NEWSLINE, Number 51, March 2002, ISSN 0159-4419

THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (IAFoST) – PRESENT AND FUTURE ACTIVITIES
By Professor Ken Buckle, IAFoST President 2001-2003

The IUFoST General Assembly, at its 7^th meeting in Budapest in September 1995, accepted the recommendation of the (then) Executive Committee to form the International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST).

The Academy, which was formed in 1997, is a learned society composed of elected members (Fellows) from all parts of the world. Fellows are usually, but not necessarily, affiliated with adhering bodies of IUFoST. The Academy statutes provide that the President, Secretary-General and all past Presidents and Secretaries-General are automatically Fellows.

The first meeting of the Academy was held at the 10^th World Congress of Food Science and Technology held in Sydney, Australia in October 1999, and the second was held at the 11^th World Congress in Seoul, Korea in April 2001. Academy Fellows represent no organisation and serve as independent persons to provide a pool of scientific expertise in food science and technology from which IUFoST may draw advice.

The purposes of the Academy are to:

• identify and recognise individuals distinguished by their scientific and professional contributions to food science and technology

• further improve international cooperation and exchange of information

• promote food science and technology and other sciences of importance for this area

• stimulate international education and training in food science and technology.

• nominating candidates for the Scientific Council for approval by the General Assembly

• sending to the Scientific Council proposals for members of, or advisors to, working groups and scientific commissions

• providing jury panels for awards

• providing advice, on request, to the President and Management Committee.

The Inaugural Members of the Academy consisted of the Past Presidents and Secretaries-General of IUFoST (Peter Biacs, Hungary; Richard Hall, USA; Ted Hood, Ireland; Joe Hulse, Canada; Jack Kefford, Australia; Jack Meyers, Canada; and Erik von Sydow, Sweden), who constituted the temporary Executive Council, together with 28 Fellows from 17 countries. Professor Owen Fennema (USA) presided over the first elected Executive Council (1999-2001). During this term, procedures were elaborated for the nomination of the IUFoST Distinguished Lecturer for forthcoming Congresses, and for the formation of an IUFoST Speakers Bureau, a list of eminent food scientists and technologists prepared to speak on particular topics that could be made available to adhering bodies. Both proposals were subsequently endorsed by the Academy at the Seoul Congress.

At the second meeting of the Academy held during the 11^th World Congress in Seoul, Korea, Fellows discussed a range of issues with which the Academy could and should become involved. In keeping with the Academy’s purposes, there was considerable support for the development of distance learning programs in food science and technology, especially for the less well developed countries in continents such as Africa.

This approach was reinforced by the outcomes of the Roundtable on Distance Education held at Congress X1, chaired by Professor Daryl Lund (USA). Progress in this vital area has occurred. The IUFoST Distance Education Task Force (DETF), also chaired by Daryl Lund, has recently prepared a proposal to seek funds from appropriate potential funding agencies for "Enhancing Human Capital in sub-Saharan Africa in Food Science and Technology through Distance Education". The DETF is now seeking input into the finalisation of the proposal, and has proposed a significant role for the Academy:

• assistance in defining the content of the eight learning modules

• assistance in developing the learning modules, and

• assistance in mentoring participants in the learning modules.

Academy Fellows, and indeed all IUFoST supporters, now have the opportunity to play a part in the development and preparation of training programs and in the training of much needed personnel. The Certificate Program in Food Science and Technology is proposed to be pilot tested in sub-Saharan Africa, an idea that is fully supported by ECSAAFoST.

The Academy consists of renowned experts in various disciplines that comprise food science and technology, and represents a significant and important source of knowledge, experience and expertise. It aims to not only carry out its statutory roles and functions, but also to contribute when the need arises and where IUFoST requires its support in the betterment of food consumers throughout the world.

What can the Academy do? Clearly there are many possibilities. At the last Academy meeting, some potential activities of the Academy were discussed. These include:

• raising funds for scholarships and travel grants for students and scientists in less well developed countries

• undertaking projects based on particular outcomes from workshops and roundtable discussions held at IUFoST Congresses, symposia and conferences

• collaborating with institutions such as the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) in developing particular priorities in food science and nutrition in the food chain from paddock to plate.

The Academy Executive Council (2001-03) consists of Ken Buckle (Australia) President, Owen Fennema (USA) (Past President), Malcolm Bourne (USA) President-Elect, and Ralph Blanchfield (UK) and Victor Prakash (India) Councillors. We welcome comments from IAFoST Fellows and all readers of Newsline with suggestions for any activities with which IAFoST should become involved.

