’s themes for IFT’s Continuing Education short courses held immediately prior to the Annual Meeting in Dallas, Tex. Of these eight courses, six will be two-day courses held Friday and Saturday, June 9–10, at the Adams Mark Hotel in Dallas. The seventh and eighth courses will be one-day courses, also at the Adams Mark Hotel.
Although thousands of new products are introduced each year, only a few successfully find their niche. Program #2, “Successful Product and Process Development: A ‘How-To’ Guide,” discusses over two days the complexities of product development and how to understand what needs to be done for successful product development. Call the IFT • XPRESS faxback service (see below) and ask for Document 1812.
Americans enjoy the safest, most abundant and varied food supply in the world, and legal requirements have been developed to keep it that way. Program #3, “Food Laws & Regulations for Marketing in the U.S.A.,” has been designed to illustrate why industry’s understanding and voluntary compliance have been major factors in this achievement. Session I will review how foods are regulated by FDA and USDA under various laws passed by Congress; Session II will provide an overview of the regulation of food additives and other substances in foods and the requirements for proper labeling; and Session III will describe in detail options for the enforcement of laws and regulations and how GMP and HACCP programs can be developed to avoid enforcement action. Call the IFT • XPRESS faxback service and ask for Document 1813.
Antimicrobial compounds are one of the most valuable tools available in protecting foods, although there are still many individuals who fear chemicals in their food supply. Program #4, “Use of Antimicrobials & Preservatives in Foods,” will address the different microbial compounds available to the food scientist or technologist. It will be valuable to persons from R&D, production, marketing, and management from all food industries who are looking at ways to protect their products and ingredients. Call the IFT • XPRESS faxback service and ask for Document 1814.
Program #5, “Principles & Applications of Fats & Oils in Formulation of Food Products,” will focus on the physical, chemical, and organoleptic properties of fats and oils used in the formulation and production of various food products. Day 1 will focus on the fundamental properties of fats and oils, emulsifiers, and the role of lipids in development of food texture and flavor. Day 2 will cover important application areas, such as the role of antioxidants in food processing, impact of food coloring on product stability, methods for sensory evaluation, important aspects of food protection, and enhancement of shelf life. Call the IFT • XPRESS faxback service and ask for Document 1815.
As sanitation and GMP compliance are acknowledged by food safety and quality professionals to be prerequisites for HACCP, the information offered by Program #6, “Sanitation & GMP Compliance: Prerequisites for HACCP & Food Quality” will help processors assure that they have the programs in place necessary to both comply with food safety regulations and compete in the marketplace. The program will focus on the tools a food company must have before developing a HACCP program. Simultaneous Spanish translation will be available if requested at time of preregistration. Call the IFT • XPRESS faxback service and ask for Document 1816.
Program #7, “Food Safety by Design,” focuses attention on food safety both to reassure the American public that our manufactured food products are inherently safe and to mandate programs to force implementation of food safety processes such as HACCP. Designed for food manufacturing personnel, the course discusses all aspects of food safety and how to design it to work to near perfection. Call the IFT • XPRESS faxback service and ask for Document 1817.
A one-day program, “Functional Foods: A Concept Turns Reality—The Hottest Topic in Food Science and Health” (Program #8), will be held Friday only, June 9. Although every food could be considered a functional food, the emphasis here will be on those foods which are marketed and advertised for their health promoting and disease-preventing properties. This program will provide the latest information about the concept, development, and marketing of functional foods. Call the IFT • XPRESS faxback service and ask for Document 1818.
A one-day program, “Translating Consumer Needs Into A Strategic Business Plan” (Program #9), will be offered on Saturday, June 10. As the consumer products industry competes more fiercely to increase market share and profits, employees are challenged to add more value to the business. This workshop is the second in a series of programs designed to stretch traditional understanding of research’s role in product development and decisionmaking through the strategic planning process. Participants will be challenged to shift the paradigm of researchers as generators of data to generators of strategic information and direction. Call the IFT • XPRESS faxback service and ask for Document 1819.
Preregistration is open until June 2, 2000; after that date, attendees may register on-site (on site registrations will include a late fee of $100 for 2-day programs and $50 for one-day programs). An Early Bird discount will apply if registrations are received by May 15. Registration fee checks (in U.S. dollars from a U.S. bank) should be made payable to “Institute of Food Technologists.”
Register to attend the course of your choice by filling out and returning the registration form contained in the Continuing Education Programs booklet in your Annual Meeting Kit or by dialing the IFT • XPRESS faxback service at 1-800-234-0270 [outside the U.S. and Canada, call 650-556-9176] and asking for the appropriate Document No. You may also register on line at www.ift.org (click on the Annual Meeting logo, then on “Quick Links”). For more information, call the IFT Office of Professional Development at 312-782-8424.
