Shah receives William C. Haines Dairy Science Award
Nagendra P. Shah, a professor of food science and technology at Victoria University in Melbourne, received the William C. Haines Dairy Science Award on March 10 in recognition of his contribution to the field of dairy science.
The award was presented at the 11th Cal Poly Dairy Ingredients Symposium in San Francisco, where Dr. Shah gave a presentation on the liberation of bioactive peptides in dairy foods by probiotic cultures and the associated nutritional functionalities.
“Over his 30-year career, Dr. Shah’s work has spanned three continents, four countries and five universities and has focused on topics such as the use of probiotic bacteria in foods, the functional properties of milk, fermented dairy products and the development of low-fat Mozzarella,” said Joseph O’Donnell, executive director of the California Dairy Research Foundation, which sponsors the award. “He is a pioneer in the field of probiotics and has developed selective enumeration techniques for combinations of various strains including L. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium, and L. casei that are being used by manufacturers, researchers and analytic labs today.”
A renowned specialist in the use of probiotic bacteria in foods, Dr. Shah said, “I am honored to be recognized with the Haines award. Awards like this encourage scientists and academics to carry out innovative research in dairy science of commercial significance. My work on Mozzarella cheese, which uses a number of innovative approaches to reduce fat content while retaining similar functionalities as a full-fat Mozzarella is a good example,” said Dr. Shah.
Established in 2004, the William C. Haines Dairy Science Award was created to recognize individuals who, through their accomplishments in research and development in the field of chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, technology, nutrition, and/or engineering, have made a significant contribution to dairy science and the betterment of the dairy industry and consumers.
The award includes an engraved plaque, $1,000 in cash and travel expenses to an annual dairy industry event co-sponsored by the CDRF.
Nomination forms for the 2010 award are available online at www.cdrf.org under “Awards & Giving.” The deadline to submit 2010 nominations is Sept. 22, 2009.
