Building a Scientific Success Story

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Assembling a world-class Annual Meeting & Food Expo comes about only through hard work, careful planning, and—perhaps more than anything—a commitment to collaboration by countless IFT volunteers and staff members. For four days in Chicago this summer, the results of that committed collaboration were on display in an event that incorporated a scientific program filled with cutting-edge research revelations, a sold-out Food Expo, and the convergence of food science and technology professionals from around the globe.

The numbers help to tell the story. The Annual Meeting & Food Expo in McCormick Place South drew more than 23,700 registrants representing 87 countries. A total of 2,386 booths filled 269,238 square feet of exhibit space, and 350 speakers shared their insights in more than 100 Scientific Program sessions. The event took place from Saturday, July 13, through Tuesday, July 16, 2013.

“I am pleased to say that this has been one of our best meetings,” said IFT Executive Vice President Barbara Byrd Keenan. “The event brought together some of the brightest minds in the global food science community to work, play,  and learn in Chicago.”

Developing meaningful new ideas and technologies is a process in which human exchanges become building blocks that “help us construct solutions” capable of connecting the thought process of one generation to the next, reflected IFT 2012–2013 President John Ruff in an address delivered at the Awards Celebration on Saturday, the first formal program of the Annual Meeting & Food Expo. The comments were appropriate for an event that celebrates the dedication and achievement of some of IFT’s foremost thinkers and hardest workers—recipients of the 2013 IFT Achievement Awards and IFT Fellows designation.

Speaking the next day in the Annual Meeting & Food Expo’s Keynote Address, bestselling author, CNN host, and expert on world affairs Fareed Zakaria struck a similar note as he reflected on the power of “human capital”—the collective ability of people around the globe to solve the most pressing issues of our day and the days ahead—issues like feeding the growing world population and coping with water shortages.

In the current global economy, scientific advances must stem from genuine collaboration—collaboration that is truly borderless, according to Zakaria. “Science works best when there is a kind of collision of ideas,” Zakaria said. “That’s when real innovation occurs.”

But back to the events of Saturday night. IFT’s highest honor, the Nicholas Appert Award, was presented to Kenneth Swartzel (left with Ruff in photo), William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in the Dept. of Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State University. Swartzel was recognized for research initiatives that are being applied in high technology industries and for a lifetime of dedicated commitment to teaching and mentoring. The award includes a bronze medal and a $5,000 honorarium.

Twelve additional Achievement Awards were presented. They are bestowed annually on members in recognition of remarkable contributions in research, applications, and service to the profession.

Also, 12 members were chosen to join the prestigious ranks of IFT Fellows, a designation that recognizes individuals who have been members of IFT for at least 15 years and who have made exceptional contributions for 10 of those years.

IFT’s 2013–2014 President Janet Collins also offered Awards Celebration comments that touched on the theme of collaboration. Collins discussed IFT’s new “Power of 3: Food, Water & Energy Initiative,” which is designed to bring experts from the world’s leading organizations together for a dialog on food, water, and energy solutions. She emphasized the importance of a collaborative approach to issues in these areas, noting that the scientific community, nongovernmental organizations, policy communities, and industry must all work together.

Two IFT student members—one graduate and one undergraduate—were singled out as recipients of the IFT Student Association (IFTSA) Excellence in Leadership Award sponsored by Campbell Soup Co.

This year the graduate student level recognition went to Annie D’Souza Palaparthi of Rutgers University, whose involvement includes serving as chair of the Heart Healthy Product Development Competition, participating in student competitions,  and working for the New York and Central New Jersey IFT sections.

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Jay Gilbert from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 2013–2014 President of IFTSA, received the undergraduate level award. Gilbert served as president of his university’s Food Science Club and has participated in IFT student competitions. Pictured, from left, in are Gilbert, Palaparthi, and IFTSA 2012–2013 President Matthew Cael.

Also at the Awards Celebration, Pulitzer Prize–winning science journalist Deborah Blum was honored as the recipient of IFT’s 2013 Media Award for Excellence in Consumer Journalism. Blum was recognized for her March 2012 Time magazine article titled “Food That Lasts Forever,” which explains new methods of food preservation that are expected to be instrumental in the quest to feed a fast-growing global population.

Ruff recognized IFT’s 2011–2012 President Roger Clemens as a “tireless ambassador and champion of IFT” on Saturday evening. Just after the ceremony, a group of IFT leaders enjoyed a quick photo opportunity. From left in are 2013–2014 President Janet Collins, 2012–2013 President John Ruff, Executive Vice President Barbara Byrd Keenan, 2011–2012 President Roger Clemens, and IFTSA 2012–2013 President Matthew Cael.