Ken Buckle is currently Associate Dean (International Development) in the Faculty of Science at The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, where he holds the Chair of Food Science and Technology. He is a former Head of the Department of Food Science and Technology (1994-2000) and of the School of Applied Bioscience (1998-2000) at UNSW. He was President of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (1995-97) and is a Fellow of AIFST, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and of IAFoST. He was a member of the Organising Committee for Congress X held in Sydney in 1999, and Co-chaired the Technical Program Committee. His teaching and research interests cover food preservation, food safety and stability, and food regulations. He is a member of advisory committees to the NSW Department of Health and Safe Food NSW, and was appointed an Inaugural Scientific Fellow (2000-2003) to the Australia New Zealand Food Authority. He has published 130 scientific papers and books, and supervised 25 PhD students, 8 ME/MSc research students, and over 150 MSc coursework and BSc projects.

RESEARCH & TRAINING ACTIVITIES ON GARI FORTIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES, BENIN
An IUFoST Supported Project
By Prof. Moutairou Egounlety

Gari, a cassava-based fermented food, is a staple food in the Benin Gulf (Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana). Every stratum of the population, especially the children, consume it. Gari is mainly a caloric food with a low nutritive value (protein level: 1-2 percent). The importance of gari (high consumption frequency and income-generating activity for rural women) and its low protein value led us to undertake research on gari improvement.

Research works conducted on gari fortification with soybean and/or palm oil started in early 1993 have led to appropriate technologies for >fortified gari production (i.e commercially acceptable products.

The developed package comprises:

• An improvement in gari processing equipment: the tedious steps (grating, pressing) were mechanized and improved earth was introduced in order to increase the processing efficiency; and

• A simple fortification technique based on the co-fermentation of the raw materials was introduced. It involved the incorporation of cooked soybean into cassava mash followed by fermentation of the mixture and processing into a proteinized gari with an improved nutrient density. Furthermore, red palm oil was incorporated into the above mixture resulting in proteinized- vitaminized gari or into cassava mash to yield the vitaminized gari.

The proteinized products had a protein level of 6.9-8.1 percent while the vitaminized foods had a beta-cartoten level of 754.0 µg/100g compared to 1-2 percent and none respectively for the unfortified gari.

This innovation won the Special Support Prize of Scientific and Technological Innovations, 2000 edition, organized by the Beninese Centre for Scientific and Technological Research (CBRST).

It is also resulted in the following:

1. Formation of 30 gari processing women groups in South-Benin and training of 1,200 women

2. 28 rural development technicians;

3. Masters' level students (8-10/year) and participants (22-25/year since 1994) to the International Course of Food Science and Nutrition. Two (2) students undertook their research work on gari fortification.

The fortified gari were exposed at national and international seminars and conferences. Among the international events were the International Conference on Traditional Foods at Mysore, India, 6-8 March 1997, the 14th SAAFoST Congress at Pretoria, South Africa, 1-4 September, 1998 and the International Seminar on Traditional African Fermented Foods of July 2000 at Accra, Ghana. A paper (poster) titled ´Production of soy- and/or palm oil-fortified gari ' was recently presented at the 17th International Congress of Nutrition at Vienna, Austria, August 27-31, 2001.

Although research is still continuing, we decided to transfer these technologies to gari processing women groups in order not only to improve the nutritional status at household level but also to generate more revenues at rural level.

Three practical training sessions have been conducted in Southern-Benin respectively in 1998, 1999 & 2001. The following strategy has been adopted in order to reach more women groups: each group selects 2-3 members to attend the one-week session. Upon return, they transfer the technology learned to their colleagues. Thus, 12-15 groups (24-45 participants) are trained at that session. Indeed, we indirectly train 240-300 members, the mean member per group fluctuates between 15 and 20 and is even more in some areas.

In order to reach the populations of Central and Northern Benin, we are planning to organise training sessions for gari processing women groups in these areas according to this tentative programme:

Conclusion
Gari production is an income-generating activity. From the training sessions organized so far, it was noticed that the innovation generates more revenue to women (e.g. the benefit even doubles with proteinized, vitaminized food). The consumption of the fortified foods improves the nutritional status of the people especially the children while saving the medical and health costs of the family. More financial support is needed to transfer this innovation to more women in order to alleviate poverty and malnutrition at rural level.

