NEWS & ANALYSIS
INDUSTRY NEWS
ADM opens culinary center
Archer Daniels Midland Co. opened a new Culinary Center at the company’s James R. Randall Research Center in Decatur, Ill., in April.
At the facility, chefs, food technologists, nutritionists, and sensory analysts will combine their expertise to help bring customers new product ideas that combine the latest food ingredient developments. The facility also houses a sensory panel and specialists to investigate the interactions between ingredient function, flavor, and texture, and applications such as bakery, extrusion, dairy, beverage, meats, frying, chocolate and confections, and emulsification can be performed.
For culinary applications and development, ADM has installed the latest equipment to simulate restaurant and consumer use. The culinary section of the center is open to ADM customers for joint development work. The center features nearly 1,000 food ingredients, including exclusive ADM innovations and a fully stocked spice and flavor library.
Vermont requires labels for GM seeds
Vermont Governor James Douglas on April 26 signed a law requiring seed growers to label seeds that are genetically modified or engineered. The law, which takes effect October 1, also stipulates that the growers must report the sales of these seeds in the state to the state’s secretary of agriculture.
Vermont is the first state to require the labeling of GM seeds. After years of lobbying by advocacy and environmental groups for a moratorium on the sale of GM seeds, lawmakers passed the labeling requirement bill, which has been viewed as a compromise. While some environmentalists question the safety of GM foods, some involved in the food industry told lawmakers at a hearing early this year that they have implemented ways to reduce cross-pollination between GM and non-GM crops and that they routinely test GM products before they are made available to consumers.
NSF announces Leadership Award winners
NSF International, Ann Arbor, Mich., in May announced the four winners of its first Food Safety Leadership Awards, which recognize significant achievements in foodservice safety that helps protect the public from foodborne illness.
John Farquharson, Founding President, International Food Safety Council of the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions in the area of service in food safety education. John Silliker, Founder and Senior Consultant, Silliker Inc., was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his research in the area of foodservice safety. Jack in the Box Inc., represented by David Theno, Senior Vice President of Quality and Logistics, was recognized for accomplishments in systems improvement for developing and implementing the industry’s first HACCP-based food safety system. AgION Technologies Inc., represented by J. Ladd Greeno, President and CEO, won the Food Safety Leadership Award in the category of technology breakthrough for its antimicrobial agents that can be integrated into food packaging and processing systems, water filtration and delivery systems, food preparation surfaces, and beverage-dispensing equipment.
Number of diabetics expected to grow
Approximately 366 million people, or 4.4% of the world’s population, will be diabetic by 2030, according to a report in the May issue of Diabetes Care. This figure is an increase from 171 million, or 2.8% of the population, in 2000. The authors of the article, “Global Prevalence of Diabetes: Estimates for the Year 2000 and Projections for 2030,” say that population changes, including the growing number of people over the age of 65, have contributed to the increase.
Separate from the report, the federal government on April 28 released figures estimating that 41 million Americans have pre-diabetes, a condition in which blood sugar is high enough that it increases a person’s risk of developing diabetes. Approximately 18 million Americans have diabetes, a disease that can lead to blindness, kidney failure, amputations, and heart disease. Doctors say that a proper diet and exercise can help delay or prevent the onset of diabetes in those who have pre-diabetes.
Database helps predict bacteria behavior
Scientists with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service and the United Kingdom’s Institute of Food Research have developed an online database of microbiological information to help describe how microorganisms react to different environmental stimuli in food.
ComBase, designed to aid scientists studying predictive microbiology or those working in risk assessment, contains data describing the growth, survival, and inactivation of bacteria under various environments that are important to the fields of food science and processing. Scientists enter information about the microorganism and the temperature, acidity, pH, and available water within the food to obtain data on the likely behavior of the microorganism.
ComBase contains about 25,000 growth and survival data set records. To access the database, visit http://wyndmoor.arserrc.gov/combase/.
COMPANY NEWS
Ball Corp., Broomfield, Colo., recently acquired Ball Western Can Co. LLC, which owns and operates a metal food container plant. Ball Western Can was established in 2000 as a joint venture between Ball and ConAgra Grocery Products Co. International, Irvine, Calif. Ball Corp. and Conagra Foods Inc., Omaha, Neb., have signed a long-term agreement under which Ball will provide metal food packaging to ConAgra Foods manufacturing locations in California.