The Chicago weather cooperated on Saturday evening, and Awards Celebration participants and attendees rounded out the evening with an outdoor reception complete with refreshments, entertainment, and an impressive view of Lake Michigan.

A Strong Start
IFT 2012–2013 President John Ruff kicked off the Opening General Session, which was sponsored by Solazyme, on Sunday morning with a quick and lively look back in the form of a Year in Review video presentation.

Ruff acknowledged the inaugural class of Certified Food Scientists (CFS), recipients of a brand new credential created to recognize expertise and enhance the visibility of the food science profession. The first class of CFS recipients is 1,400 strong and includes Ruff, who recognized the distinguished group with a special callout during the Opening General Session. Photos of some of the members of the historic inaugural class were displayed on screen during the session.

The IFT president discussed another new visibility-enhancing initiative, this one sponsored by Feeding Tomorrow, the Foundation of the Institute of Food Technologists. It’s called Food4Thought and is designed to promote food science careers. “Food4Thought will raise the visibility of the profession and help create real-world experiences to share the wonder of food science with students,” Ruff said. He extended thanks to Feeding Tomorrow trustee Mary Wagner for her support of the initiative. As part of the Food4Thought program, IFT hosted students from the nonprofit organization Girls Inc. of Orange County at the Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Pictured, from left, in are Melissa Quero, Dharaa Upadhyaya, Melanie Hercules, and Bryn McKibbin. “We’re hoping that they catch the food science spirit,” Ruff said.

(See IFT World for more information on Food4Thought).

Lieutenant Governor of Iowa Kim Reynolds made a special appearance at the IFT Annual Meeting Opening General Session to announce some other big news—the launch of the STEM Food and Agriculture Council, for which the Institute of Food Technologists serves as a co-founding partner. Reynolds is a co-chair of this new entity.

This partnership is designed to encourage students to pursue education and careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). “The STEM Food and Agriculture Council will act as an incubator for our ideas and initiatives,” said Ruff.

“As many of you know, today our nation faces a talent crisis, and the food and agriculture industry has not been spared,” Reynolds reflected. “Science,  technology, engineering, and mathematics are vital to our continued prosperity and remaining globally competitive. We must invest in education to inspire and equip our young people with the skills and competencies needed for the food and ag jobs of both today and tomorrow.”

In another significant first, IFT marked the launch of LEAD 360, a new global leadership development program for food science professionals. “The goal for LEAD 360 is to identify and invest in a group of talented young professionals from around the world who are passionate about the profession,” said Ruff. in IFT Executive Vice President Barbara Byrd Keenan speaks to professionals assembled for a LEAD 360 event held on Saturday in Chicago before the start of the Annual Meeting & Food Expo.

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In a lighthearted segment of the Opening Session, Ruff introduced the winners of IFT’s second annual Poppy Awards presented for creative video submissions in two categories—one for students and another for industry. Student participants in the project were asked to create a video on the theme of “a day in the life of a food science student,” and industry professionals were given the theme of “why food science is fun.”

In the professional category, D.D. Williamson netted the Poppy Award for a video titled “The Shelf Life.” Three awards were presented in the student category: first prize to Jessica Ruiz Hallstrom of Chapman University, who is shown accepting the award from Ruff; second place to Wan Mei Leong of the University of Wisconsin; and third place to Michael Freund of Cornell University. Freund also garnered “fan favorite” recognition.

Next up in the Opening Session was presentation of four 2013 Food Expo Innovation Awards, which recognize exhibiting companies for outstanding innovation in products, ingredients, technologies, instrumentation, equipment, and services introduced commercially since Jan. 1, 2012. (See article beginning on page 46 for information on this year’s Food Expo Innovation Award winners.)

Among the video highlights of the Opening General Session was the airing of the latest in IFT’s Day in the Life of a Food Scientist series. This year’s video segment took the audience into the laboratory of longtime IFT member Fu-Hung Hsieh, a faculty member at the University of Missouri-Columbia who is the pioneering developer of meat alternative Beyond Meat Chicken-Free Strips.

The audience was treated to another new video, an addition to IFT’s “World Without Food Science” campaign. This one featured IFT Food Science Communicators Kantha Shelke and Joanne Slavin explaining how basic nutrition would be affected without the existence of food science.

