IFT WORLD
The National Center for Food Safety and Technology, Illinois Institute of Technology, Summit, Ill., honored Katherine M.J. Swanson with its 2008 NCFST Food Safety Award.
Swanson, Vice President of Food Safety, Ecolab, received the award in recognition of her 25-year career as a leading food microbiologist and food protection advocate whose work has brought together stakeholder groups in a variety of efforts to make foods safer.
As Assistant Professor of Microbiology at Cornell University, her research on heat-resistant yeast, molds, and bacteria led to a position as Senior Microbiologist with 3M Co., where she developed applications for the dry film microbiological medium Petrifilm and optimized ATP-bioluminescence monitoring methods. She then worked for Pillsbury Co., where she held a variety of positions, including Director of Microbiology & Food Safety, and General Mills, where she led microbiology, thermal processing, toxicology, and product premium quality and safety programs worldwide. She currently leads Ecolab’s global food safety efforts, providing technical support and consultation to customers worldwide on food safety issues and regulatory activities.
Swanson was elected a Fellow of IFT in 2002 and is a Professional Member of IFT.
Huang joins Target Flavors
David P. Huang recently joined Target Flavors Inc., Brookfield, Conn., as Director, Technology & Market Development. His extensive product development experience will expand the company’s ongoing commitment to developing new products and technologies for its customer base. Huang is a Professional Member of IFT.
David Michael announces promotions
David Michael & Co., Philadelphia, Pa., has promoted two employees to work within its renamed Sensory & Flavor Insights Department.
Erica Byerly has been named Sensory & Flavor Insights Manager. Her sensory evaluation background includes R&D, new product development support, and existing product improvement initiatives.
Byerly, a Member of IFT, received her B.S. degree in food science and nutrition from the University of Missouri and her M.S. degree in Experimental Psychology from Villanova University.
Rachel Czapla has joined the department as Sensory & Flavor Insights Analyst. She worked as a vanilla technician for the past five years. She holds a B.A. degree in psychology with a minor in biology. She is a Member of IFT.
Battles to develop flavors at Fona
Fona International Inc., Geneva, Ill., has hired Melissa Battles as Senior Applications Technologist, Grain Business Unit. She will develop flavors and other products.
Battles, a Member of IFT, has more than six years of experience in the baking area, including development of new concepts, product testing, and training.
She earned her B.S. degree in food science and human nutrition from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
Silliker hires Raengpradub
Sarita Raengpradub recently joined Silliker Inc., Homewood, Ill., where she will work as a research scientist.
A graduate of Cornell University, Raengpradub served as a doctoral research assistant under preeminent food microbiologists Kathryn Boor and Martin Weidmann. Her major responsibilities at Silliker include microbial source-tracking research and program development.
She is a Member of IFT.
Singh chosen for Haines Award
The California Dairy Research Foundation presented Harjinder Singh with the William C. Haines Dairy Science Award in recognition of his contributions to the field of dairy science.
Singh, a Professional Member of IFT, holds an endowed Chair in Dairy Science at Massey University in New Zealand and is Director of the Riddet Institute, which was recently established as a National Centre of Research Excellence in Food Innovation. His research program focuses on generating fundamental knowledge on structures, interactions, and functions of dairy components such as milk proteins and the effects of different environments and novel processing technologies. His recent work explores the use of milk proteins and phospholipids in designing nano-encapsulation and delivery systems for bioactive compounds.
Established in 2004, the award was created to recognize individuals who, through their accomplishments in research and development in the field of chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, technology, nutrition, or engineering, have made a significant contribution to dairy science and the betterment of the dairy industry and consumers of dairy products. It is named for William C. Haines, former Vice President of Product Innovation for Dairy Management Inc. and an Emeritus Member of IFT.
NC State student earns scholarship
Marjorie Griffiths has won the Paul Girton Food Engineering Scholarship from the Food Processing Suppliers Association Foundation.
Griffiths, a sophomore studying food science at North Carolina State University, has interned with Unilever, where she researched the rheological behavior of pasta and sauce to obtain an organoleptically acceptable product. She is a Student Member of IFT.
The scholarship is worth $2,500.
FPSA Foundation’s Food Engineering Scholarship Program was established in 1983 as a memorial to food industry leaders Paul K. Girton and Gordon A. Houran. During their careers, both men made substantial contributions to developments and applications in the food processing industry.
MGP adds Finfrock to sales team
Mike Finfrock joined MGP Ingredients Inc., Atchison, Kan., as Textured Protein Sales Representative. He will be responsible for selling the company’s Wheatex® line of textured wheat proteins.
Finfrock, a Member of IFT, most recently served as owner/development consultant of Mosus Technologies LLC, where he focused on product development and concept generation; product and process optimization; and ingredient optimization and cost reduction.
Singh elected to NAE
The National Academy of Engineering has elected R. Paul Singh, Distinguished Professor of Food Engineering, University of California, Davis, as a member. This is one of the highest professional distinctions for engineers.
A member of the university’s faculty since 1975, Singh has a distinguished portfolio of research discoveries in areas such as energy conservation, post-harvest technology, freezing preservation, and mass transfer in food processing. He holds a joint appointment in the departments of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Food Science and Technology. He is currently working on the design and development of food processing equipment for NASA’a manned mission to Mars.
Singh is the ninth current or retired faculty from the university to be elected to the National Academy of Engineering, which is one of four organizations that make up the National Academies, established by Congress to advise the nation on a wide range of scientific issues.
Singh was elected a Fellow of IFT in 2000 and is a Professional Member of IFT.
In Memoriam
Joseph Anthony Ames, a master chef and food technologist, founded and served as President of Ames Co. Inc. for the last 10 years of his 60-year career. He also developed a meat enhancer called Fab that he believed could allow everyday people to enjoy good-tasting meat.
Donald L. Downing worked at Cornell University for more than 40 years, most recently as Professor Emeritus of food processing. In 1988, he created the New York State Food Venture Center in response to a growing need in the state’s food industry. His knowledge of federal and state food laws was inexhaustible, and he excelled in making obtuse regulations easy to understand. He was elected a Fellow of IFT in 1983.
Joyce "Joy" Engels received a patent in food processing while working for Corn Products International Inc. After graduating from the College of Notre Dame and then raising her children, she returned to school, earning a B.S. degree in chemistry from Illinois Institute of Technology and a M.S. degree in food science from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
Robert Francis (Bob) Pudden was an associate professor of grain science and engineering at Kansas State University. During his career, he taught vocational agriculture to farmers and worked for Hunter Milling Co. and Garvey Grain Laboratories. He earned a B.S. degree in cereal science and agriculture from Oklahoma State University.
Frances O. Van Duyne focused her research on the effects of home processing practices on the nutritional, microbiological, and sensory qualities of food. She began working at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in 1940, and was promoted to professor in 1953. She initiated the development of the Ph.D. program in foods and nutrition, which the university approved in 1956.
Theodore Wishnetsky was retired from Michigan State University, where he served as Associate Professor of Food Science. He received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his graduate degree from the University of Massachusetts. Before joining the faculty at Michigan State University, he worked for Eastman Kodak and Air Products.
If you would like to make a memorial gift in honor of someone special, please contact the development staff at IFT Foundation at 312-782-8424, or visit IFT Foundation at www.ift.org/foundation.