Gravani Appointed Institute of Food Technologists 2010-2011 President

In his new role as President, Robert Gravani will work with a range of volunteers from academia, industry and government to support IFT’s overall mission to advance the science of food and to ensure a safe and abundant food supply that contributes to healthier people everywhere.

Sep 22 2010 --- Robert B. Gravani, PhD, Professor of Food Science and Director of the National Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Program at Cornell University, is the new President of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit international society with members engaged in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government. Gravani is the 71st president of IFT and assumed his role September 1, 2010.

In his new role as President, Gravani will work with a range of volunteers from academia, industry and government to support IFT’s overall mission to advance the science of food and to ensure a safe and abundant food supply that contributes to healthier people everywhere.

Dr. Gravani works with all sectors of the food system and has developed innovative programs for constituents in production agriculture, food processing, food retailing, and food service, as well as for regulatory agencies and consumers.  He has published many scientific and popular articles, and developed numerous education programs for constituents.  Prior to his current position,  he served served as Science Director of the Cereal Institute, Inc. and as Assistant Director of the Institute of Food Science and Marketing at Cornell University.

Dr. Gravani is a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists, served on the Executive Committee, chaired a number of IFT committees and the Extension/Outreach Division.  He was the 2009 recipient of the IFT’s Carl R. Fellers Award.  He received the Cornell Institute of Food Science Teaching Excellence Award in 1994 and 2007 and was the 1995 recipient of the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Educator Award.  He is a past president of the association and an IAFP Fellow.

He served seven years as a member of the National Advisory Committee of Microbiological Criteria for Foods and also served on the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) committee on Review of Scientific Criteria and Performance Standards for Safe Foods and chaired the NAS subcommittee on Seafood, Produce, and Dairy Products.  He is an active member of the National Center for Food Protection and Defense at the University of Minnesota, where he serves on the Risk Communication team.

Dr. Gravani received his BS degree in Food Science from Rutgers University and his MS and PhD degrees from Cornell University.