A Stellar Scientific Program
Leading-edge science is at the heart of the Annual Meeting & Food Expo, and  there was an ample supply of it featured in the Scientific Program. Sessions within the program’s 10 tracks supplied insights into basic and transformative research as well as applied science. Additional learning opportunities included Professional Development and Teaching & Learning.

The Scientific Program once again highlighted prominent Beacon Lecture presenters who delivered brief, interactive talks replete with game-changing insights. This year’s roster of presenters included three Beacon Lecturers: Hubert Deluyker, Scientific Advisor for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), David Robson, Head of Energy and Environmental Foresight for the Scottish government, and Mark Manary, a physician who has dedicated himself to the fight against malnutrition in Africa, who addressed IFTSA members. (See more details on Manary in the section of the article on student activities.)

In his lecture on Sunday, Deluyker detailed some of the ways in which the European Union has reorganized its food safety systems and policy and offered  his take on the future challenges confronting EFSA.

Robson, who spoke the next day, emphasized the importance of preparing for future challenges with respect to the world’s food, water, and energy resources and shared a provocative series of what-if scenarios.

Building on the success of the Beacon Lectures, the Annual Meeting debuted a new offering: the Fennema Lectureship & Workshop created to pay homage to recently deceased food science educator and former IFT president, Owen Fenema. The lecturer this year was Kipp Herreid, a teacher, author, and case studies expert who shared some of the wisdom he has gained in 25 years of experimenting with innovative teaching strategies such as the use of case studies. In addition, professionals of all levels of experience exchanged insights  in  professional development sessions held in the SPA (Science Practice Application) Learning Lab that made its debut this year.

Poster sessions represented another powerful part of the Scientific Program. Insights and energy were in the air in the poster presentation area, where presenters shared 1,200 technical research papers.

Scientific program sessions attracted significant attention from the news media. Research linking personality type and spicy food preferences, a presentation on the way that habits can be more powerful drivers of food choices than cravings during times of stress, and a session covering snacking and satiety were all hot topics in the news media.

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About 140 media professionals from all over the map, including Japan, Germany, and Argentina covered the Annual Meeting & Food Expo. The Food Network, PBS, Wired, and U.S. News and World Report were among the media out-lets represented. In July alone, there were more than 1,300 media articles that covered some aspect of the event.

Going the Distance at the Expo
With 1,171 exhibitors putting their products and services on display at the Food  Expo attendees had plenty of ground to cover—the equivalent of six and one-half football fields, in fact. Bringing fresh excitement to the Expo were 127 first-time exhibitors; the total number of exhibitors was up almost 10% from last year.

Product prototype samples added a delicious dimension to the Food Expo; 241 products were available to enjoy, and more than 100 exhibitors participated in the Taste the Expo program, which helped show goers locate exhibitors with samples to share. The menu of  prototypes was vast and varied. Ingredient suppliers served up everything from cupcakes to coolers, soups to smoothies, and lots more in between.

A fun new feature of the 2013 Food Expo was the Cooking Up Science Ingredient Showcase in which chefs demonstrated ways in which exhibitor-sponsored ingredients could be used to make great-tasting healthy meals. Participating companies included Bunge, the Almond Board of California, American Pistachio Growers, and Kikkoman.

• Innova Pavilion. For a fast yet comprehensive take on the major trends driving the food industry, Food Expo visitors always head to the Innova Market Insights Taste the Trend Pavilion, and this year was no exception. In addition to showcasing new products from around the globe, serving up its team of experts to provide insights, and displaying a full package of carefully categorized trend  information, Innova Market Insights introduced a new feature for 2013: a series of live presentations daily in the pavilion. The topics for the presentations were “Snacks Revolution 2013,” “What’s the Next Greek Yogurt?” and “Health Drives Flavor Hits.”

• Mintel Pavilion. Mintel’s experts are noted for their ability to bring research insights to life, which is what they did in a series of presentations at the Mintel New Products and Consumer Insights Pavilion. The discussion topics for this year were “Colors and Flavors: The Move to More Natural,” “Reducing Salt and Sugar: Perils and Potential,” “and “Protein: Is It the Next Big Thing?” Visitors to the Mintel booth had the opportunity view product samples and to participate in small group “Ask the Analyst” sessions in which company representatives shared their trend forecasting expertise.

• Respite, recharging, and more. The Social Media Lounge (30) was the go-to destination for those who took the opportunity to post online updates, needed to recharge digital equipment, or simply wanted to socialize. The IFT Central booth was the place to head for those seeking to connect with other members and attendees, ask  questions about IFT, or conduct a quick meeting.

