NEWS & ANALYSIS

INDUSTRY NEWS
Busta to lead food protection consortium
Frank Busta, Past President of IFT and Professor Emeritus in the University of Minnesota’s Dept. of Food Science and Nutrition, recently became the Director of the National Center for Food Protection and Defense.

The Center, based at the University of Minnesota, is one of three U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security Centers of Excellence. It is a national consortium of academic, private sector, and government partners dedicated to developing ways to protect the nation’s food supply from deliberate contamination or terrorist attack. More than 90 investigators make up the consortium. “The breadth and depth of food security knowledge we were able to pull together for this effort is unparalleled,” said Busta in a release.

The Center, along with the Dept. of Homeland Security and individuals and organizations in the private and public sectors, will work together to advance the safety of the food system by reducing the likelihood of an intentional attack, improving the nation’s ability to effectively respond, reducing the consequences of an intentional attack.

Fraser named director of FDA’s Office of Regulations and Policy
The Food and Drug Administration recently announced that its Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition has named Leslye M. Fraser Director of the Office of Regulations and Policy. She replaced L. Robert Lake, who retired in September.

Fraser will provide leadership for FDA’s food and cosmetic regulations, guidance documents, and policy development and will provide management oversight for international activities.

She previously served as CFSAN’s Associate Director for Regulations, Office of Regulations and Policy, since May 2001. Before joining FDA, she was Assistant General Counsel for Regulatory Issues at the Environmental Protection Agency.

Fraser received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her J.D. degree with honors from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law.

Flavor training program celebrates 25th anniversary
This year marks the 25th anniversary of David Michael & Co. Inc.’s Sales and Training Account Management Program (STAMP). Since 1979, STAMP has trained prospective sales professionals and provided them with hands-on experience in every aspect of the company, including quality assurance, flavor creation production, shipping and receiving, accounting, purchasing, and sales support. Additionally, the program gives participants one-on-one sales training and opportunities to work in the field with qualified account managers. The intensive training program takes about 12–18 months to complete, and participants must pass a final examination before actually going out into the field as members of the Account Management Team.

Erica Reiner, Assistant Vice President of Strategic Business Development, said that the main goal of STAMP is to train the participants to become account managers who have a complete understanding of flavors, the flavor industry, and trends in the flavors and overall food markets. She adds that the company recruits recent college graduates with a business, marketing, or food science background into the program.

David Michael is based in Philadelphia, Pa.

COMPANY NEWS
Adolph Coors Co., Golden, Colo., plans to add brewing capacity to its beer packaging plant in Elkton, Va. The facility, which does not have brewing capacity, will have the ability to brew 6–7 million barrels of beer a year. Coors plans to complete the construction by early 2007.

AmericanERP LLC, Beaverton, Ore., and Foodboss LLC, Modesto, Calif., have formed an alliance to provide Enterprise Resource Planning and HACCP services, as well as work process automations and product traceability to allow food manufacturers to comply with regulations and meet customer requests.

Buckton Scott Nutrition Inc., Fairfield, N.J., has been appointed as the U.S. distributor for Enzymotec’s lines of innovative health ingredients manufactured for the nutraceutical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical markets. Enzymotec is based in Israel.

Cargill Health & Food Technologies, Minneapolis, Minn., and Wuhan Alking Bioengineering Co. Ltd., Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, have entered into a joint venture agreement to market arachidonic acid. This essential fatty acid is an important ingredient used in infant formulas sold around the world. The joint venture is expected to begin operation by the end of 2004 or the beginning of 2005.

Cargill Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., has agreed to acquire a majority share of Seara Alimentos S.A., Itajai, Brazil. Seara Alimentos is one of Brazil’s major poultry and pork processors and operates nine plants in four Brazilian cities. Cargill has also opened a soybean processing plant in Rio Verde, Brazil. This is the company’s sixth soybean plant in the country. The new facility will produce degummed soybean oil and soybean meal for domestic and international markets. Cargill also recently began construction of two additional malt and sweeteners plants at its Efremov, Russia, facility.

Dean Foods Co., Dallas, Tex., has announced plans to consolidate its three branded businesses—White Wave, Horizon Organic, and Dean National Brand Group—in efforts to better serve its customers and increase profitability. The new operation will be headquartered in Boulder, Colo., and the consolidation is expected to be complete by late 2005.

InfinityQS^® International Inc., Manassas, Va., and FMC FoodTech, Chicago, Ill., have formed an agreement by which both companies will develop an OEM version of the InfinityQS statistical process control software for the food industry. The new product, LINK Process Analysis, will be available exclusively through FMC FoodTech.

Ingredients Solutions Inc., Searsport, Maine, recently opened its new and expanded administrative and R&D headquarters in Waldo, Maine. The facility will enhance the company’s customer service and expand its technical capabilities for the dairy, meat, bakery, dressings, sauces, beverages, and many other food and non-food markets.

