Divisions

IFT Divisions are organizations formed through interest in a specific area of food science and technology. Joining IFT Divisions provides you with rewarding opportunities to network with other food scientists with similar professional interests. To join a Division, you must first be an IFT member. 

Division Leadership Contacts (PDF)




Abstract & Paper Competitions  
IFT is proud to support 23 division competitions. Students may submit an abstract in one of the 21 poster, 3 oral or 1 paper competitions. Each division competition will recognize up to six finalists and give one first place award of $1000, one second place award of $750 and one third place award of $500.

A - F

Aquatic Food Products  
Addresses all aspects of the science and technology of fish and shellfish including harvesting, production, preparation, processing, utilization, nutrition, and marketing.

Biotechnology
Explores the opportunities and challenges in this multidisciplinary field composed of at least half a dozen areas in the life sciences, ranging from gene splicing and plant breeding to microbial fermentation and plant cell culture. 

Carbohydrate  
Addresses food carbohydrate manufacture, characterization, function, and use.

Dairy Foods  
Concerned with quality control, compositional standards, product and process development, equipment and plant design, sanitation, sensory evaluation, biotechnology of dairy cultures, and development and implementation of marketing strategies.

Education, Extension & Outreach
A forum to discuss the continuum of food science education, from elementary school to adulthood. Of particular importance are current research opportunities, innovative teaching methods and learning techniques, effective methods for serving your clientele and examples of successful outreach.

Food Chemistry
Addresses the composition and properties of food and food ingredients, and the chemical, physical, and biological changes in food constituents as a result of preparation, processing and storage.

F - M

Food Engineering
Focuses on the engineering of foods.

Food Law & Regulations
A forum for discussing the development and implementation of food laws and regulations. Members are from industry, academia, government, and the legal profession.

Food Microbiology
Largest professional organization of food microbiologists in the world, encompassing all areas of food microbiology, including those aspects of food science and technology in which bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa, and parasites play a role.

Food Packaging
Provides leadership and technical expertise in food packaging technologies.

Foodservice
Focuses on the supply preparation, presentation, and delivery of foods, usually for immediate consumption away from home.

Fruit & Vegetable Products
 Concentrates on the production and post-harvest handling of fruits and vegetables for processing, and the manufacturing, packaging, and storage of processed fruit and vegetable products and by-products.

International
Promotes international scientific communication and technology transfer among food scientists through its newsletter, education programs, and hosting of non-U.S. members at the IFT Annual Meeting.

Marketing & Management  
Focus on marketing and management activities directly involved in the development of food and beverage products.

Muscle Foods
 Encompasses the areas of aquatic, poultry, and red meat species and interacting disciplines, both basic and applied.

N - T

Nonthermal Processing
Provides a forum for discussing nonthermal technologies for processing foods such as pulsed power engineering, ultra-high pressure, ozone, and reemerging food irradiation.

Nutraceuticals & Functional Foods  
Provides interaction among IFT members, organizes training programs, scientific meetings, and symposiums; and provides accurate information to the media regarding emerging scientific, extension, and industrial production health issues in this rapidly growing segment of the field.

Nutrition
Addresses the study of the biochemical and physiological processes concerned with the growth, maintenance, and response to stress of the body and its constituent organs, bridging the gap between food science and nutritional science.

Product Development
Offers an opportunity for food scientists developing new or improved food products to interact and promote new development.

Quality Assurance
A forum for issues relating to quality assurance, quality control, and food wholesomeness.

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods
Concentrates on all aspects of the preservation of foods employing refrigeration or freezing technology.

Sensory and Consumer Sciences
A forum for members involved in the discipline used to evoke, measure, analyze, and interpret reactions to the characteristics of foods and materials as they are perceived by the senses of sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing.

Toxicology & Safety Evaluation
Addresses all aspects of the science and technology of toxicology and safety evaluation relevant to foods or food components.