Institute of Food Technologists

Institute of Food Technologists
Type non-profit
Founded 1939
Headquarters Chicago, Illinois, USA
Website Official website

The Institute of Food Technologists or IFT is an international, non-profit professional organization for the advancement of food science and technology. It is the largest of food science organizations in the world, encompassing 22,000 members worldwide as of 2006. It is referred to as "THE Society of Food Science and Technology."[1] Its current president is Robert B. Gravani of Cornell University.

Contents

History

Early history

As food technology grew from the individual family farm to the factory level, including the slaughterhouse for meat and poultry processing, the cannery for canned foods, and bakeries for bread as examples, the need to have personnel trained for the food industries did also. Literature such as Upton Sinclair's The Jungle in 1906 about slaughterhouse operations would be a factor in the establishment of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) later that year. The United States Department of Agriculture was also interested in food technology and research was also being done at agricultural colleges in the United States, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and the University of California, Berkeley.[2] By 1935, two MIT professors, Samuel C. Prescott and Bernard E. Proctor decided that it was time to hold an international conference regarding this.[3] A detailed proposal was presented to MIT President Karl Taylor Compton in 1936 was presented with $1500 of financial aid from MIT for a meeting to be held from June 30 to July 2, 1937 with Compton asking how many people would be in attendance at this meeting. Prescott replied with "fifty or sixty people." 500 people actually attended the event.[3]

This meeting proved so successful that in early 1938 that a second conference would be held in 1939. Initially led by George J. Hucker of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station (part of Cornell University) in Geneva, New York, a small group meeting was held on August 5, 1938 on forming an organization with an expanded group meeting in New York City on January 16, 1939 to further discuss this.[4] The second conference was held at MIT June 29 to July 1, 1939 with Proctor as conference chair. 600 people attended this event. At the final session, the chairman of the session Fred C. Blanck of the United States Department of Agriculture, proposed that an organization be established as the Institute of Food Technologists. This was approved unanimously. Its first officers were Prescott as President, Roy C. Newton of Swift & Company in Chicago, Illinois as Vice President, and Hucker as Secretary-Treasurer.[4] By 1949, IFT had 3,000 members.

IFT growth

Regional sections were established in IFT as early as 1940 in northern California (San Francisco, Bakersfield, Sacramento).[5] The first IFT Award, the Nicholas Appert Award was established in 1942 by IFT's Chicago section with additional awards being established since then. For the first ten years, the IFT's officers were established to be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. In 1949, the IFT moved into offices in Chicago and created a permanent position of Executive Secretary to run daily organizational operations. Retired U.S. Army Colonel Charles S. Lawrence was named the first Executive Secretary, a position he would hold until 1961 when he was replaced by Calvert L. Willey. During Willey's term as Executive Director (Executive Secretary 1961–1966), IFT would grow from 6,000 members in 1961 to 23,000 members in 1987.[6] Additionally, IFT Divisions were first established in 1971 with the Refrigerated and frozen foods division.[7] The IFT Student Division was established in 1975, and was reorganized in 1984 to be the IFT Student Association with the chairperson serving as a member of the IFT Board of Directors.[8]

IFT today

Today there are a total of twenty-eight divisions and fifty-four sections within IFT. Members from these sections and divisions make up the governing body of the Institute with each section having councilors determined by sectional membership, which 1 councilor per 200 members of that section while each division has one councilor. Additionally the council has the President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Treasurer, and as an ex-officio member with the Executive Vice President (Executive Director 1966–1999). The Executive Committee until July 2007 consisted of the main officers, six representatives elected by the IFT council, six representatives elected by the IFT membership, the Executive Vice President, and the chair of the student association. Since July 2007, it consists of a Board of Directors made up of the President, President-Elect, Past-President, Treasurer, and Executive Vice President along with twelve Board of Directors that have four of these elected every three years. This change was approved by the IFT members in a change to the constitution in April 2007.[9] IFT also communicates with the news media, using seventy university-based scientists to discuss the scientific perspective on food issues.[10] IFT is also active in the international level by its membership in the International Union of Food Science and Technology, headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.[11][12] Education has always been an issue of IFT, going as far back as 1941, with desires to have uniform education standards in food technology.[13] Education standards for undergraduate students were approved by IFT in 1966 for food science and technology. These standards were revised and updated in 1977, 1992, and 2001. Today, IFT sits on the advisory council for the International Food Protection Training Institute. Future issues in food technology include microsensors and biosensors in food, antimicrobials in food packaging to extend the shelf-life of food, and nanotechnology creation for food microencapsulation[14][15] In March 2007, about 200 members participated in a strategic leadership forum in Chicago that dealt with changes within IFT leadership, including membership, future success of the profession, the value of IFT membership, and communications.[16]

In 2010, IFT celebrated their 10th year of setting up their office in Washington, D.C.[17] Their website was overhauled on May 24, 2010.[18]

IFT Annual Meeting and Food Expo

The largest gathering for IFT is the annual IFT Annual Meeting and Food Expo. In 2009, the event was held in Anaheim, California. Approximately 24,000 people from 75 countries attended and over 1000 exhibitors presented.[19] The 2010 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo was held at McCormick Place in Chicago.

