Cornell University Food Science 
Issue 3June 2014
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In This Issue:
Global Summit
Undergraduate Research
Internship Highlight
The Art of Research
Awards and Honors

Dear Friends,

 

Greetings from Cornell Food Science!

 

It is hard to believe the fall semester has only 5 weeks of classes left but the beautiful foliage color we have enjoyed is starting to fade, reaffirming that soon we will have colder days.  Students are busier than ever, attending classes, studying for exams, writing reports, working on product development concepts for the competitions, preparing manuscripts for presentations, looking for internships/jobs and so on.  It is so nice to have a new building where the interactions between students, faculty and staff occur on a daily basis, giving us many more opportunities to get to know each other better - and to enjoy our delicious ice cream!

 

We had a very exciting event on October 16 when Dean Boor hosted the Second New York State Yogurt and Dairy Summit in Stocking Hall, featuring Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy, Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball and about 100 industry and government leaders. The full article can be seen at http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2014/10/state-dairy-leaders-gather-second-yogurt-summit.  We are proud to say that yogurt is the official snack of New York, which was announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo the same day of the summit.

 

We had our Advisory Council meeting on October 19th and 20th, where our students presented an update on the different activities of the Food Science Club, the Cheese Club and the ChocTech Club, and also had in-depth discussion with Council members about 5 different products in development for various competitions.  The Council members generously devoted time with the students to share their experiences regarding work-life balance, expectations for interns, and explaining industry/corporate working environments.  We had a nice reception well attended by students, faculty and staff, followed by student group dinners with Council members.  We are very grateful to all the members of the Advisory Council for their continued support of our department.  Our students and faculty truly enjoyed meeting them and benefited greatly from their advice.

 

We were happy to see many familiar faces during homecoming weekend, please come and visit anytime, that always brightens our day.

 

With best wishes, Olga

 

Cornell Food Systems Global Summit
December 8, 2014
The Cornell Institute for Food Systems 2014 Global Summit will showcase the critical importance of public-private partnerships, how they facilitate the process of knowledge creation to solve current challenges, and the power of integrative approaches to implement effective solutions.  The Summit will include thought-provoking talks by industry leaders, Faculty Fellows of the Institute, a blog author, and a state-level director of business incubators.  The conference will feature presentations around five thematic platforms, including Global Food Systems Issues, Food and Health, Food Science & Technology Communications, New Approaches in Food Safety, and Innovation in Food Systems; a graduate student poster session, and exposure to a variety of leading-edge technologies. Register today! Visit the CIFS-IPP website for a list of speakers, and registration information.

Undergraduate Research
Samantha VanWees, a junior, is majoring in Food Science as it allows her to combine her love for science and engineering with the creative aspects of food. In addition to taking classes and working in a full-service kitchen, Samantha joined Dr. Carmen Moraru's lab to gain research experience.  Samantha's research in the Moraru lab focuses on post-processing inactivation of microorganisms on cheese products using Pulsed Light technology.  Samantha studies the effects of Pulsed Light on spoilage and pathogenic bacterial strains to determine whether the technology would be beneficial in preventing food borne illness outbreaks.  Samantha is originally from suburban Chicago and is also involved in a number of extra-curricular activities including the recreational fencing club and the Big Red pep band.  
Internship Highlight
Xinnan Li is a Master of Professional Studies (MPS) student in the Field of Food Science and Technology.  Xinnan came to Cornell after completing a bachelor degree from Tufts University with a double major in Biology and Psychology.  With a keen desire to pursue a career path in the food industry, Xinnan pursued a Merchandising internship during the summer of 2014 with Walmart Stores, Inc. - Sam's Club.  During her internship, Xinnan worked in the "Coffee and Breakfast" category and had her own project of analyzing the "Sweeteners" subcategory performance on market at Sam's.  She also worked collaboratively with another intern on the packaging and brand positioning for Sam's private brand whole bean coffee.  Xinnan met with several Vice Presidents of Sales  and Category Managers who assisted her through both of her projects.  Xinnan's projects had a real business impact, "My Sweeteners project alone will bring the $8MM incremental opportunity to this category.  It did not feel like an internship; I was able to make real business decisions and everyone treated me like a full time employee."  Xinnan appreciated the structured internship program Sam's provided and would highly recommend it to other students.
The Art of Research: Photo of the Month from the Milk Quality Improvement Program

Photo of sporeforming bacteria from molasses used for animal feed 

Sporeforming bacteria such as Bacillus and Paenibacillus, which are found ubiquitously in the dairy farm environment can enter raw milk, survive processing conditions (e.g., pasteurization) and subsequently grow to spoilage levels in a variety of dairy products. Controlling the entry of these sporeforming bacteria into raw milk at the farm level requires implementation of strategies to limit environmental contamination. An ongoing study conducted by the Milk Quality Improvement Program aims to identify sources of a variety of sporeforming bacteria in the dairy farm environment (e.g., soil, manure, water, etc) to aid in the implementation of strategies to control the entry of these organisms into raw milk, thereby improving dairy product quality.  

Awards and Honors
Avery Becker '16, and Sarah Beno, PhD Candidate in Martin Wiedmann's lab, have been named recipients of the Food Marketing Institute Foundation Scholarship.
Robert Gravani, Professor, was the recipient of the 2014 Emmett R. Gauhn Memorial Award.
Robert Ralyea, Senior Extension Associate, was the recipient of the 2014 Education and Professional Improvement Meritorious Service Award.
Lizzie Kenerley '16 , has been selected as a recipient of the IFMA Educational Foundation Scholarship.
Julie Leon '15, has been selected as a recipient of the IFMA International Gold & Silver Plate Society Stipend.
Jared Kaplan '15, has been awarded the Herzog/Flegenheimer Scholarship.
Janette Robbins, Student Programs Coordinator, has been selected as the recipient of a CALS Core Value Award. 
Joe Regenstein, Professor, has been selected for a CALS Research and Extension Award for Outstanding Accomplishments in Science and Public Policy.
Cornell University Department of Food Science
Science Never Tasted So Good!