Category: Personal Notes

It has been a busy few weeks for our team at Step Change Innovations, as this week saw official news break of CalmologyTM, our very first ingredient launch.  This is particularly exciting for me, as I’ve been working on this project since I started at Step Change earlier this year.  My ingredient baby is out there for the world to see, and I sure hope it grows to be successful.

In a nutshell, Calmology is a dairy-based ingredient blend for use in supplements to support mood and sleep while also providing crucial support for digestive and immune health.  Step Change Innovations partnered with FrieslandCampina, a global dairy cooperative and ingredient manufacturer headquartered in the Netherlands, to bring forth this unique product.

The science part behind Calmology was easy for me–I spent many hours pouring over the scientific evidence showing why the different components impact mood, sleep, digestive health, and immune health.  I made sure to understand the nutritional composition and attributes important to product developers.  What was a bit of a departure from my primary skill set was working on the marketing and branding.  I wrote our sales brochures, I wrote the website copy, I authored an extensive white paper outlining the clinical research, and I even came up with the brand name and logo concept.  It became very personal for me, especially having studied dairy products during my doctoral research.

I can’t say enough good things about both the teams at Step Change and FrieslandCampina as it relates to working on this ingredient and subsequent product launch.  I’ve exchanged several emails and phone calls with key players at FrieslandCampina who provided immeasurable guidance and critiques throughout the development of marketing materials.  The overwhelming support and strong teamwork between all of us at Step Change is reflected in every part of this process.  It is so exciting to be part of such a forward-thinking team and to be part of a greater network of scientists and experts that truly have the power to affect positive change via food science and nutrition.  I look forward to seeing where the journey for Calmology leads.

Although this blog entry was meant to share my personal perspective on the development process of one particular ingredient, I would be remiss if I didn’t add a blatant plug for our product!  For more information, please visit getcalmology.com.  And if you want to learn more, please reach out to me or the Step Change team–we are here to help.

Me at IFT FIRST 2022 in Chicago

Every blog must have an inaugural post, pontificating about the writer’s hopes and dreams for their slice of electronic real estate.  I suppose this is no exception.  So please stay with me for a minute as I have a personal moment in my professional capacity.

TL/DR:  I’m here to share my love of food science and interesting ingredient developments with the world at large.

In my line of work, it feels like PhDs are a dime a dozen.  And even without a PhD, years of experience in product development and applications command respect.  There are dozens of colleagues and scientists in the industry I admire.  Until recently, I never thought I measured up, even having a degree and achievements of my own.  But at this juncture in my life and career, thanks to an empowering boss and a few years of working for the best technical editor in the biz, I have found my voice.  I have found myself, professionally speaking. 

I always thought I’d end up working in a lab somewhere, but the world had other plans for me.  I’ve worked in product development, sales, technical sales and support, and technical writing, definitely not the hard core scientist I had once envisioned myself.  However, each of those experiences taught me important lessons about the ingredient industry.  What I once thought was a mishmash of odd skills has turned out to be the necessary list of capabilities allowing me to research ingredients, make recommendations based on science and experience, and communicate the benefits of such ingredients.  A scientific storyteller, if you will.

And in finding myself, I have emerged as the Ingredient Doc.

After spending time as a stay-at-home mother and regular contributor to Prepared Foods Magazine, I began work as Innovation Scientist at Step Change Innovations, working for a dear friend I met at a previous job over a decade ago.  We do things different at Step Change, offering expertise and services in a way that hasn’t been done before.  I actually get paid to do things I love–researching innovations in the industry and authoring marketing and technical materials.  I’m swimming in unique samples and materials.  It’s delightful!  Current trends in sustainability and plant-based materials have driven innovation, resulting in an explosion of ingredients.  I’m constantly excited by new discoveries and research.

So my hope and dream for this space is simple–I want to share my love of ingredients and clearly explain the science behind them with whoever happens to pass by this website.  This is my outlet to share with the world the things I find interesting, the concepts I think could take off in the marketplace, the science of ingredients that can better our lives.  If you have found yourself here, I welcome you and hope to expand your knowledge of food science and ingredients.