Lots to Learn About Food Safety and Quality at IFT17

The Scientific Program at IFT17 in Las Vegas, June 25–28, 2017, will feature 100 oral sessions, 689 printed poster papers, and 139 e-poster presentations. The following are brief descriptions of the sessions related to food safety and quality.

Food Safety and Quality
In session 007, “Nano-Enabled Packaging to Increase Food Safety and Decrease Food Waste,” on Monday, June 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Hongda Chen will discuss safety assessment of engineered nanoparticles in food packaging and use of social science tools to assess perceptions and acceptance of nanotechnology applications in food safety and packaging; Tony Jin will discuss the antimicrobial activity of nanoparticles and nano-emulsions in food packaging against foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms; Tuhina Banerjee will discuss use of multiparametric magneto-fluorescent nanosensors for rapid, ultrasensitive detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in food and other samples; and Umut Yucel will discuss use of nano-emulsions to deliver essential oils with improved antimicrobial effect against spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms.

In session 008, “Critical Reevaluation of Oxidation Control, Food Wholesomeness, and Safety,” on Monday, June 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Eric Decker will describe the complex nature of food systems and how it affects the performance of antioxidants; Fereidoon Shahidi will discuss the antioxidant activity of bioactive peptides and their use as healthful food ingredients; Nora Yang will discuss the evaluation of oxidative stability and shelf life of fats and oils, analytical methods, and correlations between sensory and analytical results; and Min Hu will discuss the chemical compositions, extraction methods, and applications of acai, buriti, and passion fruit oils.

In session 031, “Development and Applications of Microbiological Models,” on Monday, June 26, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Lihan Huang will describe the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Integrated Pathogen Modeling Program, a user-friendly data analysis tool developed to meet the needs of food scientists and microbiologists who want to use predictive microbiology but feel inadequate in mathematics and programming; Cheng-An Hwang will discuss predictive microbiology and the development and applications of microbial models in risk assessment; and Emma Hartnett will describe the FDA-iRISK quantitative risk-assessment system for evaluating and ranking food-hazard pairs at all stages of the food supply system.

In session 040, “Food Forensics: Scientific Investigation of Urgent Food Safety and Quality Issues,” on Tuesday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Steven Zbylut will discuss how sophisticated structure-function technologies using advances in optics, lasers, detection systems, and software can provide a deeper understanding of ingredient systems; Michael Mortenson will describe a strategy to elucidate off-flavors and taints throughout the forensic process and illustrate the importance of human sensory response; Jennifer Brzezinski will describe the capabilities, expertise, and analytical challenges of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) laboratory that processes food, drug, cosmetic, and medical-device samples related to criminal investigations; and John Spink will discuss how criminology forensic science can be applied to food-related forensic analysis.

In session 054, “Now You See Me, Now You Don’t: Uses of Optical Luminescent Techniques and Compounds to Enhance Food Quality and Safety,” on Tuesday, June 27, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Maria Corradini will describe luminescent molecular rotors (compounds that can rotate in the excited state and quench fluorescence) and use of molecular rotor-based fluorescence spectroscopy to continuously monitor physical properties of foods; Nitin Nitin will describe optical spectroscopy approaches for real-time measurement of oxidation and digestion processes in model food systems; Iris Joye will discuss how fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with dynamic light scattering provides valuable information on formation and dissociation dynamics of protein nanoparticles; and Rohan Tikekar will describe how the synergistic interaction of food-grade photosensitizers and ultraviolet light can be used in advanced oxidative processes for degradation of xenobiotic compounds and inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms.

In session 073, “Challenges and Issues in the Global Supply Chain and Sourcing of Ingredients,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., Purnendu Vasavada will describe the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance standardized training course and outreach program; Roger Lawrence will discuss McCormick & Co.’s global approach to sourcing spices, herbs, and capsicums that meet its quality, purity, and wholesomeness standards; Lauren Jackson will discuss approaches for ensuring that globally sourced ingredients are free of undeclared allergens; and Syed Hassan and Suchart Chaven will provide industry perspectives on food safety practices and issues in the global sourcing of goods, ingredients, and services.

