IFT WORLD

Hlavacek retires, Bowman joins IFT
Roy Hlavacek, IFT’s Vice President of Communications, retired at the end of September, and Jerry Bowman was named to succeed him as Vice President of Communications and Media Relations.

Hlavacek joined IFT in 2001 and has been a major force in leading IFT’s communications efforts. He worked closely with staff to develop and implement the IFT and Research Chefs Association collaboration, including the IFT/RCA Culinology demonstrations held at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo^SM; partnership with Blackwell Publishing to publish Journal of Food Science; IFT Weekly E-Newsletter; print and online versions of the Healthy Foods Directory; online versions of the Food Technology Buyers Guide and IFT Annual Services Directory; Nutraceuticals, Food, Medicine & Health, and Culinary Concepts columns; and IFT Web online sponsorships/advertising program. He also worked with the Food Technology staff on the redesign of the magazine.

Before joining IFT, Hlavacek served as Editor, Publisher, Group Publisher, and Vice President of various food publications at Putman Publishing Co., Delta Communications, and Cahners Publishing Co.

A member of IFT for more than 30 years, he has served as Chair of the IFT Chicago Section. Additionally, he has served on the University of Illinois Food Science Advisory Committee, as a judge in the Du Pont Awards Program, and as director of the Food Processing Machinery & Supplies Association.

Bowman brings more than 20 years of communications experience to IFT, where he will oversee general communications, publications, media relations, scientific–technical communications, Web communications, and new business development.

He comes to IFT from NSF International, Ann Arbor, Mich., an independent, not-for-profit organization that tests and certifies food, water, and dietary supplement products. As NSF’s Senior Director of Corporate Communications, he directed communications and marketing programs, including technical communications, public relations, consumer affairs, brand awareness, and social marketing.

Call for abstracts for 2008 IFT Annual Meeting
The Institute of Food Technologists announces its annual Call for Session Proposals and Abstracts. With more than 1,500 submissions each year, IFT strives to select the “best of the best” session proposals and paper abstracts.

The deadline for receipt of Session proposals (Symposia, Panels, Workshops, and Roundtables) is December 17, 2007, and the deadline for Abstracts for Technical Research Papers (Oral, Poster, Division Competitions, Graduate Student Research Paper Competition, and 2008 George F. Stewart International Research Paper Competition) is January 7, 2008. New Products & Technologies Abstracts are due by February 4, 2008 All submissions are due by 4 p.m. Central Time on the deadline date.

The George F. Stewart International Research Paper Competition is designed to recognize food science and technology research conducted in countries other than the United States. The competition is open only to research conducted outside the U.S. and submitted by a primary author who is not a U.S. citizen. The deadline is January 7, 2008.

Building on enhancements of years past, a theme was chosen, and sessions are once again encouraged to submit sound science content along with new and innovative learning formats for attendees. The theme for 2008 is Driving Growth and Sustainability Through Innovation, and it will focus on elements such as product development, ingredients, food safety, processing and packaging, and micro- and nanosciences. The theme program is just one element of the Annual Meeting; of equal importance are Division-specific sessions.

Sessions will be limited to 90 minutes in length to enable attendees to participate in one entire session if they choose and network with colleagues between sessions.

For details on submitting proposals and abstracts, more information, contact IFT’s Knowledge and Learning Experiences Dept. at 312-782-8424 or visit www.ift.org.

Call for Awards & Fellow nominations
The Institute of Food Technologists is seeking nominations for the 2008 IFT Achievement Awards and the 2008 IFT Fellows.

Achievement Awards recognize excellence in a variety of areas, including teaching, public health, lipid or flavor science, food ingredient safety, industrial developments, and others. Deadline for receipt of nominations is December 1, 2007.

IFT Fellow is a unique professional distinction conferred on individuals for contributions in food science and technology, leadership in the profession, and service to IFT. Deadline for receipt of nominations is February 1, 2008.

The Marcel Loncin Research Prize provides research funding for basic chemistry/physics/engineering research applied to food processing and improvement of food quality. It is given only in even-numbered years. Deadline for receipt of nominations is December 1, 2007.

For instructions and nomination forms, click on “Awards” at www.ift.org or contact Liz Seidlitz at 312-782-8424 or [email protected].

