Baking & Snack - July 2016 - 109

SPECIAL REPORT
Meeting Preview: AACCI

TAKING ITS PULSE
Plant-based nutrition, 'big data' and leadership development will be explored
at this year's AACC International annual meeting, Oct. 23-26 at Savannah, GA.
by Laurie Gorton

Plants are "in." Frontrunner foodies pursue this emerging trend by seeking their nutrients primarily from
plants. They want not only the clean-and-pure image
but also the sustainability factor. Such preferences mean
new opportunities for researchers and product developers who can steer grain-based foods in this direction. To
achieve such objectives, the science of pulses, psyllium,
rice and sprouted grains takes center stage at the 2016
annual meeting of AACC International (AACCI) taking
place at Savannah, GA, Oct. 23-26.
More than half of the planned scientific symposia
deal with the nutrients, analysis, physiological effects,
processing, novel applications, sensory qualities, performance, functional qualities, bioavailability, health
and quality measurement of cereal grains and the foods
made from them. The program team, chaired by Satya
Jonnalagadda, PhD, RD, director of global nutrition for
Kerry Ingredients & Flavours USA, also scheduled presentations about sustainability, food safety, regulatory
matters and proactive science-based communications.
Big data is the special interest of the Oct. 23 opening
keynote speaker, Johannes Keizer, PhD, information systems officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) of the United Nations. He is the strategic partnership lead for FAO's Global Open Data for Agriculture
and Nutrition and will describe how big data can be
used to improve food and nutrition around the world.
"There's a lot of buzz about 'big data' right now, and it is
new to the cereal sciences," Dr. Jonnalagadda said.
The Oct. 26 plenary speaker, yet to be announced,
leads off a new one-day track about the future of food.
"The keynoter will describe sustainability challenges
for food production and the potential contributions by
modern plant breeding technologies, along with other
issues in food and biotech," said Susan Kohn, AACCI's
director of content management and education.
The annual meeting draws a world-wide audience of
more than 1,100 from industry, academia and govern-

ment each year. For 2016, it takes place at the Savannah
International Trade and Convention Center overlooking
the city's scenic riverfront and historic landmark district. The society previously met at Savannah in 2010.
AACCI supplements the meeting's scientific sessions
and symposia with a lively exhibit area, open for the first
three days of the event. Extensive poster displays provide more than 200 highly focused reports of current
scientific research.
The nitty-gritty of scientific work
will be addressed during early morning
technical committee meetings. A student paper competition is also featured.
A variety of association division and
section gatherings take place during breakfast, lunch
and evening hours. The group also puts together local
tours that allow additional networking.
For 2016, the society opened its program to latebreaking science. "Normally, we ask for abstracts to be
submitted by April 15," Ms. Kohn explained. "But we
know that a lot of science can happen between then and
the annual meeting." The group extended its abstract acceptance date to July 20.
Building on the past year's centennial celebration,
AACCI is looking to its future and that of its members,
Dr. Jonnalagadda said. "A key goal is to develop AACCI's
leaders of the future," she explained. "So, we put two
professional development workshops on the program."
One, led by Lauren Brewer, a General Mills scientist
and 2016 annual meeting program vice-chair, focuses
on leadership development. The second is organized by
Les Copeland, PhD, professor at University of Sidney,
Australia, and editor-in-chief of Cereal Chemistry, the
association's professional journal. It will detail the process of writing for peer-reviewed publications.
Registration has already started. Early bird rates end
Aug. 1; after that, regular rates apply. For more information, visit www.aaccnet.org/meet.

Savannah developed
around its riverfront in
early Colonial days and is
still a significant port for
international shipping.
Adobe Stock

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