Frozen Food Foundation Presents 2012 Freezing Research Award
The Frozen Food Foundation, in conjunction with the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), has presented Dr. David S. Reid with the third annual Frozen Food Foundation Freezing Research Award. The presentation took place during the 2012 IAFP Annual Meeting in Providence, R.I.
The award recognizes individuals or organizations whose research contributes to the continued enhancement of food quality and safety through freezing. Reid (left) received the honor for his innovative research that has helped shape the understanding of the fundamental basis of food freezing.
“Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Reid has made outstanding contributions to the field of freezing technology,” noted the foundation’s president, Kraig R. Naasz, who is also president and CEO of the McLean, Va.-based American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), with which the foundation is affiliated. “His efforts have paved the way for great innovation in frozen food production and enhanced product quality for consumers.”
Reid who earned a B.S. and Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, with an emphasis on physical chemistry, began his career at Unilever Research Laboratory, Colworth, in 1967. In 1981, he joined the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of California-Davis to continue his study of the role of water in foods.
Dr. Reid also serves on the scientific advisory committees for both AFFI and the Global Cold Chain Alliance. He is a fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists and the International Academy of Food Science and Technology, and received a Career Leadership Award from AFFI in 2007.
“With a lifetime career in research and education in the area of food freezing, Dr. Reid has made a major impact on our understanding of the freezing process,” said Dr. R. Paul Singh of the University of California, Davis. “He has performed systematic studies to unravel the ice crystallization process to help the food industry improve the quality of frozen foods.”
Although Des Moines, Iowa-based IAFP has long given awards to members of the food industry for their work to improve food safety, the Frozen Food Foundation Freezing Research Award is the only honor bestowed by the association specifically for frozen food-related research.
As the winner of the award, Reid received a $2,000 honorarium and a plaque presented by Frozen Food Foundation board member Joan Menke-Schaenzer of Omaha, Neb.-based ConAgra Foods.