Oct. 1, 2004
Food Safety Expert and Ag Secretary Speaking at UW-RF
Food Microbiology Symposium
Frank Busta, director of the new national Center for Food Protection and Defense,
a national Homeland Security of Center of Excellence, at the University of Minnesota,
is the keynote speaker at the 24th annual Food Microbiology Symposium held at
the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Oct.17-20.
"Food Biosecurity: Challenges for Defending the Safety of the Food Supply"
is the title of Busta's speech at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19, in the River Room
of Rodli Commons. The speech is free and open to the public. An RSVP is required;
contact Doreen Cegielski at 715/425-3704.
Additionally, Secretary Rod Nilsestuen of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture,
Trade & Consumer Protection, will address the symposium at 7 p.m. on Oct.
17. Nilsestuen, a UW-RF graduate, is the former president of the Wisconsin Federation
of Cooperatives and served as general manager on the Wisconsin Milk Marketing
Board.
Busta has previously held positions at the University of Minnesota, North Carolina
State University, and the University of Florida. He is professor emeritus at
the U of M, having been chair of the department of food science and nutrition
from 1987 to 1997. A widely published researcher and author, he is a fellow
of the Institute of Food Technologies, American Academy of Microbiology, American
Association for the Advancement of Science, the Institute of Food Science and
Technology and the Academy of the International Union of Food Science and Technology.
He is also a senior science advisor of IFT's FDA contract on food safety, food
processing and human health and is a member of the science council of the International
Union of Food Science & Technology and the Food and Drug Administration's
Food Advisory Council. He is chair of the contaminants and natural toxicants
subcommittee of the FDA's Food Advisory Committee.
The Center for Food Protection and Defense is university-based research center
supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security—bringing together
national academic, industry, and public sector partners to develop ways of enhancing
our nation's capability to protect the food supply from intentional contamination.
Other partners include the University of Wisconsin-Madison, North Dakota State
University, and Michigan State University, plus investigators from other universities,
industry and the private sector.
For additional information on the symposium, email to foodmicro@uwrf.edu
or visit the Web site at http://www.uwrf.edu/food-science,
click on the links to workshops and then Food Microbiology Symposium, or contact
Cegielski.
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