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Professor Camire receives research honors

Dr. Camire is the 2008 recipient of the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture Outstanding Researcher Award. She is also the recipient of the University’s highest research award, the Presidential Research and Creative Achievement Award. According to her nomination statement: “In her 19 years on the UMaine faculty, Camire has helped lead the department's growth and its impact on several fronts, including expert assistance to Maine agricultural and food producers. Her research has had a particular impact on Maine's blueberry industry, and she had helped develop new products and processing techniques. An expert on functional foods, Camire created UMaine's Consumer Testing Center, for the sensory evaluation of food products. An Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Fellow, Camire received the prestigious Babcock-Hart Award from that group and the International Life Sciences Institute in 2006. That award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to food technologies that improve public health. She has published 57 peer reviewed journal articles and 11 book chapters, and her work as an IFT Food Science Communicator has helped the public understand important issued in this field.”

2008-2009 Graduate School Awards

Senior and incoming M.S. student Valerie Dionne was awarded a Trustee Tuition Scholarship. Doctoral student Jian Kong received a Summer Award. M.S. candidate Alexandra Kristo received both a Summer Award and a CHASE Award to start her doctoral studies.

Consumer Testing Center Receives MTI Seed Grant

In January the Maine Technology Institute awarded Professor Mary Ellen Camire and the UM Consumer Testing Center a $10,277 seed grant to study how wild blueberries affect appetite and blood glucose changes after meals. The grant will be matched by the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station and the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine. M.S. student and dietetic intern Elijah Magrane will work with Camire on the project as part of his graduate thesis project.

New Graduate Certificate Program in Food and Nutrition

The University of Maine Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition is pleased to announce the recent approval of a new distance graduate certificate program. This program is designed to provide professionals working in education, healthcare, food processing and other fields with a background in food and nutrition. The certificate program consists of 15 credits of advanced coursework. The required online courses are FSN 436 Food Law and FSN 603 Nutrients and Food Processing. Both courses are available for the spring of 2008. An additional 9 credits of electives drawn from FSN courses at the 400, 500 and 600 level are selected with the assistance of the certificate coordinator to meet students’ professional and personal interests. For more information on the program, please visit the program website-  or contact Professor Mary Ellen Camire at (207) 581-1627 or Mary.Camire@umit.maine.edu.

A Splendid International Tri-Society Joint Conference on Trace Element Nutrition and Health took place in Crete, Greece, October 21-26, 2007

Dorothy Klimis-Zacas was co-organizer and Chair of the Local Organizing Committee of the Joint International Conference entitled “Trace Elements in Diet, Nutrition and Health: Essentiality and Toxicity” with participant societies, the International Society of Trace Element Research in the Human (ISTERH), the Nordic Trace Element Society (NTES), and the Hellenic Trace Element Society (www.isterh.org).  The Conference took place in the beautiful resort of Creta Maris at Hersonissos, Crete, October 21-26, 2007 (www.maris.gr/creta).  Three hundred delegates from academia, medical schools and hospitals, research centers, government agencies such as the U.S.D.A. and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Academy of Sciences and the UNESCO from Europe, Asia, Africa the Americas and Australia representing more than 40 countries met to discuss cutting edge science on the area of trace elements in plenary sessions, symposia, minisymposia, and poster sessions. Topics covered areas related to the role of trace elements on diseases such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, carcinogenenesis, osteoporosis, infectious diseases and molecular mechanisms of metal-induced diseases.  Additionally, sessions addressed recent research findings on health effects of low dose exposure to toxic metals, environmental stress and mineral homeostasis, metal toxicity, metal speciation, advances in analytical detection of trace elements in biological tissues and international dietary standards.  Supporting Organizations for the conference were, the Trace Element Institute of the UNESCO and The International Commission on Occupational Health.

Professor Antonia Trichopoulou, MD., PhD., Chair of the Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Director of the W.H.O Collaborating Centre for Nutrition, University of Athens Medical School, researcher and creator of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, was the Keynote Speaker on the “Mediterranean diet, Traditional Foods and Health”. 

Klimis-Zacas, D., was plenary session organizer, fund-raiser and chair of “Trace Elements:  Modulators of Arterial Function and Metabolism” and speaker on “Manganese, Regulator of Vasomotor Tone and Arterial Glycosaminoglycan Metabolism”

The Raulin Award, the ISTERH society’s highest honor that recognizes lifetime achievement in research on trace elements, was awarded to professor Harold Sandstead, M.D., University of Texas, for his seminal and lifelong work on zinc deficiency in humans and the role of zinc in DNA and RNA metabolism. 

During the final business meeting the new ISTERH Board and Council Members were elected.  Professor klimis-Zacas was voted as the new treasurer of ISTERH (2007-2010).

In addition to the scientific program, the delegates had an opportunity to network, share experiences and bond in many cultural and social activities.  A reception took place before the Conference at the beautiful traditional village site of Lychnostatis, (http://Lychnostatis.gr/) a Cretan open-air museum where delegates danced to traditional Cretan music, grape-treaded and sampled traditional Cretan food.  During the second afternoon of the Conference, delegates visited the Ancient Palace of Knossos (www.dilos.com/region/crete/minoan_pictures.html) and got a glimpse of the magnificence of the Minoan civilization, additionally, they visited Peza wine and olive oil cooperative where they were able to purchase the golden Cretan olive oil and organic wines.  The conference closed with a lavish banquet including traditional Cretan cuisine and live Cretan traditional music and dance provided by the youngsters of the Lyceum of the Hellenes, a high school that teaches and promotes traditional Cretan dancing.

