A huge flood of attendees entering the IFT FIRST expo in McCormick Place.

The Leading Food Science and Innovation Expo

IFT FIRST convenes the entire food ecosystem to explore and find innovative solutions for the benefit of all people around the world. We look forward to welcoming you to IFT FIRST on July 12-15, 2026 in Chicago, IL.

Reminder: IFT members save on IFT FIRST registration.

A Scientific Community With Vision

IFT is a forum for passionate food professionals and students to collaborate, learn, and contribute all with the goal of inspiring and transforming collective knowledge into innovative solutions for the benefit of all people around the world.

Our Story

IFT Advocacy

IFT advocates for food science as essential to food safety, nutrition security, and sustainable food systems. We are committed to elevating the central role of food science in policy, legislation, and research funding, while increasing representation of food science experts across government, industry, and academia.

Policy & Advocacy

Why Join IFT?

IFT—A catalyst for innovation

Across the learning continuum, IFT members are dedicated to the advancement of food science and innovation.

As the leading voice in food science, IFT empowers you to influence global food policies and collaborate on breakthrough solutions that address critical challenges like sustainability, access, safety, and nutrition.

Learn More About Membership

Meet CoDeveloper

Introducing the first AI-enabled co-scientist that works with you, not for you. Built by food scientists for food scientists, CoDeveloper accelerates R&D timelines, all backed by the power of IFT’s 85+ years of proven science, delivering results you can trust.

Try CoDeveloper