News from Poland
Interdisciplinary Scientific Conference on Nutraceuticals
By Professor F. Kluza, Correspondent

The consortium of Polish scientific institutions functioning within the research projects of the European Union held a scientific conference and fair from January 31 - February 1 2002. The conference focussed on EU project study results in the following areas: Biotechnology, Biomedicine (the technologies applied in order to improve the quality of life for an ageing population; the improvement and promotion of the natural immunity system of a human organism), Food Industry (nutraceuticals, functional food, food additives, food as medicine), Non - nutritional use of vegetable raw materials (cosmetics industry use, new biodegradation wrapping materials, pharmacy raw materials for further biotechnological processing)

Fast development of science and great possibilities of analytics connected with the different methods of gas, liquid chromatography as well as NMR enabled better recognition of the function of biological food components. The close relationship of food chemical and physiological changes in human organisms contributed to the distinct attention paid to the possibility of affecting human health positively. The possibilities of applying the results of the studies to create functional and medicinal food were covered by 35 reports. The participants of the conference represented Medicinal and Agricultural Universities, the Institutes of Chemistry, the Centre of Clinical Studies, Branch Institutes dealing with food industry, Biotechnology and Biochemistry.

The presented studies discussed the substances, whose positive reaction on biochemical changes in human organism was proved in -vitro and in vivo, e.g. the studies covered the problems connected with the following chemical compounds: fructooligsaccharides (FOS), nutraceuticals vegetable protein preparations, nutraceuticals obtained from non-saturated fatty acid (NNKT). Moreover, the chances of using the substances from the following groups of chemical compounds (flavonoids, cumarins, amines, phenols, alcaloides and phtalides) as nutraceuticals concerning the metabolites of secondary biochemical transformation in vegetables organisms were discussed.

The second day of the conference was devoted to the public presentation of a number of chosen technologies, patents and EU study results ready for immediate or quick application in co - operative activities, as proposed in Poland, and undertaken by the European Union countries, within international projects, e.g. 5 EU. The objective is to position European countries better in the world market.

Conference proceedings and further contact: Prof. J. Kalbarczyk, Agric. Univ. Lublin, Poland Dept. of Fruit and Vegetable Process, Tel/fax +48 (0) 81 461-06-18, e-mail: ekstrakt@faunus.ar.lublin.pl.

News from Thailand
By Ruud Valyasevi, Ph.D, Correspondent

An international conference entitled "BioThailand 2001: From Research to Market" was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 7-10 November 2001. The purpose of the conference was to disseminate information and knowledge of biotechnology to Thai academics and industry. It is hoped that the meeting of scientists and industrialists from Thailand and ASEAN will promote and strengthen linkage between universities, research institutes to the end users. The academic conference focused on the post-genomics on rice, starch technology and various areas of biotechnology including food, shrimp, seed, animal and medicine. 744 participants including 118 foreigners attended the conference. The organizers were the Thai Society for Biotechnology, Food Science and Technology Association of Thailand, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Research Council of Thailand and Japan Society for Promotion of Science.

Thailand's 4^th Annual Agro-industry Conference or Thai Fex and Thai Mex 2002, is being organized in Bangkok, Thailand from 31 May – 1 June 2002. The objective is to disseminate the current knowledge and information of Agro- and food industry to the general public and to provide Thai scientists with a venue to present their latest research findings. The theme of the conference is "Thai food as an engine for export and economic growth". The keynote speech will be on "Functional Properties for Food Product development" by a representative from U.S. Institute of Food Technologists. Other presentations range from food toxicology, food laws, research and development of Thai foods to functional properties of proteins and carbohydrates in food product development.

Propak ASIA 2002 will be organized in Bangkok, Thailand from 12-14 June 2002. The theme for this year is "Safe Food, Good Health through modern processing and packaging technology". The annual event is organized by the Food Science and Technology Association of Thailand, Federation of Institutes of Food Science and Technology in ASEAN, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Food Institute, King Mongkut’s University of Technology and Federation of Thai Industries. There are over 200 exhibitors for food and food machinery registered. A scientific conference will be held in parallel focusing on novel packaging and packaging technology, Minimally processing and technology, functional foods and nutraceuticals, trends in food processing machinery, cleaning and sanitizing systems, risk communication and health beverages.

NEWS FROM NIGERIA
NIFST Commemorates 25^th Anniversary
By Deji Oyediran, Correspondent

The Nigerian Institute of Food science and Technology (NIFST) commemorated its Silver Jubilee Anniversary/Annual Conference from November 5-9, 2001. The conference was held at the University of Lagos Conference Centre, and it focused on the central theme: "Raw Materials Development for the Survival of Nigerian Food and Allied Industries in the 21st Century". The theme captures the general belief of Food Scientists and Technologists that one of the ways to ensure national survival is for the Nigerian food industry to be self-reliant. Along this line, one of the topical issues discussed at the conference was Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering: A catalyst for Food Production in Nigeria.

