The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Acting Commissioner, Dr. Lester M. Crawford, today announced that Dr. Barbara O. Schneeman has been named to lead the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition’s (CFSAN) Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements.

"Barbara comes to us with an extensive background in nutrition science that lines up perfectly with her new position, as leader of the Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling and Dietary Supplements," said Commissioner Crawford. "I look forward to her bringing to the Center the leadership and standard of excellence for which she is very well known."

Dr. Schneeman comes from the University of California , Davis , where she has served as a member of the faculty since 1976. For the last three years, she served as the Associate Vice Provost for University Outreach, in addition to holding a professional appointment in the Departments of Nutrition, Food Science and Technology and Internal Medicine in the School of Medicine . Prior to that, Dr. Schneeman completed an 18-month term as the Assistant Administrator for Nutrition in the Agricultural Research Service in the United States Department of Agriculture (1999-2000). She held many prestigious positions during her tenure at University of California, Davis, including: Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and Director of Programs, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (1993-1999); Chairman, Department of Nutrition, (1988-1993); and Associate Dean, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (1985-1988).

Dr. Schneeman received her B.S. degree from the University of California, Davis, in food science and technology, and her Ph.D. in nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley. She has many professional activities and honors to her credit, which include membership on the 1990 and 1995 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Committee, Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the FDA Commissioner’s Special Citation.

As the new ONPLDS director, Dr. Schneeman will oversee the development of policy and regulations for dietary supplements, nutrition labeling and food standards, infant formula and medical foods.

Dr. Schneeman replaces Dr. Christine Taylor, who accepted an assignment to head a special project on nutrition issues for the World Health Organization in November 2003. Dr. Schneeman will join FDA on May 3, 2004 .

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