Cargill Soy Protein Solutions recently named E.T. Horn Co., La Mirada, Calif., as its new distributor of its line of soy protein products throughout the western United States. E.T. Horn is a leading distributor and supplier of food ingredients and chemicals. Cargill Soy Protein Solutions is part of Cargill Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.
Cognis Corp., Cincinnati, Ohio, and The Seed Co., Lynnville, Iowa, have signed an agreement to provide the Quality Trait Analysis ™ (QTA) service to The Seed Co.’s soybean-cleaning facility. Using QTA, The Seed Co. will offer rapid analysis to identify value added traits, such as protein, oil, starch, moisture, sugar, and fiber in soybeans and corn.
Corn Products International Inc., Westchester, Ill., and GTC Nutrition LLC, Golden, Colo., have formed a strategic alliance in which Corn Products will acquire a majority ownership stake in GTC and construct a production channel to produce GTC’s short-chain fructooligosaccharides in Ontario, Canada. GTC will continue to market its line of specialty ingredients for the food, nutraceutical, and animal feed industries in North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand.
To help meet the needs of customers in the Chinese market, Degussa A.G. recently opened its new Research and Development Center in Shanghai, China. The company plans to develop products that appeal to the local market and help familiarize potential customers with these products. The center houses laboratories and facilities for marketing, engineering, and technical services. Degussa is based in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Fuji Chemical Industry Co. Ltd. has formed a new U.S.–based subsidiary, FCI Health Science Inc., in Mount Laurel, N.J. The company will market Fuji’s ingredients to the nutritional, personal care, and pharmaceutical industries.
Construction of the $20-million-expansion of Givaudan SA’s Research and Development facility is complete. Located in Woodlands, Singapore, the facility also houses a center dedicated to the development and testing of flavors associated with Asian cuisine.
Kraft Foods Inc., Northfield, Ill., and Tazo Tea Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Starbucks Corp., Seattle, Wash., have formed a licensing agreement to distribute Tazo® products in grocery stores nationwide. Under the agreement, Tazo will create, source, and blend specialty tea products, and Kraft will market, sell, and distribute the products to grocery customers. Tazo tea products are currently available in natural food stores and a limited number of grocery stores.
MGP Ingredients Inc., Atchison, Kans., and Penford Corp., Englewood, Colo., recently formed a marketing and production agreement. MGPI will market a new potato-based resistant starch for increasing fiber and reducing carbohydrate levels in food products, and Penford will produce the ingredient using patented processes exclusively licensed to MGPI.
In response to consumer and market trends that reflect the growing demand for shelf-stable foods and drinks that deliver energy and nutrition, Sigma-tau Group has formed Sigma-tau HealthScience Inc., Food and Beverage Ingredients Div. The division will develop and test market nutritious foods and drinks and continue to produce and supply L-carnitine. The company will relocate its global divisional management from Italy to its U.S. operation located in Gaithersburg, Md.
Tyson Foods Inc., Springdale, Ark., plans to construct a 184,000-sq-ft research and development and training facility near its corporate headquarters. Construction of the building is expected to be completed in late 2005.
A federal judge recently reversed the February 2004 jury verdict in a lawsuit against Tyson Fresh Meats, ruling that the company did not violate the law. The original lawsuit brought against IBP (now known as Tyson Fresh Meats) in 1996 by a small group of cattle producers alleged that the company’s cattle buying practices allowed it to “manipulate and control cattle prices.” Judge Lyle Strom ruled that the company did not violate the Packers and Stockyards Act by entering into marketing agreements with independent cattle producers and ruled that the plaintiffs failed to present evidence that Tyson’s actions caused them to suffer damages.
Valley Research Inc. recently moved into a new corporate headquarters in South Bend, Ind. The new facility consolidates the corporate headquarters and U.S. operations under one roof. The Food and Drug Administration–registered facility meets international requirements for product quality, safety, and security.
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., Chicago, Ill., recently closed its acquisition of several confectionery businesses from Spanish food conglomerate Agrolimen’s Joyco Group. These include Joyco’s operations in China, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, and India, and its chewing gum and bubble gum base business, Cafosa. Wrigley has also acquired several brands from Joyco, including Boomer® bubble gum, Pim Pom® lollipops, and Solano® candy.
PEOPLE NEWS
Barbara’s Bakery, Petaluma, Calif., recently appointed Ken Green to Director of Sales. A 20-year veteran of the food business, Green has worked in a variety of sales positions. He will be responsible for Barbara’s retail grocery sales functions in the United States.