Prior Engagements
A number of special activities and events were held in the days immediately prior to the start of the Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Here are highlights from a few of them.

• Board of Directors Meeting. Members of the IFT Board of Directors gathered for a meeting prior to the start of the Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Members of IFT’s 2013 Board of Directors are pictured in. Front row, from left, are Robert Ross, Marilyn Schorin, Treasurer Bruce Stillings, 2013–2014 President Janet Collins, 2012–2013 President John Ruff, IFT Executive Vice President Barbara Byrd Keenan, 2011–2012 President Roger Clemens, Brenda Knapp-Polzin, and Douglas Marshall. Second row, from left, are 2010–2011 President Robert Gravani, IFTSA 2013–2014 President Jonathan Baugher, IFTSA 2012–2013 President Matthew Cael, John Coupland, Linda Perucca, Craig Sherwin, Luis Fernandez, Scott Lineback, Cindy Stewart, Raymond Winger, and Colin  Dennis.

• Short Courses. A popular option in pre-Annual Meeting learning was particularly popular this year. The lineup of 11 short courses specifically designed to deliver practical, in-depth education in a compressed time period drew an all-time high of 600 participants. And the course satisfaction rating was also the highest ever. Sola Ojeh of Sensient Flavors was among the short course presenters.

• Nanoscience Conference. Attendees at IFT’s sixth International Food Nanoscience Conference, held just prior to the start of the Annual Meeting & Food Expo turned their attention to the “science of small.” John DiLoreto, founder of NanoReg, discussed “Nanotechnology Applications and Developments in Non-Food Sectors” in a keynote address.

• Division Leadership Team Meetings. More than 150 representatives of division   leadership gathered for Saturday Leadership Team Meetings, where they prepared for onsite activities and developed programming plans for 2013–2014.

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Also on the Agenda in Chicago
• Celebrating CFS. The Annual Meeting & Food Expo provided the perfect opportunity to celebrate recipients of Certified Food Scientist (CFS) designation. Kurt Buckman, Chair of the International  Food Science Certification Commission, which oversees governance and policymaking of the CFS program, cuts a cake created for the occasion. The event took place at the CFS Lounge near the Food Expo floor and gave members of the inaugural class of CFS recipients an opportunity to network while enjoying cake and refreshments.

• International Delegations. IFT welcomed numerous international delegations and more than 2,000 international members to the Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Among IFT’s celebrated international guests were representatives of the SENAI Food Technology Institute in Brazil, who are pictured with IFT Vice President of Science and Policy Initiatives Will Fisher (center of photo).

• Town Hall Meeting. IFT members gathered information and provided feedback to volunteer leaders and staff at the annual Town Hall Forum on Sunday. Conversation zones were organized around the topics of section engagement, online community, horizon 3 thinking, and the new Global Food Traceability Center, which was approved by the IFT Board of Directors prior to the start of the Annual Meeting & Food Expo.

• Career Fair. The IFT Career Center Live Career Fair held on Sunday  drew 20 companies, including returning participants Kellogg’s and PepsiCo as well as new participants like FONA International. The event included a period of open networking from noon to 3 p.m. followed by a networking reception from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• IFT Community Live: Division Connection. Annual Meeting & Food Expo attendees interested in IFT divisions had the opportunity for networking at the Division Connection event. Pictured are IFT members Lorna Zach, Anthony Pavel, Annie Woo, Kristen Yaney, Sid Jhaveri, Hilary Thesmar, and Barbara Blakistone, who share an interest in Public Policy and Food Regulations.

• QAD Division Scholarships. The IFT Quality Assurance Division (QAD) offers annual travel scholarships to students to enable them to attend the Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Students use the scholarship to interact with QAD members regarding mentorship toward achieving career goals and developing professional networks. Division members and scholarship recipients are pictured from left, at the QAD breakfast meeting; they include Vernon Cole, Artemio Tulio Jr., Navneet Rattan, Alison Hurysz, Elaine Chow, Amanda Kaufman, Kenny Chuang, and Greg Gharst.

• QAD Honorees. Two of the QAD Division’s dedicated volunteers were honored at the breakfast. Pictured, from left, are Kenny Chuang, recipient of the 2012–2013 QAD Outstanding Volunteer Award, and Greg Gharst, recipient of the 2012–2013 Service Award.

• Photo Fun. Despite full schedules, making time for fun is always encouraged at the Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Some attendees get into the spirit at a photo booth.