In session 075, “Current Innovations and Challenges in Biosensors for Food Systems Applications,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., Antje Baeumner will discuss development of nano-biosensors for detection of pathogens and lab-on-a-chip sample preparation; Evangelyn Alocilja will describe gold-nanoparticle biosensors for rapid detection of pathogens; Yun Wang will describe a nano-biosensor that uses quantum dots and specific peptide probes to rapidly detect biologically active botulinum neurotoxin in foods; and Fawzy Hashem will discuss nanoscale sensors and high-throughput screening technologies for detecting multiple pathogens.

In session 078, “Is Your Food Safe? Contemplating the Issue of Antibiotic-Resistant Pathogens and Residues in Meat,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., Steve Larsen will describe how U.S. pork producers and veterinarians are working together to use antibiotics in a responsible and strategic way; Christine Hoang will discuss the important role antibiotics play in human and animal health; Jacqueline Sram will describe how the FDA and the Pacific Regional Laboratory-Southwest are addressing antibiotics and veterinary drug residues in aquaculture products; and Siddhartha Thakur will discuss whether the potential emergence of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in food animals and their products is something to be worried about and whether there are other neglected reservoirs of drug-resistant strains that have been overlooked.

In session 083, “Incorporating Food Safety Strategies Into Sustainable Global Food Security,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Artavazd Hakobyan will discuss the World Bank’s work in Vietnam and China, government and private-sector priorities, and challenges for upgrading food safety systems; Danielle Nierenberg will discuss how supporting women and girls is the key to sustainable global food security; Betty Bugusu will discuss the role of food science and technology in reducing food losses and improving food security and economic growth in developing countries; and Vimlendra Sharan will discuss the need for policies and strategies leading to robust food safety programs.

In session 084, “Developing Solutions for Poultry Safety Amidst Antibiotic Regulations,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Cangliang Shen will discuss the microbial profiles of Salmonella and Campylobacter on poultry meat and control strategies for local small poultry processors; Jeremy M. Adler will discuss in-plant validation of antimicrobials to determine a plant’s ability to meet the Food Safety and Inspection Service’s process control standards for Salmonella and Campylobacter on chicken carcasses; Deana R. Jones will discuss regulations on use of antibiotics in animal feed and compare effects on hen health and egg safety of conventional cage production in which laying hens are rarely provided antibiotics to more-extensive systems for housing hens; and Anup Kollanoor Johny will discuss potential alternatives to antibiotics to control multi-drug–resistant foodborne pathogens in the poultry production environment.

In session 086, “Food Additive Safety: Using Chemical-Specific Adjustment Factors (CSAFs) when Estimating Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs),” on Wednesday, June 28, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, I. Glenn Sipes will discuss how the ADI, the amount of a food additive on a body weight basis that can be ingested over a lifetime without an appreciable health risk, is determined and used in risk assessments; Odete Mendes will discuss the challenges involved in pharmacokinetic/dynamic evaluations of food additive safety when dealing with food ingredients that are products of natural origin, are poorly absorbed, or are complex mixtures with bioactive components; Ashley Roberts will discuss establishing an ADI for steviol glycosides utilizing CSAFs based on their toxico-kinetic/toxico-dynamic properties; and Yu Janet Zang will discuss how the FDA establishes ADIs.

In session 097, “New Research in Support of the Safety of Synthetic Colors,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Maria Bastaki will describe recent studies on the safety of synthetic food color additives; Tom Farrell will discuss why the International Association of Color Manufacturers sponsored the studies; George Pugh will discuss determination of an estimated daily intake of FD&C color additives in the U.S. population, based on actual usage data; and Carolyn Scrafford will discuss how the estimated daily intake results compare to other recent assessments conducted by the FDA and academia.

In session 101, “Taking the ‘Ates’ Out of Meat Products While Delivering on Quality and Food Safety,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Brian Smith will discuss how a change to any of the factors that play a role in a food product’s shelf life may result in lower efficacy, performance, and shelf life and how higher costs, reduced raw material availability, and regulatory constraints make proper selection and application of clean-label antimicrobials critical to product success; and Lee Johnson will discuss strategies for use of high-pressure processing as an antimicrobial treatment of meat and poultry products.

Regulatory
In session 012, “A Global Overview of Dietary Fiber Regulations: Facts and Impacts,” on Monday, June 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Paula Trumbo will discuss the new labeling requirements for dietary fiber in the United States, the dietary fibers accepted for declaration in the Nutrition Facts label, and the scientific review process for determining whether a fiber provides a beneficial physiological effect to human health; Claudine Gourgue will discuss Canada’s regulatory requirements for labeling and advertising of food containing dietary fiber and how Canada’s policy compares to the U.S. policy; and Lina Paulionis will discuss the potential impacts of dietary fiber regulations around the world on industry and consumers.

