Newswise — CHICAGO—The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is proud to announce its 2013 Fellows. This is a unique professional distinction given to individuals with outstanding and extraordinary qualifications and experience for their contributions to food science and technology.
The IFT Fellow designation is an honor bestowed upon IFT members by their peers, recognizing exemplary advancement, service to the food science and technology professions, inspiration of others to excel in the food science and technology field, primary responsibility for the success of a new food product, and/or improvement of the human condition via food science and technology. The designation of Fellow rewards outstanding, sustained accomplishment in the field. Nominations are made by IFT members with IFT Fellows acting as references and the IFT Fellows Jury evaluates the credentials of each proposed new Fellow and vote annually.
The 2013 IFT Fellows are as follows: http://www.ift.org/community/fellows/2013-ift-fellows.aspx
• Ashim Datta, PhD, Professor at Cornell University• Michael duBois, Director at Rutgers Food Innovation Center• Elisabeth Huff-Lonergan, PhD, Professor at Iowa State University• Lekh Raj Juneja, PhD, Executive Vice President of Taiyo Kagaku Co. Ltd./ President of Taiyo International• Larry Keener, CFS, President and Chief Executive of International Product Safety Consultants Inc.• Lucina Lampila, PhD, CFS, Associate Professor at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center• Chong Lee, PhD, Professor Emeritus and Researcher at University of Rhode Island• Gary List, Former Lead Scientist at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research • Rosana Moreira, PhD, Professor of Food Engineering and Assistant Department Head for Texas A&M University• Witoon Prinyawiwatkul, PhD,CFS, Professor at Louisiana State University• PV Suryaprakasa Rao,CFS, Technical Director and Advisor for Priya Foods (P) Ltd.• Martin Wiedmann, PhD, Professor at Cornell University
IFT has conferred the Fellow designation on a select number of Professional Members every year since 1970. A complete list of Fellows can be found on the IFT Web site at: http://www.ift.org/community/fellows/ift-fellows.aspxAshim Datta, Professor at Cornell University, was honored for his outstanding research contributions to food engineering, integrating physics-based modeling with chemistry and microbiology.
Dr. Datta has devoted his career to developing a physics-based framework for understanding food processes and their effect on food safety and quality. He has developed computer-aided design tools that integrate physics with microbiology and chemistry, providing an avenue for optimization. He has applied his work to baking, deep fat frying and microwave heating. His work has been published in more than 90 peer-reviewed journal publications and about 250 presentations. Dr. Datta has presented at nearly all IFT meetings starting in 1985; he has made a total of 64 research presentations at IFT Annual Meetings.
Michael duBois, Director at Rutgers Food Innovation Center, was considered for his work in building collaborative organizations that are committed to enhancing the esthetics, value, and nutrition of food and beverage products worldwide.
Mr. duBois has played a global leadership role in the food ingredients industry in which he has contributed to advances in technology and built mutually rewarding and enduring partnerships. His experience includes leadership roles in food ingredient firms including Firmenich, Sensient Technologies, Bush Boake Allen and ConAgra Foods and consumer companies Williams Foods and Wagner-Excello Foods. He also formed and operated a consulting firm called, Metaphor for specialty chemicals, food, and bio-nutrients industries. Mr. duBois has served on the Board of Trustees for IFT.
Elisabeth Huff-Lonergan, Professor at Iowa State University, has been honored for her important contribution to muscle biology and meat science, to the professional development of future scientists, and to the advancement of women in the profession.
Dr. Huff-Lonergan is an internationally known, highly respected researcher in applied muscle biology and early post-mortem muscle/meat biochemistry. Her major research focus is on biochemical mechanisms in muscle that influence fresh meat quality. Her internationally renowned, independently funded research program uses cutting-edge protein chemistry techniques and has had significant practical applications for the industry. She has more than 50 peer-reviewed papers that have been published, five peer-reviewed book chapters, nearly 100 abstracts, and one patent. She is an active member of the Muscle Food Division and the Iowa Section of IFT.
Lekh Raj Juneja, Executive Vice President/CEO of Taiyo Kagaku Co. Ltd, was recognized for his outstanding leadership and innovative contributions in the areas of functional foods and nutraceuticals.
As a leader in the research, development, production and marketing of nutraceuticals and functional foods for the food and pharmaceutical industries, Dr. Juneja has gained an international reputation for innovation and business acumen. He has led the development of some of the firm’s preeminent products like Suntheanine, Sunfiber and SunActive and has been credited with more than 130 patents. He maintains professional relationships with management in more than 50 multinational food, health-care and cosmetic corporations. He served on the Advisory Board of the IFT Nano-science Panel from 2009 to 2011 and has attended many IFT symposia, meetings and poster sessions.
Larry Keener, President and Chief Executive of International Product Safety Consultants, Inc., was nominated for outstanding leadership and improving food safety worldwide through numerous technical and business contributions for more than 35 years.
