Register for Wellness 14; Join IFT in New Orleans; IFT Leadership Election

Register now for Wellness 14
There is still time to make plans to attend the Institute of Food Technologists Wellness 14 conference March 20–21, 2014, and the Pre-Wellness Short Course March 18–19 in Chicago.

With the theme “Developing and Marketing Healthy Snack Foods with Sensory Appeal,” Wellness 14 will present information from a number of experts that will especially help those responsible for commercializing healthy snack products with reduced sodium, enhanced protein, and reduced sugar content. In the short course, “Labeling Requirements and Implications for Foods Marketed in the U.S.,” attendees will gain a more thorough understanding of the regulations affecting the labeling of food products.

Wellness 14 and the short course will be held at The Westin Chicago River North. For more information, visit www.ift.org/wellness.

Plan to join IFT in New Orleans
Save the date for the 2014 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo and join more than 18,000 food professionals in industry, academia, and government to learn about the latest issues affecting the food industry. The event will be held June 21–24, 2014, in New Orleans, La.

The IFT Food Expo provides the opportunity to interact with representatives from ingredient, processing, and packaging companies, try food and beverage prototypes, view demonstrations of the latest processing and laboratory equipment, and learn about various services available to food professionals. Attendees will hear from leading experts and scientists about the latest research, product development initiatives, and food industry trends at the Annual Meeting Scientific Program. Many networking opportunities and exciting new events are scheduled as well.

The Pre-Annual Meeting Short Courses will be held June 20–21, and they will provide practical education on a variety of topics. In addition to several courses that will return, IFT will offer new courses that present a wide array of information to help product developers. Some of the new topics include globalized food protection, using consumer research for product claims substantiation, and nutraceuticals and functional foods in sports performance.

Registration and housing open March 3, 2014. Visit www.ift.org/IFT14 for more information.

IFT presents candidates for Leadership Election
The IFT Nominations and Elections Committee announces the candidates for the 2014 Leadership Election. The candidates for President-Elect are Colin Dennis and Douglas Marshall. The candidates for members of the Board of Directors are Kees De Gooijer, Ernest Embola, Dawn Merrill, Phil Perkins, Peter Salmon, Gunnar Sigge, Sharrann Simmons, and R. Paul Singh. The candidates to serve as members of the Nominations and Elections Committee include Noel Anderson, Cory Bryant, Rachel Cheatham, and P. Michael Davidson. IFT’s voting membership elects one member for President-Elect, four members for the Board of Directors, and three members for the Nominations and Elections Committee.

The election will be held in February. Please forward any questions about the slate of candidates, petition process, or the online elections to Kelly McGunnigal, staff coordinator for the Nominations and Elections Committee, at [email protected].

Post brings expertise to FoodMinds
Food and nutrition consulting and communications agency FoodMinds has named Robert C. Post Chief Science Officer. Post, who recently retired from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, where he was the Associate Executive Director, will advise FoodMinds clients on the issues facing the food, beverage, nutrition, and health and wellness industries. He will also co-lead counsel on activities in the nutrition affairs sector that include topics like dietary guidance, marketing, and food labeling to meet the objectives of the clients. Post is a Professional Member of IFT.

Florida
Feb. 27, 2014: Suppliers Night. Orland, Fla. Contact Yael Spektor at 407-324-1200, ext. 338, or [email protected], or Luis Martinez at 904-268-8999 or [email protected], or visit www.eventbrite.com/e/florida-section-ift-suppliersnight-2014-tickets-4286125918.

New York
Feb. 13, 2014: Post Presentation Night–Student Night. New Brunswick, N.J. Contact Gerri Cristantiello at 201-905-0090 or [email protected], or visit www.ift.org/sections/nyift/.

Visit www.ift.org to view the Events Calendar, including listings for Section and Division meetings, and for information on how to list your event.