2013 IFT Food Expo Innovation Awards

You and Your Company's Ingenuity Could Be Recognized

Is your company a leader in its field? Do you have an exciting new innovation? Would you like to see it receive the recognition it deserves? If the answer is yes, then consider entering the 2013 IFT Food Expo Innovation awards.

Deadline: April 19, 2013

Eligibility Requirements:

• Open only to exhibiting companies at the 2013 IFT Food Expo in Chicago, Sunday, July 14 - Tuesday, July 16.
• The product, technology, ingredient, instrumentation, equipment, or service must have been commercially introduced since January 1, 2012.
• New applications of existing products/services that were commercially introduced since January 1, 2012 also are eligible.
• All entries and supporting documentation must be submitted by Friday, April 19, 2013.
• All entry materials must be in English.

There is no entry fee, and companies may submit more than one entry. Qualifying entries will be reviewed by an independent, expert panel of judges.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

• All entries must be submitted online.
• All entry descriptions must be 500 words or less.
• Once your entry has been submitted, you cannot re-submit the form.
• You may attach up to 3 supporting documentation, such as brochures, by using the "Attach File" option located at the top of the online form.
• If you experience technical difficulties or have questions, please e-mail gwilliams@ift.org.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

And the Winner Is: Winning entries will be announced and awarded prior to the opening of the exhibit floor at the 2013 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo in Chicago. This allows winning companies to promote their achievements at their booths, increasing booth traffic and attracting prospective customers. In addition, IFT will further spread the word by publicizing these outstanding innovations in the IFT LIVE (electronic show daily) , on-site press materials, ift.org website and in the August Official Post-Show issue of Food Technology magazine.

Description of Entry: Describe in 500 words or less. Why is it innovative? Does it solve a problem? Does it represent a major technical and/or scientific advance? What are the benefits to food manufacturers? What are the consumer benefits?

Take advantage of this opportunity. Deadline for submission is Friday, April 19, 2013.

2012
	Advantix Systems (booth 3956) garnered the 2012 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for its liquid desiccant dehumidification and cooling technology, which reduces energy use by 50%. The technology uses liquid desiccant, which is a natural salt solution that absorbs moisture directly from the air. By utilizing the solution's natural affinity for moisture, air can be dehumidified without needing to overcool or post-cool the air as required by conventional approaches. The desiccant is also a natural disinfectant, removing almost all airborne bacteria and microorganisms in a single pass.
	Ampac (booth 2980) won the award for its No. 2 pouch. The recyclable packaging is made from a coextruded film blend of predominantly high-density polyethylene (HDPE) that yields a pouch with excellent stiffness and strength characteristics as well as high barrier to moisture and excellent puncture resistance. It is designed to be compatible with existing post-consumer recycled waste streams, such as retail plastic grocery sacks. The stand-up pouch also saves energy to produce, since it does not require a separate laminating step.
	Ecolab (booth 2129) was honored for its RAC residual antimicrobial coatings program, which consists of EPA-registered products that enhance food safety by providing improved microorganism control of plant non-food contact environmental surfaces. The products are ready-to-use and can be applied with spray, roller, or brush to provide residual sanitizing activity on environmental surfaces. Proper application of the products can reduce 99.9% or 3 log reduction of pathogens, such as E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enteric, andStaphylococcus aureus.
	Glanbia Nutritionals (booth 1241) captured the 2012 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for its Optisol 2000 binding system for sugar reduction. The binding system is a milk protein concentrate that can reduce sugar usage up to 50% in many food applications, such as baked and chewy type granola bars, cereal clusters, and other snack products. In reduced-sugar applications, OptiSol 2000 functions to bind water and maintain a sticky matrix in food products. The clean-label ingredient contributes protein to the formulation and enables the addition of other desirable nutrients such as fiber.

2011
	DuPont Teijin Films (booth 3706) garnered the 2011 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for its Mylar® Cook Ovenable Pouch, which provides an innovative "no-touch" cooking solution for frozen or refrigerated raw proteins. The patented rollstock thermoforming film can be cooked in conventional, convection, or microwave ovens at temperatures up to 425° F. The packaging reduces cooking time by up to 30%, saving energy use in home, restaurant, or institutional kitchens.
	Ecolab (booth 6447) won the award for its Zero Trans Fat Oil Cleaning Program, which interacts with the zero-trans-fat oil soils by breaking down the polymerized soil residues and then emulsifying the oil. The technology works at ambient temperature, reducing energy costs associated with heating hot water. It also is designed to cling to vertical surfaces and stay wet on these surfaces long enough to clean hard-to-reach areas, such as catwalks, fryer hood vents, walls, and ceilings.
	Loders Croklaan North America (booth 6523) was honored for its SansTrans VLS30 and VLS40 shortenings, which can reduce saturated fat content and calories in bakery and snack foods. Both shortenings contain a fat-sparing emulsifier package that allows a reduction in use of up to 15% fat in applications that currently use an all-purpose shortening. Saturated fat is reduced up to 30% and fat content plus calories from fat is reduced by 15%. The products' modest fat reduction does not alter the taste and texture of finished products.
	Summit Resource Group (booth 7051) captured the 2011 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for its NC-518 Calcium for Bone Health. The ingredient is produced through a patented manufacturing technology to enhance the availability of trace minerals and zinc in the calcium. The patented laser micronization process electrostatically enhances the zinc delivery system, thus allowing the calcium to absorb in the bloodstream and support bone health. Human clinical studies have demonstrated increased bone density.

2010
	Co-recipients Bühler Barth AG and Log5 Corporation (booth 6616) garnered the 2010 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for their Controlled Condensation Process Pasteurization Technology, which pasteurizes low-water-activity foods, such as tree nuts, peanuts, spices, and grains, and preserves the natural quality of the food. The technology maintains thermal equilibrium conditions by controlling pressure, temperature, surface condensation, and moisture levels.
	Bunge North America (booth 4047) won the award for its Phytobake Shortening with Phytosterols. The functional shortening for bakery applications enables the dilution of the amount of traditional hard fat or saturates and trans fats used in the plastic shortenings by up to 46%. Bakers using this ingredient can produce healthier sweet goods, such as cookies, pie crusts, and cakes.
	Caravan Ingredients (booth 3823) was honored for its Trancendim Emulsifiers for Zero Trans Shortening—a zero trans, reduced saturated fat alternative for structuring fats and oils that mimics or improves the melting behavior of common fat-based products. Applications include salad dressings, frying oils, margarines, and bakery products. Users can create better-for-you products without sacrificing taste or mouthfeel.
	Handary SA (booth 6341) captured the 2010 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for its NisinA Natural Antimicrobial Agent, a vegetable-based natural product that can improve food safety by controlling foodborne pathogens, such as Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus cereus. It also extends the shelf life of foods by controlling lactic acid bacteria and prevents the formation of bacteria due to high temperatures.