The discussion identified some of the difficulties preventing Nigerian scientists from taking a full advantage of biotechnology and these include among others:

• Limited public/private sector partnerships;

• Insufficient capacity in agricultural biotechnology;

• Inadequate funding of research and development;

• Lack of appropriate policy at national and regional levels;

• Lack of accurate information and education on agricultural biotechnology;

• Insufficient links with international agric biotechnology organisations.

To counter some of these challenges, the Nigerian government adopted a National Biotechnology Policy in May 2001. The policy is aimed at:

• Ensuring that Nigerians have access to and benefit from safe, ethical and profitable uses of biotechnology-based products;

• Ensuring sustainable exploitation of bio-resources to meet our food and healthcare delivery/growth requirements, while ameliorating environmental problems;

• Developing appropriate legislature compatible with international regulations so as to ensure biosafety, in line with social and ethical considerations to protect intellectual property rights, industrial products/process security, and farmers' rights.

On our part, NIFST is participating actively in the National Codex Committee on Food Standards, Food Import/Export Inspection and Certification systems, and Genetically Modified Food Systems.

About 1000 scientists drawn from the Industry, Government, Research Institutes, etc. attended the conference. Among the personalities at the Opening Session was Dr. Isaac Akinrele, our former delegate to IUFoST.

The conference participants recommended that the Nigerian government should take a full advantage of its policy on biotechnology and collaborate with experts in the food industry to ensure its effective implementation.

The delegates also agreed to step-up efforts towards inaugurating a regional conference in the year 2002/2003 aimed at facilitating the formation of the West African Association of Food Science and Technology (WAAFoST). It is our firm believe that WAAFoST will play a leading role in improving the state of Food Science and Technology in all countries within the West African region.

At the end of the conference, William W. Effiok was elected National Secretary, while Dr. Ekong Okon, has one more term in office as the President of NIFST.

IUFoST Sponsorship and Endorsement Opportunities

One of the responsibilities for the IUFoST Scientific Council is recommending to the Management Committee meetings, symposia, workshops and conferences that IUFoST should co-sponsor or endorse. Co-sponsorship may or may not involve financial support of the meeting, generally support for speakers/participants, and involves input from IUFoST into the organization of the meeting - normally identification of speakers or suggestions for broadened participation. IUFoST has a limited budget and hence there is limited funding available for financial support of these events. Endorsement involves no financial support. In this case, IUFoST reviews the agenda for the meeting and organizational details before lending its name in endorsing the meeting.

Requests for co-sponsorship or endorsement have normally come to IUFoST from individuals or groups organizing such meetings. We would like to make this more systematic and involve our Adhering Bodies in identifying suitable meetings for co-sponsorship or endorsement by IUFoST.

We invite you to identify meetings in your area of the world that warrant co-sponsorship (will be done on a limited basis due to financial constraints) or endorsement. This may be done by sending us information, including an agenda, on the meeting or by submitting a request for IUFoST to co-sponsor or endorse a specific meeting. We hope that you will assist us in this manner so that meetings important to our Adhering Bodies and the international community of food scientists and technologists can gain additional visibility.

If you have questions or desire additional information, please contact the Scientific Council through the IUFoST Secretariat, PO Box 61021, No. 19, 511 Maplegrove Road, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, L6J 6X0, Telephone +1 905 815 1926, Fax:+ 1 815 1574, e-mail: iufost@inforamp.net. Likewise, suggestions that you would like to have considered by the Scientific Council are welcome.

Scientific Council 2001-2003 (Dr. David Lineback, Chair, Professor Ken Buckle, Vice-Chair, Professor Jorge Chirife, Dr. Ing. F.G. Winarno)

News From Sweden
SIK Research Strategy for 2002-2004
By Prof. Nils Bengtsson, Correspondent

SIK, the Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology, is an industrial research institute with the overall objective of serving the food and biotechnical industry with need-oriented research and confidential development work as well as with training and education. Within its research, SIK participates in undergraduate and PhD education with a number of universities and colleges and has an extensive network of cooperation with other research organisations world-wide, including co-operation with developing countries. At the same time as leading Nordic enterprises and international food companies make use of our resources, much effort is directed towards development and services for small and medium size companies.

