Peter Noznick

Peter Noznick, (August 18, 1915 - November 26, 2005). A food chemist born in New York City, he moved to Windham Center, Connecticut., in 1930 and graduated from Windham High School in 1934.

He received a bachelor of science degree, with distinction, in chemistry from the University of Connecticut at Storrs in 1938 and a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis in 1946.

At the university, Mr. Noznick -- who held Hormel and Quartermaster fellowships -- began his career of developing technologies that made the modern food industry possible.

In 1946, he began a long career with Beatrice Foods Co., starting as a project leader, becoming the director of research in 1956 and retiring as director of science and corporate technology in 1981.

He held more than 60 U.S. and foreign patents, including those for powdered cheese, powdered whipped toppings, encapsulated and spray-dried flavors, spray-dried shortening and milk products that could be used in tropical climates. Those concepts are embodied in Cool Whip, Velveeta powdered cheese and other similar products.

Peter Noznick died from complications arising from Parkinson's disease on November 26, 2005 at the age of 90 in Evanston, Illinois.