Around the Industry: SFC Forum; Monell Manheimer/Mastertaste Dinner

The Society of Flavor Chemists held its 7th Annual West Coast  Flavor Industry Forum on March 8, in Anaheim, California. The event was a joint meeting with The National Association of Flavors and Food-Ingredient Systems (NAFFS) and the Chemical Sources Association (CSA). The SFC board meetings in the morning were followed by a networking lunch. The forum started at 1 pm and lasted till 4:30 with three speakers presenting. First, Len Walsh (acting chief, California Division of Occupational Safety and Health-CAL/OSHA) discussed the regulation of exposure to flavorings in California. He highlighted CAL/OSHA's Voluntary Special Emphasis Program with California flavoring manufacturers; the status of the petition filed with CAL/OSHA's board requesting an Emergency Temporary Standard for exposure to diacetyl; and the material safety data sheets for diacetyl and other flavorings. 

A.M. Todd's Kelly Cole (sales manager) and Christine Daley (technical sales manager) followed with a basic course in Mint 101. This presentation addressed the new varieties of mint developed by A.M. Todd, the present market situation, and an odor evaluation of different "types" of mint.

Lastly, Brian M. Lawrence (editor-in-chief of The Journal of Essential Oil Research and columnist for Perfumer & Flavorist magazine) talked about commercial essential oils and why the compositions of oils vary from year to year. In addition, he discussed how to detect authenticity through chiral analysis, sniff NMR and isotopes.

Following the speakers, a networking reception with hors d'oeuvres and cocktails was held.

Nobel Laureate Speaks at Monell Chemical Senses Center’s Annual Manheimer/Mastertaste Dinner

Scientists, scholars and others involved in chemosensory sciences gathered on March 8 for the Monell Chemical Senses Center’s annual Manheimer/Mastertaste Dinner at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology. Linda Buck, Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, engaged guests with accounts of her career experiences and contributions to the field. Initiated in 1976 by the Manheimer family, this event was born when Stephen Manheimer approached Monell’s founder, Morley Kare, to ask how his family could support Monell’s endeavors and mission in a way that would directly benefit the Center’s scientific staff. Kare suggested an annual dinner to celebrate the Center’s collective efforts and vision, followed by an after-dinner talk by an individual influential in the world of chemosensory research. In 1989, the Manheimer Lectureship Award was instituted, formalizing the acknowledgement by Monell’s faculty of the speaker’s contributions to chemosensory science. In 2005, the event was renamed the Manheimer/Mastertaste Award and Dinner to reflect the new association of Mastertaste with the J. Manheimer company.

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