Mr. Keener is recognized globally as an expert in food safety, particularly as in the area of process validation as a process authority. He has extensive expertise in development and implementation of novel and non-thermal processing technologies. He has published and presented more than 75 papers internationally. He is also the Vice President, and Co-chair of the Global Harmonization Initiative (GHI). He has served multiple elected positions in the Non-thermal Processing Division for IFT.
Lucina Lampila, Associate Professor at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, was recognized for her expertise on ingredient technology and seafood processing, products and safety.
Dr. Lampila is a leading authority on ingredient technology, particularly with food-grade phosphates, and the chemical and physical changes by ingredient incorporation into major food categories. She is also an expert in seafood processing, products and safety. She has created more than 75 novel and useful applications for processors, authored several dozen marketing brochures and more than 100 technical bulletins, and presented over 200 technical seminars on the development of the phosphate market. She has been a dedicated IFT member since 1989.
Chong Lee, Professor Emeritus and Researcher at University of Rhode Island, has been honored for his outstanding contributions in physical chemistry of proteinaceous foods and advances in innovative utilization of marine resources.
Dr. Lee has an international reputation for his work in surimi technology and is one of the primary researchers responsible for the development of the domestic industry in North America. He has published 44 surimi technology-related articles, and for the last 30 years, his Surimi Process Technology (1984) book has been one of the most relied-upon references for individuals studying surimi technology. In addition, his lipid analysis method has been used worldwide for its simplicity and reproducibility. He was an Executive Committee member for the IFT Aquatic Food Products Division and has presented 80 papers at various IFT Annual meetings.
Gary List was recognized for his outstanding contributions to food science as a leader in oilseed processing, and for development of technologies leading to more healthful fats and oils.
Mr. List has had a long, distinguished career as a research chemist at the USDA Regional Laboratory in Peoria, Illinois. He has had a hand in every major event occurring in the oilseed industry over the past 45 years. He is internationally known and recognized as an expert through prestigious awards and invitations to speak at international conferences and the World Congress. Dr. List has been active in the IFT for several years at the sectional and national levels and in many divisions.
Rosana Moreira, Professor of Food Engineering and Assistant Department Head for Texas A&M University, was honored for her pioneering work in numerical simulation of frying and applications of alternative technologies to improve the quality and safety of produce.
Dr. Moreira has been regarded as a pioneer in numerical simulation of frying due to her fundamental work on heat and mass transfer mechanisms during frying of foods. Her simulations helped promote understanding of effective control of the kinetics of acrylamide formation under vacuum; this led to understanding and optimizing a process called vacuum frying. Dr. Moreira’s groundbreaking research in applications of alternative nonthermal technologies has improved quality and safety of fresh produce. She has served as Chair, Secretary, and web and newsletter Editor for the Food Engineering Division of IFT.
Witoon Prinyawiwatkul, Professor at Louisiana State University, was honored for his dedicated research, teaching and service work in value-added product development and sensory science.
Dr. Prinyawiwatkul has 121 refereed publications, one book, 242 professional, scientific presentations (nationally and internationally), and three symposia. His most significant research contributions include development of value-added functional ingredients from seafood, aquaculture byproducts, and wastes and their applications in foods. Another focus is the use of sensory science methods as a tool for developing new food products. He uses multivariate statistical analyses to assist in the interpretation of complex sensory data and consumer responses. He has also served as an Associate Editor for Journal of Food Science and a Chair for several important events for IFT. PV Suryaprakasa Rao, Technical Director and Advisor for Priya Foods (P) Ltd., has been honored for his life-long, dedicated contribution to promoting integrated agro-food industries and technologies in India through a science-based approach to the processing and preservation of traditional ethnic Indian foods and various agri-horticultural resources.
Mr. Rao has instrumentally metamorphosed Indian traditional foods by applying all the principles of food science and technology in the manufacture of products on a large scale, ensuring their safety, taste and quality during storage and transportation. He also set up the Panganamamula Foundation in 1997, focusing on the transformation of home-bound traditional foods into a science-based industrial technology. Mr. Rao has authored and published three books through Panganamamula Foundation to promote traditional Indian foods-based food science industries. He has served on the International Award Jury of IFT for two consecutive terms of three years.
Martin Wiedmann, Professor at Cornell University, has been honored for being internationally recognized for his work on food safety and his research on listeriosis.
Dr. Wiedmann is well-known for his active research program in food safety and microbiology. Not only is he recognized internationally for his expertise in applying cutting-edge molecular biology tools to food safety issues, but also for using these tools to address issues that are of current concern to the food industry. His research efforts have been critical for the early detection of at least 2 large human listeriosis outbreaks in the United States, preventing additional human disease cases and death. He has served as a member of the Awards Jury and the Committee on Divisions for IFT.
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About IFT For more than 70 years, IFT has existed to advance the science of food. Our nonprofit scientific society—more than 18,000 members from more than 100 countries—brings together food scientists, technologists and related professions from academia, government, and industry. For more information, please visit ift.org.
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