Denny Post recently joined Burger King Corp. as Chief Concept Officer. Her responsibilities include building the Burger King brand and developing and marketing new, innovative, and relevant products that support the company’s strategic initiatives. Burger King is based in Miami, Fla.
Campbell Soup Co., Camden, N.J., has appointed Gerald S. Lord to Vice President of Finance and Strategy for Campbell North America, a new division created in February. Anthony P. DiSilvestro will replace Lord as Vice President and Controller.
Chr. Hansen Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., recently promoted Tim Harried to Product Manager of Cheese Ingredients for the company’s dairy business and Jim Funk to Director of Sales of Sweeteners for the company’s food and beverage business. The company has hired Luc Monbourquette as Territory Manager for the food and beverage, meat and prepared foods, and human health and nutrition business areas and Marcel Veilleux as Territory Manager for the animal health and nutrition business area
Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, Ga., in May named E. Neville Isdell Chairman and Chief Executive Officer to succeed Doug Daft. Isdell joined the company in 1966 but left in 1998 to serve as Chairman of Coca-Cola Beverages. In 2000, after a merger with Hellenic Bottling Co. to form Coca-Cola HBC, he became its Chief Executive Officer. He left the company in 2001.
Don Knauss has been named President of Coca-Cola North America SBU, a division of Coca-Cola Co. He began working for the company in 1994, holding a number of different executive positions.
Corn Products International Inc., Westchester, Ill., has named Jack C.Fortnum President of the company’s North American division. Fortnum, who has worked for Corn Products since 1984, succeeds Eugene J. Northacker, who retired in May.
Danisco A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark, recently appointed Torben Svejgaard as Chief Operating Officer and Tjerk de Ruiter as Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing. After handing over his responsibilities within these areas to Svejgaard and Ruiter, Robert H. Mayer, who plans to retire in 2005, will be in charge of the integration of the newly acquired Rhodia SA food ingredients activities and continue to lead Danisco Flavors and Danisco Specialties divisions.
Flavors of North America, Carol Stream, Ill., has hired Lesley Nicholson as Senior Account Manager. She brings more than 20 years of experience in the food ingredient, specialty chemical, and pharmaceutical industries to the company. Nicholson will serve FONA’s Midwest customers.
Kikkoman Corp. will promote board director Takashi Ushiku to President. He will replace Yuzaburo Mogi, who will become Chairman. The company will finalize the appointments in late June.
The board of directors of McDonald’s Corp., Oak Brook, Ill., has elected Charlie Bell as President and CEO. He replaces Jim Cantalupo, who died in April. The board also elected Andrew J. McKenna, the board’s presiding director, as non-executive Chairman of the Board
Toni Belcher has joined MarketFare Foods Inc., Phoenix, Ariz., as Director of Marketing. She will be responsible for all advertising and marketing-related functions for the company. She began her career in consumer marketing and has worked for food, apparel, and household supply companies.
National Starch and Chemical Co., Bridgewater, N.J., has named Michael Klacik Senior Director of Nutrition and Bioscience. He will be responsible for aligning the company’s global Carbohydrate Nutrition business, which markets resistant starch, with the Plant Sciences Group, which produces non-genetically modified hybrid corn. He previously held management and marketing positions with several food companies.
Neilsen-Massey Vanillas Inc., Waukegan, Ill., recently promoted Craig Nielsen to Chief Executive Officer and Matthew Nielsen to Chief Operations officer. During the past two years, they have been responsible for the daily operations of the family-owned company. Camilla Nielsen will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board.
Nutra-Park Inc., Middleton, Wis., has named James E. Lappin Director of Marketing and Business Development, Rene Amundson Data Manager and Field Research Coordinator, and Joel Canestrino Field Research Coordinator.
Kevin Tisdale has joined Pacific Foods of Oregon, Tualatin, Ore., as Director of Marketing. He previously worked for Alberto-Culver, Chicago, Ill., and GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, Pittsburgh, Pa.
James Margiotta has been promoted to President of PBI-Dansensor America Inc., Glen Rock, N.J. He previously held the position of Vice President for the instrument and equipment supplier.
Packaging equipment provider R.A. Jones & Co. Inc. hired Gordon B. Bonfield as President and CEO. He replaces Ralph J.Olson, who will remain Chairman of Board. Jones is based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Jane Passamani recently joined rondelé Specialty Foods, Merrill, Wis., as Midwest Area Manager. A 17-year-veteran in the food industry, Passamani recently held management positions at Bongrain Cheese, New Holland, Pa., and Premier Meat Brokerage in Indiana.
