New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology
{{Short description|Professional society in New Zealand}}
{{Infobox societies
| name = New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology
| formation = 1964
| abbreviation = NZIFST
| headquarters = Auckland
| website = https://nzifst.org.nz/
}}
The New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology (NZIFST) is a professional society for food scientists and technologists in industry and academia in New Zealand.
History
Kelvin Scott was the inaugural professor of food technology at Massey University, and proposed the establishment of a professional association at the first New Zealand Food Technology Conference in 1964. The society was established in 1964, with branches in Auckland, Hawke's Bay and Wellington, before the first South Island branch followed in 1969, in Christchurch.{{Cite news |date=8 March 1969 |title=First S. I. Branch |pages=14 |work=The Press |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19690308.2.120 |via=PapersPast}} Scott was the first president of the institute, with Garth Wallace as secretary and treasurer.{{Cite web |title=NZIFST - History - Prof Kelvin Scott |url=https://nzifst.org.nz/page-18113 |access-date=2023-11-13 |website=nzifst.org.nz}} Scott was made a fellow of the institute in 1967.
The society's aims are to "provide a meeting ground for persons who are associated with the food industry in any way to enable them to discuss common problems".
The first enrolled member of the society was John Clark Andrews (1903–1966), a New Zealand food scientist, chemist and chancellor of Massey University. Andrews has been described as "one of the founders of food science as a profession in New Zealand", and the society's most prestigious award is the annual J. C. Andrews Award, given in his honour.{{Cite news |date=29 May 1981 |title=Award made to wheat director |pages=20 |work=The Press |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19810529.2.99.10 |via=Papers Past}} In 1986, the award was won by the institute's first president, Kelvin Scott. In 2023, the award was won by John Brookes, who established biofilm research at Massey.{{Cite web |title=Congratulations to John Brooks – Food Microbiology – Biofilm Research Team |url=https://sites.massey.ac.nz/sflint/2023/07/12/congratulations-to-john-brooks/ |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=sites.massey.ac.nz}}
Activities
The society publishes the magazine Food New Zealand six times per year. It holds an annual conference, and awards fellowships, honorary fellowships and prizes.{{Cite web |title=NZIFST - Annual Conference |url=https://nzifst.org.nz/Annual-Conference |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=nzifst.org.nz}}{{Cite web |title=NZIFST - Awards & Prizes - Scholarships & Prizes |url=https://nzifst.org.nz/page-18133 |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=nzifst.org.nz}} The most prestigious award given is the J. C. Andrews Award, but the society gives a number of other named awards, such as the Kelvin Scott Memorial Prize, the Mary D. Earle Award for mid-career members, and the Ron Hooker Award for Exemplary Service.{{Cite web |title=NZIFST - Awards & Prizes |url=https://nzifst.org.nz/Awards-&-Prizes |access-date=2023-11-13 |website=nzifst.org.nz}}
Fellows
Notable fellows of the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology include:{{Cite web |title=NZIFST - List of Fellows |url=https://nzifst.org.nz/page-18126 |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=nzifst.org.nz}}
- {{Annotated link|Charles Brennan}}
- {{Annotated link|Mary Earle}} (fellow and honorary fellow)
- {{Annotated link|Lynnette Ferguson}}
- {{Annotated link|Nazimah Hamid}}
- {{Annotated link|Dick Hubbard}}
- Miranda Mirosa - Professor of food science at University of Otago
- {{Annotated link|Indrawati Oey}}
- {{Annotated link|Siew-Young Quek}}
- {{Annotated link|Brian Shorland}} (honorary fellow)
- {{Annotated link|Janis Swan}}
- {{Annotated link|Marie Wong}} (and 2019 winner of the J. C. Andrews Award){{Cite web |title=NZIFST - J C Andrews Award Winners |url=https://nzifst.org.nz/page-18115 |access-date=2023-11-13 |website=nzifst.org.nz}}