August 6, 1998
by John Zakour
Geneva, NY - Malcolm C. Bourne, Cornell University Professor Emeritus of Food Science and Technology (FST) at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY, has been named an Inaugural Fellow to the International Academy of Food Science and Technology by the International Union of Food Science and Technology. The Academy is being formed to honor individuals in all countries who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the field. Bourne is being honored for his many contributions, including his work in developing countries to prevent post harvest food loss.
"The FST faculty are very proud that one of our peers was selected for charter membership in this international academy," said Mark McLellan, department chair. "Dr. Bourne is a pioneer in food texture research and has been instrumental in sharing the science and technology of food across many counties worldwide. I cannot think of a more deserving candidate for this honor."
"I am very pleased - it is a great honor, " Bourne said. "I am also pleased that my work has been able to help improve the quality of food for so many people." He noted that Daryl Lund, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell, was also named a member of the inaugural group, which means that Cornell University was the only organization to have two members named to this select group of 30.
Bourne's interest in post harvest food loss started while visiting Philippines as a Cornell scientist in the late '60s. He noticed much of the food in the market was either spoiled or soon would be. He knew that much of this loss could be prevented with known food handling practices and some common sense. The information was available, but it needed to be standardized and then distributed to those that needed it. During a sabbatical with the Agency for International Development in the early '70s, Bourne was afforded the means to accomplish this task. While with the agency, he and other experts were able to establish a series of post harvest guidelines and procedures for general, international use. The AID, through connections with governments in developing countries, was able to get this information to the food producers and distributors. Today, those standards and procedures are in use all over the world.
Bourne, who is also a noted authority in the texture of foods along with international food development and post harvest food systems, looks back proudly on his many achievements. His paper, "Post Harvest Food Losses - The Neglected Dimension In Increasing the World Food Supply," which he wrote in 1977, has had thousands of requests and was reprinted in 1993. He founded Cornell's course "Post Harvest Food Systems" which was first taught in 1977 and since then has been offered every fall semester. He has also taught a graduate level course in food rheology. He is author of the book Food Texture and Viscosity: Concept and Measurement and the author of more than 270 publications. He has been granted four patents.
Bourne received his Diploma of Industrial Chemistry from the University of South Australia in 1947 and a B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Adelaide, Australia, in 1948. He received a M.S. in Food Science from the University of California, Davis, in 1961, and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Chemistry in 1962, also from UC-Davis. Bourne came to Cornell as an Assistant Professor in 1962 and was promoted to Full Professor in 1974. He retired in 1996 and was named Professor Emeritus. He maintains an active research program.
Note to Editors: Click on photograph to download a 300 ppi version. If you prefer an electronic file or a hard copy of the photo, contact Rob Way at 315-787-2357, rfw2@cornell.edu.
Suggested photo caption: "Malcolm Bourne works with visiting scientists in a postharvest training workshop in the Fruit and Vegetable Research Pilot Plant on the Geneva campus."
Contact: Linda McCandless, Communications Services
Telephone: (315) 787-2417
e-mail: llm3@cornell.edu
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