With this issue, Editor Emeritus Neil H. Mermelstein concludes a 12-year tenure as Food Technology’s author of the monthly Food Safety & Quality column. He joined the IFT staff in 1971 as associate editor of Food Technology and subsequently served in a variety of editorial positions, retiring as executive editor at the end of 2007but continuing to write a monthly column for the magazine since then.Throughout his career, his efforts and leadership ensured that the highest standards of integrity and quality were maintained.
Mermelstein earned an MS degree in chemical engineering with a minor in technical journalism and used his technical and editorial skills to provide substantive editing of the magazine’s content. In 2007 he was named an IFT Fellow and in 2008 was honored with the Calvert L. Willey Distinguished Service Award for meritorious and imaginative service to IFT.
“Neil has enjoyed a long and distinguished career at IFT,” said Executive Editor Mary Ellen Kuhn. “As author of the magazine’s Food Safety& Quality column for more than a decade, he has brought enthusiasm and insight to 150-plus articles on topics ranging from food borne pathogens and allergens to biosensors and adulterants. I know I speak for the Food Technology team—and all of IFT—when I say that his impact has been significant and his many contributions are deeply appreciated.”
Earlier this year, Cornell University dedicated a new food science product development lab, which was named in honor of IFT Fellows Leslie J. Herzog and his wife,Jacqueline H. P. Beckley, who contributed funds to establish the lab.
The Leslie J. Herzog ’77 and Jacqueline H. Beckley Food Product Innovation Lab will help food science students at Cornell demonstrate their mastery of food science and innovation principles when participating in product development competitions.Since opening in April, the lab has been in constant use.
“This gift enables the department to invest in state-of-the-art facilities to support food product innovation and to meet the ever-emerging demands of the consumers and industries we serve,” said Kathryn Boor,dean of the College of Agriculture &Life Sciences, during the dedication ceremony. “Funding our research and development facilities in perpetuity is crucial to allow Stocking Hall to remain as modern as it is today.”
Herzog noted that the funds contributed by him and Beckley were“given as a continuation of the Flegen heimer-Herzog family’s gratitude to Cornell and Cornell Food Science for the better life it has given for all of us. We hope that the education of all of the current scholars will lead to a better, more prosperous world.”
Herzog and Beckley have been members of IFT for more than 45 years. Herzog holds a BS in food science from Cornell and an MS in food science from Rutgers. He joined Unilever in 1978 and retired after37-plus years with the company, dedicating his career to product and process development for a variety of food brands.
Beckley earned a BS in food science from the University of California–Davis and an MBA from Dominican University. During her career, she worked at Standard Oil of Indiana, Quaker Oats, P&K Research,and Nabisco before founding The Understanding & Insight Group in 1999.
Michael Leonard
Michael Leonard
Motif Food Works, an ingredient innovation company, has announced the appointment of Michael Leonard as chief technology officer. Leonard, a member of IFT, will draw on over 16 years of industrial science and technology experience to lead Motif’s technical strategy and build the company’s R&D capabilities.Leveraging a deep food industry background,he will also oversee the company’s industry and academic partnership efforts, to accelerate Motif’s product pipeline and food application development.
“The role of food in people’s lives is changing, and animal-free options are increasingly top of mind for many consumers,” said Leonard. “Motif is paving a new path for more functional,nutritionally meaningful, and sustainable ingredients and we’re just getting started. I’m excited to lead Motif’s technology efforts, which will be rooted in fundamental food science and driven by a consumer-focused mindset, to provide better food experiences for everyone.”
Leonard previously served as the vice president and head of R&D for White Space Innovation and Commercialization at Kraft Heinz.Prior to that, he was the vice president of process technology for Global Snacks R&D at Pepsi Co. He holds Ph Dand MS degrees in polymer science and engineering from the University of Massachusetts.
Osvaldo Campanella was honored with an International Association for Engineering and Food (IAEF)Lifetime Achievement Award.Campanella was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the food engineering profession at the International Congress on Engineering and Food, held in Melbourne,Australia, in September.
Campanella, a member of IFT,holds a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Buenos Aires,Argentina, and a PhD in food engineering from the University of Massachusetts.As a faculty member in the Department of Food Technology at Massey University, he focused his research on food engineering, heat transfer modeling, food extrusion, rheology,and dairy technology. In 1999, he joined Purdue University, where he continued working on areas of food engineering and rheology applied to bio materials. He joined The Ohio State University in 2019 as the Carl E. Haas Endowed Chair in Food Industries.