Seeking employment? Trying to fill a position?
IFT’s Employment Bureau and Career Fair can help! Register to attend the Employment Bureau, to be held June 10-14, 2000, in Dallas, Tex., during IFT’s Annual Meeting and FOOD EXPO®.
The Employment Bureau is designed specifically to bring employers and job seekers together for interviewing purposes while at the Annual Meeting. The bureau will be open every day during the Annual Meeting and will be located at the Dallas Convention Center. IFT members seeking positions and employers with job opportunities are encouraged to participate in the Employment Bureau. Fees for candidates are $50 for members and $35 for student members. Fees for employers are $100 for academic, non-profit, or government organizations; $175 for food companies; and $325 for recruitment agencies.
Private curtained booths will be available to conduct interviews on site. Booth rental rates will apply as follows: $75 for one day, $125 for two days, and $150 for three days or more.
Early registration (by May 1) is strongly encouraged to get the maximum benefits of the bureau. To receive registration forms, call IFT • XPRESS at 1-800-237-0270 [use 1-650-556-9176 outside the U.S. or Canada]. If you are a job seeker, ask for Document 2370. If you are an employer, ask for Document 2375. Forms can also be obtained through IFT’s Web site under the Annual Meeting Employment Bureau section at www.ift.org/careers.
IFT Career Fair
The Employment Bureau provides an excellent forum that allows companies to post current openings and conduct interviews during the IFT Annual Meeting. The Bureau does not however, provide a way for companies to disseminate information to students or members not currently in the job market. Accordingly, the IFT Student Association and Employment Committee will hold a Career Fair at the Annual Meeting.
The Career Fair will be a service for employers, students, and IFT members. Companies are encouraged to distribute literature and discuss their company, opportunities typically available, and internship possibilities. Formal interviews will NOT take place at the Career Fair. Companies and individuals wishing to interview must be registered for the Employment Bureau.
The Career Fair is free to individual members and students. Companies interested in participating will be charged $200 to cover meeting room and set-up costs. For more information, contact Courtney Hopper, Dept. of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, 2121 Fyffe Road, Columbus, OH 43210-097 (call 614-688-4229, E-mail: [email protected], Web site: www.ift.org/iftsa). Details and company reservation forms for the Career Fair can also be obtained via fax by calling IFT • XPRESS at 1-800-237-0270 [use 1-650-556-9176 outside the U.S. or Canada] and asking for Document 2380.
IFT Foundation Update . . .
In memory of Julie Vande Velde, former IFT Foundation Director, 100% of IFT’s 1999 staff participated in donating to the endowed Julie Vande Velde Foundation Leadership Scholarship. The IFT Foundation would like to thank the following staff members for their generous support of the Foundation’s efforts:
Sarai Aguayo
Susan Andronowitz
Betsy Baird
Mark Barenie
Denise Bayers
Loretta Brazzale
Thelma Brown
Stan Butler
Esteban Cabral
Jack Cacciabondo
Anel Calderon
Mike Cernauskas
Stephanie Chamberlain
Marlene Chlypniacz
Angela Dansby
Dean Duxbury
Joan Finn
James Giese
Paul Grassman
Annette Hawkins
Fran Katz
Jeffrey Kramer
Bonnie Lackowski
Luci Landberg
Elizabeth Lemus
Eva Lopez
Allison Maciejewski
Brenda Massey
Curt Mattson
Judy McGarry
Neil Mermelstein
Joyce Nettleton
Rosie Newsome
Joan Nolan
John Nolan
Norajean Norkus
Patti Pagliuco
Tom Peterson
Pam Pierson
Debbie Prahl
Don Pszczola
Lay Quek
Patty Ratzel
Jay Rosenbaum
Therese Samodral
Frank & Nora Schabold
Steve Serfling
Caroline Sobolak
Jeanette Solis
Bonnie Stark
Gayle Struble
Susan Suerth
Ellen Sullivan
Laurie Trentz
Judy Williams
Carlotta Witta
Susan Young
We thank, too, the following IFT members for their generous support:
Sameer F. Alzenki
Yoel Benesh
Michael A. Bishop
Arthur Caputi
Yvette M. Castell
Yonghee Choi
Peter J. Cotter
Carlos R. Grosso
Chung-Yi Huang
Hector A. Iglesias
Kelly Kincannon
Lourdes M. Labrador
Anthony I. Laus
Kou-Joong Lin
Toshio Matsuda
Rolando Montemayor E.
