IFT Recognizes Food Science & Technology Innovations

Newswise — At Sunday morning's keynote session of the 2008 Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting & Food Expo, incoming IFT President Sheri Schellhaass and President-Elect Marianne Gillette announced and presented four companies with the 2008 IFT Food Expo Innovation Awards. The recipients are Bunge North America, CEM Corp., Multisorb Technologies, and NC Hyperbaric.

A panel of nine jurors from industry and academia with broad expertise in research and product development, processing and packaging technology, and food safety selected the four companies and their innovations from 46 qualified entries. Only companies exhibiting at the 2008 IFT Food Expo in New Orleans were eligible. Judging criteria included degree of innovation, technical advancement, benefits to food manufacturers and consumers, and scientific merit.

Bunge North America (Booth 4216) garnered the 2008 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for its Nutra Blanche / Nutra-Clear NT Frying System Solution & Donut Fry NT, which utilizes proprietary hydrogenation technology to reduce trans fats by more than 85% in shortening systems for par-fried potatoes and fried donuts. CEM Corp. (Booth 2360) won the award for its Sprint Rapid Protein Analyzer. The compact instrument—designed for use in the lab or at a production line—provides protein determination in two minutes that is more accurate than other methods, without the use of harsh chemicals or high heat. Multisorb Technologies (Booth 1203) was honored for its Active Oxygen Barrier Enhancement—an oxygen scavenging system that can be incorporated into packaging polymers for molded, sheeted, or film applications. The system improves the oxygen barrier properties of the structure, resulting in extended shelf life and greater quality retention. NC Hyperbaric (Booth 1554) captured the 2008 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for its Wave 6000/420 High Pressure Processing Equipment, which utilizes a working pressure of 87,000 psi to process about 4,500 pounds of product per hour at a cost of $0.032 per pound. Reduced machine cycle times and vessel filling deliver greater product throughput.

About IFT Founded in 1939, and with world headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, USA, the Institute of Food Technologists is a not-for-profit international scientific society with 22,000 members working in food science and technology and related professions in industry, academia and government. As the society for food science and technology, IFT brings sound science to the public discussion of food issues. For more on IFT, visit http://www.ift.org. © 2008 Institute of Food Technologists