In session 028, “What You Need to Know About the New GMO Labeling Law: Updates From the USDA,” on Monday, June 26, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Michael Gregoire will describe how many genetically modified organism (GMO) crops are on the market, their value to the agriculture economy, and the process that the U.S. government goes through to ensure safety to consumers and the ecosystem; Doug McKalip will discuss the new GMO labeling law, its national disclosure standard for bioengineered foods, how it functions, its key provisions, and its implementation; and Craig Morris will discuss how the GMO labeling law will affect the food industry and how GMO disclosure will affect food marketing policy.

In session 035, “FSMA Implications for the Development of Acidified Foods,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., Fred Breidt will discuss the acidified food safety regulations of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the latest research on acidified foods, and knowledge gaps that remain; Raghu Ramaswamy will discuss the need for collaborative work to meet the regulatory challenges faced by food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and customers; Wilfredo Ocasio will discuss microbiological validation of acidified foods, emphasizing ambient-filled products; Oscar Rodriguez-Gonzalez will discuss factors to consider when evaluating the risks associated with acidification of foods as a preventive control; and Glenn Black will discuss the new preventive controls rule as it applies to acidified foods.

In session 041, “Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP): Are You Ready?” on Tuesday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Robert Brackett will discuss the specifics of the FSVP; Steven H. Armstrong will present the views of a buyer of imported foods; Michael Lahar will present the views of an importer; and Massimo Scuccato will discuss challenges that the FSVP presents to foreign food suppliers.

In session 063, “Navigating the New Nutrition Labeling Regulations for Various Segments of the Food Industry,” on Tuesday, June 27, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Debra Topham will discuss what restaurateurs and their suppliers need to know to meet the new menu labeling regulations; Sarah Hendren will discuss how restaurants have addressed the challenges and opportunities presented by the menu labeling regulations; and Jeannie Houchins will discuss potential effects of the menu labeling changes on the dairy industry, including communication of the nutrient contributions of dairy foods in the diet and how consumers view dairy products.

In session 079, “The European Nutrition and Health Regulatory Agenda,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., Raymond Ellard will discuss the role of the European Food Safety Agency and its member countries in leading the nutrition and health agenda of the European Union (EU); Luke Murphy will discuss EU regulatory initiatives and other measures to reduce sugar consumption; Dominique Taeymans will describe EU regulatory developments related to nutrition and health; Ruth Price will describe the EU nutrition labeling rules; and Robert C. Post will compare nutrition labeling rules in the United States and the EU.

In session 098, “Food Safety Modernization Act Outreach: Updates and Progress,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Fadi Aramouni will discuss the role of academia in training small and medium-size processors about the FSMA requirements; Peyman Fatemi will discuss the FSMA’s preventive controls rule; and Melinda Hayman, Kristen Spotz, and Michelle D. Danyluk will present stakeholder perspectives regarding the FSMA rules for produce safety, foreign supplier verification, and third-party accreditation.

In session 105, “A Global Overview of Sugar Regulations: Implications for Consumers and Industry,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., P. Courtney Gaine will discuss the FDA’s new labeling regulations that require declaration of added sugars and the percent daily value and the likely ramifications on the marketplace and consumers; Bruce Silverglade will discuss the addition of added sugars to the Nutrition Facts panel and the management of labeling and advertising claims relative to sugars; G. Harvey Anderson will discuss research on sugars and their effects on overall health, the availability of added sugars in foods today, and the correlation between added sugars and obesity; and Kathy Musa-Veloso will discuss sugar regulations in the United States, Canada, and the EU and the potential impact of the new added sugars label on health and nutrition claims.

Health and Nutrition
In session 004, “A Roadmap to Food Allergy Safety: Recommendations from a Consensus Committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,” on Monday, June 26, from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m., Virginia Stallings will discuss approaches for managing food allergens and ways to minimize allergic reactions; Steve Taylor will discuss labeling of food allergens and establishing thresholds for food allergens in packaged foods; and Kristen Spotz and Sefano Luccioli will present the Grocery Manufacturers Association’s and FDA’s perspectives on progress toward food allergen safety.