Paul C. Onyenekwe
Juan F. Rovira
Mitsuo Takano
Paul B. Tran
Other bequests include one from the University of Minnesota Food Science and Nutrition Club, which recently sponsored a fundraising drive for the IFT Foundation. Twenty-three students participated in this event, raising a total of $104 for the Foundation. Thank you to the University of Minnesota Food Science and Nutrition Club!
The Foundation has also received, from the Estate of Eileen M. Gillies Chichester, a rare book entitled The Art of Preserving All Kinds of Animal and Vegetable Substances for Several Years, by Nicolas Appert. Two volumes were received—the English version was printed in 1812, and the French in 1811. This gift is particularly treasured as an important piece of history here at IFT.
Diversity Committee offers meeting space for underrepresented groups
IFT’s Committee on Diversity is making available a room for underrepresented groups (minorities and others with common interests) to meet informally during the IFT Annual Meeting in Dallas. This is a relatively new service whose purpose is to facilitate groups with common backgrounds and professional interests who would like to get together and network.
Last year—the first year in which the room was made available—the room was used by three groups: Women in Academic Food Science, Gay and Lesbian Food Scientists, and Alumnae from the Central Food Technological Research Institute of Mysore, India.
The Cooper Room at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel will be available for scheduling from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday through Tuesday, and from 8:00 a.m. to noon on Wednesday during the Annual Meeting. To schedule use of the room, contact Committee on Diversity member Josephine Pompey by fax (206-361-2899) or e-mail ([email protected]).
IFT welcomes new Design & Production Manager for Food Technology
Welcome to James J. Baran, who joined the IFT Editorial Dept. on March 13. Prior to joining IFT, James assisted a major Chicago law firm in the implemention of print media for a branding program. For three years prior, he was Art Director and Editor at Publishing Solutions Group (PSG), where he designed event promotions, corporate identity, and marketing materials for the University of Oregon Museum of Art, Portland law firms and galleries, and a large medical laboratory, among other clients. PSG was selected to design the event materials for the 1997 Oregon Governor’s Arts Awards.
He was a member of the design team for the Journal of Periodontology, which was awarded the 1999 Gold Circle Award from ASAE for the most improved magazine.
James earned a B.S. in Music and an M.S. in English, both from Illinois State University, Normal. Welcome, James, to IFT!
Attendees try hands-on frying of foods at an IFT workshop
In the 25-30 different continuing education programs that IFT currently sponsors annually, members will find a wide variety of attendee involvement. A popular program entitled “Science of Frying and Technology,” was recently presented for the fifth time in Hayward, Calif. Previous workshops included tours of large potato chip manufacturing facilities at Golden Flake Foods in Ocala, Fla., and Frito-Lay Products in Casa Grande, Ariz.
The workshop in Hayward was unique in that Heat & Control, Inc. opened their new research and testing facilities to our workshop attendees and demonstrated operation of typical frying equipment. A large variety of batter, breading, and coating ingredients for fried foods were made available and demonstrated on actual meats and vegetables by research staff members of Newly Weds Foods of Chicago. You have never seen workshop attendees so interested as when they either have their arms spattered with breading and batters, or when they can taste fried chicken right out of the fryer and oven.
This workshop had 23 registrants from suppliers and processors throughout the United States. The developers and program directors for these programs are Monoj Gupta and Rick Stier, and they are co-sponsored by IFT and the American Association of Cereal Chemists. Another frying workshop will be repeated soon, and a related program entitled, “Principlesand Applications of Fats & Oils in Formulation of Food Products” will be offered as a pre-Annual Meeting program in Dallas on June 9–10, 2000. Check IFT’s Web Page at www.ift.org for details.
Regional Section and Division News
Florida
Robert P. Bates, Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Florida, Gainesville, received the prestigious Bob Olson Award at the Section’s January meeting. The award is presented annually to an individual recognized by the Florida Section as having made major contributions over the years to the Section. Bates, who has contributed a great deal to the Section and continues to do so, spoke at the Section meeting on the topic of “Beers of the World.”
Citrus Products
Mickey E. Parish, Professor at the University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center, received the Citrus Products Division’s Outstanding Research Achievement Award for 1998–99; and Robert Olson received the Citrus Products Division’s Distinguished Service Award for 1998–99. Both awards were presented at the Florida Section’s October 1999 meeting.
by BETSY BAIRD
Assistant Editor
What’s New on IFT’s Web site? Take a look . . . www.ift.org