Newswise — CHICAGO- On September 1, 2014 Mary Ellen Camire, PhD, CFS, Food Science and Nutrition Professor at the University of Maine’s School of Food and Agriculture became the 75th president of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific society of professionals in industry, academia, and government engaged in food science, food technology, and related areas. Dr. Camire succeeded Janet E. Collins, PhD, RD, CFS, IFT’s 2013-2014 president. In her position as president, Dr. Camire will work with members and staff to support IFT's overall mission of advancing the science of food to ensure a safe, abundant and healthful food supply worldwide.

Dr. Camire has been an IFT member since 1986 and became a Certified Food Scientist in 2012. She is an IFT Fellow and received the Babcock-Hart Award in 2006 for her contributions to a nutritious food supply. Dr. Camire’s research spans the fields of food technology and nutrition, including: how processing changes nutrients and antioxidants in foods; ingredients and processing techniques to make foods healthier and more satisfying; and assessing consumer reactions to new crops and aquaculture products. Dr. Camire is engaged in promoting consumption of healthful food products and development of sustainable food production. She is also active in the field of sensory evaluation as the director of the University of Maine Sensory Evaluation Center. Over the course of her career Dr. Camire has published 56 peer-reviewed journal articles and 13 book chapters, as well as several technical reports.

“I’m looking forward to working closely with our members, the IFT staff, and the media to build an important dialogue on what the profession has achieved to date, and what the great potential will be in the future,” said Dr. Camire. “As IFT’s FutureFood 2050 program continues to roll out, I have the unique opportunity to help highlight the positive impact of food science and technology on food security and nutrition.”

Dr. Camire has assisted many food companies, ranging in size from home-based processors with one or two staff to multinational corporations. Dr. Camire has served the food science field as a panelist on U.S. Department of Agriculture competitive grant panels, and she was also the panel manager for post-harvest food safety competitive grants and the Small Business Innovative Research Food Science and Nutrition panel. Her expertise has been sought for grant reviews by funding agencies in Finland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, and other nations.

Dr. Camire received her PhD from Texas Woman’s University. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in evolutionary and organismal biology from Harvard and a Masters in nutrition from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

*Colin Dennis, PhD, CFS has been selected as IFT President Elect and will follow Dr. Camire as the 2015-2016 president.

About IFT This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Institute of Food Technologists. Since its founding in 1939, IFT has been committed to advancing the science of food, both today and tomorrow. Our non-profit scientific society—more than 18,000 members from more than 100 countries—brings together food scientists, technologists and related professionals from academia, government and industry. For more information, please visit ift.org.