IFT concerns

One constant that IFT has concern with is food safety, mainly with pathogens in food (see food microbiology) and how to counter these harmful bacteria. The global trade of food is also concerned with food safety and food security, specifically with ingredient availability and consumer tastes worldwide.[20] Since 1996, issues such as obesity, food allergens, and bioterrorism have become main issues that IFT are dealing with. A recent issue IFT has been addressing is the 2006 North American E. coli outbreak dealing with the outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) in spinach (September & October 2006), green onions, and lettuce.[21][22][23][24][25][26]

IFT awards

All awards except the Loncin prize have this reference[27] listed below.

IFT divisions

These are divisions of interest by the IFT Members[29]

IFT sections

These are usually cities, states, and regions. If a region is mentioned, a city in that region is mentioned which include areas surrounded by the city.[30]

IFT executive vice presidents

Between IFT's founding in 1939 and 1949, the institute had elected a secretary and treasurer that kept up with the daily operations of the institute. By 1949, the membership had reached 3,000 and it was decided to create an Executive Secretary position and establish a permanent location for IFT. Since then, the position's name has changed twice to it current name. There have been five Executive Vice Presidents[31] shown below:

IFT member grades

There are four member grades within the Institute[32]:

IFT presidents

Main article: List of Institute of Food Technologists Presidents

IFT publications

The Institute also has many publications that are both in print and online[33] that are shown below:

Both Food Technology and the Journal of Food Science can be accessed in print or online. Other publications are shown below:

Phi Tau Sigma

Main article: Phi Tau Sigma

[42]

See also

References

  1. ^ About Us – ift.org
  2. ^ Goldblith, S.A. (1993). Pioneers in Food Science, Volume 1: Samuel Cate Prescott – M.I.T. Dean and Pioneer Food Technologist. Trumball, Connecticut: Food & Nutrition Press, Inc. pp. 99–100.
  3. ^ a b Goldblith. p. 101.
  4. ^ a b Goldblith. p. 102.
  5. ^ Northern California IFT Section Chairs
  6. ^ "In Memoriam: Calvert L. Willey." Food Technology June 1994. pp. 20–21.
  7. ^ Heldman, Dennis R. "Proposed Changes in IFT Divisions." IFT-FED Webletter. May 2006. Accessed October 7, 2006
  8. ^ IFT Student Association history
  9. ^ "Members Ratify IFT Constitution". Food Technology. June 2007. p. 25.
  10. ^ IFT-News Room
  11. ^ IUFoST links with IFT
  12. ^ Heldman, D.R. "IFT and International Food Science." Food Technology. November 2006: 11.
  13. ^ Heldman, D. R. "IFT and the Food Science Profession." Food Technology. October 2006. p. 11.
  14. ^ Ibid.
  15. ^ Bugusu, B. and C. Bryant. "Defining the Future of Food Packaging." Food Technology. December 2006. pp. 38–42.
  16. ^ IFT Staff. "Forum Helps Shape IFT's future". Food Technology. June 2007. pp. 24–6.
  17. ^ Fisher, Willam, Rosetta L. Newsome, and Sarah D. Ohlhorst. "IFT marks 10 Years of Food Science Advocacy". Food Technology. June 2010: 26–30.
  18. ^ IFT Staff. "New IFT web site". Food Technology. June 2010: 32–33, 35.
  19. ^ 2009 Highlights
  20. ^ Potter, Norman N. and Joseph H. Hotchkiss (1995). Food Science. 5th Edition. New York: Chapman & Hall. pp.20–21.
  21. ^ [[n:E. coli outbreak kills 1, sickens nearly 100|September 15, 2006 Wikinews information on E. coli outbreak. Accessed October 8, 2006
  22. ^ New York Times article on a New Jersey Taco Bell being shut down to E. coli outbreak
  23. ^ NJ warehouse linked to E. coli outbreak – Accessed December 7, 2006
  24. ^ MeatNews.com article on Taco Bell's response to E.coli outbreak – Accessed December 7, 2006
  25. ^ FOX News information on E.coli probe focusing on the green onion with more Taco Bell restaurants closing – Accessed December 7, 2006
  26. ^ Klapthar, J.N. "Rallying Around an E. coli Outbreak." Food Technology. December 2006. p. 99.
  27. ^ Achievement Awards Nomination (Word file)
  28. ^ Marcel Loncin Research Prize
  29. ^ IFT Divisions
  30. ^ IFT Sections
  31. ^ Pierson, Pamela. "Au Revoir." IFT Spotlight. Spring/Summer 2003. p. 3. Accessed October 22, 2006.
  32. ^ IFT Member Grades
  33. ^ a b IFT Publications
  34. ^ Food Technology magazine
  35. ^ Journal of Food Science
  36. ^ The Journal of Food Science Education
  37. ^ Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety
  38. ^ IFT Newsletters
  39. ^ Ibid
  40. ^ Books
  41. ^ Ibid
  42. ^ Phi Tau Sigma on IFT's website

External links