Diane M. Barrett, a Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Food Science and Technology, has been selected as a fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). The fellow designation is an honor bestowed by IFT peers, recognizing exemplary professionalism in the field of food science. In a given year, no more than 0.3 percent of the professional membership is eligible, and even fewer than that will earn this honor.

Barrett serves as liaison between the fruit and vegetable industries of California and her university colleagues. As part of her extension program, she conducts timely short courses on fruit and vegetable quality evaluation and processing methods such as fresh-cut, low-acid canning, freezing, juice, aseptic, high pressure and electric field processing. She also carries out applied research and is intrigued with optimizing raw fruit and vegetable quality and applying processing methods that preserve the color, texture, flavor, and nutrient content of products. In addition, she has directed the UC Davis site for the National Science Foundation Center for Advanced Processing and Packaging for more than 10 years.