August 15, 2002

CFSAN Welcomes New Senior Staff

Kathleen Ellwood, Ph.D.
Associate Director for Nutrition Science and Review
Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements

Dr. Kathleen Ellwood comes to CFSAN from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), where she was the National Program Leader for Human Nutrition. Prior to joining ARS, Dr. Ellwood was the Director of three national competitive grant programs, which included Human Nutrition and Food Safety for USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). Dr. Ellwood has held research scientist positions at FDA, CFSAN, and USDA, ARS. She received her Ph.D. in nutritional biochemistry from the University of Maryland. Dr. Ellwood will assume a leadership role in the Office, in coordination with the Office Director, and related Office and Center staff.

Dr. Ellwood will identify and provide leadership for developing principles and criteria needed for evaluating nutrition science studies and data in a variety of nutrition topic areas, including health claims, food fortification, nutrition labeling, and dietary guidance. She will also provide support, guidance, and Office-level review for relevant nutrition science documents, regulations, policy statements, guidance or other such Office, Center, or Agency output with regard to their scientific appropriateness and consistency with established nutrition science principles and, as relevant, to the regulatory framework. Dr. Ellwood will interact with outside scientific groups so that the Office's nutrition science evaluations are appropriately informed by, and policy coordinated with, other government and non-government units including advisory committees.

Donald Zink, Ph.D.
Senior Food Scientist
Office of Plant and Dairy Foods and Beverages

Dr. Donald Zink comes to CFSAN from the food industry. Until recently, Dr. Zink served as Vice President of Food Safety and Research and Development at Operations at Future Beef, an integrated meat packing and processing business. His professional experience includes positions in academia and industry. He will be applying his extensive experience and expertise in food safety, microbiology, and food processing in areas such as preventive controls, HACCP, infant formula, and food safety policy.

Dr. Zink holds an M.S. in microbiology and a Ph.D. in biochemistry and biophysics, both from Texas A&M. He was Assistant Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University from 1978 to 1980. He then joined the faculty of the University of Arizona as Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology and in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition. In academia, Dr. Zink worked mainly on the genetic basis for bacterial virulence, particularly of Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pestis. He has been a visiting scientist at the CDC, in the Special Pathogens Branch. In 1983, he went to the Campbell Soup Company where he was Manager of Microbiology in the Campbell Institute for Research and Technology. In 1990, Dr. Zink went to the Carnation Company, which later became Nestle USA. He held various positions in Nestle, beginning as Manager of Quality Assurance for the Refrigerated Products Division, and finally as Director of Food Safety for Nestle USA, where he was responsible for food safety programs and regulatory affairs for all Nestle business units.

Senior Food Safety Materials Sent to Health Departments

To Your Health! Food Safety for Seniors, a video and publication produced by FDA, in association with USDA, is reaching local health departments this summer. More than 3,000 local health departments are each receiving 25 copies of the publication and a video for use at senior centers, health fairs, and clinics.

The 14-minute video and companion publication were designed in cooperation with a variety of senior advisors, including representatives from the Administration on Aging, the State Units on Aging, and the NIH. In format and design, the materials are tailored to seniors. The publication features large type to make easy reading for older eyes. The graphics are colorful and bold. The video contains portraits of other seniors. This program is not targeted to seniors who are living in nursing homes or assisted-living facilities where all meals are provided.

This mailing to local health departments is the final phase of a nationwide distribution begun in January 2001. An initial printing of 550,000 publications was completely distributed between January 2001 and April 2002 to health educators and program leaders at more than 10,000 senior centers, 5,000 county Extension offices, 1,000 Area Offices of Aging, and 50 national organizations representing seniors. FDA's public affairs specialists initially received more than 35,000 copies of the publication and 220 copies of the video. The public affairs specialists are receiving a second supply of materials for use in their own outreach activities. The Consumer Information Center (CIC) in Pueblo, Colorado received a second shipment of 50,000 copies of the publication to handle requests from consumers for single, free copies. The publication will be listed in the Fall 2002 CIC publications catalog.