TheFrozen Food Foundation, McLean, Va., has introduced the "Frozen Food Foundation Freezing Research Award" to recognize new freezing research by individuals or organizations. The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), Des Moines, Iowa, is a co-sponsor.
“Advancements in freezing technologies continue to improve the quality and safety of frozen foods,” said Frozen Food Foundation Chairman Reid Wagstaff. “The foundation is proud to sponsor this award to showcase the contributions being made to food safety through innovation in the freezing process.”
This is the first such award presented by the Frozen Food Foundation, which encourages advancements in the frozen food industry through scientific research. Incorporated in 2004, the foundation is affiliated with theAmerican Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), the trade association representing the interests of the frozen food industry.
“The frozen food industry prides itself on delivering safe, delicious and convenient food products to the American consumer,” said AFFI President and CEO Kraig R. Naasz. “AFFI’s member companies value the confidence of consumers and continue to explore new technologies in freezing that make the products consumers enjoy even better. The creation of this award highlights the work being done by the Frozen Food Foundation to give greater awareness to research focused on the frozen food industry.”
The International Association for Food Protection currently presents awards to members of the food industry for their work to enhance food safety. However, the Frozen Food Foundation Freezing Research Award is the only award to be given by IAFP specifically for frozen food-related research.
Areas of interest may include the effects of freezing on aroma and flavor; the environmental impact of various freezing techniques; freezing as a complement to other food preservation techniques; and the ability of the freezing process to kill or destroy certain microorganisms found in food.
The International Association for Food Protection will be receiving award nominations between October 2009 and February 2010. Award nomination forms and instructions for submitting nominations will be found online at www.frozenfoodfoundation.org and www.foodprotection.org. The award winner will be announced at the 2010 IAFP Annual Meeting.