In session 015, “History, Characteristics, and Health Benefits of Fermented Foods,” on Tuesday, June 27, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Cherl-Ho Lee will discuss how development of fermentation technology in Northeast Asia helped shape Korean dietary culture; Dayoung Kwon will discuss traditional Korean foods, their cultural features, and their health effects; Kun-Young Park will discuss anti-obesity and anti-cancer effects of the traditional Korean fermented foods kimchi and doenjang (fermented soybean paste); and Hak-Jong Choi will discuss how probiotics isolated from fermented foods such as kimchi influence the gut microbiota and can be used in treating obesity.

In session 025, “Effective Strategies for Managing Allergens: From Testing to Reporting,” on Monday, June 26, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Ray Matulka will describe tests that should be done to determine the potential of an ingredient to cause an allergic response; Martin J. Hahn will discuss the types of labeling that should be considered for disclosing the presence of allergens in a food product; Steve Taylor will discuss how a quantitative risk assessment can predict the number of consumers who would likely experience an allergic reaction to a specific food product containing a known amount of allergen; and Brent Kobielush will discuss aspects of food allergen mitigation that a food company should consider to prevent cross-contamination and possible recalls.

In session 027, “Health Benefits of Bioactive Compounds in Foods,” on Monday, June 26, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Britt Burton-Freeman will discuss interactions of bioactive compounds and nutrients in foods and the prevention of chronic diseases, and Roger A. Clemens will discuss assessment of the bioavailability of bioactive compounds in food and the quality and quantity of scientific and clinical evidence needed to support a product claim for specific population groups.

In session 030, “Overcoming the Dietary Fiber Shortfall: Regulatory, Food Industry, and Consumer Concerns” on Monday, June 26, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Dennis T. Gordon, David M. Klurfeld, and George C. Fahey will discuss the FDA’s regulation on dietary fiber, inclusion or exclusion of nondigestible carbohydrates as dietary fiber, strength of evidence for beneficial physiological effects for human health, approved AOAC methods to measure dietary fiber, impact of the recommended daily dietary fiber requirements, and differences among the regulations of the United States, Canada, and other countries.

In session 039, “Dietary Sources and Bio-Efficacy of Vitamin D2 vs Vitamin D3 and Comparative Effects on Cognition and Mood in Elderly People,” on Tuesday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Claire Kruger will discuss how the vitamin D2 content of mushrooms can be enhanced through artificial ultraviolet light irradiation; Louise Bennett will discuss the effect of vitamin D2–enriched mushrooms or a vitamin D3 supplement on cognitive function and mood of healthy elderly people; and Robin Daly will discuss the facts, uncertainties, and controversies surrounding vitamin D.

In session 047, “Fat 2.0: How the Current Fat Conversation Has Shaped Nutrition Policy, Consumer Perceptions, Product Innovation, and the Retail Landscape,” on Tuesday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Penny Kris-Etherton will review the dietary guidelines and recommendations regarding dietary fats, the latest research on dietary fatty-acid health and nutrition, and implications of food labeling guidelines for the food industry; Shelley Balanko will discuss consumer perceptions regarding fats and oils and foods that consumers view as sources of good fats; and Phil Lempert will discuss successful product launches in the fats and oils category and the influence of labeling claims on purchase decisions.

In session 059, “Health Impacts of High-Stability Oils,” on Tuesday, June 27, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., David Baer will discuss the effect of high-oleic soybean oil on the risk factors used to define metabolic syndrome, which includes biomarkers of diabetes and cardiovascular disease; Roger Daniels will discuss functionality testing of high-stability oils and shortenings in production of fried donuts, white cake, cookies, and icing; and Lewis Bainbridge will discuss the sustainability, functionality, health benefits, and availability of high-oleic soybeans.

In session 061, “Controlled Delivery to Improve Gastrointestinal Health,” on Tuesday, June 27, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Qi Wang will discuss a novel spray-drying method to microencapsulate probiotics to improve their delivery and survival rate in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract; Didier Dupont will discuss designing food structure to improve the controlled delivery of bioactive compounds; Youngsoo Lee will discuss use of microencapsulation to deliver butyrate in the GI tract using trybutyrin as an alternative to butyrate; and Fanbin Kong will discuss how the dynamic nature of GI conditions affects the controlled release of microencapsulated nutrients and bioactives.

