Breakfast Cereals and How They Are Made

Alicia Antonio Perdon is a cereal scientist with more than 25 years of experience in the breakfast cereal industry. Dr. Perdon started her career in research at the International Rice Research Institute where she authored more than a dozen papers on rice functionality and biochemistry. While working on her graduate degree, she established the Rice Processing Laboratory at the University of Arkansas. It was at the university where she integrated the food polymer/glass transition concept to understand and improve rice drying/fissuring and co-authored several papers. Working for Kellogg Company and General Mills, Dr. Perdon applied her food material science, sugar crystallization and cereal chemistry expertise to optimize food development and manufacturing processes with a focus on process efficiency and cost reduction while maintaining product quality. Her research resulted in several patents on cereal coating and bran nutritional property improvement. At Kellogg’s, she established a farm to fork global program on rice that included breeding, adoption of sustainable agronomic practices and training on post-harvest processing to reduce waste and improve product quality. Dr. Perdon was a Chairperson and Board of Trustee member for Asia Rice Foundation USA from 2008-16 and the Newsletter Editor for AOCS Food Structure and Functionality Forum from 2006-09. She was a member of the International Food Technologists and American Association of Cereal Chemists for several years.

Sylvia Schonauer, P.E. is a principal in SSK Consulting, LLC following retirement from the Kellogg Company as Principal Engineer, Advanced Innovation. Dr. Schonauer’s career in the food industry spans over 25 years, previously working in Research and Development for Nestle, Frito-Lay, and KFC organizations. She is coauthor on 35 patent applications or grants worldwide. To date, she has been awarded 6 U.S. patents, several of which were filed worldwide and granted in various jurisdictions. In addition to her patent activity, her academic publications and presentations number approximately 20. In 2015, ASABE, (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers) conferred to her the status of Fellow for her dedication to STEM advancement through ASABE and SWE (Society of Women Engineers) and her many contributions to the engineering profession through the development of unique equipment and processes that positively impacted the company’s ability to have a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Kaisa Poutanen, D.Tech., is research professor emerita at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, with extensive track record in connecting food technology and nutrition sciences. Her research has mainly dealt with development and nutritional physiology of healthy cereal ingredients and foods. She has published over 300 papers in international scientific journals and over 50 book chapters. She has coordinated many international multidisciplinary consortia, including the large European project Healthgrain 2005-2010, and was founder of Healthgrain Forum. She has served in a large number of scientific expert committees internationally. Kaisa Poutanen has received many international scientific rewards and is fellow of International Association for Cereal Science and Technology and of AACC International.