Tuan Nguyen
Tuan Nguyen
Tuan Nguyen has rejoined specialty frozen bakery company ARYZTA North America as vice president of procurement. A member of IFT, Nguyen held the same position from 2016 to 2018 and, after a brief leave, returns to the strategic role. In addition to a strong skill set in procurement and risk management,Nguyen has close to 20 years of experience with Procter & Gamble, Booz &Company, and Coca-Cola. He holds aBS in biomedical and electrical engineering and a certificate in market sand management from Duke University.
The Institute of Food Technologists is currently seeking qualified individuals through an open call for candidates for the position of editor in chief for IFT’s three scientific journals—Journal of Food Science, Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, and Journal of Food Science Education. E. Allen Foegeding, PhD, who has served as editor in chief for eight years, is stepping down at the end of 2020.
The editor in chief provides leadership to the journals to help ensure that IFT is globally acknowledged as a primary source of high-quality scientific information in the area of food science and technology. Major responsibilities include strategic planning,appointment of editors,oversight of manuscript quality and journals’ aims and scopes, assisting editors in resolving issues and conflicts,and preparing the journals’ annual report with the assistance of IFT staff. Dr. Foegeding and the IFT staff will work with the new editor in chief to ensure a smooth transition of duties.
Qualified candidates for the position should be an IFT member in good standing; have earned a PhD; be internationally recognized as an outstanding researcher and leader in food science; have excellent skills in communication, organization, and personnel relations; and have previous experience on editorial board(s)of food science-related journals.
The editor in chief is a volunteer position with a monthly honor ariumand is appointed by the IFT Board of Directors. Initial appointment is for a two-year term, with re appointment for up to five terms (maximum 10 years).
To nominate yourself as a candidate, please access the candidate submission form at www.surveymonkey.com/r/5F83VR7
Have some news to share about your self or another IFT member? Email [email protected]
Each month, we meet one of IFT’s valued volunteers
As a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Kathiravan Krishnamurthy enjoys interacting with his students and helping to guide,inspire, and motivate them to achieve their career goals. “It is a truly fulfilling experience to assist the students ingrowing personally and professionally,”he says.
A graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a doctorate in agricultural and biological engineering,Krishnamurthy is also an active researcher at the Institute for Food Safety and Health at IIT.
His volunteer experiences with IFT began shortly after he became a member in 2001, with his first appointed position being the newsletter editor of the Nonthermal Processing Division.
“Ever since,” he says, “I have been an active volunteer within the division and held various positions such as secretary and chair. Currently, I am the immediate past chair of the Nonthermal Division.”
Krishnamurthy has also served as an instructor for the certified food scientist preparatory course, as a member/chair of IFT Achievement Award juries, as a reviewer for IFT symposium proposals and technical abstracts, and as a member of the Division Champion Team.
“I truly enjoy the opportunity to work with dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer colleagues and IFT staff,” he says. “Their enthusiasm and dedication are contagious. The volunteer experiences not only help me in giving back to the community but also help in forging lifelong professional relationships and opening doors for additional opportunities. I specifically cherish the opportunity to serve the Nonthermal Processing Division in various capacities over the decade. These opportunities helped me grow professionally, develop professional relationships, and hone my leadership skills.”
Having built strong professional and mentoring relationships with his fellow IFT members, Krishnamurthy finds that IFT’s core value of community resonates with him. “I had personally benefited from the mentorship of many of my senior colleagues on professional development and leadership,” he says. “As I benefited immensely from the mentoring of my colleagues, I am currently mentoring several students and younger colleagues in achieving their career goals. The networking opportunity provided by IFT is unparalleled.”
Krishnamurthy believes the future of food science holds many promising developments, including the ability of nonthermal processing to ensure food safety while preserving the quality and nutrients in food. “In addition,” he says, “some of these technologies open myriad additional opportunities such as new product development, energy reduction, and increases in healthbeneficial compounds. Due to these, nonthermal processing technologies can play a vital role in the production of high-quality, healthy, and safe foods. With numerous additional advancements in food science and technology, we are now better suited for tackling the challenge of feeding the ever-growing population of the world.”
