IFT WORLD

Wellness 11 addresses Dietary Guidelines
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans offer health, wellness, and communication opportunities to the food industry to help formulate more healthful foods and promote health. Join three high-level experts with experience in developing nutrition policies as they discuss options associated with the new Dietary Guidelines that the food industry can use in product development activities. They will speak during the general session, “New Dietary Guidelines: New Opportunities for Industry” at the Institute of Food Technologists Wellness 11 powered by Food Technology magazine conference. The timeliness of this session is noteworthy, as the government will be promoting the new guidelines through federal initiatives and consumer campaigns during the time of the Wellness 11 conference.

Every five years, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee members review the existing Dietary Guidelines and recommend revisions. For the 2010 guidelines, the committee members developed information that addresses an American public of whom the majority are overweight or obese and yet undernourished in several key nutrients, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. Many Americans are leading sedentary lifestyles as well as consuming an energy-dense, micronutrient-poor diet. Recommendations to the food industry recognize this and include formulating smaller-portion foods with less added sugars, refined grains, solid fats, and sodium.

During the general session, the experts will present federal communication initiatives and the consumer campaign associated with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines as well as discuss consumer research and insights on food guidance symbols, consumer messaging, and breakthroughs for communicating about caloric and energy balance to inform the food industry on how it can meet the recommendations to help Americans eat more healthfully.

Jackie Haven is Director of the Nutrition Marketing and Communication Division at USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) and is responsible for the development, management, and promotion of nutrition programs and information to help Americans make healthier food choices, including First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign; the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans; and the Partnering with MyPyramid Alliance, a public/private partnership.

Robert C. Post, Deputy Director of USDA’s CNPP and an advisor to the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services representing the department in matters related to nutrition policy and guidance, oversees the planning, development, review, and promotion of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the MyPyramid food guidance system, the Healthy Eating Index, and the USDA Food Plans.

Marianne Smith-Edge, Senior Vice President, Nutrition and Food Safety at the International Food Information Council, is responsible for directing the nutrition and food safety initiatives of the organization. A registered dietitian, experienced communicator, strategic planner, and facilitator with more than 25 years of experience, Smith-Edge is a past president of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), chairs the ADA Evidence Analysis Library Agriculture and Food Biotechnology workgroup, and serves on her second term on the USDA National Research, Extension, Education, & Economics Advisory Board to the Secretary of Agriculture.

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Attendees at the Wellness 11 conference will have the chance to learn about other important aspects of developing healthful food products, from sweeteners and the science of taste to gluten-free products and healthier restaurant menu offerings. Three tracks—Consumer Lifestyles & Demographics, Health Issues, and Weight Management—allow attendees to customize their learning experience.

The conference will be held March 23–24, 2011, at the InterContinental O’Hare Chicago, Rosemont, Ill. For more information about Wellness 11, including information on additional sessions and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.ift.org/wellness.

IFT video wins PR Award
The Institute of Food Technologists has received the PR News’ Nonprofit PR Award in the video category for its “A Day in the Life of a NASA Food Scientist” video.

The award-winning video follows IFT Professional Member Michele Perchonok, Advanced Food Technology Manager at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and members of the food science team in Houston, Texas, as they conduct their work in the Space Food Systems Laboratory. Through interviews with scientists, they convey how food science plays a critical role in ensuring that astronauts have safe, healthy, and nutritious foods during current missions to space and how their work will contribute to future efforts to reach Mars.

IFT produced this educational three-minute feature video as part of its “A Day in the Life of a Food Scientist” series designed to educate students, teachers, the media, and the general public about the positive impact and rewards of the food science and technology profession. The video is part of a broader effort to get students more interested in food science by letting IFT food scientists in academia, government, and industry tell their unique story in their own words.

The PR News’ Nonprofit Awards Program honors the most talented communicators and teams in the nonprofit sector. The Nonprofit PR Awards are presented by the publication PR News and are judged by a blue-chip panel of communications experts.

The “A Day in the Life of a NASA Food Scientist Video” is available for viewing through IFT’s You Tube channel (www.youtube.com/iftlive) at www.youtube.com/iftlive#p/u/10/4wAC-ST77Ow.

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Cal Poly honors Jiménez-Flores
Rafael J. Jiménez-Flores, Dairy Science Professor at California Polytechnic State University, recently received the 2010 Cal Poly Distinguished Scholarship Award for his achievements in research, creative work, and other professional activities.

More specifically, he received the award for his efforts at engaging colleagues and students and in helping to expand dairy science research through his studies on the therapeutic and immune-enhancing effects of specific components of milk.

Jiménez-Flores, a Member of IFT, joined the faculty of the Dairy Science Department and Dairy Products Technology Center at Cal Poly in 1995. He conducts research on the characterization and function of milk components and diverse applications of molecular biology and physical chemistry of milk fat globule membrane components. He is the author of more than 70 peer-reviewed papers, three patents, and 10 book chapters.

Tai Sophia elects Faridi
Hamed Faridi, Vice President of Research & Development at McCormick & Co., was recently elected to the Tai Sophia Institute’s Board of Trustees. Tai Sophia is a nonprofit, accredited graduate school offering academic programs in health and wellness.

Faridi, a Professional Member of IFT, is responsible for providing overall research, product development, and technical services leadership and developing an enterprise-wide technical strategy that supports McCormick’s business plans worldwide. He also is responsible for the McCormick Science Institute, which was created to advance knowledge on health benefits of culinary spices and herbs.

“Health and wellness is an important focus at McCormick and Company, and I am eager to share our learning and our passion for this crucial area,” Faridi said. “I believe in the role spices and herbs can play in the improved nutrition and overall wellness of consumers worldwide.”

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.