• SIAL 2004 promises a “multi-specialist” event with 15 product categories featured in four halls, with three halls devoted to national pavilions and regions of the world, as well as an area dedicated to exploring the local favorites found in France. For more information on attending or exhibiting at SIAL 2004, to be held October 17-21 at the Parc des Expositions de Paris Nord Villepinte in Paris, contact Colleen Callan, 704-365-0041, colleenc@imexmgt.com.

  • MGP Ingredients Inc. (Atchison, Kan.) has changed the name of its FiberStar[tm] line of resistant starches to Fibersym[tm].

  • National Starch (Bridgewater, N.J.) has completed an expansion which increased the production capacity for Hi-maize[tm] resistant starch by 33%.

    n Juanita's Foods (Wilmington, Calif.) appointed Ricardo Alvarez president and CEO.

  • Martin Cole has been named director of the National Center for Food Safety and Technology (Bedford Park, Ill.).

  • RQA Inc. (Chicago) named Dominic DeBlasio director of manufacturing services.

  • Fortitech Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) has received ISO 9001 registration from National Quality Assurance USA.

  • Comax Flavors (Melville, N.Y.) named Agneta Weisz vice president of flavors & technology, Gladys Slovix senior food scientist and Ari Gastman junior flavor chemist.

  • Rhodia (Paris) sold its North American specialty phosphates business to Bain Capital (Boston) for an enterprise value of $550 million, in an agreement expected to be finalized in the third quarter of 2004.

  • Omya Inc. (Alpharetta, Ga.) named Kevin Krummel regional sales manager for the company's line of food and USP grade calcium carbonate products.

  • The Fibred Group (LaVale, Md.) named Dwight G. Triplett chief operating officer.

  • Bunge North America (St. Louis) created a food oils sales organization, naming Gary Chenoweth vice president, food processor sales; Doug Sparks vice president foodservice sales and marketing; and John Jansen vice president, product and sales support.

  • Kellogg Company (Battle Creek, Mich.) is moving its U.S. snacks business unit from Elmhurst, Ill., to Battle Creek.