Milling & Baking News - May 3, 2011 - 20

Industry Activities 

K.S.U. receives grant for new Center of Excellence for Food Safety
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a two-year, $1.6 million grant to Kansas State University for the establishment of the Center of Excellence for Food Safety Research in Child Nutrition Programs. The center will provide science-based support to improve the safety of foods provided through the U.S.D.A. Food and Nutrition Service (F.N.S.) nutrition assistance programs, particularly those served in schools and child care settings. More than 2.2 billion meals and snacks are served annually through programs funded by the F.N.S. “Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our nation’s children and we must do everything we can to ensure that kids are being served safe, high quality meals,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “The Center of Excellence will provide research on important topics such as produce safety and evaluation of school food safety programs.” The Center of Excellence also is expected to provide a new research approach to determine how new initiatives, such as farm-to-school purchasing and school gardens, and emerging science affect food safety in F.N.S. school and child care programs, the U.S.D.A. said. A multidisciplinary approach, including both basic

and applied research, will draw expertise from fields such as food service management, food safety, food microbiology, agricultural production, education, and the social sciences. “We are excited about this new opportunity to support research focused on the unique food safety aspects of our programs,” said Kevin Concannon, U.S.D.A. Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services. “Research conducted by

the center will provide important information that we can use to improve programs and to develop education and training opportunities for school nutrition and child care employees. Kansas State University has a long history of research and education related to food service management, and will provide excellent leadership for school and child care food safety research.” Kevin Roberts, assistant professor of hospitality management and dietetics and director for the new center, said the center’s organization will allow it to be flexible enough to react to food safety crisis as they happen. “K-State is the ideal spot for the center,” Mr. Roberts said. “We can draw from more than 50 nationally and internationally recognized faculty from 5 colleges and 13 departments involved in food safety research. These scientists and teachers will also help get results of our research to a variety of targeted groups, such as policymakers, practitioners and school food service directors.” The center joins other K.S.U. food safety research facilities, including the Bio-Security Research Institute, the National Agriculture Biosecurity Center and the Food Safety Consortium. MBN same roof as part of The Future of Grains in Schools Meeting, and in October 2010 held the first meeting of The Future of Grains in Schools Task Force. “By aligning partners in the grain foods supply chain around a common vision the task force seeks to create momentum in each sector toward the shared goals of healthy weight, healthy habits, and healthy food options for all children,” the G.H.F. said of the task force. Another focus for the G.H.F. during 2010 was sustainable training. To that end, the foundation sponsored the local Whole Grain Summit in June organized by University of Minnesota graduate students to connect independent chefs with local growers of whole grains for the purpose of investigating future trends in healthy grain foods. The G.H.F. also mentored three undergraduate interns through its summer internship program with a focus on the importance of a healthy grain food supply, supply chain dynamics, and a systems thinking approach. Looking ahead to 2011, the foundation just wrapped up its involvement in the Whole Grain
bakingbusiness.com / world-grain.com

Grains for Health Foundation adds sponsors, forges new partnerships during year two
ST. LOUIS PARK, MINN. — Year two was a successful one for the Grains for Health Foundation, as the organization grew through several strategic decisions that have allowed it to better serve its members and refine its programming focus. In its Annual Report 2010, “Growing Grains for Health,” the G.H.F. said it enlisted three new sponsor members — Bay State Milling, ENRECO, and Roman Meal — and formed partnerships with several other organizations, including the Diabetes Center at Park Nicollet; the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.; the Caux Roundtable; and the Society for Organizational Learning. Additionally, the G.H.F. said it worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide key speakers for the June 2010 meeting, “The future of grains in schools: Tipping the scales toward a healthier food supply.” “Bringing in these speakers drew
20 / May 3, 2011 Milling & Baking News

significant press and participation of the staff of both Minnesota state senators,” the G.H.F. said. The G.H.F. forges partnerships with food and health leaders to develop evidence-based strategies that facilitate the development, delivery, and consumption of grain-based foods that promote public health, lower the incidence of diet-related, chronic disease, and curb health care costs. Other efforts during the foundation’s second year included collaborating with the AACC International on the G.H.F.’s 1st Research Preview event, and participating in a joint press release with the “Grain Chain” in response to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s initial recommendations. The G.H.F. also partnered with researchers at the U.S.D.A. Human Nutrition Research Center in Grand Forks, N.D., to begin linking industry needs to potential research objectives. In the area of child nutrition, the G.H.F. in June brought the complete grain supply chain to schools under the

http://www.bakingbusiness.com http://www.world-grain.com

Milling & Baking News - May 3, 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Milling & Baking News - May 3, 2011