Essential for maintaining competence and renewing knowledge is in-house research within carefully selected and well-defined competence areas:

• Microbiological product safety

• Structure related properties

• Control of product flavour and flavour stability

• Control of the sensory qualities of food according to the demands and wishes of the consumer

• Food processes which affect structure and microbiological safety

• Environmental effects of the food system

• Applications of biotechnology

The objective of the SIK research, for the coming three-year period and beyond, is to build knowledge platforms to support development and problem-solving in the food related industry, and to continue developing networks and co-operation with other strong R&D centres nationally and internationally.

The research priorities for the period 2002-2004 have been set in close co-operation with industry, primarily for relevance to the food producing system, even if the knowledge generated is expected to be applicable also to branches outside of the food sector. SIK research will focus on three themes:

1. Product design of tomorrow

2. Product safety and consumer confidence

3. The food factory of the future

In the following, these thematic areas will be briefly presented with regard to the research content we aim to develop and the competence base for the intended development. The actual project composition will depend on how successful we are in obtaining financial support for our research ideas and proposals.

The Product Design of Tomorrow
The consumer perspective will be a key factor in product development, both in general and for products with specific "added value" properties (sensory, nutritional, environmental and ethical) or directed towards specific consumer groups. Specific and fundamental knowledge will be needed on ingredients and raw materials as well as on processing methods, processing conditions and packaging, to design products with the desired structure, texture, aroma, nutritional properties and safety features. Some examples of desired project areas are the following:

• Relationship between product design, dynamic sensory properties and consumer enjoyment under different eating conditions.

• Food rheology and structure engineering to tailor make structures of unique properties.

• Aroma dynamics.

• Process design and process development to optimise product properties.

• Environmentally adapted product development.

• Packaging design in relation to product properties and microbial safety.

• Microbiological risk analysis when designing new products.

The present SIK competence in sensory and consumer research, structure engineering, aroma chemistry, process technology, packaging, environmental analysis and microbiology is on a high international level and well adapted to and equipped for the proposed research. This will, in fact, to a considerable extent build directly on previous and on-going research at SIK.

Product Safety and Consumer Confidence
A fundamental requirement in all food production is that the products must be safe to consume. In addition, consumers should feel confident that their food is safe. This raises a demand for information on safety, origin and traceability as well as on environmental and ethical impact. More knowledge will be needed in the areas of hygiene, pathways of contamination and in risk evaluation, requiring a system perspective and new strategies and refined analytical methods.

Some examples of desired project areas:

• Resistance, virulence and toxin formation in microorganisms, and contamination pathways and methods of detection and characterisation.

• Methods of risk evaluation and validation of risk levels. Quality assurance systems.

• Processes for the inactivation and killing of microorganisms.

• Traceability in the food chain.

• The effects of food processes on allergen structure and allergenicity.

• Risks related to packaging.

• Factors influencing consumer attitudes to and confidence in foods.

• Analysis and communication of the environmental impact of food products.

Again, present knowledge and competence at SIK is well adapted to the proposed projects, which can be seen as logical extensions of on-going work Allergens in food processing is the most recent competence field at SIK, a field where we are working in close co-operation with medical research.

Food Factory of the Future
Food production in the future will demand a higher degree of flexibility and cost effectiveness and increasing automation and product variation, with short set-up times between products, all of which will require a systematic strategy. New process technologies must be mastered to meet specific demands on the products of tomorrow. New measuring techniques and sensors for on-line measurement and process control will form a major challenge. Hygiene-and environmental demands will characterise the development of new production systems.

Some examples of desired project areas are:

• Hygienic design of buildings, processing equipment and production lines and cleaning and disinfection.

• Process design for structure control (micro machining).

• Optimisation of traditional and new food processes, and process techniques for flexible, automated and hygienic production.

• Design of environmentally adapted production chains.

• Traceability in the food system.

• Process and production control, techniques for measurements on-line/in-line.

• Application of sensors for on-line quality control and safety supervision.

• Biosensors and sensors related to complex product properties such as for the process control towards sensory specifications.

The available knowledge base at SIK in the fundamental areas of process and sensor technology, structure engineering, microbiology, sensory and aroma analysis and environmental sciences is very considerable. However, the nature of this theme is such that strategic research co-operation in networks and projects with external knowledge centres as well as industrial specialists is of utmost importance. At the same time, such co-operation is only possible when having and maintaining our own competence on a high international level. This is, of course, equally true for the other two themes. Such co-operation makes it possible to complement and strengthen our own capacity and achieve a truly interdisciplinary approach. Over the years, SIK has already built up a wide network both through national and international R&D programmes and through personal contacts between scientists.

