IFT WORLD

IFT, CIFST partner for Chinese summit
IFT and the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST) once again partnered for the IFT-CIFST Food Summit in China on Nov. 11–13, 2009. This year’s event was the fifth joint summit. The event content focused primarily on food safety and also included sessions on nutraceuticals, functional foods, and GRAS.

IFT extends special thanks to Herbert Stone and Margaret Lawson for helping plan the event this year and to the speakers and moderators: Steve Hather, Director, RQA Asia Pacific Pty Ltd.; Christopher Hickey, Country Director, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, People’s Republic of China; Guy Johnson, Johnson Nutrition Solutions; Charles Manley, Charles Manley LLC; Sheri Schellhaass, Vice President, General Mills; and Marianne Gillette, Vice President of Technical Competencies and Platforms, McCormick & Co Inc.

During the event, IFT and CIFST also debuted the second issue of Global Food Industry magazine, a joint publication that is published in simple Mandarin and features exclusive content as well as articles from Food Technology magazine.

Food Technology will feature a more comprehensive recap of this event and IFT’s partnership with CIFST in the January 2010 issue.

Education that’s a click away
As a public health issue, food safety continues to grow in importance. From the development stage to the final product, food manufacturers must be  knowledgeable about quality assurance systems such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) to prevent product contamination.

The online course, “Incorporating Food Safety in Product Development,” will help you to learn more about the incorporation of food safety throughout the entire product development process. You’ll learn about key issues and considerations involved with HACCP quality management systems and other programs.

In addition to key lessons learned from product development case studies, course faculty Ruth L. Petran of Ecolab Inc., James S. Dickson of Iowa State University, Anne Sherod of The Schwan Food Co., and Michelle Barry of The Hartman Group will cover current food safety regulations, food safety risks, and how to incorporate food safety within product development activities to include HACCP.

IFT’s online education presents a cost-effective way to get the most from your training dollars and offers learning that fits into your schedule. A variety of topics for courses and Webcasts are covered. For more information, visit www.ift.org/knowledge.

Khalil aids Iraqi food processor
IFT members often engage in activities that take them away from their normal day-to-day routines to lend their expertise to those in need. Hany Khalil, a professor of food science at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, Calif., is one such person.

Khalil spent part of this summer working with a food company in Balad, Iraq (about 40 miles north of Baghdad), to help improve post-harvest processing capabilities. The project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to revitalize the Balad Canning Factory, the second-largest canning factory in Iraq.

Iraq, like other developing countries, lacks expertise in post-harvest processing needed to develop the agribusiness sector. Balad is a fertile region in Iraq, located between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, and is known for its tomato crops. But the farmers in the region often do not harvest their crops because of depressed prices due to abundant supply in season and lack of a market capable of utilizing the tomatoes. So the Balad Canning Factory wants to focus on tomato processing as a way to develop a market for the farmers and create jobs in the community.

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“Although Iraq is not a secure country in which to work, I believe that sometimes one has to step outside one’s comfort zone in order to make a difference,” said Khalil, a Professional Member of IFT. “Unless we help rebuild the economy in Iraq, security for U.S. and Iraqi citizens will remain elusive.”

WFFC names Ferrara honoree
The Women in Flavor and Fragrance Commerce (WFFC) named Joanne Ferrara the 2009 WFFC honoree.

Ferrara, Senior Director of Research and Development at Gilroy Foods and Flavors and a Professional Member of IFT, earned the honor for her contributions, leadership skills, and public image within the flavor and food industry. She works out of Gilroy’s Cranbury, N.J., facility, where she directs the development of seasoning blends and flavors used internally to manufacture ConAgra Foods products and externally to make customers’ products.

This is not the first accolade for Ferrara. Earlier this year, she was elected to lead the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association, becoming the 100-year-old organization’s first female president.

Sanza joins FONA
FONA International Inc. recently hired Dana Sanza as Flavorist—Beverage Business Unit. She has been working in the flavor industry for nearly 10 years and she brings the experience gained from working for both beverage companies and flavor houses to her new role at FONA.

Sanza’s responsibilities include developing flavor solutions for customers’ beverage application needs. She is a Member of IFT.

McCleary, Midness on AACC board
Two IFT members were named board members of AACC International.

Barry McCleary, founder, owner, and CEO of Megazyme International Ireland Ltd. and an adjunct professor of agriculture, food, and natural resources at the University of Sydney, was chosen president-elect of AACC International. Lydia Tooker Midness, Vice President of Research and Development for Cereal Partners Worldwide, a joint venture between Nestlé S.A. and General Mills Inc., is a new board director of AACC International.

AKFP hires Foss
American Key Food Products has hired Carter Foss as Technical Sales Director. He will provide technical support such as formulation assistance, product development, and problem solving to the company’s customers and sales staff.

Foss is a Professional Member of IFT.

Sloan to present trends info at Wellness 10
Don’t miss Food Technology magazine Contributing Editor A. Elizabeth Sloan’s presentation, “The Top 10 Functional Food Trends: What’s Next?” at the Wellness 10 conference. Sloan will uncover the most significant up-and-coming functional food opportunities, discuss a trend-tracking system that separates sustainable trends from fads, and explore product positioning within the functional foods arena. If your professional role includes any aspect of product development for healthful foods, you will benefit from what is sure to be a lively, informative session.

Wellness 10, powered by Food Technology magazine, is targeted to meet the needs of food scientists and product developers who want to leverage or penetrate this market. Conference presenters will share their perspectives so that you can gain practical applications that can help shape your next product.

The conference will be held March 24–25, 2010, at the InterContinental Chicago O’Hare, Rosemont, Ill. For more information about Wellness 10, including information on how you can personalize your learning experience within the tracks of Consumer Lifestyles & Demographics, Health Issues, and Weight Management, visit www.ift.org/wellness.