• Food Science in Action. Veteran food scientists offered Girls Inc. participants  and students from Chicago High School for Agriculture a peek at their careers, educational paths, and current jobs at a Food Science in Action gathering.They conducted experiments and shared stories/photos in the hands-on gathering. The presenters included Mary Wagner, Michele Perchonok, Kelsey Ryan, Marianne Gillette, and Ken Rasicot.

• Past Presidents Dinner. IFT’s past presidents and current leadership gathered for camaraderie and conversation on Sunday evening. Pictured in the front row, from left, are Bruce Stillings, Executive Vice President Barbara Byrd Keenan, Gilbert Leveille, Al Clausi, John Ruff, President-Elect Mary Ellen Camire, and Janet Collins. Standing, from left, are Frank Busta, Mary Wagner, Dennis Heldman, Marianne Gillette, John Litchfield, Ted Labuza, Charles Manley, Margaret Lawson, Herbert Stone, Mark McClellan, Mary Schmidl, Roger Clemens, and Daryl Lund.

A Full Schedule for Students
If the energy and enthusiasm of the 1,720 student registrants who were on site in Chicago are any indication, the future of IFT looks very bright indeed. Members of IFTSA took active roles during the Annual Meeting & Food Expo, presenting posters, serving as session monitors, attending leadership development workshops, and socializing at events planned specifically for students. Pictured from left are three of IFTSA’s dedicated leaders—IFTSA 2013–2014 President Jonathan Baugher, IFTSA 2011–2012 President Jennifer Willig, and IFTSA 2012–2013 President Matthew Cael.

One of the key social events for students each year is the IFTSA mixer, which was sponsored by PepsiCo and was held on Monday evening. Mixing,  mingling, and music were on the agenda.

The mixer was followed by a Closing Ceremony, where more than 500 students heard an inspirational message on food aid for the malnourished from Mark Manary, M.D.,Director of the Global Harvest Alliance. Manary developed a ready-to-use therapeutic food that has had a dramatic effect on reducing deadly childhood malnutrition in the small African nation of Malawi. He urged the students to get involved in the battle to end world hunger, and emphasized the vital role that food science can play. “Food technology is a game changer and has saved millions of lives,” said Manary. “Innovation and new technologies will solve malnutrition, not governments and feelings.”

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And the Winners Are…
The four days of the Annual Meeting brought plenty of intellectually rigorous activity for students. Here are some of the highlights.

• College Bowl Competition. The annual College Bowl Competition put  participants to the test on knowledge and understanding of food science, the history of food and food processing, food law, and general information about IFT.

Cornell University came out on top in the contest. From left to right, the Cornell team members include Abby Harrison, Juliana Canale, Dongjun Zhao, Dillon Murray, Susie Kahn, Tim O’Boyle, Brittany Miller (team captain) Michael Freund, Alicia Orta-Ramirez (faculty advisor), and Michael Adams. Team member Lenita Silvera, who was unable to attend the meeting, is not pictured.

The other College Bowl finalists were from North Carolina State University, Purdue University, Chapman University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of California-Davis, University of Georgia, and Texas A&M University. The competition was sponsored by Nestlé Gerber and Nestlé Purina.

Judges for the College Bowl were, from left, Bruce Ferree, Mohamed Najjar, Mary Carunchia (moderator), and Donna Anderson.

• Developing Solutions for Developing Countries. Participants in this competition put their food science expertise to work for a worthy cause,  creating food products appropriate for use as supplements to address malnutrition at HIV relief clinics in developing nations. Top honors went to two teams—one domestic and one international. In the domestic section of the contest, the winning entry, developed by the Rutgers University team, was Good Mor-N-En, a ready-to-drink supplement high in protein. Celebrating the victory, from left, are Carol Lawry, a senior food scientist at Cargill, who presented the award, and Rutgers team members Elham Lashkari, Yan Wang, Songwei Wu, Kavita Solanki, and Lauren Eisen, as well as Jessica Cooperstone, Vice President of IFTSA Competitions.

Other domestic finalists were the California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo team, with Malawi Mix, a blend of local Malawian crops designed to provide children infected with HIV with essential nutrients, and the University of Minnesota team, which cooked up Lekker Bar, a crunchy, peanut-infused energy bar.

In the contest’s international sector, the Universiti of Putra Malaysia earned first place for its EnterTEIN, an instant chowder-like fish soup. Carol Lawry (left) poses with Putra Malaysia team representative Chang Chew Sew (center) and Jessica Cooperstone.

