Food Technology welcomes new editor; Minnesota Section recognizes Schmidl

News about IFT members and events

Margaret Malochleb

Food Technology Magazine

Food Technology welcomes new editor-in-chief

Bill McDowell has joined the Food Technology staff as editor-in-chief. McDowell will direct editorial content for the magazine and oversee the creation of digital and print news sources, with an emphasis on digital transformation and content creation relevant to IFT’s members.

For the past 19 years, McDowell worked for MTG Media Group, most recently as vice president, editorial director. During his time with MTG, he helped expand and diversify company publications covering various aspects of the food industry, overseeing the transition of Meat Marketing & Technology and Poultry into a single print/web brand, Meatingplace. Prior to working at MTG Media, he held various positions across editorial, including editorial director of the Food, Beverage, and Retail Group with VerticalNet and editor at Cahners Business Information.

“I am proud to be joining such a talented and respected team of professionals,” McDowell says. “The challenges of food sustainability, safety, nutrition, and accessibility that are the core of IFT’s mission have never been more pressing. I am excited to explore new opportunities to inform and engage IFT’s diverse members as they continue to innovate the global food supply.”

McDowell holds BS and MS degrees in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media and Integrated Marketing Communications.

Schmidl receives President’s Award

The Minnesota Section has honored Mary K. Schmidl with the President’s Award in recognition of her outstanding service to both the section and the science of food profession. The award consists of an engraved plaque with the citation and an honorarium.

Mary K. Schmidl

Schmidl has had a distinguished career as a scientist, research director, educator, and leader to public and private agencies around the world for more than 40 years. She has commercialized more than 75 new products and authored or co-authored over 100 refereed research papers, magazine articles, patents, book chapters, and books.

A fellow of IFT, Schmidl has demonstrated extraordinary leadership through her service as president, member of the board of directors and foundation, and chair of a number of committees. She was awarded the Babcock-Hart Award for Nutrition in 1993 and the Carl R. Fellers Award in 2012.

Schmidl joined IFT as a student in 1973 and has been active in the Minnesota Section since 1982, serving twice as section president in addition to serving as secretary, councilor, and chair of many committees. She is an adjunct professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota, where her focus is on obesity, functional foods, and dietary supplements and their impact on global public health and wellness.

Corwin appointed principal scientist

MGP Ingredients, a provider of specialty wheat proteins and starches, has named IFT member Sarah Corwin principal scientist. Corwin earned her doctorate in food science at Purdue University after completing her dissertation on slow-digesting carbohydrates. Her expertise will help support MGP’s research into the physiological benefits of dietary fiber in humans.

“The scientific advances coming out of her dissertation on slow-digesting carbohydrates and their possible impact in human nutrition are relevant to our ongoing research initiatives in understanding further the beneficial physiological effects of dietary fibers in humans,” noted Chief Science Officer and Vice President of R&D Ody Maningat in a company statement. “In her role as principal scientist, Sarah will conceptualize new product ideas in support of our platforms on resistant starch/dietary fiber, plant-based protein, nutritional flours, and clean label.”

While at Purdue, Corwin managed the Carbohydrate Chemistry Laboratory and participated in numerous professional development activities, including leading teams in a variety of product development competitions and serving as a member of IFT’s Carbohydrate Division leadership. She also taught courses on food product design and presented at national and international symposia on agricultural biological engineering and carbohydrate-related topics.

Have some news to share about your-self or another IFT member? Email mmalochleb@ift.org.

Foegeding to retire as journals editor

After serving eight years as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Food Science (JFS), Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (CRFSFS), and the Journal of Food Science Education (JFSE), E. Allen Foegeding, PhD, will retire at the end of December.

E. Allen Foegeding, PhD

An accomplished and highly regarded researcher, Foegeding is a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Food Science at North Carolina State University, where his investigations provided insight into how food biopolymers function in foods. His primary focus was on whey proteins in forming sols, foams, and gels with an emphasis on how food structure breakdown during oral processing produces sensory texture. In 2016, IFT awarded him the Nicolas Appert Award for his preeminence in and contributions to the field of food technology.

Passionate about ethical and clear communication of research, Foegeding was appointed associate editor of JFS in 2002, promoted to scientific editor in 2010, and appointed editor-in-chief of scientific journals in 2012. During his tenure, submissions doubled to over 3,000 manuscripts per year, selectivity increased, and the number of published articles expanded by 11%.

The elevated quality of published research resulted in the growth of impact factors for JFS and CRFSFS, with CRFSFS ranking among the top six journals in the food science category throughout Foegeding’s term. Readership of all three journals increased as well; notably, more than 1.6 million articles are currently downloaded each year from CRFSFS alone.

Always forward thinking, Foegeding adapted the journals to an evolving landscape of scholarly publishing, encouraging an “open data” policy and transitioning JFS and CRFSFS into hybrid journals that offer authors the option to publish open access. In 2018, Foegeding restructured JFS by converting journal sections into topics and expanding the editorial board to increase diversity and international representation. He also worked to shift internal culture, focusing on a balance of respect, rights, and expectations among editors, reviewers, and authors. Concurrently, he launched two new topics in JFS: “New Horizons,” which highlights cutting-edge research, and “Integrated Food Science,” which addresses the cross-disciplinary nature of modern food science.

A member of IFT since 1974, Foegeding earned a PhD in food science from the University of Minnesota. He joined the faculty of North Carolina State University in 1982, where he taught courses in food chemistry, muscle foods, and colloidal and polymer properties of foods until his retirement last year.

“IFT has been fortunate to have Dr. Foegeding as editor-in-chief these last eight years,” said Christie Tarantino-Dean, CEO of IFT. “His dedication and commitment to science, our editors, and the organization will leave a lasting imprint on IFT and those of us who have had the privilege of working alongside him. We know his legacy will be one that influences us for years to come.”

Foegeding will be succeeded as editor-in-chief by Richard Hartel, PhD, professor of food science, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

In Memoriam

Russell S. Flowers, past chairman of the board of Mérieux NutriSciences and chief scientific officer of Silliker Inc., has died. A fellow of IFT, he was a leading researcher, author, and speaker in the field of food microbiology, with particular emphasis on the development and validation of rapid analytical methods and laboratory performance.

Flowers was instrumental in the creation of Mérieux NutriSciences, serving as the company’s first CEO, from 1996 to 2007, and later being appointed chairman of the board and chief scientific officer. He retired in 2013.

The recipient of numerous industry awards and honors, Flowers was the study director for the validation of the first enzyme immunoassay and nucleic acid hybridization assay approved by AOAC and many subsequent studies that led to the industry-wide implementation of methods for the detection of pathogens in food and food environments. He also chaired the Food Laboratory Accreditation Working Group that developed specific accreditation criteria adopted by AOAC and A2LA for food testing laboratories.

Flowers received BS and MS degrees from North Carolina State University and a PhD from the University of Illinois. He collaborated on more than seven books on microbiology and 35 articles that appeared in trade journals.

IFT also notes the passing of the following members: Douglas J. Lloyd and Ronald H. Schmidt.