Dr. Susanne Talcott, AgriLife Research associate professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology is one of the principal investigators for the study, called ’Anti-inflammatory microbiome-substrate-host interactions”. Texas A&M AgriLife Research has received a $632,593 one-year grant for this study from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, NCCIH.
The Department of Food Science and Technology at Texas A&M University hosted its first Annual Alumni Dinner on July 12, 2022, at the Union League Club of Chicago during the IFT first event. The event was co-sponsored by IFANCA. The dinner was well attended with over 40 guests and included speeches by IFT president, Vickie Kloeris, IFANCA president, Dr. Muhammad Chaudry, FSTC department head, Dr. Joseph Awika, FSTC associate department head, Dr. Mian Riaz. The event provided a great opportunity for Texas A&M Food Science graduates to catch up with colleagues, classmates and professors and learn more about the newly established Food Science Department. It was a dinner celebrating the graduates’ successes and an occasion to strengthen ties with the department!
FSTC’s department head, Dr. Joseph Awika, updates his guests about the newly established Food Science Department, the future plans and the exciting opportunities for students. He stressed on the key role, students and alumni, played in growth and advancement of the department and need for greater industry collaborations.
Vickie Kloeris, IFT President and TAMU Alumni expressed excitement to meet up with others from her alma mater and discussed possibilities for future activities between IFT and the Department of Food Science and Technology at Texas A&M University.
IFANCA’s president, Dr. Chaudry, announces that IFANCA will provide three internships with stipends for TAMU undergraduate students. In 2016, the department received a $5 million endowment from IFANCA to set up the Food Diversity program.
Mr. Salman Chaudry, Assistant Director of Operations for IFANCA, gave an update on IFANCA’s other educational and humanitarian projects with different universities and institutions, including UNICEF.
Dr. Mian Riaz, Associate department head, provided an update on FSTC’s Food Diversity Innovation Program. The program was established in 2016, as a sustainable high-impact educational and research program thanks to a $5 million endowment by IFANCA.
Kyle Brock, Director of Development-TAMU Foundation, spoke about the foundations future plans for a new building for the department and a pilot plant.
Roundtable Discussion (50min) Hosted by Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) on the topics of Halal, Consumer Education, and Ethical Supply Chains. Speakers include Dr. Muhammad Munir Chaudry, President and CEO, IFANCA (Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America); Dr. Mian Nadeem Riaz, Professor of Food Diversity, Nutrition and Food Science Department, Texas A&M; Jack Acree, Executive Vice President, Saffron Road; Denise Osterhues, Sr. Director, Sustainability & Social Impact, The Kroger Co; Chef Andrew Zimmern, Founder & CEO, Intuitive Content; Moderator: Dr. Sweta Chakraborty
The SXSW event in March 2022 brought together “a diverse group of experts, leaders, and visionaries challenging us to think about how our food and agricultural systems will need to adapt to new pressures, and what technologies and innovations will help us feed the world while combating climate change and conserving the earth’s precious natural resources.”
For more information about FSTC’s Food Diversity Program supported by IFANCA click Here.
FSTC’s Dr. Suresh Pillai meets with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Director General, Rossi during the International Atomic Energy Agency Conference on Radiation Security and Safety in Vienna.
The International Conference on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources: Accomplishments and Future Endeavours, from 20 to 24 June 2022 in Vienna, has brought together more than 600 senior government officials, representatives from organizations involved in the safety and security of sources. For more information click Here.
Food Science Department Showcase for High School Students
During the 3- day camp, FSTC’s Dr. Joseph Awika and Dr. Mian Riaz engaged high school students, inspiring them to join the Food Science Department. The showcase included a special presentation by former FSTC student, Diana Garcia, with Pecan Deluxe Candy Company.
STARS (Summer Training in Agriculture and Related Sciences) is a free, three-day summer enrichment camp hosted by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University.
STARS target high academically achieving high school students from Texas. These students typically have a passion for environmental and plant sciences, food, helping the community, technology in agriculture, communications, agribusiness, animal sciences & health sciences in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, and are looking to be a part of the Texas A&M family.
Members of the Texas A&M University Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the International Honor Society of Agriculture selected two FSTC students, Karla Salazar and Ganga Sah for membership. Karla Solis Salazar received the outstanding PhD award and Ganga Sah received the outstanding Master’s award.
Gamma Sigma Delta is an international honorary society, the purpose of which is to promote and recognize academic and other achievements of individuals who excel. The website for Gamma Sigma Delta is https://www.gammasigmadelta.org.
The Senior Merit Award is the highest award given to undergraduates by the College. Selection criteria include scholarship, community involvement, professional and civic activities, internships and employment, awards, honors and accomplishments in undergraduate research.
Outstanding student awards are by Alpha Zeta, an honorary professional society for students and industry professionals in agricultural and natural resources fields.
Agrilife Today Feature story
“We have two decades of experience in performing electron beam, or eBeam, research and finding novel applications that encourage commercial adoption of this technology,” said Suresh Pillai, Ph.D., center director in the Department of Food Science and Technology in Texas A&M’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
The eBeam center, located on the Texas A&M campus in Bryan-College Station, is a full-scale commercial facility that allows private industry to test the spectrum of the technology’s commercial uses. Those uses include medical device sterilization, food safety, agriculture and environmental remediation.
| The National Association of Flavors and Food-Ingredient Systems (NAFFS) is a broad-based trade association of manufacturers, processors and suppliers of fruits, flavors, syrups, stabilizers, emulsifiers, colors, sweeteners, cocoa and related food ingredients. |
NAFFS Annual Scholarship Award program was established to recognize outstanding food science students on the East and West Coasts. The program has now been expanded to include food science programs in universities around the country..
NAFFS scholarship support helps to:
For more information visit https://www.naffs.org/scholarship
Three Texas A&M FSTC students were awarded the 2021 NAFFS $1000 scholarships:
The Texas Food Processors Association (TFPA) is a non-profit trade association representing companies engaged in the production of food products. It includes those companies which provide the processors with necessary raw materials, packaging, equipment, plant layout and design services, laboratory testing, and an array of business services.
The Texas Food Processors Scholarship Foundation is a 501c3 subsidiary organization of the Texas Food Processors Association. TFPA is devoted to supporting, promoting and encouraging education in all aspects of the food industry. “Scholarships make life changing differences in these student’s college careers, empowering them to pursue their Food Science goals while lessoning their financial burdens.”
For more information check out: TFPA – The Texas Food Processors Association
Please congratulate this year’s scholarship recipients!