In session 062, “Dietary Protein for Food and Nutrition Security: Challenges and Opportunities,” on Monday, June 26, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Phil S. Kerr will discuss emerging technologies to address the growing demand for high-quality protein-enriched foods, the role of next-generation precision agriculture, development of foods from alternative protein sources, and government and consumer approval; Ratna Mukherjea will discuss malnutrition and the need for new dietary strategies to ensure that an adequate protein intake is maintained throughout life; and Patrick Webb will discuss global food and nutrition security and response to humanitarian emergencies.

In session 074, “The Plant-Based Diet Evolution: The Consumer, Scientific Evidence, and Food Formulation,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., Steven Walton will discuss the implications for the food and beverage industry of a consumer move toward more plant-based eating; Penny Kris-Etherton will discuss why individuals who move toward more plant-based protein in their diet may need additional guidance to ensure that all nutrient needs are met and will describe strategies for increasing plant protein foods in the diet; and Austin Lowder will discuss formulation challenges and strategies that food formulators can use with plant protein options to meet consumers’ health, wellness, and sustainability expectations while also delivering taste, texture, and affordability.

In session 090, “How Do Dietary Proteins and Carbohydrates Interact to Affect Metabolic Health?” on Wednesday, June 28, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Adel Pezeshki will discuss how low-protein diets affect food consumption, energy expenditure, body weight, and metabolic health; Prasanth Chelikani will discuss how a diet enriched with protein and fiber affects food consumption and body weight and may lead to development of novel functional foods with beneficial effects on metabolic health; and Alexandra Kazaks will discuss the effect of the macronutrient composition of the diet on appetite, metabolism, and energy expenditure and the new FDA guidelines regarding dietary macronutrients.

In session 104, “Making the Healthy Claim for Fats and Oils,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Penny Kris-Etherton will discuss how recent scientific evidence is being used to set new criteria for fatty acids and health claim determination; Peter Jones will discuss the impact of monounsaturated fatty acids on healthy diets and their role in regulating fat oxidation, energy metabolism, appetite sensations, weight maintenance, and cholesterol metabolism; and Dave Dzisiak will discuss the consumer demand for clean labels and products free of additives or unknown ingredients.

Sensory
In session 011, “Understanding Sweet Taste and Achieving Sugar Reduction Through a Chemosensory Lens,” on Monday, June 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Paul Wise will discuss the biology, physiology, and psychophysics of sweet taste perception and their implications for food and beverage formulation; Guy Servant will discuss how certain sweetness boosters exhibit significant synergy with sucrose, sucralose, and high-fructose corn syrup while other sweetness enhancers show only modest synergy in taste tests as a result of binding at different domains on the sweet taste receptor; and Thomas Colquhoun will discuss the role of aromatic volatile compounds in sweetness enhancement.

In session 017, “Educating Future Sensory Professionals: From Curriculum and Professional Development to Innovative Data Visualization,” on Monday, June 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Witoon Prinyawiwatkul will describe the core content of sensory science undergraduate courses and new directions needed to prepare students to become proficient sensory science professionals in the food industry; Natalie Stoer will describe preferred competencies of sensory professionals in the food industry and training opportunities to develop these skills in academic and professional settings; and Michael Plater Findlay will discuss innovative methods for visualization of sensory data.

In session 023, “Understanding Food Texture: A Tribute to the Pioneering Work of Alina Szczesniak and Malcolm Bourne,” on Monday, June 26, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Zata Vickers will discuss how understanding the roles of physiology and psychophysics has led to deeper understanding of the importance of food texture in the eating experience; Allen Foegeding will review how the basic mechanical measurements of the early days of food texture measurement have grown into highly sophisticated analytical instruments that provide deep understanding of structure-texture relationships; and LuAnn Williams will discuss how consumer expectations about the eating quality of food have required textural adaptation of traditional formulas to deliver equivalent satisfaction with sugar- and fat-reduced products.

In session 057, “The Melody Lingers on: The Sensory Science of Aftertaste and Afterfeel,” on Tuesday, June 27, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Zata Vickers will discuss the fundamentals of aftertaste and afterfeel (the taste, smell, chemisthetic, and texture sensations experienced after swallowing, applying, or using a product), their influence on consumer acceptance, and methodological considerations involved in testing foods for aftertaste; Carolyn Ross will discuss the importance of aftertaste in product acceptance, how the food composition can influence aftertaste perception, and methods for studying aftertaste in foods and beverages; and Lee Stapleton will discuss afterfeel of personal care products, including appropriate sensory terms to describe it.

