AIFST Annual Awards

The AIFST Keith Farrer Award of Merit 2023

This award is the Institute’s highest honour, acknowledging an individual whose work has resulted in significant positive change for the food industry, the food science and technology profession, food research and innovation, and/or food science education, and/or has promoted the health and enjoyment of the wider community regarding food.  The recipients’ achievements must also include substantial contributions made to further the aims and objectives of the AIFST.

The award is named after Dr Keith Farrer OBE, a pioneering scientist and author, who was involved in the formation of the AIFST in 1967. Dr Farrer was the second president of AIFST from 1969-71 and a recipient of the award (then known as the IFT Australian Award) in 1959.

Guidelines

The AIFST President's Award 2023

This award acknowledges and acclaims an individual or an organisation that has made an outstanding contribution to the Institute and has demonstrated a clear commitment to advancing AIFST’s role in supporting Australia’s food industry professionals.

Guidelines 

Previous Winners

AIFST ILSI Dr David Roberts Emerging Young Leader Award 2023

This award is sponsored by International Life Sciences Institute South East Asia Region, Australasia (ILSI SEAR) in memory of Dr David Roberts to recognise a young technologist, scientist or nutritionist for their endeavour or achievement, and leadership potential, within the Australian food industry.  All sectors of the food industry and all roles are eligible.

Dr David Roberts was a nutrition scientist who made significant contributions to teaching and research at the University of Sydney, the University of Newcastle, and at Food Standards Australia New Zealand, the Australian Food and Grocery Council and ILSI SEAR, Australasia.

Guidelines

The AIFST Jack Kefford Award 2023

This award recognises the contribution to food science and technology of members of the Institute who publish research and technical papers.

The Award is named in honour of Mr. Jack Kefford who provided enormous input to the science and technology of food as Officer-in-Charge of the CSIRO Food Research Laboratory; Assistant Chief of the CSIRO Division of Food Research; as a scientist of international repute; as AIFST President (1971-73) and Technical Editor of food australia.

Guidelines 

The AIFST Bruce Chandler Award 2023

This award is for AIFST members who are authors of books or substantial reviews, considered to make the greatest contribution to the literature on food science and technology in particular years.  The award is given in honour of AIFST Past President, Bruce Chandler who had a long association with the journal food australia, first as an Associate Editor then member of the Editorial Board between 1969 and 1978. Notably he was Literature Editor for 12 years from 2001, a function which he performed with extreme dedication.

Guidelines

The AIFST Sensory Solutions Tony Williams Sensory Award 2023

The Sensory Award is awarded to AIFST Young members - students and young professionals - who demonstrate academic achievement, interest, enthusiasm and integrity in sensory research. 

The AIFST Sensory Award is sponsored annually by Sensory Solutions in honour of Dr Anthony (Tony) Williams. Dr Williams was one of the pioneers of the Sensory Research Industry in the United Kingdom and a world authority in sensory and consumer science. Tony’s enthusiasm and passion also helped establish Sensory Research in Australia, whilst assisting with the inception of Sensory Solutions in 1996.

Guidelines

The AIFST Foodbank Hunger Hero Award 2023

This award recognises a person or team who have gone above and beyond to tackle food insecurity. Whether it’s championing a new initiative within their company or volunteering their time and expertise in the community, AIFST and Foodbank want to recognise an individual’s or team’s contribution and hold this up as an inspiration to others.

Guidelines 

Previous Winners

2023 Judges Winner: Koen Hadinoto UNSW

Judges Joint Runner Up: Thu McCann, CSIRO & Grace Loke RMIT

2023 Peoples Choice Winner: Yanyan Lao - Effects of pre-roasting on structural and functional properties of pea proteins.

2023 Peoples Choice Runner Up: Rishi R Naik - Significance of red seaweed Gracilaria in inhibiting the advanced glycation during Maillard conjugation of Amaranth seed protein.

The AIFST Research Poster Competition 2023

This competition provides a space for food scientists to present a summary of their recent work or a key aspect of their work in poster form. The challenge for entrants is to effectively communicate and justify the key learnings of their work to an interested scientific audience. The platform for the 2023 competition will be virtual providing an opportunity for scientists from all over Australia to share their research.

Thank you to our Poster Partner SAFE QUALITY FOOD INSTITUTE

The AIFST John Christian Young Food Microbiologist Award 2023 

This Award was presented as part of the AIFST 2023 Food Microbiology Conference held in March 2023

The John Christian Young Food Microbiologist award was created as a means of encouraging and supporting the development of young food microbiologists. 

Applicants must be under 30 years of age and under at the time of presentation and must be a member of the AIFST however not restricted to students.   

Finalists are chosen on the basis of a 500 word summary of a food microbiology topic.  The topic and content must be related to food microbiology, including general interest topics, research work, literature review, risk assessment, case- or epidemiological study.  Assessment of applicant summaries will be undertaken by the FMG. 

Topic criteria are that the project is food microbiology related – literature review, experimental-based study, risk assessment, case or epidemiological study. 

Guidelines

2023 Winner: Not Awarded

The AIFST Peter Seale Food Industry Innovation Award 2023

The award acknowledges a significant new development in a process, product, ingredient, equipment or packaging which has achieved successful commercial application in any sector of the Australian food industry.  

This award is given in honour of AIFST Past President Peter Seale who held the role from 1973-75.

Guidelines

Nomination Form

Previous Winners