We're proud to present our 2024 Harald Perten Prize winners: Prof. Bruce Hamaker and Prof. Sergio Serna-Saldivar ✨ The awards have been presented to both awardees at the ICBC24 with honorary speeches from the long-lasting scientific companions Jan-Willem van der Kamp and John Taylor. They have been handed over by ICC President Bertrand Matthäus, ICC Secretary General Veronika Haslinger and ICBC24 Scientific Chair and Host Luc Saulnier.
🏆 Prof. Bruce Hamaker, who has gained international recognition, is celebrated for his multidisciplinary approach across biology, human nutrition, and food science. He published 322 papers, 21 book chapters is holder of many patents and supervised more than 100 post-graduate and doctoral students. His groundbreaking work focuses on understanding carbohydrate structures and their impact on health, leading to healthier processed foods globally. Bruce Hamaker's work on "precision prebiotics" has shown potential for treating conditions like Parkinson's disease by selectively feeding specific gut microbes. He is a pioneering researcher on fashioning carbohydrates to digest slowly and distally in the gut, improving the viscoelastic properties of corn and sorghum proteins for food products, and providing breakthrough insights on the alignment of dietary fiber structures with beneficial gut bacteria.
🏆 Prof. Sergio Serna-Saldivar, an globally recognized expert in maize processing, especially in tortilla and taco production, has reshaped our understanding of starch functionality. Prof. Serna-Saldivar has contributed to the improvement of food nutrition and accessibility, particularly in developing regions. Beyond baked goods, his research addresses global nutrition challenges, providing novel solutions to combat malnutrition. His work in the field of cereal science and technology has been recognized with numerous awards, including Mexico's National Science Award, the country's highest honor in science. He is author of 300 scientific papers, holder of 12 patent and intellectual property rights and he has supervised some 100 Masters and Doctoral student graduates His research has had a profound impact on the tortilla industry worldwide.
The Harald Perten Prize, with its chair of the Harald Perten Foundation, Jaan Perten, aims to honor exceptional work in the areas of starch, gluten, and enzymes, with a focus on practical applications. It is presented every 2 years in connection with the ICC Conferences, and to date, 33 recipients have been awarded this prestigious prize.
Both Hamaker and Serna-Saldivar have made significant contributions to cereal science and technology, and their work has had a profound impact on the industry. Congratulations to these well-deserving recipients!
Congratulations to Professor Bruce Hamaker and Professor Sergio Serna-Saldivar on their well-deserved honor!
