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PRESENTER BIOS
JOHN AUSTAD, COVANCE LABORATORIES
SPDS VITAMIN D WORKING GROUP
John Austad is Global Analytical Support Manager in the Nutritional Chemistry and Food
Safety Department at Covance Laboratories. In this role, he is directly responsible for
leading a group of senior chemists supporting domestic and global sites with
methodology including technical issue resolution , SOP and instrumentation
harmonziation, instrument maintenance, and new laboratory and capability set up
within the Nutritional Chemistry and Food Safety business unit of Covance. He is also
responsible for working with clients to develop and validate client specific methods.
Mr. Austad has been with Covance Laboratories for over 14 years where he has held various positions of increasing
responsibility. During his tenure, he has held positions of increasing responsibility. During his tenure, he has held
positions in several analytical testing groups that include: Method Development, Mineral Analysis, Fat Soluble
Vitamins, Amino Acid Analysis, and Sugar Analysis. Mr. Austad is actively involved in AOAC INTERNATIONAL. Mr.
Austad has co-authored several poster presentations at the AOAC Annual Meeting. Mr. Austad is a member of the
SPIFAN and SPDS Stakeholder Panels and has Chaired several Method Centric Review Committees. Mr. Austad
holds a B.S. degree in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He resides in Sun Prairie, WI,
with his son, Landon.
MILDA EMBUSCADO, McCORMICK & CO., INC.
SPDS CINNAMON WORKING GROUP
Dr. Milda Embuscado, currently a Senior Principal Scientist at the Materials and Process Technology, Applied
Research at McCormick & Co., Inc., Hunt Valley, Maryland, obtained her Ph. D. from Purdue University, West
Lafayette, IN and worked as a Research Scientist at the Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research, a world
renowned carbohydrate research institute.
Her areas of research include ingredient characterization and
functionality, new product innovation, process improvement and flavor/bioactive microencapsulation including
optimization of formulations and processes through the employment of design of experiment and response
surface methodology to optimize ingredient functionality in food systems such as food emulsion and
flavor/bioactive encapsulated products. Her research also includes bioactives and antioxidants from spices and
herbs and the effects of processing and cooking on these bioactive components; and the effects of spice/herb
extracts on altering digestion of starches.
She has given invited presentations to the Institute of Food Technologist
(IFT)and has edited and authored books on Functionalizing carbohydrates for food applications: Texturizing and
bioactive/flavor delivery systems and on Edible films and coatings for food applications, a best seller book in its
category. She also authored several refereed scientific articles on carbohydrates and food bioactives. She was the
chairman of the IFT Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods Division (2012-13) and the CarbohydrateDivision (2006-
07). She was elected a full member to the following honor societies: Sigma Xi (The Scientific Research Society), Phi
Tau Sigma (The Honor Society of Food Science and Technology) and Gamma Sigma Delta (The Honor Society of
Agriculture). She is a professional member of the IFT and a Certified Food Scientist (April 1, 2013) awarded by the
International Food Science Certification Commission and a member of the inaugural class.