Philip E. Nelson
Encyclopedia
Philip E. Nelson is an American
food scientist
who is best known for his work in bulk aseptic processing and packaging of food and the use of chlorine dioxide
gas and hydrogen peroxide
liquid to commercially sterilize food products and food contact surfaces.
He is Scholle Chair Professor in Food Processing at the Department of Food Science at Purdue University
. Aseptic processing and packaging would be involved in the relief efforts following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
and Hurricane Katrina
in 2005.
He received the World Food Prize
in 2007 for his work on aseptic food storage.
Nelson was president of the Institute of Food Technologists
(IFT) for 2001-2. He has earned four awards from IFT for his efforts: the Food Technology Industrial Achievement Award
in 1976, a fellow in 1980, the Nicholas Appert Award
in 1995, and the Carl R. Fellers Award
in 2005.
In his early life, Nelson worked in family's tomato cannery on the farm in Indiana
, developing an interest in horticulture
. This led him to a 4-H
award when he was 15 at the Indiana State Fair, earning him lunch with the Indiana governor, a gold watch, and a drive around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
. Nelson would return to his family farm as a canning
plant manager of his family farm in the late 1950s. After the plant closed in 1960, he returned to Purdue and earned his PhD
on flavor volatility in canned tomatoes.
Nelson retired from teaching at Purdue in 2010. The Food Science Building at Purdue which he helped designed that opened in 1998 was renamed in his honor as the Philip E. Nelson Hall of Food Science.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
food scientist
Food science
Food science is a study concerned with all technical aspects of foods, beginning with harvesting or slaughtering, and ending with its cooking and consumption, an ideology commonly referred to as "from field to fork"...
who is best known for his work in bulk aseptic processing and packaging of food and the use of chlorine dioxide
Chlorine dioxide
Chlorine dioxide is a chemical compound with the formula ClO2. This yellowish-green gas crystallizes as bright orange crystals at −59 °C. As one of several oxides of chlorine, it is a potent and useful oxidizing agent used in water treatment and in bleaching....
gas and hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is the simplest peroxide and an oxidizer. Hydrogen peroxide is a clear liquid, slightly more viscous than water. In dilute solution, it appears colorless. With its oxidizing properties, hydrogen peroxide is often used as a bleach or cleaning agent...
liquid to commercially sterilize food products and food contact surfaces.
He is Scholle Chair Professor in Food Processing at the Department of Food Science at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
. Aseptic processing and packaging would be involved in the relief efforts following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
and Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
in 2005.
He received the World Food Prize
World Food Prize
The World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world.-The Prize:...
in 2007 for his work on aseptic food storage.
Nelson was president of the Institute of Food Technologists
Institute of Food Technologists
The Institute of Food Technologists or IFT is an international, non-profit professional organization for the advancement of food science and technology. It is the largest of food science organizations in the world, encompassing 22,000 members worldwide as of 2006. It is referred to as "THE Society...
(IFT) for 2001-2. He has earned four awards from IFT for his efforts: the Food Technology Industrial Achievement Award
Food Technology Industrial Achievement Award
The Food Technology Industrial Achievement Award has been awarded by the Institute of Food Technologists since 1959. It is awarded for development of an outstanding food process or product that represents a significant advance in the application of food technology to food production...
in 1976, a fellow in 1980, the Nicholas Appert Award
Nicholas Appert Award
The Nicholas Appert Award has been awarded every year since 1942 by the Chicago Section of the Institute of Food Technologists. Given for lifetime and consistent achievement in food technology, it is named after Nicolas Appert, the French inventor of airtight food preservation. Award winners...
in 1995, and the Carl R. Fellers Award
Carl R. Fellers Award
The Carl R. Fellers Award has been awarded every year since 1984. It is awarded to members of the Institute of Food Technologists who are also members of Phi Tau Sigma, the honorary society of food science and technology, who have brought honor and recognition to food science through achievements...
in 2005.
In his early life, Nelson worked in family's tomato cannery on the farm in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, developing an interest in horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
. This led him to a 4-H
4-H
4-H in the United States is a youth organization administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture , with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." The name represents...
award when he was 15 at the Indiana State Fair, earning him lunch with the Indiana governor, a gold watch, and a drive around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
. Nelson would return to his family farm as a canning
Canning
Canning is a method of preserving food in which the food contents are processed and sealed in an airtight container. Canning provides a typical shelf life ranging from one to five years, although under specific circumstances a freeze-dried canned product, such as canned, dried lentils, can last as...
plant manager of his family farm in the late 1950s. After the plant closed in 1960, he returned to Purdue and earned his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
on flavor volatility in canned tomatoes.
Nelson retired from teaching at Purdue in 2010. The Food Science Building at Purdue which he helped designed that opened in 1998 was renamed in his honor as the Philip E. Nelson Hall of Food Science.