Identifies, monitors, evaluates and prioritizes allergen issues of significance to the food, beverage and consumer products industry.  Promotes risk-based allergen management through research, education and technology transfer to improve safety to all segments of the industry, government, media and consumers.  Develops strategies to accomplish short and long range allergen management goals for GMA members.

Chair: Dave Joseph Scimeca, Cargill, Incorporated

Vice-Chair: Craig Llewellyn, Kraft Foods Inc.

Staff  Liaison: Shannon Cole

 Beverages Committee

Provides solutions to common technical problems, including all aspects of the beverage products industry, and proactively influences regulatory issues based on sound science.

Chair: DeAnn Liska, Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.

Vice-Chair: Susan Martin, The Coca Cola Company

Staff  Liaison: Shannon Cole

Biotechnology Committee

Provides a forum for discussion of biotechnology issues as they relate to the food, beverage and consumer products industry.  For biotechnology issues that challenge the industry, such as labeling of foods and ingredients derived through biotechnology, develops domestic and international solutions through organizations like Codex and other relevant international bodies.  Interacts with other associations, regulators and various organizations to discuss the impacts and benefits of biotechnology to the food industry and to consumers.  Using sound scientific principles actively reviews, interprets and comments on regulatory, legislative and communication issues related to biotechnology.

Chair: Randy Giroux, Cargill, Incorporated

Vice-Chair: TBD

Staff  Liaison: Jeff Barach

Chemicals Management Committee

Provides strategic leadership on federal, state and international science and policy issues relating to chemicals management, including chemical ingredients, processing aids, chemicals in the environment and contaminants affecting food, beverage and consumer products.  The CMC:

·          Monitors the regulatory and scientific landscape relating to specific chemical ingredient or contaminant issues, risk science (toxicology and risk assessment), and risk communication affecting food and consumer products; 

·          Assists GMA staff in identifying and prioritizing issues critical to the membership relating to chemicals in products or processes, and keeping GMA members informed of developments on these issues;

·          Develops and oversees projects on prioritized issues; and

·          Assists GMA staff in developing coordinated scientific regulatory communications and advocacy approaches to managing prioritized issues.

Chair: Henry Chin, The Coca-Cola Company

Vice-Chair: Bob Lindenschmidt, The Procter & Gamble Company

Staff Liaison: Nancy Rachman, Maia Jack

Food Defense Committee

The Food Defense Committee:

·          Defines issues and develops and recommends positions on industry and government programs and policies relevant to food defense. 

·          Advises GMA staff on matters that can help secure the food industry against intentional efforts to contaminate or disrupt the nation’s food supply. 

·          Makes policy recommendations to the Strategic Coordinating Committee.

Staff Liaison: Warren Stone

Food Industry Analytical Chemists Committee

Enables its members to meet the analytical challenges faced by food chemists in the areas of nutrients, contaminants, adulteration, and authenticity. Through active participation in organized collaborative studies -- dealing with analytical methods comparison and proficiency testing -- members have a mechanism to review, observe trends and improve reproducibility of their analytical methods and testing practices.

Chair: Jon DeVries, General Mills, Inc.

Vice-Chair: Andrew Janosko, Campbell Soup Company

Staff Liaison: Shannon Cole

Meat, Poultry & Egg Products Committee

Defines issues and develops and recommends positions on technical, scientific, regulatory and legislative issues affecting the meat, poultry and egg products industry.  The committee advises GMA staff on programs for resolution of problems facing the industry.  It develops and recommends research and service programs to be conducted on behalf of the industry by GMA staff.  It also makes policy recommendations to advance GMA strategic goals to the Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Council.

Chair: Bob Reinhard, Sara Lee Corporation

Vice-Chair: Mike Ionni, Nestle USA, Inc.

Staff Liaison: Lloyd Hontz

Microbiological Safety Committee

Provides a forum for GMA members to discuss and define microbiological safety issues of importance to the industry and recommend strategic and tactical actions to address these issues.  The areas of focus include, but are not limited to, persistent and emerging microbial hazards, microbiological criteria and other food safety metrics, microbial risk assessment, and application of risk management systems including HACCP.  The committee serves as a resource of microbiological expertise, provides input to GMA staff with respect to industry positions on regulatory aspects of microbial safety, develops and recommends tactics (including research needs and resources needed) to achieve strategic goals related to microbiological safety and makes policy recommendations to the Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Council.

Chair: Mark Moorman, Kellogg Company

Vice-Chair: TBD

Staff Liaison: Yuhuan Chen

Nutrition, Health and Labeling Committeee

Advances industry views on nutrition, health and labeling issues to achieve public policy outcomes based on sound scientific principles.  Achieves its mission through these activities, among others:

·          Identifies and prioritizes nutrition, health, and labeling issues of concern and interest, consistent with the GMA Strategic Plan;

·          Establishes relevant working groups to execute specific activities, and directs the actions of the working groups;

·          Advances objectives, initiatives and funding recommendations on nutrition, health and labeling issues;

·          Works collaboratively with GMA groups and industry coalitions and partners on issues of interest and concern.

Chair: Dorothy Lagg, Mars Snackfood US, LLC

Vice-Chair: Dan Steffen, Kraft Foods Inc.

Staff Liaison: Regina Hildwine, Bob Earl

Process and Emerging Technologies Committee

Interacts with other GMA strategic committees and advises the Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Council of strategies to address issues and progress made on accomplishing goals.  The mission of the Process and Emerging Technologies Committee is to: 

·          Identify and prioritize food, beverage and consumer packaged goods issues in the areas of existing and emerging technologies and to develop strategies to accomplish short and long range goals of the GMA membership in these areas; and

·          Provide recommendations for the formation, objectives and timelines of targeted working groups to accomplish the tasks outlined by the committee.

Chair: Sia Economides, Nestle USA, Inc.

Vice-Chair: Ray Carroll, Campbell Soup Company

Staff Liaison: Glenn Black

Produce Committee

Provides a forum to exchange ideas and information relevant to the fresh and processed fruit/vegetable industry, to promote technologies and practices that assure the safety and regulatory compliance of these products, to develop strategies to anticipate and address regulatory and scientific issues affecting these products, and to establish science-based critical process standards to optimize food safety.  Committee members advise GMA staff on problems that impact the industry, identify research needs and recommend strategic initiatives.

Chair: Dave Aggen, Lakeside Foods, Inc.

Vice-Chair: Tom Mack, Dole Fresh Vegetables Company

Staff Liason: Phil Elliott

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