Two teams from Bogor Agricultural University were the other finalists in the international segment. Their entries were Sweepo, a sweet potato biscuit with natural beta-carotene and banana flavors, and MASOCA-Ball, a bite-size snack.

Program support for the competition was provided by General Mills, Cargill, and DSM.

• Product Development Competition. A team from Cornell University earned top honors in the IFTSA & Mars Product Development Competition. Their winning entry was Squashetti, a gluten-free frozen meal that features a spaghetti squash base topped with grilled chicken and a zesty pomodoro sauce. Members of the winning Cornell team (55), who opted for attire that paid tribute to the school’s “Big Red” heritage, are, from left, Kyle Clark, Claire Zoellner, Jo Yang, Wanyu Li, Alexander Brown, Shan Huang, Olivia Weihe, Rebecca Mangona, and Katherine Strickland.

Minus the Moo!, a nondairy, almond-based frozen dessert lower in fat and calories than ice cream, earned the team from Michigan State University second place. Third place went to North Carolina State University for Choco-lettes  truffles with just 50% of the fat of regular truffles.

The remaining finalists were Kansas State University with Grain Pops, whole-grain snack clusters made with popped grains and freeze-dried vegetables; Ohio State University with Color Dunkers, a product that blends fruit and Greek yogurt; and University of Wisconsin-Madison with Wochi, a gluten-free chocolate waffle. This competition is sponsored by Mars Chocolate North America.

• IFTSA Disney Product Development Competition. Themed “Nutritious Foods for Kids,” this competition invited participating teams to create a healthy snack tied into a Disney franchise The competition included oral presentations, poster presentations on the Food Expo floor, and a judges’ tasting session.

The 2013 grand prize winner was the University of Minnesota with Dusty Dippers, an allergen-free, cracker and dip snack that contains a full serving of whole grains with an added punch of fiber and protein from garbanzo beans. Members of the award-winning team are, from left, Ann Pataky, Jordan Walter, Brian Folger, Kirsten Ruud, and Lauren Gillman.

The first place winner was California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo with Mike’s S’creamy Dip & Scare Me Chips, an all-natural sweet dip and apple chip combo.

Recipients of honorable mention recognition were Fright Fuel, from the Cornell team, a shelf-stable combination pack of apple cinnamon hummus and whole-grain crackers; baked, handheld Cubby’s Treasure Treats from the University of Arkansas team; and Snaggie, a snack from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez students that is a mix of minimally processed sweet pea and carrot “noodles” served with a creamy cheese sauce and sweet corn. The competition was sponsored by Disney Consumer Products.

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• Chapter of the Year. North Carolina State University was recognized as the 2013 Chapter of the Year. In chapter president Lisa Rosenberg (left), accepts an award plaque from Jessica Cooperstone.

• Undergraduate Research Paper Competition. Wisiani Wijaya of the  University of Massachusetts-Amherst clinched top honors in this competition recognizing achievement in original student research. Soon Kiat Lau of the University Nebraska-Lincoln placed second, and Jake Fischer of Washington State University came in third.

Next Stop: The Big Easy
There’s something to be said for the pleasure of savoring the memories of a  well-put-together event like the one that took place in July in Chicago. But it’s even more exciting to anticipate the Annual Meeting & Food Expo that will take place in the beautiful city of New Orleans June 21–24, 2014.

Planning for the gathering—where IFT will celebrate its 75th anniversary—is well under way, so it’s not too early to start looking forward to a big event in the Big Easy.

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Keynoter Zakaria Urges Optimistic Approach to Global Challenges
IFT Annual Meeting keynote speaker Fareed Zakaria, a bestselling author, CNN host, and expert on international affairs, urged an optimistic approach to solving  the world’s challenges. Optimism is difficult, he acknowledged, noting that humans tend to be pessimistic.

A careful look at history can counter that approach, he contended, noting that economies tend to bounce back after periods of crisis. For example, in 1987 when the stock market crashed, dropping 22% in a single day, it rebounded within two weeks. “The point I’m trying to make is that we always tend to worry about crisis, collapse, doom, and somehow we always recover,” Zakaria said.

“We have created a new global economy over the last 20 or 30 years,” he continued. In the 1960s and 1970s, the world was divided geopolitically, a  reflection of the schism between the United States and the Soviet Union. But that’s all changed since the collapse of communism in the late 1980s and the emergence of “a single global system.”

“The big story will be what I call the rise of the rest,” Zakaria said, citing the emergence of rising nations like India, China, and Brazil. In 1979, Zakaria said, there were 30 countries with an annual economic growth rate of 3% or more; this  year there will be about 80 nations is this category.

