Official Preview of IFT’s 2004 Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPO®

Food scientists and related professionals from around the world will meet in Las Vegas, Nev., July 12–16, 2004, to explore new developments and share their knowledge during the Institute of Food Technologists’ 2004 Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPO®. The event has the structure and content that will enable attendees to extract new and valuable information, make contacts, and gather ideas for their professional and business development.

The Pre-Meeting Continuing Education Program on Sunday and Monday, July 11 and 12, will feature six two-day and two one-day programs on subjects ranging from Nutrition and Weight Management to Process Control for the Food Industry.

The Opening Session on Monday evening will feature a keynote address by futurist Joel Barker, state-of-the-Institute address by President Ann Hollingsworth, and introduction of IFT Achievement Award winners and newly elected Fellows.

The Technical Program on Tuesday morning through Friday morning will include nearly 2,000 papers presented in symposia, oral sessions, poster sessions, Hot Topic sessions, forums, and New Products & Technologies sessions.

Food Expo on Tuesday afternoon through Friday morning will feature nearly 900 companies from all over the world exhibiting their products and services in nearly 2,000 booths. There will again be special pavilions, including the International Pavilion and the Healthy Foods Pavilion, plus two new pavilions—the IFT/Mintel Global New Products Trends & Tasting Pavilion, where representatives from Mintel’s Global New Products Database will discuss Health & Wellness Ingredient Trends, Ethnic Flavor Trends, and Convenience & Packaging Trends, illustrating them with a tasting session of new food and beverage products from around the world, and the IFT/Research Chefs Association New Product Development Pavilion, where top chefs will work side-by-side with food technologists to create new culinary dishes right on the show floor.

In the following pages, Food Technology’s editors present highlights of selected technical papers and exhibits to help you determine in advance which of them you will want to make sure you get to. Ingredients will be covered by Don Pszczola, Nutraceuticals by Linda Milo Ohr, Laboratory by James Giese, Processing by Peter Clark, Packaging by Aaron Brody, and Services by Karen Banasiak. Each section also includes a list of exhibitors in that category and their booth numbers. (For information about exhibitors whose information arrived too late for inclusion in this issue, visit the Annual Meeting + Food Expo Web site at www.am-fe.ift.org).

These Preview sections are followed by the Pre-Meeting Continuing Education Programs and the complete Annual Meeting Technical Program as of press time.

We hope that this Preview will entice you to attend and help you plan your schedule ahead of time to get the best use of your time in Las Vegas. The complete technical program, abstracts, and exhibitor descriptions are also available in searchable form online at www.am-fe.ift.org. You can also register online via the site. And don’t forget to take advantage of the online meeting planner, the Personal Scheduler, available for registrants at http://ift.confex.com/ift/2004/scheduler.

We look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas!

—Neil H. Mermelstein, Editor

In support of its mission, vision, and values, the Institute of Food Technologists continually strives to provide unparalleled programs and services that are at the forefront of the industry, for the benefit of the audiences it serves. Such programs and services may include partnerships with other organizations. These working relationships should not be misconstrued to represent an expressed or implied endorsement of such organizations, or their products, services, and programs.