The professor of food science at the University of Otago was presented the Significant Contribution to Food Safety Award.
Prof Bremer, of Dunedin, said it was a privilege to be recognised "for a career you’ve really enjoyed".
New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said Prof Bremer’s many achievements included leading the development of a guide to prevent contamination of infant formula with Cronobacter, a lethal bacterium for infants younger than 6 months.
"New Zealand dairy companies now benefit from this resource, which helps to ensure the safety of infant formula for the youngest consumers, at home and abroad," he said.
"With more than 40 years of contributions to the food safety sector, Prof Bremer has made a significant contribution to food safety science, publishing more than 200 academic papers.
"His work has helped build effective food safety culture, industry best practice, equipment and processing technology, product and packaging development, and science and research."
Prof Bremer is a current member on several industry steering groups and the chief scientist at New Zealand Food Safety and Scientific Research Centre.
The award was presented at the joint annual conference of the centre and New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology in Palmerston North.