“So there’s volatility, but also greater stability,” he observed, noting that “there are pools of capital all over the world. The extraordinary shift that has taken place in the global economy has given us a certain kind of systemic stability that we don’t fully appreciate.”

Why do people tend to believe that problems are impossible to solve? “It is very easy to describe a problem,” said Zakaria, “but what you can’t explain and can’t begin to describe is the human response to these challenges because that is disaggregated, decentralized, and  bottom up. What we have to encourage and harness is the human response to these crises.”

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Fun Run Racers Hit Their Stride, Raise $100,000
The 13th Annual IFT Student Association (IFTSA) and Feeding Tomorrow Fun Run and Walk to raise money to support Feeding Tomorrow’s scholarship fund was far from unlucky. It was just the opposite, in fact, thanks to record-breaking fundraising and participation by more than 600 charitably minded fitness enthusiasts. The morning began bright and early with a prerace stretch led by a local fitness expert and remarks from the Fun Run co-chairs Karin Thorsen and Joey Donovan. Race day spectators cheered for the racers and waived celebratory pom-poms in support of the racers as they crossed the finish line.

The top female finisher was Julie Wankowski, with a time of 18:56, and the top male finisher was Kazuhiko Takeda, clocking in at 17:56. Racers enjoyed post-race refreshments provided by Dominick’s, Hain-Celestial, Hillshire Brands, and PepsiCo. They also received race day goodie bags sponsored by Sun Orchard and filled with products provided by race sponsors.

This year’s Fun Run raised over $100,000 in support of Feeding Tomorrow’s scholarship fund—a new record for this event. Bruce Ferree of California Natural products was the top individual fundraiser. Race sponsor Ingredion had the largest team participation with nearly 50 racers.

The top three female racers were 1) Julie Wankowski (18:56); 2) Kim Ionta (19:28); and 3) Sara Spoede (19:55).

The top three male racers were 1) Kazuhiko Takeda (17:56); Matt Landry (18:40); and Steve Kollars (18:47).

—Liska Radachi, Development Coordinator, IFT

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IFT Cares Volunteers Show Some Heart
Want to find some of IFT’s biggest-hearted members? Look no farther than the participants in the sixth annual IFT Cares initiative. Each year this program invites Annual Meeting & Food Expo attendees to show their support for anti-hunger initiatives in the host city by participating in a volunteer project in collaboration with the local food bank.

This year volunteers took part in two activities. One group helped to collect food donations from Food Expo exhibitors after the close of the event on Tuesday. The food that was collected went to the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD), which distributes food via a network of qualified agencies.

The next morning, a group of IFT Cares participants served on a GCFD “produce mobile” project, in which fresh fruits and vegetables are delivered to underserved individuals, many of whom live in communities where fresh produce is difficult or costly to obtain.

After their work was complete, the volunteers took a moment to pose for the camera and show off a heart-shaped eggplant that somehow made it into the produce assortment. IFT 2012–2013 President John Ruff, a longtime IFT Cares volunteer, demonstrates that his heart is in the right place.

In a special IFT Cares activity this year, ingredients supplier DSM donated $1,000 to the GCFD. The contribution marked DSM’s acquisition of Fortitech.

At the Food Expo, Fortitech booth visitors were provided with cards imprinted with the phrase “DSM and Fortitech go together like…” and asked to list some of their own “perfect pairings.” As cards were completed, they were added to a tally board that displayed various monetary levels leading up to $1,000. Once enough cards were added—which happened by noon on day two of the Food Expo—the goal was reached, and the contribution was made to the food bank.

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IFT Division Competition Winners
The following are the winners of this year’s poster, oral, and writing competitions sponsored by IFT Divisions. The award for first place is $1,000; for second place it is $750, and for third place it is $500.

AAFSIS: 1st place, Vaishnavi, Chandrasekar, Pennsylvania State U.

Aquatic Food Products Div.: 1st place, Yi-Tien Chen, Florida State U.; 2nd place, Xulei Wu, Seafood Research and Education Center; 3rd place, Zatil Afrah, Oregon State U.

Biotechnology Div: 1st place, Arranee Chotiko, Louisiana State U.; 2nd place, Zhong Zhang, U. of Missouri; 3rd place, Duygu Ercan, Pennsylvania State U.

Carbohydrate Div.: 1st place, Andrea Hill, McGill U.; 2nd place ,Yingshuang Lu, U. of Illinois; 3rd place, Preetam Sarkar, Purdue U.

