Bernard L. Oser
Bernard L. Oser (February 2, 1899 – January 21, 1995) was an American biochemist and food scientist who studied vitamins and the safety of foods. He earned a Ph.D. from Fordham University in 1927 and worked early in his career at Jefferson Medical College and Philadelphia General Hospital. From 1926 to 1957, he worked at the Food and Drug Research Laboratories in New York, rising to assistant director to the vice president. He later led the Chemistry Board (1959–1974) and started his own consulting firm (1974–1995). He also taught as an adjunct professor at Columbia University (1959–1971).
His research covered vitamin testing, protein and nutrient studies, vitamin fortification and availability, and the safety evaluation of food additives, drugs, and pesticides. He contributed to the science of food law and regulation. Oser was a charter member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) from its start in 1939, received the Babcock-Hart Award in 1958, and became an IFT Fellow in 1975, serving as IFT president in 1968–69. He also worked with the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association on their Expert Panel. He died in 1995, the last surviving charter member of IFT. In 2000, the Bernard L. Oser Award was created to honor people who contribute to food ingredient safety and regulation.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 22:50 (CET).