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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
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