Haines Dairy Science Award presented to USDA chemist

The recipient of the 2010 William C. Haines Dairy Science Award, Dr. Harold M. Farrell Jr., gave a lecture, titled “A molecular Basis for the Structure-Function Relationships of Casein” at the 12th Annual Cal Poly Dairy Ingredients Symposium, which was held at the Inter Continental Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco in March. A retired supervisory research chemist at the USDA Dairy Processing and Products Research Unit in Pennsylvania, Farrell has been engaged in a variety of research programs related to the chemistry of the milk system and the biochemistry of the mammary gland for more than 40 years.

California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF) Executive Director Joseph O’Donnell, who presented the award to Farrell, said, “We are pleased to recognize the outstanding breadth and depth of Dr. Farrell’s work, which has increased our understanding of milk protein systems from biosynthesis in the mammary gland through milk processing, followed by milk digestion and absorption.”

Farrell, who is the sixth recipient of the Haines Award, said, “The majority of my scientific career has been spent in fundamental research on milk protein structure-function relationships. In this area, it is sometimes hard to see or predict a clear end point, but a new insight in itself is always exciting.” He continued, “Recently, my son told me that he and his sister were impressed with the fact that when I went to work I seemed to feel that what I did in the lab, though incremental on a given day, would eventually be a contribution to science. Receiving the Haines Award, which covers a 20-year period, has made me feel as though it has been worth the effort. In essence, this award is a validation of the scientific process and is greatly appreciated.”

The 182 attendees of the Dairy Ingredients Symposium were from 20 states and 10 countries and included dairy manufacturers, suppliers, members of academia and government employees. This symposium was sponsored by the Dairy Products Technology Center at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, the CDRF, the U.S. Dairy Export Council and Dairy Management, Inc.

The full agenda, including speaker names and affiliations, can be found on the Web at http://www.calpoly.edu/~dptc/ingredients/2010%20Symposium%20Schedule.pdf.