Phi Tau Sigma

Phi Tau Sigma (ΦΤΣ) is the Honor Society for food science and technology. The organization was founded in 1953 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst by Dr. Gideon E. (Guy) Livingston, a food technology professor. It was incorporated under the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on 8 December 1953, as "Phi Tau Sigma Honorary Society, Inc."

Why the choice of ΦΤΣ to designate the Honor Society? Some have speculated or assumed that the Greek letters correspond to the initials of "Food Technology Society". However very recent research by Mary K. Schmidl, making use of documents retrieved from the Oregon State University archives by Robert McGorrin, including the 1958 Constitution, has elucidated the real basis of the choice. The 1958 Constitution is headed with three Greek words "ΦΙΛΕΙΝ ΤΡΟΦΗΣ ΣΠΟΥΔΗΝ" under which are the English words "Devotion to the Study of Foods". With the assistance of Petros Taoukis, the Greek words are translated as follows:

ΦΙΛΕΙΝ: Love or devotion (pronounced Philleen, accent on the last syllable)

ΤΡΟΦΗΣ:of Food (pronounced Trophees, accent on the last syllable)

ΣΠΟΥΔΗΝ: Study (pronounced Spootheen, accent on the last syllable - th as in the word “the” or “this” not like in the word “thesis”).

ΦΤΣ represent the initials of those three Greek words.

Besides Livingston, the charter members of the Honor Society were M.P. Baldorf, Robert V. Decareau, E. Felicotti, W.D. Powrie, M.A. Steinberg, and D.E. Westcott.

Phi Tau Sigma has (currently) 1185 members, who are kept up-to-date on Society matters through a monthly Newsletter from the Executive Secretary.

Members are elected as students or after graduation in recognition of their achievements and to facilitate their active participation in Phi Tau Sigma and the profession of Food Science and Technology.

ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

A. Eligibility for Associate Members

1. Undergraduate students being nominated for Associate Membership should be pursuing a degree program in Food Science or equivalent. The nomination statement for students pursuing programs of study other than those meeting IFT Education Standards should provide evidence of the program's content in Food Chemistry and Analysis, Food Safety and Microbiology and Food Processing and Engineering.

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