AIFST Annual Awards

2020  AIFST Awards

AIFST offers a range of national awards that recognise the commitment and excellence of its members. The 2020  award winners will  be  announced at the 2020 AIFST Convention in Melbourne  on Monday, 6  July.

 
AIFST Annual Awards 

The AIFST Allergen Bureau Julie Newlands Award

2019 Winner: Sarah Proctor, Lion Co (pictured with Jasmine Lacis-Lee, Allergen Bureau)
 
The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) Allergen Bureau Julie Newlands Award recognises excellence in food allergen management in Australia. To be eligible for the award nominees much be current financial AIFST members within all sectors of the Australian food industry and nominees for this award must be a resident in Australia.
 
In accordance with the Allergen Bureau Mission, the Selection Committee will decide the award recipient based on their contribution to a consistent, science-based approach to food allergen risk assessment, management and communication that guides/promotes industry best practice; and assists allergy, sensitive consumers to make informed choices based on label information.

Julie Newlands was an inaugural Director and the first Honorary Treasurer of the Allergen Bureau Ltd. Julie was a fabulous food allergen advocate and immersed herself in all aspects of allergen science, management and communication. Julie led the development of the VITAL® Best Practice Labelling Guide for Australia and New Zealand and the drive for allergen labelling exemptions. Both initiatives have a direct impact on the way we now consider and label allergens. Everything that Julie achieved at the Allergen Bureau is a testament to her drive and passion for the allergic consumer and for food safety. Julie passed away in November 2017.
 
 

 

AIFST Foodbank Hunger  Hero Award

2019 Winner: Simon Davidson, Saputo (not pictured)
 
The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) Foodbank Hunger Hero Award recognises a person or team who have gone above and beyond to tackle food insecurity. Whether it’s championing a new initiative within their company or volunteering their time and expertise in the community, AIFST and Foodbank want to recognise an individual’s or team’s contribution and hold it up as an inspiration to others.
 

 

 

 

The AIFST Malcolm Bird Young Members Commemorative Award

2019: Not Awarded
 
This award is for young AIFST members who demonstrate academic achievement, leadership and integrity in their profession. The AIFST Malcolm Bird Commemorative Award is named in honour of Malcolm Bird, fifth President of the Institute (1975-77), who died in 1977 soon after completing his term of Presidency. Malcolm always showed an active concern for the welfare of young members.
 
Nomination Form
 

 

The AIFST Peter Seale Food Industry Innovation Award

2019 Winner: Trisco Foods Pty Ltd -​ Precise Thick-N Instant Liquid Thickening Concentrate.  Award accepted by Brenda Mossel (pictured with Peter Schutz)
 
The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) may acknowledge a significant new development in a process, product, ingredient, equipment or packaging which has achieved successful commercial application in any section of the Australian food industry. The Food Industry Innovation Award will be made annually at the discretion of AIFST to recognise such development or innovation.
 
This award is given in honour of AIFST Past President Peter Seale.
 
 

 

The AIFST President's Award

2019 Winner: Tom Lewis (pictured with Peter Schutz)
 
The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) may recognise, acknowledge and acclaim an individual or an organisation that has made an outstanding contribution to the Institute.
 
 

 

The AIFST Keith Farrer  Award of Merit

2019 Winner: Martin Cole (pictured with Peter Schutz)
 
The Award is named after Dr Keith Farrer, an outstanding food scientist and author who was involved in the formation of the AIFST in 1967.
 
The AIFST Keith Farrer Award of Merit acknowledges achievements within food science and technology in the wide areas of research, industry and education, and may take cognisance of contributions made to further the aims and objectives of the Institute.
 
 

 

The AIFST Bruce Chandler Book Prize

2019 Winner: Michael Blakeney, Food Loss and Food Waste, Causes and Solutions. (pictured with Peter Schutz)
 
AIFST received a bequest from the late Dr Bruce Chandler to establish a prize named in his honour, the Bruce Chandler Book Prize. Dr Chandler was a long-serving member of the Institute, notably as Literature Editor of food australia for 12 years.
 
The book prize is awarded to AIFST members who are authors of books considered to make the greatest contribution to the literature on food in particular years.
 
Nomination Form
 

 

The AIFST Jack Kefford Award for Best Paper

2019 Winner: Not Awarded
 
The Jack Kefford Award for Best Paper recognises the contribution to food science and technology of members of the Institute who publish research and technical papers.
 
The Award is named in honour of Mr Jack Kefford who provided enormous input to the science and technology of food as Officer-in-Charge of the CSIRO Food Research Laboratory; Assistant Chief of the CSIRO Division of Food Research; as a scientist of international repute; and as AIFST President (1971-73); and Technical Editor of food australia.
 
Nomination Form
 

 

The AIFST John Christian Young Food Microbiologist  Award 

2019 Winner: Not Awarded
 
The John Christian Young Food Microbiologist award was created as a means of encouraging and supporting the development of young food microbiologists. 
 
The applicants must be under 30 years of age and under at the time of presentation and must be a member of the AIFST however not restricted to students.   
 
Finalists are chosen on the basis of a 500 word summary of a food microbiology topic.  The topic and content must be related to food microbiology, including general interest topics, research work, literature review, risk assessment, case- or epidemiological study.  Assessment of applicant summaries will be undertaken by the FMG. 
 
Topic criteria are that the project is food microbiology related – literature review, experimental-based study, risk assessment, case or epidemiological study. 
 
 
 

 

 

AIFST Annual Competitions

The Student Product Development Competition

2019 Winning Product: CauliPlus
Team: Shabrone Vertigan, Hannah Summerhayes, Ashna Gobin, Leonardo Bohorquez. 
 
The SPDC was created over 15 years ago to provide students with a chance to create a new product and demonstrate their skills, knowledge and creativity. Each year students are asked to create a product based on a brief and submit the development of their product at various stages to the judges. The competition culminates at the annual convention, where teams must present their final product to the judges and submit it for tasting. 
 
The purpose of the competition is to:
- Encourage student involvement in AIFST.
- Provide a platform for students to demonstrate their talents in innovative thinking and design, food product development, written and oral communications and the application of theory and teamwork.
- Provide students with an opportunity to gain greater exposure to the food industry and food industry professionals.
- Provide an opportunity to experience implementing against a real industry product development brief.
- Promote and foster innovation and entrepreneurship amongst students.
- Allow food industry representatives the opportunity to identify talented students for potential future employment.
- Allow an avenue to explore the concept of continuous improvement by the provision of feedback about team entries.
 
 

 

The AIFST Research Poster Competition

2019 Winner: Maria Stephanie - Effects of milling method and composition on cooking and texture properties of sorghum-based gluten-free pasta (pictured with Peter Schutz).
 
The Research Poster Competition is held during the annual convention each year. The competition provides a space for scientists to present a summary of their recent work in poster form. As space on the poster is limited, the challenge for entrants is to effectively condense their research without losing the quality of their research. There is no restriction to apply, however, applications will be reviewed and selections will be made to present at the convention. 
 
 
 

 

 

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