In session 087, “The Critical Role of Beverage Mouthfeel: Unique Insights for a Product Developer,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Paul Wise will describe the impact of chemosensory elements on beverage mouthfeel; Sharon Bender will discuss how sweeteners, emulsifiers, and texturizers affect mouthfeel; Sudarshan Nadathur will focus on how flavor modifiers can provide mouthfeel and aid consumer acceptance of reduced-calorie foods and beverages; and Els de Hoog will discuss how lubrication and in-mouth viscosity are determinants of mouthfeel, describe a new instrument for beverages containing fat mimetics, and relate the instrumental results to dynamic sensory perception.

In session 092, “Applied Use of Discrimination Testing: Industry-Current Basic Practices, Trends, and Advancements,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Lori Rothman will discuss the sensory practices for conducting a discrimination test; John Castura will discuss discrimination test methods and their interpretation by various models; and Carla Kuesten will discuss a sorting technique that allows for testing a larger number of samples than conventional methods.

In session 100, “Integrating Sweetener-Sensory Perception in Product Development,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Susan Schiffman will discuss sweetness perception of binary and ternary mixtures and sweetener synergies; Howard Moskowitz will discuss how consumers’ perceptions and needs affect how they relate to reduced-sugar products; Alex Woo will discuss enhancing sweetness perception of reduced-sugar foods and beverages with smell, sight, sound, and touch; Beverly Tepper will discuss the role of weight loss in women’s perception of and preference for sweet taste; and Cynthia Ward will discuss integrating sweetener and bitter interactions in product development.

Miscellaneous
In session 001, “Deconstructing the New Food Labels for Improved Consumer Choice,” on Monday, June 26, from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m., Constance Geiger will present a visual approach to reading food labels and discuss the elements for understanding nutrients and claims, and Julie Jones will discuss the label elements that relate to food ingredients, additives, fortificants, and nutrients to help communicate their roles in food safety and nutrition.

In session 010, “Research Integrity in Industry-Funded Nutrition Research: Challenges and Recommendations,” on Monday, June 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Eric Hentges will discuss the controversy around whether industry-funded studies are more likely to demonstrate positive relationships between products and specific health outcomes; DeAnn Liska will discuss how recent changes in standards for publishing affect the need for clarity and increased communication by industry scientists managing contract research; Christina Khoo will discuss the logistics and challenges of sponsoring research; and Patrick Stover will discuss approaches to help maintain scientific integrity in industry-funded research projects.

In session 034, “From CRISPR to Syn-Bio: How to Explain the Benefits and Safety of the Latest Food and Agriculture Technologies to the Public,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Sally Squires will discuss communicating new food and agriculture technologies to the public; Jenifer Doudna will discuss why scientists must help the public better understand the value of new food technologies that are poised to make changes in agriculture and food production; Marianne Smith-Edge will discuss efforts by the IFIC Foundation and other organizations in translating science into consumer-based language for acceptance of new technologies; and Ken Lee will discuss the impacts of new food safety technologies on global food problems and the importance of public-private partnerships in creation of these technologies.

In session 042, “It Takes Only Two to Tango, but ‘N’ to Understand Products and People,” on Tuesday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Benoît Rousseau will discuss designing quantitative research using sample sizes large enough to ensure the reliability of the findings; Dulce Paredes will discuss the value of well-thought-out small-sample-size studies; and Jeff Garza will discuss the importance of sample size for business decisions and risk assessment.

In session 077, “Novel Analytical Methods and Challenges for Characterization of Nanomaterials in Food Matrices,” on Wednesday, June 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., Ruud Peters will discuss analytical technology being developed to detect and characterize nanomaterials in food and other matrices; Honglan Shi will discuss use of single-particle inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry methods that can detect particle size, particle size distribution, particle concentration, and dissolved metal element concentration simultaneously for risk assessment of engineered nanoparticles; and Mengshi Lin will discuss detection and measurement of gold and silver nanoparticles in food and other products using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy coupled with aminothiophenol as an indicator molecule.