NEWS FROM INDIA
Manchester University and CFTRI collaboration
By Prof. G.A. Krishna, Correspondent

The Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysore, India has added another feather to its cap with its new collaborator, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), United Kingdom. The UK institute will select a M.Sc. Food Technology student from CFTRI each year to offer a one-year post-graduate course in Biotechnology and to award the Joseph Hulse* scholarship. This cooperative programme was assisted by Professor Hulse who is a visiting professor with both institutions. The fellowship carries with it the entire expense of study at UMIST, including a travel grant and contingency costs.

The UMIST selection team visited CFTRI recently and select a student and they complimented CFTRI for its academic excellence and standards. The Central Food Technological Research Institute views the commendations as a recognition of the academic excellence of Food Science and Technology students from Mysore and the advances CIFTRI has made towards advanced education in Food Science and Technology. It is heartening to note that the M.Sc. Food Technology course, which was started in 1965 under the aegis of the University of Mysore, has this notable recognition.

This year the UMIST selected two candidates, Ms. Oormila Chandrasheka, M.Sc. Food Tech and Ms. Vandana Goel, M.Sc. Food Tech, who are now already in the first semester of the course in Manchester.

Editor's note: Professor Joseph Hulse is a former president of IUFoST and present chair of the IUFoST Integrated Food Systems Taskforce. He was most recently at Mysore in November when he and Dr. V. Prakash, CFTRI Director, organised a meeting of senior government and industry personnel to discuss implementation of the Food Systems Pilot Project.

ADHERING BODY PROFILE
A Brief history of the Brazilian Society of
Food Science and Technology (SBCTA)
__________________________

By Prof. Jaime Amaya Farfan, Vice-President SBCTA

The Brazilian Society of Food Science and Technology, SBCTA, was founded in Campinas, SP, under the leadership of the renowned teacher of food engineering and entrepreneur, André Tosello on April 8, 1967. The origins of the Society are closely linked to the Brazilian National Institute of Food Technology (ITAL), also located in Campinas and the Faculty of Food Engineering of the State University of Campinas. The idea of creating the Society was first set forth during the II International Congress of Food Science and Technology that took place in Warsaw, in August 1966.

At the Warsaw meeting, area representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru joined efforts to also establish the Latin Committee on Food Technology, that later resulted in today’s Latin American Association of Food Science and Technology, ALACCTA. With the emerging needs for a self-reliant Brazilian food industry, the aims and scope of the SBCTA expanded within the country, firstly in the proximity of the cities of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Campinas and later, to all the corners of the land.

The SBCTA is a non-profit, multi-professional organization administered by a 16-member Board of Directors, elected for two-year terms, with the option of one re-election, and an elected 15-member Board of Overseers (Council). To date, the Society has had eight presidents, the founding president being Dr. Walter Joaquim dos Santos. Under the current administration, president Nelcindo Nascimento Terra is sparing no efforts to increase services to the current 1,300+ members in an attempt to actively regain many of the 4,000+ former members that have been lost over the years. Membership fees for the Society are under $35, perhaps the lowest among similar societies in the country.

Among its main activities, the SBCTA organizes the biennial Brazilian Congress of Food Science and Technology (CBCTAs), publishes two scientific journals and some 15 technical handbooks, in addition to sponsoring or promoting a number of seminars, courses and local symposia throughout the country. Starting in 2001, the Society is cooperating with the organizers of the Latin American Symposium of Food Science (SLACA), an independent biyearly event, which has already gone through its 4^th meeting. Due to its large territory and broad regional differences, the SBCTA has created several Regional Sections that operate in a rather autonomous fashion, each promoting courses, seminars and other activities to locally and more properly develop the field of food science and technology.

The SBCTA has exerted significant participation over the years in the discussion and formulation of Brazilian educational and research policies by participating in official committees or by organizing technical groups and workshops on specific needs.

The Society has been associated with the IUFoST for a long period of time and one of its former presidents is a member of the IUFoST Governing Council

Through the years the SBCTA has uninterruptedly published two scientific journals, the Boletim da SBCTA and Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos. The former, with an emphasis on review articles and the solution of technological challenges of domestic relevance, is on its 35^th volume. The latter is a journal with a wider, rather international scope, now on its 22^nd year and is currently seeking indexation with the ISI. This is probably one of the largest Latin American and surely the largest Brazilian journal in the area of food science and technology. The Informativo da SBCTA is the quarterly newsletter of the Society, which is published in Portuguese and mailed to all members. The Informativo plus abstracts of the journals and other information are available in the Society’s website www.sbcta.org.br.

