CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 07/08/22

International Association for Food Protection honors UGA Center for Food Safety director

By Jennifer L Reynolds
Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, director of the University of Georgia’s Center for Food Safety, stands in his lab wearing a lab coat.
The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) has named Francisco Diez-Gonzalez the 2022 recipient of the Harry Haverland Citation Award. “By serving IAFP, I contribute to creating opportunities for younger generations,” Diez said. 

Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, director of the University of Georgia’s Center for Food Safety, is the 2022 recipient of the Harry Haverland Citation Award from the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP).

Diez was nominated for the award, which is given “to an individual for years of devotion to the ideals and objectives of IAFP,” by 2003 Harry Haverland award recipient and CFS emeritus faculty member Larry Beuchat.

Diez’s “research has been broad in scope in regards to microbiological protection of foods, which includes foodborne pathogens, their behavior in various types of foods, their control, enumeration and detection, and other timely aspects that will help reduce the possibilities of foodborne outbreaks,” Beuchat said. 

He also cited Diez’s commitment to IAFP as one of the reasons for the nomination. Diez joined IAFP in 2000 and was one of the founding members of the Minnesota Food Protection Association, serving as their first secretary. He currently serves on two IAFP journal editorial boards: the Journal for Food Protection since 2002 and Food Protection Trends since 2006. 

Diez also serves on the planning committee for IAFP’s annual conference. For the past three years, he has helped organize the conference by reviewing numerous symposia, roundtables and workshops proposed by IAFP members. The committee also screens submitted abstracts for posters and oral presentations. 

“His participation at both a national and an international level, and recognition for his past contributions in the area of food protection, clearly qualify him as deserving of this award. He has certainly fulfilled the qualities and criteria set forth for awardees,” Beuchat said.  

“IAFP is the premier professional society in our discipline. Being part of IAFP is essential for any food safety professional to influence the advancement of science and technology, and to expand her/his network of peers and collaborators. By serving IAFP, I contribute to creating opportunities for younger generations,” Diez said. 

Paul Hall, who served as chair of the CFS board for 13 years, received the award in 2013. 

Diez will receive the award during the IAFP 2022 conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, being held from July 31 to August 3.

He will be joined by Manpreet Singh, head of UGA’s Department of Food Science and Technology, who will begin his term as IAFP secretary at the event. 

Jennifer Reynolds is the communications professional for UGA's Center for Food Safety.

Authors:
Jennifer L Reynolds
Experts/Sources:
Francisco Diez-Gonzalez
(L to R) New Creation Soda Works Founder and CEO Paul Kooistra, Head Brewer Alex Harding, CAES Dean and Director Nick Place. (Photo by Dennis McDaniel) CAES News
Flavor of Georgia grand prize goes to New Creation Soda Works 04/05/24 Jordan Powers
New Creation Soda Works won the grand prize at the 2024 Flavor of Georgia food contest for their product, PECHES Georgia Peach Soda. A family-owned company based in Bishop, Georgia, New Creation Soda Works started selling their soda syrups at a local farmer’s market in 2015. Today, their product line — comprised of sodas with flavors including strawberry habanero, butter pecan cream soda and the old-time root beer that inspired the company — sells in more than 700 locations nationwide.
CAES virologist Malak Esseili has found that certain teas inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in saliva — in some cases by up to 99.9%. This matters because the virus infects and replicates inside the oral cavity, passing through the oropharynx before reaching the lungs. CAES News
Can a cup of tea keep COVID away? 03/27/24 Jennifer L Reynolds
New research from the University of Georgia suggests that something as simple as a cup of tea can help in the fight against COVID-19. Tea has been renowned globally for its many health benefits, and Malak Esseili, a virologist with the University of Georgia Center for Food Safety in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, wanted to know if it may also affect SARS-CoV-2.
Samples at the 2022 Flavor of Georgia food product contest CAES News
36 finalists advance in 2024 Flavor of Georgia contest 03/20/24 Lillian Dickens
Working their way through 139 hopeful food products organized in colorful rows, a panel of judges selected 36 finalists for the 2024 Flavor of Georgia food product contest to be held in Athens on April 4. The first round of the annual competition was held at Gourmet Foods International in Decatur and organized by the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The popular contest features market-ready products from small businesses across the state of Georgia.
Abhinav Mishra and colleagues in UGA's Department of Food Science and Technology will use risk assessment models to identify which environmental and farm practice factors contribute to the food safety risk of fresh, organic food. CAES News
UGA food scientists build toolbox for organic growers to address food safety concerns 02/14/24 Maria M. Lameiras
University of Georgia researchers in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are part of a $3.5 million grant designed to assist organic producers in meeting both National Organic Program standards and food safety requirements. UGA food scientists will survey farms in the Southeast to determine the risk of contamination in organic crops by different environmental pathogens.
FoodPICdirectorJimGratzek CAES News
UGA FoodPIC empowers food startups for successful launch and growth 02/12/24 Emily Cabrera
Jim Gratzek, director of the University of Georgia’s Food Product Innovation and Commercialization Center, earned his doctorate in food process engineering from UGA’s Department of Food Science and Technology. He returned to the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in 2022 after nearly 30 years in the commercial food industry, bringing a new perspective. In his experience, the biggest hurdle for new food entrepreneurs who don’t yet have sufficient working capital or manufacturing facilities is moving a product from concept to consumer.
cold brew coffee CAES News
Can cold brew coffee make you sick? 02/05/24 Lillian Dickens
Cold brew coffee’s smooth taste, rich flavor and low acidity have made this trendy drink a global favorite no matter the weather. New research from the University of Georgia funded by the UGA Center for Food Safety looks into the possibility of cold brew coffee to pose a food safety hazard when it is contaminated with foodborne pathogens.