IFT WORLD

IFT will present on July 31 its Food Technology Panel at this year’s IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo^SM. Moderated by A. Elizabeth Sloan, Food Technology’s Consumer Trends Contributing Editor, four of the world’s leading trend/product tracking experts and regulatory experts will discuss future directions and provide insights into food and beverage opportunities and regulatory issues facing the food industry in North America and abroad.

With health and wellness now the number-one driver of the global food industry, Barbara Katz, President, HealthFocus, will kick off the session with HealthFocus’s 2007 survey highlights about how consumers’ health, nutrition, and wellness attitudes, behaviors, and concerns are changing. She will provide insights into marketing to people in different generational groups, prioritize key issues, and identify emerging opportunities.

Many trends and new creative food and beverage concepts originate overseas, and LuAnn Williams, Senior Analyst, Innova Market Insights, will identify the hype behind these as well as give information about which trends and product categories have staying power.

Joe Pawlak, Vice President, Technomic Inc., will focus on the macro trends underlying away-from-home food choices and concerns, up-and-coming industry issues, and future directions for the restaurant and foodservice industries.

Peter Barton Hutt, former Chief Counsel of the Food and Drug Administration, partner in Covington & Burling, and Adjunct Food and Drug Professor at Harvard University, will provide his expert insights into where food and drug regulations and issues are trending in the U.S. and abroad.

For more information, visit www.ift.org/amfe.

IFT hosts omega-3 Webcast
IFT’s Knowledge & Learning Center will host an educational Webcast, "Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Aging Management: Beyond Fish Oil," on April 19.

The Webcast will discuss the use of omega-3 fatty acid–enhanced foods and beverages and their relationship to lowering blood pressure, fighting depression, improving bone health, and improving other conditions associated with aging. Participants will gain a better understanding of the health benefits of a diet that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, learn the science behind the claims, and be introduced to available ingredients and products.

The Webcast will be held on April 19, 2007, from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Central Time.

In the coming months, the Knowledge & Learning Center is planning to offer to new Webcasts: "Botanicals in Energy Fueling Foods" and "The Quest to Define Gluten Free."

For more information about these sessions and to register, visit www.ift.org/knowledge.

Surak wins Macy Award
John Surak, Professor Emeritus, Clemson University, recently won the IFT Minnesota Section’s 2007 Harold Macy Food Science and Technology Award.

An internationally recognized expert on quality, Surak has focused his research efforts on solving critical problems for the food processing industry. He has developed collaborations between the food processing industry, academia, and government, developed internationally recognized education programs in the area of food quality; organized quality management and food safety management programs; shared his expertise with the Food and Drug Administration and others to develop food safety policies; and assisted various government agencies in developing and implementing various quality systems.

Surak is a Professional Member of IFT.

Established by the Minnesota Section in 1981, the award honors Harold Macy, former Dean Emeritus of the University of Minnesota and a Founding Member of IFT. Its purpose is to advance the profession and practice of food technology.

For more information about the Macy Award, visit www.mnift.org/macy.html.

Brody presents packaging lecture
Michigan State University’s School of Packaging is hosting the Aaron Brody Annual Distinguished Lecture Program on April 24, 2007.

Aaron Brody, Food Technology’s Packaging Contributing Editor and IFT Fellow and Professional Member, will present the inaugural lecture, "Food Packaging from Containment to Intelligent Response and Beyond."

The program is made possible in part through support from the Aaron L. and Carolyn Brody Fund. The fund was endowed to advance continuing food packaging research and education in the MSU School of Packaging.

For more information, call 517-355-9580 or visit www.packaging.msu.edu.

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Section & Division meetings
Visit www.ift.org to view the Events Calendar, including listings for Section and Division meetings, and for information on how to list your event.