Professor Levente Diosady of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry has been named Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST). CIFST is a national organization that seeks to promote the quality, safety and wholesomeness of the food supply through the application of science and technology. Only one Fellow is elected annually by the Institute, which is composed of more than 1,200 scientists and technologists in industry, government and academia.

Over the past 30 years, Professor Diosady has established himself as one of Canada’s leading food Engineers. His research has improved vegetable oil processing, edible-oil refining, micronutrient fortification and meat curing. For the past decade, Professor Diosady has worked to develop techniques for fortifying salt with iron and iodine to prevent nutrient deficiency diseases, which adversely affect some 2 billion people worldwide. Tests of his double-fortified salt in India and Ghana have shown a 30% decrease in anemia in children after eight months of use. Professor Diosady is now focusing on fortifying rice with micronutrients and developing salt that is triple fortified with Vitamin A, iron and iodine or folic acid.

Professor Diosady, who is a three-time graduate of the University of Toronto, was recognized by CIFST in 2007 with the William J. Eva Award for outstanding research contributions to food science. He was inducted into our Hall of Distinction in 2004 and was named a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering in 2008.

“Professor Diosady’s research has the tremendous potential to improve the lives of millions of people in developing countries by preventing nutrient deficiencies,” said Cristina Amon, Dean, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. “He is most deserving of this prestigious recognition from CIFST.”

Professor Diosady was honoured at the CIFST National Symposium in Montreal on May 7, 2009.

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