The CBCTA-2002 Food Congress and Exhibit. The Brazilian Society of Food Science and Technology announces the 18^th Brazilian Congress of Food Science and Technology (CBCTA-2002) to be held in the southern city of Porto Alegre, RS, in the Hotel Plaza São Rafael, August 4 through 7, 2002. Deadline for submission of abstracts is March 15. Deadline for early registration is May 6.

The chosen theme of the congress is "Research-Industry Integration". Topics for lectures and oral presentations will stress interests in Meats, Grains & Cereals, Fermentation, Dairy Products, Fruits & Vegetables and Teaching. This year, the congress organizers will allow ample time for the treatment and debate of timely topics such as GM foods, functional foods and traceability techniques and policies. Spacious halls will be provided for the nearly 50 exhibitors. Technical visits are scheduled for participants with industries within a 30-mile radius of Porto Alegre.

Over 1,400 participants are expected at the 18^th CBCTA in 2002. This is the most traditional food congress in Brazil, organized in different parts of the country every two years. For more detailed information on program, deadlines and registration, please refer to the following websites: www.cbcta2002.ufrgs.br or www.sbcta.org.br or address mail to: Dr. Isa Beatriz Noll isabnoll@orion.ufrgs.br or Dr. Carlos E. Daudt ced.voy@terra.com.br.

FOCUS on IUFoST NEWS
and ONGOING ACTIVITIES
by J. Meech, Secretary-General

AFRICAN INITIATIVES

Formation of Associations: IUFoST has identified economic development in Africa as a focus for its activities. Support for food security and development in Africa is taking several forms, including an initiative directed at the formation and strengthening of Food Science and Technology Associations on the national level in the African continent. To that end, we are obtaining contacts in all parts of the continent who are willing to engage themselves in this endeavour.

Governing Council Meeting: As part of this initiative, the IUFoST Governing Council meeting will be held in Nairobi, Kenya on 18 July 2002, followed by a meeting of the IUFoST regional group, ECSAAFoST (Eastern, Central and Southern African Associations of Food Science and Technology) on 19 July. We welcome IUFoST colleagues and friends to join us for these meetings and symposium to follow. Please write to iufost@inforamp.net if you are able to attend.

IUFoST Food Safety Symposium: The IUFoST Governing Council will then hold a one-day symposium (20 July) on the topic of Food Safety, in Nairobi, in conjunction with the ITANA 2002 conference, which begins on July 21^st and in which IUFoST is also participating. In addition to our Governing Council members who are presenting, food scientists and technologists from neighbouring countries will be joining them to address issues in the area of Food Safety'/Food Security.

Distance Education: IUFoST is fostering development of continuing professional development opportunities through distance education at regional and local levels in Africa. The call for Distance Education activity from the IUFoST regional group, ECSAAFoST, is in keeping with the plan drafted by the IUFoST Distance Education Taskforce at the World Congress in Korea. It has been agreed that the first programme would be in the area of continuing professional development and consist of a series of 6 -10 hour modules in selected topics in food science and technology. The Distance Education Taskforce, chaired by Professor Daryl Lund, is on schedule with this plan. Currently, a proposal is being drafted for Distance Education in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Taskforce will then call upon the International Academy of Food Science and Technology for technical expertise as potential developers of modules and mentors to enrolees in FS/T modules. Modules proposed for development are: (1) food safety. (2) quality assurance (including HACCP) (3) Food laws and regulations, (4) shelf life of foods, (5) thermal processing, (6) food freezing, (7) food dehydration, and (8) food packaging.

For the full report on IUFoST Distance Education activities and to view the online survey results of existing distance education programmes worldwide, please visit the IUFoST website at www.iufost.org or write to the IUFoST Secretariat.

IUFoST SATELLITE OFFICE
IUFoST President, Walter Spiess, President-elect Alan Mortimer, and Secretary-General Judith Meech are travelling to Shanghai at the end of March to celebrate the official opening of the IUFoST Satellite Office in China on April 1^st. The ceremonies will be held in conjunction with the Fi China Exhibition in Shanghai. This collaboration is the result of an invitation from Madame Pan Beilei, President of the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology to co-operate with IUFoST in a more direct way. The establishment of a satellite office, through CIFST, will strengthen administrative links and collaboration with Chinese Food Scientists, Technologists, Industry and Government. Please visit the IUFoST website www.iufost.org in April for a full report and pictures commemorating this special occasion.

