IFIS Publishing celebrates anniversary; Getting to know Gulhan Unlu

Frozen Food Foundation honors Schaffner
The Frozen Food Foundation, in conjunction with the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), presented Donald Schaffner, distinguished professor and extension specialist in the Department of Food Science at Rutgers University, with the ninth annual Frozen Food Foundation Freezing Research Award.

The award, which includes a $2,000 honorarium and commemorative plaque, recognizes individuals or organizations whose research contributes to the continued enhancement of food quality and safety through freezing. Schaffner, a member of the Institute of Food Technologists, was selected for his risk assessment research on the microbial safety of frozen foods.

“The Frozen Food Foundation is pleased to recognize Dr. Schaffner’s contributions to the frozen food industry through the Freezing Research Award,” said Foundation President Alison Bodor, who presented the award to Schaffner during the IAFP 2018 Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City. “As a member of our Scientific Advisory Council, Dr. Schaffner’s risk assessment expertise has been an essential component of our goal to advance food safety, which includes doubling down on Listeria monocytogenes prevention.”

Schaffner holds a BS in food science from Cornell University and MS and PhD degrees in food science and technology from the University of Georgia.

IFIS Publishing celebrates 50th anniversary
IFIS Publishing, a leading international provider of food and health information, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Established in 1968, IFIS was initially created as a collaboration among the Institute of Food Technologists, the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International in the United Kingdom, the Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft in Germany, and the Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation in the Netherlands.

The organization’s flagship database, FSTA (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), was launched in 1969 and has developed over the years to cover every aspect of the food and health sectors, and related pure and applied sciences. The one-stop search tool for food and beverage information covers subjects ranging from oenology to endocrinology to nanotechnology.

In 2017, IFIS jointly launched Escalex, a new database for food regulations and compliance, in partnership with Molecular Connections. IFIS also produces the Dictionary of Food Science & Technology, now in its second edition. Published in association with Wiley Blackwell, the dictionary pulls together the extensive data held and maintained by IFIS into a cross-referenced resource.

At 50 years old, IFIS’s commitment to effective information discovery remains strong. As the discipline and needs of students and researchers in academia, industry, and government have evolved, the organization has grown alongside them.

IUFoST selects award winners, competition finalists
The International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) announced the 2018 award winners and competition finalists for the 19th World Congress for Food Science and Technology. The awards and competitions recognize food scientists and technologists from around the world for remarkable contributions in research, applications, and service in food science and technology. Recipients will be recognized at the World Congress in Mumbai, India, October 23–27.

Among the honorees are IFT members David Julian McClements, United States, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award; and Emmanuel Hatzakis, United States, winner of the Young Scientist Excellence Award. In addition, the following IFT members were named 2018 IUFoST Young Scientist Award Winners: Tonna Ashim Anyasi, South Africa; and Matthew D. Moore, United States.

Getting to know Gulhan Unlu
Each month, we meet one of IFT’s valued volunteers.

Before heading to the University of Idaho campus to engage her students in the study of food microbiology, Gulhan Unlu begins her day with a cup of coffee from the Moscow, Idaho, Food Co-op. “I enjoy every sip and appreciate the Food Co-op’s efforts in providing healthy food for my community and helping to create a healthier planet,” she says.

Fortified with her morning cup of joe, Unlu, who holds MS and PhD degrees in food science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is ready to challenge her students to stretch their learning and investigative skills. “I try to present food microbiology as a hands-on, inquiry-based, problem-solving activity in which students will learn through active involvement rather than the more traditional approach of memorization,” says Unlu, who is also a faculty member at Washington State University.

Under Unlu’s tutelage, students learn how to work cooperatively to investigate microbiological phenomena, ask relevant questions, construct possible explanations, propose and carry out ways to test their explanations, and present their results to others. “It is critical,” she says, “that our students are well prepared for the job market, in which technical and problem-solving skills are the key for success.”

Unlu’s dedication to promoting a better understanding of food science extends to her volunteer efforts. In addition to being a team member on the IFT Division Championship Team this past summer, she has served as chair, chair elect, and secretary of the Biotechnology Division, as well as in various capacities for IFT at large—reviewing papers, organizing events, judging competitions, and organizing and moderating sessions.

“I believe my IFT volunteering has allowed me to become a better communicator and leader,” she observes. “Also, I have met many food science and technology professionals with diverse backgrounds and learned from them. It has always been fun to attend the IFT Annual Meeting, where I get to visit with old friends, make new friends, and feel part of a strong community.”

Among the volunteer activities that particularly stand out for Unlu is the work she did to organize and moderate the 2015 symposium entitled “Gut Microbiology Ecology Affecting Health: Probiotics and Prebiotics,” which was sponsored by the Biotechnology Division. “The symposium provided attendees with an understanding of the relationship between probiotic dose, changes in the microbiota, and health effect, as well as novel strategies to identify probiotic strains for synergistic symbiotic applications,” she explains. “Consumer interest in probiotics and their benefits has been growing for all age groups for the last decade, so the symposium was very timely and well received.”

When it comes to the future of food science, Unlu is enthusiastic about innovations that are currently taking place as well as new developments on the horizon. “Food microbiology has changed fundamentally in the last few decades,” she says. “The number of well-studied foodborne pathogens has increased. Several changes in food processing as well as consumer preferences and demands have taken place. Significant advances in the development of rapid and automated microbial methods for detecting foodborne organisms have been made.”

In addition, says Unlu, improvements in the safety of the food supply from farm to table have been made by the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point systems and, more recently, the introduction of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. “Nevertheless,” she says, “I believe that the most exciting era for food science, with particular emphasis on food microbiology, lies in its future, because of greater demand for additional, safer food to feed a global population that is likely to double in our lifetime. I feel fortunate to work in the field of food microbiology and excited to have the interest and the ability to contribute to the next era in food science.”

In Memoriam
IFT notes the passing of the following member: N.R. Gandhi.

Section Meetings
Bluegrass
Oct. 16: Suppliers’ Night. Louisville, Ky. Click here.

Chicago
Nov. 1: Suppliers’ Day. Rosemont, Ill. Click here.

Dogwood
Oct. 30: Food Industry Expo. Concord, N.C. Click here.

Longhorn
Oct. 18: Suppliers’ Night. Frisco, Texas. Click here.

Philadelphia
Oct. 23: Suppliers’ Expo. Cinnaminson, N.J. Click here.

San Joaquin
Oct. 15: Scholarship Golf Tournament. Fresno, Calif. Click here.

Have some news to share about yourself or another IFT member? Email [email protected].