Conference focuses on product development
The inaugural “Food Technology Presents” conference, “Developing and Marketing Products for Consumer Health & Wellness,” will provide professionals involved at one or more points in the product development cycle with practical, actionable learning on food science, applied technology, market dynamics, and emerging consumer trends.

Consumers are becoming increasingly more selective about the food they consume, and the market for health and wellness products continues to experience unprecedented growth. Conference attendees will learn how to address this by not only identifying leading consumer drivers but also delivering foods that promote new levels of health, conform to stringent food safety requirements, and meet compressed time-to-market deadlines.

The conference will be held on February 27–28, 2008, in Chicago, Ill. For more information, visit www.ift.org/ftpc.

Call for scholarships
IFT encourages and supports the study of food science and technology by offering more than 100 undergraduate scholarships and more than 30 graduate scholarships that total almost $200,000 a year. Sponsored by companies in the food industry, organizations, IFT Divisions, IFT Sections, and the IFT Foundation, the awards help young scientists receive the education and training necessary to fill positions in industry, government, and academia.

Applications must be turned in to the student’s department head by February 1, 2008 (graduate, senior, and junior students), February 15, 2008 (freshman students), and March 1, 2008 (sophomore students).

Applications and instructions for the 2008–09 academic year can be obtained at www.ift.org under “Education.” For more information, contact Elizabeth J. Plummer, Manager of Foundation Development, at 312-782-8424 or [email protected].

Food Summit to deliver new applications
Join experts from the food industry as they discuss the issues facing the global food industry at the 2007 IFT–CIFST Food Summit, “Better Living Through Food Science, Food Safety, and Food Standards,” in Hangshou, Zhejiang Province, China, on November 11–13, 2007. Presented by the Institute of Food Technologists and the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology, the summit will deliver new approaches and applications for tackling some of today’s most pressing food industry issues, including traceability; technical, ethical, and business issues of food safety errors; food safety harmonization opportunities for the United States and China; and practical issues of sanitization at factories. For more information, visit www.foodsummit.cn or contact Amanda Perl at [email protected].

IFT to host Webcasts
IFT’s Knowledge & Learning Center will host two educational Webcasts covering important issues for today’s food industry professionals.

“Product Traceability—How Far is Enough in Today’s Marketplace?” on October 25, 2007, will provide participants with information about the balance of costs of a traceability system vs its benefits; the perceived need to increase product traceability to protect the food supply; and the ways in which a business can implement a successful traceability program based on current rulings.

“The Organics Debate: Is the Premium Worth It?” on November 29, 2007, will present information about whether organics can meet consumer demand without compromising standards; the scientific facts relative to whether or not conventionally produced product consumption is harmful; and how consumers’ perception of organics will drive future trends in product development.

Both Webcasts will be held from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Central Time. If you missed a previously held Webcast, you can purchase the recording and watch it at your convenience. For more information and to register, visit www.ift.org/knowledge.

List wins USB award
The United Soybean Board recently presented the USB Outstanding Achievement Award to Gary List for contributions to the soybean industry over the past several decades.

List, a Professional Member of IFT and a lead scientist with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, has conducted cutting-edge compositional research in support of the soybean industry and is a pioneer in the research of the removal of trans fatty acids from soybean oil, which is now helping the industry meet the market’s growing demands for these oils.

In the early 1990s, his research team began work aimed at bringing structurally modified oilseeds to commercialization, including low-linolenic soybean oil and the high-saturate lines. The low-linolenic oils are in commercial production, and the high-stearic lines are expected to be available by 2010.

This award is the highest recognition bestowed by the United Soybean Board.

Civille named ASTM Fellow
Gail Vance Civille, founder and President of Sensory Spectrum Inc., New Providence, N.J., received the ASTM International Award of Merit and title of Fellow, the highest recognition for individual contributions to standards activities.

The ASTM Committee E18 on Sensory Evaluation cited Civille for her contributions to and leadership of the committee, including long-range planning, symposium development, and expanding E18’s scope.

Civille, a Professional Member of IFT, has pioneered advanced sensory evaluation approaches to industry, academia, and government. An expert in the evaluation of sensory properties, she has worked on thousands of food and non-food consumer products, using both consumer and descriptive techniques.