CONSULTANCY REGISTER
The IUFoST website now offers a consultancy register, an opportunity for all those involved in food science and technology and related sectors to offer their services to a targeted international market. Members of IUFoST Adhering Bodies and AB members who wish to advertise but who already advertise their service on national Adhering Body registers receive special discounted rates.

IUFoST SURVEY
The IUFoST Survey is also accessible on the IUFoST website. Our members agreed, when we met at Congress XI in Seoul, that we needed to know more about each other and our activities. The survey has also provided the opportunity to ask our members and friends how IUFoST can best assist the international community of food science and technology. We ask that each of you complete the survey and also send it to your friends and colleagues in our Adhering Bodies, institutions, associations, government and industry. In return for your help, and on receipt of the your completed survey, your name will be entered into the draw for an opportunity to win free registration for the 12^th World Congress of Food Science and Technology, Chicago, USA, July 16-20, 2003. The Adhering Body through which most surveys are completed will also win free registration to the World Congress next year.

December 2001

Dear IUFoST Colleagues and Friends,
As a successful year comes to an end, it seems important to reflect on the state of IUFoST activities.

The highlight of the year was certainly IUFoST Congress XI in Seoul. This congress was not only a wonderfully organised event, for many of us in an exotic environment, it was also a market place where the latest developments in Food Science and Technology were presented and discussed.  It was an occasion to meet old friends and make new ones.

The congress offered a perfect platform for IUFoST's Management Committee and Governing Council to develop and discuss plans for future activities with representatives of Adhering Bodies and specialists in various fields. One result of discussions in the Working Groups, established for this purpose, was IUFoST's first Activity Map - a practical guide for implementation of our Strategic Plan. It is now the task of all of us involved in the affairs of IUFoST to use this map to follow and accomplish the activities outlined.

A few of these challenges requiring input and involvement of members from our Adhering Bodies are worth mentioning.

- The issues of biotechnology are an important area where input from IUFoST's Adhering Bodies is needed. Our colleagues in the U.S. have prepared an outstanding report on biotechnology including its potentials and risks. Members of the Union are invited to share and discuss this report in an internet dialogue sponsored by the Union (www.worldfoodscience.org). Using the report, each Adhering Body can involve others within their country in the dialogue on biotechnology.  An important result of these discussions might be consolidating the results into a statement on biotechnology by IUFoST, as a scientific organisation representing its worldwide membership. It is extremely important that we use the valuable possibilities offered to us through this discussion, and that our Adhering Bodies recognise the opportunities available to us by participating.
 
- Education is another area where a sound base for further activities has been established by some enthusiastic IUFoST colleagues. An active Distance Education Task Force has been established and is in operation. However, we need more involvement in identifying or developing course material. Individuals who would be willing to become involved in the program are also needed. A pilot project using distance education technology is being established in Africa.  It is essential that helpers be recruited for this project.  Another activity in the educational area involves s IUFoST's Core Curricula Task Force. A list of the essentials (core) for a strong education in Food Science and Technology, as identified by members of Adhering Bodies, is being prepared. This is important to strengthening and making more consistent education in our field of science, to facilitating exchange of students, and to development and global trade in high-quality food products. Volunteers are urgently needed to support this activity.

- Strategic Planning is essential for an organisation like IUFoST. Our Taskforce on Integrated Food Systems is holding meetings in India to discuss implementation of an Indian pilot project in this area involving industry, the agricultural sector, and government. Post Harvest Technology, another IUFoST Task Force activity, will also form the base for a special project.

- Publications are being developed, especially those involving electronic publishing. The World of Food Science is being expanding to include a Chinese section, reflecting activities of this important member of our Union. We are encouraging the development of other magazines by endorsing, for instance, The African Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences and Trends in Food Science. Another IUFoST publication, Annual International Review of Food Science and Technology, will be launched early next year.

There have been many successes this past year. They have been enabled by the sense of purpose within our Adhering Bodies, our members and our friends world wide, who believe that by working together we can make a difference and we can achieve results. Together we must build on this foundation both to answer the needs of our profession and to assist those who need our expertise, especially in the developing countries in Africa, Asia and South America.

We will close by expressing our deep appreciation, on behalf of all the IUFoST family, to the Korean Society of Food Science and Technology, for the outstanding Congress they organised and for the wonderful hospitality shown to us in Korea.  We now look forward to 2003 and the 12th World Congress to be held in Chicago, USA.

Sincerely,

Walter Spiess, President
Officers and Members of the IUFoST Governing Council

Back to Newsline Page