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

The Leading Food Science and Innovation Expo

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2026 edition of IFT FIRST in Chicago! If you missed the event, or want to revisit key sessions, register for virtual access to explore expert insights and select sessions from this year's premier food science event. We look forward to welcoming you back in 2027.

Save the Date for next year's IFT FIRST: July 11 - 14, 2027 in Chicago

Latest From IFT FIRST

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.

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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.

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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.

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