Dairy Foods Div.: 1st place, Curtis Park, North Carolina State U.; 2nd place, Yichao Liang, Massey U.; 3rd place, Kristen Frankowski, North Carolina State U.

Dairy Foods Div. (Manfred Kroger Oral): 1st place, Ann Pataky, U. of Minnesota; 2nd place, Hemang Bhatt, Massey U; 3rd place, Sha Zhang, U. of Missouri.

Education Div. (Writing): 1st place, Spenser Reed, Cornell U.; 2nd place, Robert Divine, Cornell U.; 3rd place, Tiana Abbley, U. of Hawaii-Manoa.

Food Chemistry Div: 1st place, Bicheng Wu, U. of Massachusetts-Amherst; 2nd place, Na Li, Purdue U.; 3rd place, Kun Wang, U. of Manitoba-Winnipeg.

Food Engineering Div: 1st place, Alexander Warning, Cornell U.; 2nd place, Kara Yamada, U. of Hawaii; 3rd place, Natthakan Rungraeng, U. of Hawaii.

Food Microbiology Div: 1st place, John Frelka, U. of California-Davis; 2nd place, Shankumar Mooyottu, U. of Connecticut; 3rd place, Qing Wang, U. of Delaware.

Food Microbiology Div. (Z. John Ordal Oral): 1st place, Indu Upadhyaya, U. of Connecticut; 2nd place, Irwin Quintela, U. of Maine; 3rd place, Natalie Page, Michigan State U.

Food Packaging Div.: 1st place, Erica Vonasek, U. of California-Davis; 2nd place, Sumeet Dhawan, Washington State U.; 3rd place, Fang Tian, U. of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Fruit & Vegetable Products Div.: 1st place, Oscar Acosta Montoya, Cornell U.; 2nd place, Huseyin Ayyaz, Ohio State U.; 3rd place, Nongnuch Athiphunamphai, Cornell U.

International Div.: 1st place, Soyoung Jeon, Sejong U.; 2nd place, Juan You,  China Agricultural U.; 3rd place, Anna Yiching Cheung, Hong Kong Polytechnic U.

Marketing and Management Div: 1st place, Xuan Li, U. of California-Davis; 2nd place, Wisdom Wardy, Louisiana State U. Agricultural Center; 3rd place, Phani  Tej Raghav Narayanapurapu, McGill University.

Muscle Foods Div.: 1st place, Yan Zhao, Mississippi State U.; 2nd place, Monil Desai, Mississippi State U.; 3rd place, Jiayi Yang, U. of Kentucky.

Nonthermal Processing Div.: 1st place, Jessie Usaga Barrientos, Cornell U.; 2nd place, Erika Georget, German Institute of Food Technologies; 3rd place, Bjoern Surowsky, Technische Universitat Berlin.

Nutraceuticals & Functional Foods Div.: 1st place, Rashin Sedighi, North Carolina A&T State U.; 2nd place, Allison Atnip, Ohio State U.; 3rd place, Yingyi Mao, U. of Massachusetts.

Nutrition Div.: 1st place, Joshua Jones, Purdue U.; 2nd place, Jessica Cooperstone, Ohio State U.; 3rd place, Darshika Amarakoon, North Dakota  State U.

Product Development Div.: 1st place, Haiqin Ge, U. of Maryland; 2nd place, Emilio Silva; UNICAMP; 3rd place, Julie Kindelspire (Darly), South Dakota State U.

Quality Assurance Div.: 1st place, Brittany Towers, Ohio State U.; 2nd place, Ana Paula Carneireiro, Universidad Federal de Minas Gerais; 3rd place, Lin Lu, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods Div.: 1st place, Juan Li, Louisiana State U.; 2nd place, Jie Zhang, Louisiana State U. Agricultural Center; 3rd place, Parisa Fallahi, South Dakota State U.

Sensory & Consumer Sciences Div. (Rose Marie Pangborn): 1st place, Suzanne Jervis, North Carolina State U.; 2nd place, Nuala Bobowski, U. of Minnesota; 3rd place, Katie Osdoba, U. of Minnesota.

Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening: 1st place, Shintaro Pang, U. of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Toxicology & Safety Evaluation Div.: 1st place, Shintaro Pang, U. of  Massachusetts-Amherst; 2nd place, Xi Zhang, Illinois Institute of Technology; 3rd place, Denise Tran, U. of Nebraska-Lincoln.

 

Mary Ellen Kuhn is Executive Editor of Food Technology ([email protected]).