10 Feb 2012 FST, SAAFoST’s official publication, is launched

The first issue of SAAFoST’s very own quarterly magazine, FST (South African Food Science and Technology)*, was mailed out to all SAAFoST members this week. Published in February, May, August and November FST is SAAFoST’s official mouthpiece and reflects its role as the primary association in South Africa for food science and technology professionals in business, government and academia.

Content in the 52-page launch issue of FST is a blend of local and international articles.

Features include key concerns and issues around food labelling; the rise in naturally-positioned products; molecular gastronomy; salt reduction as well as trends in the European baking industry. Excellent research being conducted by postgraduate students is also highlighted – two such summaries show work done on fish mislabelling and fraud in South Africa as well as aflatoxins in dairy feed and milk.

“It gives me great pleasure to be able to welcome readers to the launch issue of FST. It will always strive to provide a food-industry and scientific value-for-money product to ensure that readers and advertisers benefit,” says Dr Gunnar Sigge, SAAFoST president.

The magazine’s tagline, “Advancing food science and technology”, shows the intent to provide industry professionals, academics, students and marketers with accurate and reliable science-based information.

It will also keep SAAFoST members and non-members up to date on SAAFoST activities around the country and internationally.

The scientific advisory panel has been selected from academia and industry to make certain the content is scientifically sound, accurate and reliable.

“Launching FST has required a leap of faith from a great many people in the food industry. This includes the editorial contributors and advertisers who signed up, sight unseen of the product, and without whose support this magazine would not have been possible. My focus is to be sure the magazine is a good read and, at the same time, a reference source for industry,” says editor, Tricia Fitchet.

FST is only being mailed out to SAAFoST members at the moment. The SAAFoST Council is reportedly finalising how to make it available to a broader audience. There is no on-line content available as yet.

Anyone interested in subsribing to the magazine can contact Tricia: [email protected].

* On 10 February 2012, I commented on the launch of the new FST magazine – in doing so, I made a number of comments regarding SA Food Review which were unwarranted. I withdrew the comments from my website at the first opportunity, and regret any embarrassment or unhappiness these comments may have caused. Ed