IFT announces election results; Getting to know Jose Reyes De Corcuera

IFT announces election results
Congratulations to the following individuals, who have been elected as IFT leaders and will take office on September 1, 2019: President-Elect Noel Anderson; Board of Directors members Adelia Bovell-Benjamin, Sean Leighton, Brendan Niemira, and Yanyun Zhao; and Nominations & Elections Committee members John Coupland, Darryl Riley, and Marcia Walker.

Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee appointees
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently appointed 20 nationally recognized experts to serve on the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, including IFT members Richard Mattes and Barbara Schneeman.

Mattes is distinguished professor in the Department of Nutrition Science at Purdue University and the recipient of the Babcock-Hart Award from IFT in 2013. Schneeman is professor emerita in the Department of Nutrition at the University of California, Davis, and the recipient of the Carl Fellers Award and the Samuel Cate Prescott Award from IFT.

As members of the independent advisory committee, Mattes and Schneeman, along with their fellow appointees, will review scientific evidence on topics and questions identified by the departments and provide a report on their findings to the USDA and HHS secretaries. Their review, along with public and agency comments, will help inform USDA and HHS’ development of the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

“The scientists we selected to serve on the committee are national leaders in the areas of nutrition and health,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “HHS, USDA, and all Americans will benefit from the collective experience and expertise of the committee, which will conduct a rigorous examination of the scientific evidence on several diet-related health outcomes, including the prevention of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, which are three of the leading causes of death in the United States.”

Collins joins EAS
Janet Collins, president of IFT from 2013 to 2014, recently joined EAS Consulting as a consultant. Her responsibilities include assisting clients with all matters related to food regulatory compliance issues. Collins’ expertise includes product development with an eye toward global agricultural advocacy; appreciation for diversity; human health science, nutrition, and food regulation; and systems for global food acceptance. She recently retired as executive and senior vice president, science and regulatory affairs, at CropLife America.

Robach joins Clear Labs’ board of directors
Clear Labs recently welcomed Michael Robach to its board of directors. Robach has over 40 years of experience in the food industry, most recently as former vice president, corporate food safety, quality and regulatory for Cargill. A member of IFT, he is also the cofounder and former president of Safe Supply of Affordable Food Everywhere and has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration regarding food safety policy, HACCP, and regulatory reform based on science.

Getting to Know Jose Reyes De Corcuera
Each month, we meet one of IFT’s valued volunteers.

The only limits we face in our self-development, believes Jose Reyes De Corcuera, associate professor and undergraduate coordinator in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Georgia, are those we place on ourselves.

Academic life, he says, offers a great way to challenge yourself and cultivate new ideas, “because you are surrounded by incredibly smart people from whom you learn a lot, and you get to teach equally smart people who one day will do more than you and your colleagues.” By feeding your curiosity and expanding your scope of interest, he adds, “you can direct your research in any direction.”

Reyes, who holds a BS in chemical engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and an MS in chemical engineering and PhD in engineering science from Washington State University, began his career as a project manager at CPI-Südmo, an engineering firm in Mexico City, where he worked on building beverage processing plants, mostly for the soda industry. After completing his graduate studies, he served as assistant professor, then associate professor, of food process engineering at the University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center.

Reyes started volunteering with IFT more than 10 years ago, serving as treasurer of the Florida Section and later as an abstract reviewer and poster competition judge for the student competition in the Food Engineering Division. Since then, he has served as secretary for the Food Engineering Division, as well as chair-elect, chair, and past chair.

“About two years ago,” he says, “I was kindly invited to serve in HERB and in the Division Champion Team. As a result of conversations at the Division Champion Team, I was also asked to serve as chair of the Education, Extension, and Outreach Division as well as chair for the Teaching and Learning Workgroup. I have also organized a few symposia.”

Each contact Reyes has made through his volunteer experiences has enriched him. “I have met several colleagues whose spirit of service, scientific talent, and teaching passion inspire me,” he acknowledges. In addition, he has gleaned helpful insight from past leaders and volunteers and is also quick to recognize “the student representatives of the Food Engineering Division whose commitment, leadership, and professionalism have been amazing.

“In the several committee meetings [in which] I have served,” he adds, “I have learned how other food science professionals think and behave. This has broadened my understanding of our community and our global society. This network of high caliber food scientists and engineers has helped me improve my research and my teaching. Several colleagues have become my friends at a personal level. They have supported and cheered me in times of physical and emotional fatigue.”

Looking ahead, Reyes feels optimistic about the increased awareness of food waste as well as the growing concern about feeding developing countries. “I think that the technologies developed by food scientists in collaboration with engineers, nutritionists, and horticulturists will continue to have a global impact on that front. I hope that despite the polarization that we are living [with] today, a more connected world will contribute to dissolving the prevailing indifference.”

Short Courses at IFT19
Registration is now open for IFT19, where the most creative minds in the science of food will come together to share the latest research, discuss innovative solutions, and delve into forward-thinking topics in food science and technology. Learn what trends are on the horizon in food ingredients, equipment, processing, and packaging while interacting with the companies that are at the forefront of food science and technology. At IFT19 you can share and be challenged, question and taste, break boundaries, and help redefine the future of food.

More than 100 best-in-class education sessions will be offered, reflecting the latest research, global trends, and developments. In addition, you can attend pre-event short courses on June 1–2 that cover a range of industry topics. For more information on the courses listed below, click here.

• FSPCA Intentional Adulteration: Conducting Vulnerability Assessments

• Certified Food Scientist (CFS) Preparatory Course

• Microencapsulation in the Food and Beverage Industries

• Survey of Flavor Technology: Applications and Interactions

• Food Science for the Non-Food Scientist

• Plant Proteins: Functionalities and Applications

• Nonthermal Processing of Food: Commercialization, Technical Advances, Acceptance, and Sustainability

• Labeling Requirements and Implications for Foods Marketed in the U.S.

• Design Thinking for the Creative Food Scientist

Section Meetings
Northeast
May 15: Food Industry Expo. Worcester, Mass. Click here.

May 16: Scholarship Golf Outing. Charlton, Mass. Click here.

Northern California
May 6: Golf Classic and Dinner. San Ramon, Calif. Click here.

May 7: Suppliers’ Night. Pleasanton, Calif. Click here.

Ohio Valley
April 25: Suppliers’ Expo. West Chester, Ohio. Click here.

In Memoriam
IFT notes the passing of the following members: Daniel D. Bartnick, Edward E. Chapman, Samuel G. Kahn, Ernest Miller, Joel Riegelmayer, and Gregory E. Urbanski.

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