International Flavors & Fragrances, New York, N.Y., recently completed the sale of its fruit preparations businesses in Switzerland and Germany to Frutarom Industries Ltd., Haifa, Israel. The Swiss and German businesses, which employ approximately 190 people, manufacture processed fruit and other natural product preparations used in a variety of food products, including baked goods and dairy products. IFF is in consultation with its French employee works council regarding the potential sale of the French fruit preparations business to Frutarom, as well as the potential closure of its manufacturing facilities in Dijon. The proposed closure of this facility results from IFF’s review of its organizational structure and processes to find ways to optimize production.

Interstate Bakeries Corp., Kansas City, Mo., in September filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy stating that it needed time to complete an operational and financial restructuring. It also announced plans to close its bakery in Buffalo, N.Y., in October, affecting approximately 200 employees. The facility primarily makes bread and rolls, sold under various brand names, including Wonder, Home Pride, and Beefsteak, as well as donuts sold under the Hostess brand name. Production will be transferred to other IBC bakeries. The closing will not affect distribution of IBC products to food stores in upstate New York and other markets.

SOCIETIES & ASSOCIATIONS
Morey named ASAE Fellow
R. Vance Morey, Professional Member of IFT, has been named a Fellow of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. He was honored for his dedication and advancement to the profession and for his outstanding contributions as a teacher, researcher, and administrator.

He is an international authority on postharvest handling and storage, grain quality, biomass utilization, and renewable energy. Some of his numerous contributions to the field include developing practical recommendations for the design and management of ambient air and combination high-temperature, ambient-air corn drying systems based on simulation models and field experiments, which are widely used today.

A dedicated teacher for more than 33 years, Morey has developed and taught courses and advised students in agricultural and food process engineering with an emphasis on grains, computations in biosystems engineering, and introduction to design. He is currently a professor of biosystems and agricultural engineering at the University of Minnesota.

NFPA’s Cady announces retirement
John R. Cady, President and CEO of the National Food Processors Association, recently announced his retirement from NFPA effective early 2005. He served as CEO since April 1989.

He will continue to serve as NFPA’s President and CEO during the selection process for his successor and until his retirement.

Lehman joins GMA as Director of Public Affairs
Patrick Lehman has joined the Grocery Manufacturers of America as Director of Federal Affairs. He will focus on issues of food safety, appropriations, security of the food supply, commodity programs, and other areas regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Lehman previously worked for Bayer CropScience, where he served as Manager of Government Relations and focused on agricultural biotechnology and crop protection issues. Early this year, he represented the company on the Young Manager’s Team of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

FMI names Roerink Director of Research
The Food Marketing Institute recently named Anne-Marie Roerink Director of Research.

Her responsibilities include developing, implementing, and directing FMI’s research strategy through various projects, programs, and studies. FMI’s research unit annually collects and analyzes industry data on consumer trends, food retail and wholesale operations, growth strategies, competition, store development, technology, and other important industry issues.

Media campaign showcases coffee’s health benefits
The National Coffee Association recently launched a nationwide public relations campaign—“Coffee Delivers”—aimed at promoting the health benefits of coffee and increasing its consumption. The first media campaign in the U.S. to align coffee and health in the minds of consumers, it will draw on scientific evidence to explain coffee’s health benefits. Topics covered are antioxidants, exercise stamina, mental alertness, and disease protection, none of which, according to NCA, has been adequately communicated to consumers. There has been a 50-year decline in coffee consumption—from 78% to 49%—in the U.S., and NCA hopes to reverse this trend by presenting sound scientific evidence to the public.

PEOPLE NEWS
John W. Finley recently joined A.M. Todd Co., Montgomeryville, Pa., as Chief Technical Officer. He will spearhead the company’s development of new mint and other naturally derived flavor and functional ingredients and new processes for integrating them into products manufactured by the company’s core customer base in the confections, chewing gum, oral care, and pharmaceuticals markets.

CentralStates Industrial, Springfield, Mo., has named Steve Cook Food Engineering Manager. His responsibilities include business development for the company’s food sector business and food process systems design and installation.

Health Strategy Consulting recently named Jennifer Waterman and Kathleen Tocke senior consultants.

Scholle Corp., Northlake, Ill., recently named Leon Gianneschi President of Global Container Div. He has been with the company for 10 years and has served in a variety of managerial positions.

Philadelphia Mixing Solutions, Palmyra, Pa., has appointed Wojciech Wyczalkowski to the position of Director of Technology and Engineering. He will be responsible for research and development of new technologies and overseeing the engineering functions for new product development.

Karri Neils has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Sargento Foods Inc., Plymouth, Wis.

Phillip Harvey has joined Life Force International as Chief Science Officer. He will oversee production of the company’s liquid whole food nutritional supplement product line, facilitate clinical and scientific research study initiatives, and lead the company’s Nutritional Advisory Council.

Velvet Ice Cream Co. Inc., Utica, Ohio, has hired Joanne L. Dager as Director of Foodservice and promoted Bob Bricking to Distribution Manager.

by KAREN BANASIAK
Assistant Editor
[email protected]