COMPANY NEWS

COMPANY NEWS
Archer Daniels Midland Co. introduced a portfolio of zero- and low-trans fatty acid-containing alternative oils and lipids for the North American food market at the IFT Food ExpoB. in Chicago in July. New FDA regulations will require trans fatty acids to be listed on the nutritional panel as of January 1, 2006. Because the trans form of fatty acids is identified with accelerating the deposition of cholesterol on blood-vessel surfaces, food processors may prefer to eliminate or restrict their use. The key message from ADMb�0;0;0;0;0;0;19;s scientists and marketing staff is that no single oil can serve all of the different applications for shortenings and oils while reducing or eliminating trans fatty acids, therefore, a portfolio of products is needed. It was pointed out that there is a balance between saturated fats and trans fats, but the new products would have a lower total saturated-trans component than a conventional fat or oil with similar lipid base stocks. ADM is based in Decatur, Ill.

Cargill and Riceland Foods formed a strategic alliance in July to manufacture, market, and sell innovative lecithin products to food, pharmaceutical, and technical customers worldwide. Under the terms of the agreement, Cargill will market and distribute lecithin produced by Riceland at its Arkansas facility. Riceland, based in Stuttgart, Ark., is a farmer-owned cooperative that manufactures de-oiled lecithin and supplies powdered and granulated de-oiled lecithin products globally. Cargill is based in Minneapolis, Minn.

Eurofins Scientific plans to acquire GMO testing laboratory GeneScan. The purchase gives Eurofins the ability to perform a variety of authenticity tests for the food industry, including meat speciation, GMO detection, and allergen testing. In Europe, GeneScan is also considered an expert in BSE identification. Eurofins, based in Des Moines, Iowa, provides a full range of analytical laboratory services. GeneScan Europe is headquartered in Freiburg, Germany.

Fortitech acquired Ashland Distribution Co.b�0;0;0;0;0;0;19;s nutritional premix blending business in July. Under the agreement, Ashland Distribution, a division of Ashland Inc., will transfer its nutritional premix manufacturing business to privately held Fortitech, which will assume Ashlandb�0;0;0;0;0;0;19;s premix manufacturing operation location in Fontana, Calif. The deal is expected to close by this month. In other Fortitech news, FortiSource, the companyb�0;0;0;0;0;0;19;s comprehensive on-line research and product development resource, now contains full nutrient monographs, professional briefs on health conditions and diseases, and expanded information on interactions and depletions between nutrients. Located at www.fortitech.com, FortiSource features current news on health trends in both integrative and traditional medicines and recent clinical research. The data are compiled from hundreds of journals from a range of disciplines, including science, medicine, health, nutrition, and chemistry. The database is available free of charge. Fortitech Inc., based in Schenectady, N.Y., develops custom nutrient systems for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. Ashland is based in Covington, Ky.

Frontier Natural Products Co-op donated the National Center for the Preservation of Medicinal Herbs in rural south-eastern Ohio to the not-for-profit community revitalization group Rural Action in June. Rural Action will continue the work of the center to provide a haven and to develop cultivation methods for traditional medicinal herbs with diminishing wild populations. Frontierb�0;0;0;0;0;0;19;s support for the center since its inception in 1998, including the purchase of the land, staffing, equipment, and donations, totals more than $500,000. The company developed the independent, not-for-profit herb research center and preserve out of its concern that the increasing popularity of herbal remedies was threatening the long-term survival of many valuable plants. Frontier, based in Norway, Iowa, offers a full line of natural and organic products under the Frontierb�0;0;0;0;0;0;4;" Simply Organicb�0;0;0;0;0;0;4;", and Aura Caciab�0;0;0;0;0;0;4;" brands.

Glanbia Nutritionals Inc. is working with Dairy Farmers of America Inc. and Select Milk Producers Inc. in a joint venture to build a $270-million production facility for cheese and whey products. The company announced the venture at the IFT Food Expo in July. The facility, to be built in Western Texas/New Mexico, will be owned 50% by Glanbia, with the remainder jointly owned by DFA and Select. If the project proceeds under plan, the new facility will open in the second half of 2005. When fully operational, it will process 2.3 billion lb of milk a year, producing 250 million lb of cheese and 16.5 million lb of value-added whey proteins. Dairy Farmers of America Inc. is based in Kansas City, Mo. Select Milk Producers Inc. is based in New Mexico. Glanbia Nutritionals is based in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Kerr Group Inc. purchased McCormick & Co.b�0;0;0;0;0;0;19;s packaging business in June. The sale included assets of Setco Inc. and Tubed Products Inc., which both manufacture products used for packaging McCormickb�0;0;0;0;0;0;19;s spices and seasonings, as well as packaging materials for other industries. Kerr Group, based in San Francisco, Calif., provides specialty plastic closures and containers to the pharmaceutical, healthcare, and food and beverage industries. McCormick is based in Sparks, Md.

At the IFT Food Expo in July, Kerry Foods introduced a new cross-divisional team of specialists designed to provide the most complete range of value-added functional ingredients for energy bar products introduced by the food industry. The ingredients will emphasize the current hot topics in functional food products marketing: low-carb, no-sugar-added, and high protein. The company created the cross-divisional team to help customers reach the market fast with new products that use value-added functional ingredients in ways that consumers recognize as meeting their needs. Kerry Foods is part of Kerry Group, based in Tralee, Ireland.

SOCIETIES & ASSOCIATIONS
AOCS seeks nominations for Chang Award
The American Oil Chemistsb�0;0;0;0;0;0;19; Society seeks nominations for its 2004 Stephen S. Chang Award by October 15, 2003.

