Gary M. Levine

1311 Woodford Lane

Hainesport, NJ 08036

Home:  (609) 261-6560

Cell: (609) 314-6445

levinegm@comcast.net

 

CAREER SUMMARY

 

Food industry professional with a proven track record in Product Development, as well as expertise in Regulatory Affairs and Quality Control.  A creative and resourceful hands-on scientist, with extensive knowledge in ingredient and processing technologies, labeling regulations, and HACCP.

 

WORK EXPERIENCE

 

Pinnacle Foods Group, LLC, Cherry Hill, NJ                                                    2010 to 2011

Senior Regulatory Affairs Specialist

·         Provided label copy for a vast array of FDA and USDA regulated retail and food service food products.

·         Corresponded with USDA on product label applications and labeling claim issues.

·         Assisted product development, marketing and sales with regulatory compliance and claims information.

 

RC Fine Foods, Belle Mead, NJ                                                                         1991 to 2010

Food Scientist/Technologist

Product Development

·         Created over 100 new food service products and improved existing ones.

·         Developed products from concept through production: soup bases, sauces and gravies, and dry mixes for coulis, beverages, dietetic and conventional desserts and salad dressings.

·         Source ingredients for new concepts, product and process innovations, and cost reductions.

·         Interact with sales, marketing, purchasing, manufacturing, and customers and respond to their needs.

·         Conduct new product presentations at sales meetings and at key accounts.

Regulatory Affairs and Technical Services

·         Prepared packaging label information including ingredient declarations, nutrition facts panels, and nutrition/health claims in compliance with USDA/FDA.

·         Communicated and prepared documentation for FDA, USDA, and customers regarding all regulatory related issues, e.g. allergens, GMO, BSE, nutrition, and HACCP.

·         Created and maintained a database for raw materials and their regulatory status profile including GMO, allergens, special labeling requirements, FDA Bioterrorism Registration.

·         Provided technical support to customers (food service operators, dieticians, and chefs) and sales.

Quality Control

·         Established testing procedures and specifications (sensory, water activity, refractive index, specific gravity and pH, etc.).

·         Identified creative solutions to technical problems in manufacturing.

·         Established and maintain FDA and USDA HACCP plans for manufacturing.

·         Set microbiological standards and monitored test results.

·         Supervised and trained Quality Assurance and Laboratory Technicians.

Computer proficiency with Genesis R&D, Microsoft Word and Excel

Food-Tek, Inc., Morris Plains, NJ                                                                      1990 - 1991

Consultant to the Food Industry

·         Provided custom formulations to meet outsourced requests from major food and pharmaceutical companies.

·         Developed a very low calorie meal replacement beverage for use in clinical research studies.

·         Developed a line extension of processed cheese food for a major manufacturer.

·         Reformulated the #1 selling cocoa beverage in South America because of ingredient availability constraints; achieved parity in consumer acceptance and cost.

 Campbell Soup Company Camden, NJ            1987 – 1990

Research Associate

Food Service Division and Long Range Product Development Group

·         Developed frozen and canned soups & entrees from bench top through production for custom food service accounts.

·         Conducted line extension development for a freezer to microwave soup/sandwich product category.

·         Investigated new technologies including aseptic soups and reduced browning heat processing.

·         Provided technical support to customers, sales personnel, and manufacturing.

 

Thomas J. Lipton Englewood Cliffs, NJ                                                           1982 – 1987

Food Scientist

Beverages Division: Tea Research & Processing

Soups & Meals Division: New Processes / Products Group

·         Designed, constructed, and tested both laboratory and pilot plant scale processes for converting an instant tea batch operation to a continuous operation.

·         Developed a novel quick-cooking rice process resulting in a patent disclosure.

·         Identified cost reduced formulations, product and process improvements for dry soups and side dishes.

·         Supervised Technicians.

 

Stauffer Chemical Company Dobbs Ferry, NY                                                 Summer 1981

Summer Intern
Food Ingredients Division

·         Researched and reported on an alternate processed cheese food emulsification system using phosphates to help promote phosphate sales.

 

Nabisco Inc., Fairlawn, NJ                                                                               Summer 1980

Summer Intern
Research and Development

·         Product development of extruded snack foods and baked cookies.

 

EDUCATION and TRAINING        

 

B.S. Food Science, December 1981

Cook College, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ

 

Culinary Workshop for Food Technologists, Culinary Institute of America

Food Hydrocolloids, Center for Professional Advancement

Flavors – Their Creation, Definitions and Use, Center for Professional Advancement

Shelf Life of Foods, Rutgers University

HACCP: A Basic Concept for Food Protection, Rutgers University

Aseptic Processing and Packaging, Purdue University

Cereal Chemistry and Technology, Rutgers University

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

 

Institute of Food Technologists

AACC International*