 
52nd Annual Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference a Success!

During the first week of November, 60 members of the seafood industry, academia, and government agencies gathered in Portland, Maine to discuss the latest issues and scientific developments in seafood science and technology. Chaired by Associate Professor Denise Skonberg from the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition, this year’s conference theme was “Enhancing Seafood Choices: Quality, Technology and Products.” Session topics included consumer perspectives on seafood, seafood quality and safety, aquaculture products, and processing and preservation technology.

A special regulatory round table session focused on changes in Seafood HACCP regulations, new seafood-related legislation introduced on Capitol Hill, and emerging issues in seafood safety, and featured presenters from the Food & Drug Administration, the National Fisheries Institute, and Maine’s Department of Marine Resources. A second round table session highlighted new product commercialization in the seafood industry, and included speakers from Fishery Products International, Barber Foods, SERO Ltd, and Bistro Fresh.

Participants traveled from Norway, Denmark, Iceland, and Canada, as well as the U.S. to attend the 3-day conference. In addition to the scientific program, events included a Lobster Dinner and presentation by the Lobster Institute, and a tour of the Portland Fish Exchange. The second day of the conference also featured the annual Earl P McFee award luncheon. The McFee award was established in 1971 to recognize excellence in fishery technology involving all aspects of seafood science and technology. This year the prestigious award was given to Ken Gall, seafood technology specialist with the New York Sea Grant program and Cornell University.

USDA-CSREES Funding for Graduate Research Fellowships:  Patulin in Apple Products

The Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition is seeking three qualified and motivated graduate students to perform important research while working toward a graduate degree in Food Science.  A novel, integrated project encompassing the areas of analytical chemistry, microbiology, food processing and producer education/outreach will focus on the mycotoxin patulin in an effort to mitigate levels of the fungal toxin in locally processed apple products and improve the safety of Maine agricultural products.  These positions are available immediately and will remain open until filled.  For more information, see the application guidelines.

Alumni News

Amy Fanjoy, MS, RD (BS, 2004) will be starting a new job at Baptist Hospital in North Carolina in June. She will work in the Marketing Department. The hospital has a local store in the nearby mall where classes and literature can be found on health and wellness pre and post hospital visit. She will be teaching the general public on different areas of nutrition and will assist individuals within local corporate entities.  The hospital plans to market itself by assisting individuals in leading healthier lifestyles.

Dr. Anastasia Z. Kalea (Ph.D., 2005) who is now at the Dept.  Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York has just received a Postdoctoral Fellowship award from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (www.jdrf.org) to study the molecular basis of the role of advanced glycation end product in type 1 diabetes complications.

Keith Moore (BS, 1998) recently accepted the QC Manager position at the Cargill Dressing, Sauces and Oils (DSO) facility in Wichita, Kansas. He previously worked for Cargill’s Meat Solutions Corporation.

Sharon Gray (BS, 2002) completed her M.S. degree at Bastyr University and is now working in Seattle, Washington as a licensed acupuncturist, combining Chinese medicine with massage therapy and nutrition. She has a website at http://www.theartofnourishment.com.

Thomas (Yean) Hoong-Teh (M.S. 2004), an instructor in the School of Chemical and Life Sciences of Nanyang Polytechnic College in Singapore, has been selected to receive the 2008 First International Nutritionist/Dietitian (FIND) Fellowship for Study in the USA from the American Dietetic Association Foundation. He will be recognized at the ADA Foundation's Gala held during ADA's Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo in October.

Ashlan Oberholtzer (M.S. 2005) is now a research chef and registered dietitian for Barber Foods, Portland, ME.

Mike Murphy (MS) has taken a position in R&D at Xcafe in Portland, ME. Xcafe is a manufacturer of coffee extracts for the beverage industry.

Craig Plummer (B.S. 1998) was hired by The Schwan Food Company in Marshall, MN at their R&D corporate headquarters. He is now working as a product development technologist in their food service national accounts.

Shari Baxter (Ph.D. 2007) was recently hired by Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. in Louisville, Kentucky. She will be developing new beverage products as an Assistant Food Scientist in Research and Development.

Pameka Harris (PhD expected 2007) was recently appointed Assistant Professor of Foods and Nutrition in the Department of Human Sciences at North Carolina Central University. She has been serving as an adjunct lecturer, teaching courses in food sanitation and safety, nutrition, and food science since the spring of this year.

Acan (Lilly) Lanyero (B.S. 2006) was hired as Corporate Quality Auditor for Stonyfield Farm, the New Hampshire company that produces natural yogurt products. She is working in their corporate office in Manchester.

Amy Henderson (B.S. 2005, M.S. 2007) is employed as a dietitian at Mount Desert Island hospital in Bar Harbor.

Thomas (Yean) Hoong-Teh (M.S. 2004) was recently appointed as an instructor in the School of Chemical and Life Sciences of Nanyang Polytechnic College in Singapore.

Cailtin Jamison (B.S. 2005) is now an Associate Scientists II in the Kraft Global Technology and Quality division, working on product development in the Desserts sector. She recently relocated from Massachusetts to the Kraft facility in Tarrytown, NY.

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