The award recognizes a scientist or technologist who has made decisive accomplishments in research for the improvement or development of products related to lipids. It carries an endowment from AOCS past president Stephen S. Chang and his wife, Lucy D. Chang, consisting of an honorarium and a jade sculpture of a galloping horse symbolizing the award.

Nominees must have made significant and distinguished accomplishments in basic research that have been utilized by industries for the development or improvement of products related to lipids. The awardee may be recognized for either one major breakthrough or an accumulation of publications. The successful nominee must agree to accept the award at the AOCS Annual Meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 9b�0;0;0;0;0;0;13;12, 2004, and present a paper.

For more information on nomination requirements, call 217-359-2344 or e-mail [email protected].

AOCS is based in Champaign, Ill.

IOA establishes food treatment task force
The International Ozone Association established a Food Treatment Task Force in June to focus on issues involving safe and effective uses of ozone in the food and agriculture industries.

IOA assists specialists in many fields of ozone application in understanding the fundamental aspects of ozone technologies as they apply to its various uses. Members of the new task force are food treatment professionals; suppliers of ozone equipment, instrumentation, and controls; and consultants who are skilled in the design and operation of ozonation systems.

The task force will look at how to provide information on the applications of ozone in worker-protective and product/process-enhancing manners based on scientific facts and specific case-history studies; cost benefits that have been verified by users as being attained with ozone; and the basic aspects of ozone technology, including safety, for those considering the use of ozone for the first time, in addition to other issues.

For more information, visit www.int-ozone-assoc.org.

The association is based in Stamford, Conn.

RCA offers Culinology magazine
The Research Chefs Association plans to launch a new industry magazine that explores the vision and practice of Culinology, which is the blending of the culinary arts and food science. As the official magazine of RCA, Culinology will cover a wide range of topics, including food, education, work, entertainment, and industry news. It will feature special editorial sections to describe food industry practices as they relate to the discipline of Culinology. b�0;0;0;0;0;0;1C;In Actionb�0;0;0;0;0;0;1D; will feature real world applications of Culinology via case studies, interviews, and panel discussions. Another regular feature, b�0;0;0;0;0;0;1C;Vistas,b�0;0;0;0;0;0;1D; will report on major issues that impact both the food industry and the discipline of Culinology. b�0;0;0;0;0;0;1C;Recipe Reduxb�0;0;0;0;0;0;1D; will review examples of commercializing gold standard recipes.

Initially, Culinology will be published bi-annually and distributed to 16,000 food industry professionals, including RCA members, corporate managers, R&D professionals in foodservice, food manufacturing, and food ingredients, as well as culinary and food science schools.

For more information, visit www.researchchef.org.

RCA is based in Atlanta, Ga.

PEOPLE NEWS
Alliant Company LLC appointed Bruce Underwood President in July. He will relocate to the Alliant facility in Shelbyville, Ind. Alliant, based in Schaumburg, Ill., manufactures reclosable technologies for the flexible packaging market.

Archer Daniels Midland Co. announced a number of promotions in June. Robert B. Cook was named Senior Vice President of Trading and Marketing He will be responsible for overseeing all of the Grain Groupb�0;0;0;0;0;0;19;s domestic and international trading and marketing development activities. He was previously Vice President of the Grain Group. David L. Ragan was named Vice President of Export Trading. He will be responsible for coordinating the Grain Groupb�0;0;0;0;0;0;19;s export activities. He was previously Corn Product Line Manager for the Grain Group. Raymond E. Day was named Vice President of Domestic Trading. He will be responsible for overseeing the management of all domestic U.S. operations, with the exception of ADM Benson-Quinn, ADM Collingwood, and ADM Farmland assets. He was previously Senior Merchandising Manager of ADM Corn Sweeteners. ADM is based in Decatur, Ill.

Coffee Enterprises appointed Michael Page Vice President of Sales for the companyb�0;0;0;0;0;0;19;s Extract and Ingredients Division. He will be responsible for coffee extract sales throughout the U.S. He was previously with New England Coffee Co. Coffee Enterprises is based in Burlington, Vt.

Owens Country Sausage named Mike Townsley President and Chief Operating Officer in June, following the retirement of Vinson Kirchner. Townsley was previously Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Premium Standard Farms. Owens Country Sausage, based in Richardson, Tex., is celebrating its 75^th anniversary this year.

Spirax Sarco Inc. named Mark E.Vernon President and General Manager in June. He succeeds Tony Scrivin, who returned to parent company Spirax-Sarco Engineering in the United Kingdom as the Product Director for Controls and Meters. Vernon was previously with Valtek, Durko International, and Flowserve. Spirax Sarco Inc., based in Blythewood, S.C., specializes in control and efficient use of steam and other industrial fluids for a number of industries, including the food and beverage industry.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization selected Pamela Tom, Program Manager of NOAAb�0;0;0;0;0;0;19;s California Sea Grant Seafood Technology Program, to be one of its b�0;0;0;0;0;0;1C;gatekeepersb�0;0;0;0;0;0;1D; of FishPort (www.fishport.org), a new Web site on fish and seafood safety. FishPort is the corner-stone of the FAOb�0;0;0;0;0;0;19;s Aquatic Food Product Initiative and is designed to help make cutting-edge information on fisheries and seafood science equally accessible to developed and developing countries, in the hope of improving the quality and safety of seafood products

by SARA LANGEN
Assistant Editor