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AOCS Lipid Oxidation and Quality Division
Newsletter August 2008

Member Highlights: Profiles of Division Members

Monoj K. Gupta

Monoj Gupta is President of MG Edible Oil, a company he founded in 1998 that provides consulting services for oil and food processing companies in the United States, Latin America, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Monoj began his career with Proctor & Gamble, serving as group leader in the area of dry mixes (Duncan Hines) before being made department manager of the Shortening and Oil Production Department. Later he joined Anderson Clayton Inc., where he was responsible for productivity improvement and engineering in several plants in the United States and Mexico. Monoj then worked for Frito-Lay, Inc. for eleven years advising the company on oil applications for the world-wide operation of Pepsi Co. before leaving to start his own consulting company. He received his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering in India followed by an M.Sc. in chemical engineering from the University of Florida.

Monoj is the author of many technical publications and has written several book chapters. In 2004 he co-edited with Pam White and Kathleen Warner Frying Technology and Practices and is currently publishing a book titled Practical Guide to Vegetable Oil Processing, both published by AOCS Press.

Monoj has been very active in AOCS, serving as chairperson of the LOQ Division; president of the South Central Section; and member of the Governing Board as well as the Special Publications Committee. In 2008 Monoj was made a fellow of the American Oil Chemists' Society for his many contributions to AOCS and to the oil industry.

Fereidoon Shahidi

Fereidoon Shahidi, Ph.D., FACS, FCIC, FCIFST, FRSC, has reached the highest academic level, university research professor, in the department of biochemistry at Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN). He is also cross-appointed to the department of biology, ocean sciences centre and the aquaculture program at MUN. Dr. Shahidi is the author of nearly 500 research papers and book chapters and has authored or edited over 30 books and made over 300 presentations at scientific conferences. His research contributions have led to several industrial developments around the globe. Dr. Shahidi's current research interests include different areas of nutraceuticals and functional foods as well as marine foods and natural antioxidants.

Dr. Shahidi serves as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Food Lipids and is an editorial board member of Food Chemistry, Journal of Food Science, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Nutraceuticals and Food, and the International Journal of Food Properties. He was the recipient of the 1996 William J. Eva Award from the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology in recognition of his outstanding contributions to food science in Canada through research and service, and also the 1998 Earl P. McFee Award from the Atlantic Fisheries Technological Society in recognition of his exemplary contributions in the seafood area and their global impact. He has also been recognized as one of the most highly cited authors in the world in the disciplines of agriculture, plant and animal sciences, and was the recipient of the 2002 ADM Award from the American Oil Chemists' Society.

Dr. Shahidi is the current chairperson of the nutraceuticals and functional foods division of the Institute of Food Technologists and the chair of Lipid Oxidation and Quality of the American Oil Chemists' Society. He is also the chair of the agricultural and food chemistry division of the American Chemical Society. Dr. Shahidi serves as a member of the Expert Advisory Panel of Health Canada on Standards of Evidence for Health Claims for Foods, Standards Council of Canada on Fats and Oils, Advisory Group of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada on Plant Products and the Nutraceuticals Network of Canada. He is a member of the Washington-based Council of Agricultural Science and Technology on Nutraceuticals.

Caitlin Boon

Caitlin Boon is a Ph.D. student under the direction of Dr. Eric Decker at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and is also a recipient of the Honored Student Award, the Hans Kaunitz Award, and the Peter and Clare Kalustian Award. Before coming to UMass, Caitlin earned B.S. degrees in Food Science and Poultry Science from NC State University and a M.Sc. in Food Policy from City University London, where she studied as a Fulbright Scholar.

Caitlin's research involves studying the degradation of lycopene in oil in water emulsions. Lycopene is a lipid-soluble carotenoid that is thought to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. This work has focused on using model systems to determine factors that influence lycopene stability in corn oil and hexadecane emulsion systems. Thus far, the findings of this work show that lycopene stability in emulsions stabilized by small molecule surfactants is improved by the presence of metal chelators, pH levels above 5.0, and the presence of free radical scavengers. Lycopene stability has also been found to decrease in the presence of ferric iron, negatively charged surfactants, and low pH. Caitlin hopes to complete this work in the fall, and pursue a career in food policy and regulation.

Also in this newsletter:

Message from the Chair, by Jim Barren
Beer Training in Seattle. LOQ Board Meeting. Award Winners. Program Plans.History of AOCS. LOQ Officer Election for 2009.Thanks to AOCS Staff.

Soybeans: Chemistry, Production, Processing, and Utilization
AOCS Monograph Series on Oilseeds, Volume 2, new from AOCS Press

AOCS, 2710 S. Boulder, Urbana, IL 61802-6996 USA