Research Development division

Product Development Division

Provides a platform for science of food professionals to interact, inquire, collaborate, and develop new or improved food products, ingredients, processes and packaging.

 

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Quick Information and Links

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Kaavya Rathnakumar Product Development Division
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2400+

Members
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1997

Year Founded
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55+

Countries Represented by Members

Noteworthy Programs

Product Development Division Vision & Mission

Vision: To bring together science and innovation in developing safe, nutritious, and sustainable food products to meet global consumer needs and feed the growing population.

Mission:

  • To provide a global platform for networking and knowledge sharing in food product development.
  • To engage and educate members on innovations, opportunities, and challenges in product development.
  • To mentor future minds and provide opportunities for learning and acquiring skills for product development.

Mentorship Program

The Product Development Division mentorship program focuses on current and aspiring product developers and students who are curious about product development career aspects, skillset needed, etc. If you are looking for mentors or want to give back to the community by mentoring, sign up and we will pair you up with the right person for a meaningful mentorship experience.

For more information see the documents below:

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Technical Outreach Program

The PD101 (Product Development 101) initiative is a technical outreach program to educate students and new professionals who are interested in product development roles within the food and beverage industry. We intend to leverage interest among our community by assisting universities to organize guest lectures on the fundamentals of product development and share case study examples and holding bi-monthly webinar series on trending topics (e.g., AI driven PD, Sensory science, Functional foods) as selected to be most interested by our audience.

If you are a Professor or IFTSA/Section representative, reach out to organize a customized PD101 session for your audience.

Reach Out

Want to get involved?

  • Become a mentor or mentee
  • Serve as a speaker for PD101
  • Serve as a speaker for the Lunch & Learn Program
  •  Serve as a judge for student competitions
  • Prepare session proposals for IFT FIRST
  • Support collaboration efforts with IFT Divisions

Learn More

Lunch and Learn Sessions

Product Development Division volunteers are invited to bi-monthly lunch and learn sessions to discuss current hot topics and trends. These sessions are currently open only to Division leadership members and relevant Divisions’ leadership members to collaborate effectively across IFT Divisions.

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Division Accomplishments/Recognition

  • The Outstanding Volunteer award honors a current Division member who provided exemplary volunteer work to the Division in the current year. The 2023-2024 recipient is Urvi Shah.
  • The Outstanding Service award honors current Division members who have demonstrated a history of service to the Division or field. The 2023-2024 recipient is Kaavya Rathnakumar.

Division Oral Competition Finalists

  • First: Danielle Voss, The Ohio State University: A Novel Palette of Nature Derived Colorants: Evaluating Pyranoanthocyanin Interactions With Food Matrices
  • Second: William Oyom, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University: Characterization and Safety Assessment of Gel-Based Edible Coating Treatment on Deep-Fat Fried Chicken Nuggets
  • Third: Chidimma Ifeh, Montana State University: Developing Indigenous Plant-Enriched Yogurt to Enhance Iron Solubility: A Collaboration With Senegalese Women Farmers

Product Development Division Infographic Competition (2024)

First Place: Amarthya Benigna Achmadi, Annisa Mutiara Faida, Que Trinh Tran, University of New South Wales

First Place infographic: AI-Powered Food Innovation: From Concept to Plate by Amarthya Benigna Achmadi, Annisa Mutiara Faida, Que Trinh Tran, University of New South Wales

Second Place: Pramith Ukwattage Don, South Dakota State University

Second Place infographic: Beyond Baklava: How AI can revolutionize ethnic food for the US market by Pramith Ukwattage Don, South Dakota State University

Third Place: Siti Fatimah Azzahrah, Bogor Agricultural University

Third Place infographic: The Spaices On Our Plate by Siti Fatimah Azzahrah, Bogor Agricultural University

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Great Lakes Section IFT Supplier Night and Expo

Battle Creek, Michigan

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New York Section IFT Suppliers Day

Edison, New Jersey

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Southern California Section IFT Suppliers Night

Garden Grove, California

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2025 Cascadia IFT Suppliers Night

Seattle, Washington

How to Join a Division

Joining a Division is easy! Signing up for a Division gives you access to the Division’s IFT Connect Community, signs you up for their newsletter, and gives you access to Subject Matter Experts in the field. To sign up for a Division, visit IFT-Divisions. After signing into your account, check the boxes of the Divisions you would like to be involved with and click save.

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