Dr. Alcaine comes to IDFA from Cornell University where he served as an associate professor and director of the Northeast Dairy Food Research Center—an internationally recognized dairy research program—since 2022 and as an assistant professor since 2016. Dr. Alcaine has led the research program focused on developing technologies that enhance the quality, safety, and innovative uses of fermented dairy products and co-products. The Cornell University Dairy Foods Extension team received IDFA’s inaugural Food Safety Leadership Award in 2017. Prior to joining Cornell, Dr. Alcaine served as the principal microbiologist for Unilever’s North American ice cream business and began his career in process innovation at Miller Brewing Co.
In his role with IDFA, Dr. Alcaine contributes his extensive expertise to IDFA’s Regulatory and Scientific Affairs team, providing guidance and consultation to IDFA members in the areas of food safety, food defense, federal standards of identity, labeling, nutrition policy, and sustainability.
