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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Shima Shayanfar Product Development Division
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3050+

Members
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1997

Year Founded
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65+

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

Technical Sessions at IFT FIRST: Annual Event and Expo

IFT Product Development Division hosts technical sessions during IFT FIRST on the latest trends, innovations, and challenges faced by the science of food community. We share the outcomes of research, emerging discoveries, and novel applications and promote knowledge-sharing and collaboration to address challenges facing the global food system.

Product Development Division sessions at IFT FIRST include:

  • What Are Strategies for Effectively Communicating to Non-Technical Audiences?
  • What Processing Technologies Are Leading to More Sustainable and Resilient F&B Production?
  • Carbon Credits: A Credit System to Approach Sustainability Throughout the Product Cycle
  • Insect Protein: A Sustainable Alternative for Enhancing Global Food Security

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

Urvi ShahThe Outstanding Volunteer Award honors a current Division member who provided exemplary volunteer work to the Division in the current year. The 2022-2023 recipient is Urvi Shah. Urvi is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Food Science at North Carolina State University with a focus on the use of cold plasma technology for egg sanitation. In her extra time, she works on applications of novel plant proteins for developing nutritious snack products. Food and agricultural courses during her bachelor’s in biotechnology engineering in India inspired her to become an expert in innovative technologies. She successfully demonstrated cold plasma technology for the microbial inactivation of kale leaves for her master’s research at Drexel University. Prior to starting her Ph.D., she gained experience in egg, French fry, and confectionery industries with leadership roles in quality, regulatory affairs, and research and development. She hopes to continue serving the community and learn from the experts in the field of food science.

Kartik ShahThe Outstanding Service Award honors current Division members who have demonstrated a history of service to the Division or field. The 2022-2023 recipient is Kartik Shah. Kartik Shah is a food enthusiast with expertise in dairy food processing and new product development. He received his undergraduate degree in Dairy Manufacturing and M.S. in Dairy Manufacturing from South Dakota State University. He has worked on several National Dairy Council (NDC) and Midwest Dairy Funded research center (MDFRC) funded projects during his graduate life. Kartik is an active leader in professional organizations such as the IFT and volunteers for educational food science webinars and has served as a judge for various oral/poster competitions. “I have been fortunate to serve as a judge for the seeding of the future challenge which resulted in grants to the winners. I have also been fortunate to connect with a vast diversity of food professionals with different backgrounds, expertise, and experience. It has been a constant learning journey.”

Product Development Division Infographic Competition (2023)

Winner: Joshua Saad from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Joshua made an infographic 'Burn-Out of freezer burn?' explaining some steps food product developers can take towards sustainability.

Interested in participating? Learn more.

Burnt Out of Freezer Burn Infographic

Division Oral Competition Finalists

1st Place: Development of a Novel Free-Flowing Powder Lycopene Formulation via Green Particle Engineering Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide, Purlen Sezer Okur, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

2nd Place: Deodorization of Acid Whey With Activated Carbon Enhances Consumer Acceptability of a Sports Recovery Beverage, Viral Shukla, Cornell University

2nd Place: Effects of curcumin-loaded oleogel on deep-fried chicken nuggets during frozen storage, Niaz Mahmud, North Carolina A&T State University

3rd Place: Development of Micronutrient-Rich Low Moisture Meat Analogue from Mycelium (Pleurotus Eryngii) Using Twin Screw Extrusion, Shubham Mandliya, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, India

Finalist: The Effect of Organic Acids and Pasteurization Methods on the Physical Properties of Sweet Indian Cheese, Sai Vinay Kumar Madala, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University

Finalist: Enhancing the flavor of white whole sorghum flour using supercritical carbon dioxide, Arda Tuhanioglu, University of Arkansas

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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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