Sargento Foods Inc., Plymouth, Wis., has promoted Janet R. Raddatz to Vice President of Quality Systems and Kristi Jankowski to Vice President of Research and Development. Raddatz joined Sargento in 1989 as Supplier Relations Manager and has more than 25 years of experience. Prior to her promotion, Jankowski served as Group Director of Research and Development. The company promoted Bryan Birling to Account Sales Manager of Alternate Channels for the Consumer Products Div. and hired Marty Rowe to the Wal-Mart sales team. Birling will manage the development and execution for all sales strategies, and Rowe will build on the Sargento–Wal-Mart relationship by helping to realize both companies’ sales goals.
Seltzer Nutritional Technologies has promoted Chris Kitzmiller to Buyer. For more than two years, Kitzmiller has worked to secure ingredients on a timely basis for Seltzer customers. Seltzer is based in Carlsbad, Calif.
SOCIETIES & ASSOCIATIONS
NFPA names security director
The National Food Processors Association has named Rod Wheeler Director of Security Programs. He will oversee NFPA’s security activities, which include food security and other issues related to personnel, property, and product security. Previously, he was Manager of Corporate Security and Safety at Boston Market and Fraud Investigator for the Attorney General for the State of Ohio.
RCA announces 2004 award winners
The Research Chefs Association recently honored several individuals and companies for their contributions to Culinology™, the blending of culinary arts and food science.
Jacques Pépin, chef and author, received the Lifetime Achievement Award; Shirley Corriher, food writer and syndicated columnist, won the Gary Holleman Award; Robert E. Rich, senior founder and chairman of the board of Rich’s, received the Pioneer Award; Ariake USA won the Culinology Innovation Award for Functional Ingredient Innovation; Hershey’s® Swoops won the Culinology Innovation Award for Retail Innovation; Sweet Street Dessert’s Chocolate Pyramid Anglaise won the Culinology Innovation Award for Foodservice Innovation; and Aramark Roletto’s won the RCA Menu Innovation Award.
IAFoST elects Bourne as president
The International Academy of Food Science & Technology has elected Malcolm Bourne as President. An Emeritus Member of IFT, he is an emeritus professor of food science at Cornell University. He will serve as IAFoST President until the next World Food Congress held in 2006.
RCA announces elections and appointments
The following individuals were recently elected to the Research Chefs Association Board of Directors: Michele Block, Darifair Foods Inc.; Dolf De Rovira, Flavor Dynamics Inc.; Lori Daniel, Two Chefs on a Roll; Bill “Pops” Hahne, Chef-on-the-Side Consulting; Denise Triunfol, McCormick & Co., Inc.
Additionally, the following individuals were named as members of the executive committee: President, Steve Schimoler, Sysco Corp.; Vice President, John D. Folse, John Folse and Co.; Treasurer, Stephen Kalil, Chili’s Culinary and Brinker International; and Secretary, Michele Block.
WFF presents leadership awards
The Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF), an organization dedicated to developing leadership talent and career advancement for executive women in the foodservice industry, recently presented Sharon Miller with its 2004 Emerging Leader Award and Brenda Gaines with its 2004 Trailblazer Award.
Miller serves as Director of Sales–Canada for Lamb Weston. A 15-year veteran in the foodservice industry, she also played a role in expanding WFF to Canada and conducting the first Regional Connect conference in Canada, which was attended by more than 80 professional women in the foodservice industry.
As President and CEO of Diners Club North America, Gaines has implemented a diversity recruiting program and launched two mentoring programs at her company. She also actively participates in WFF’s various mentoring programs and is involved with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Board of Trustees.
Horton wins ADPI Award of Merit
The American Dairy Products Institute recently presented Bernard S. Horton with its 2004 Award of Merit for his contributions to the dairy industry.
Horton’s 36-year professional career began in the aerospace industry. At Abcor Inc., he helped to develop and build the world’s first whey protein concentrate plant in New Zealand and the first tandem whey ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis plant for Crowley Foods, a continuous whey protein concentrate plant in France, and several milk UF plants, including the first commercial UF yogurt plant. He served as Vice President and General Manager of Abcor’s Membrane Equipment Group.
His company, Horton International, focuses on the advanced separation and conversion processes for whey and milk, markets for new dairy products, and price forecasting of dairy products. A Professional Member of IFT, Horton is also a member of ADPI and co-chair of the 2005 International Whey Conference. He has published more than 50 publications on membrane processes, the utilization of whey, and whey processing.
by KAREN BANASIAK
Assistant Editor
[email protected]