Bright Lights, Big Ideas

Las Vegas is a city where the activity seldom stops, which makes it a fitting destination for IFT17: Go With Purpose—an event where the ideas and energy will flow nonstop from Sunday, June 25, through Wednesday, June 28. Not only will IFT17 shine a bright light on the science of food and its myriad innovative applications, but it will also take place in a new venue, the Venetian/Sands Expo Center, a complex that combines meeting and exhibit space, business amenities, dining, shopping, and hotel rooms under one roof. IFT’s annual food science gathering is expected to draw more than 20,000 food industry professionals from 90-plus nations and will host 100 scientific sessions as well as a food expo where hundreds of exhibitors will showcase ingredients, technologies, and equipment.

The annual event venue is not the only thing that’s new this year. IFT17 marks the debut of a new suite of programs called IFTNEXT designed to challenge and inspire professionals in the science of food. “IFTNEXT is a purpose-driven commitment to bringing provocative ideas and discoveries together to inspire thoughtful, important conversations that challenge conventional approaches. It’s about thinking big and being bold with the goal of informing global issues related to the science of food,” says Kelly M. Fox, IFT senior vice-president, meetings, learning, and business development.

 “The IFTNEXT highlights in Las Vegas include the Start-Up Alley, where leading-edge entrepreneurs with innovative offerings can showcase their products and services; the IFTNEXT Stage, which will include interactive discussions and presentations that will tackle important and often provocative topics; and the iHub, a place to connect with others to enhance on-site networking and collaboration,” continues Fox. “Andrew Pelling’s featured session is another offering in the IFTNEXT suite; his talk will blow your mind. In that session, an announcement will be made related to the IFTNEXT Innovation Competition. You will want to be present for the kickoff.”

Congratulating IFT Achievers

IFT17 will launch on a festive note with the Awards Celebration from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 25, in the Venetian Ballroom.

A select group of IFT members will be recognized with Achievement Awards during the celebration, culminating with the presentation of IFT’s highest honor, the Nicolas Appert Award. Achievement Awards acknowledge individuals or teams for remarkable contributions in research, applications, and service in food science and technology.

Eight new IFT Fellows, who will be recognized for their exemplary food science and technology achievements, will also be in the spotlight at the Awards Celebration. In addition, members of the new class of Fellows will be celebrated at a special ticketed Fellows Recognition Forum, which will take place from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 25, in Veronese 2404–2406.

(Read about the 2017 IFT Achievement Award winners on page 40. For information on the 2017 class of Fellows, see page 45.)

Others to be recognized at the Awards Celebration include up-and-coming food science professionals who will receive the Emerging Leaders Network Award, the recipient of the Food Science in Action Award, Excellence in Leadership Award recipients, and the Media Award for Excellence in Consumer Journalism recipient. Also in the spotlight that evening will be the winner of the Thesis Video Competition, Feeding Tomorrow scholarship winners, and the 2017 Innovation Award recipients chosen from among food expo exhibitors that are showcasing innovative and recently commercialized products and services.

A Welcome Reception at the convention center immediately following the Awards Celebration will provide the opportunity to celebrate with the evening’s honorees and network with other members of the profession while enjoying refreshments. It will take place from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Casanova 501–507 and 601–607.

Get Inspired at Featured Sessions

  A series of featured sessions has been planned for IFT17 with the goal of energizing, engaging, and inspiring attendees.

The first one is a panel discussion, “Processed Food: The Good, the Bad, and the Science,” which will take place from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. on Monday, June 26, in the Venetian Ballroom. In this session, panelists will explore some of the hot-button issues associated with the production and consumption of processed foods, evaluating their pros and cons.

The discussion will be moderated by Tamar Haspel, an award-winning journalist whose Washington Post column, Unearthed, covers food supply issues. Panelists will include Rachel Laudan, a food historian and blogger best known for her high-profile article “A Plea for Culinary Modernism: Why We Should Love Fast, Modern, Processed Food”; obesity expert Yoni Freedhoff, medical director of the Bariatric Medical Institute and author of the Canadian bestseller The Diet Fix: Why Diets Fail and How to Make Yours Work; and Chris Mallett, who led R&D initiatives at Cargill and who has held leadership roles at Fonterra, CSIRO, and Unilever.

Also on Monday, June 26, scientist, educator, entrepreneur, and TED Senior Fellow Andrew Pelling will share his insights in “A Conversation With Dr. Andrew Pelling.” That session will take place from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Venetian Ballroom. Pelling is a professor and Canada Research Chair at the University of Ottawa, where he founded and directs a curiosity-driven research lab that brings together artists, scientists, social scientists, and engineers. He is the cofounder and chief technology officer of Spiderwort, a company that develops open-source platforms to enable global adoption of biological research. In addition, he recently founded pHacktory, a street-level research lab in Ottawa that develops projects on the basis of proposals from the community.

A featured session from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 27, in the Venetian Ballroom will present a screening of the documentary film Food Evolution followed by a panel discussion moderated by IFT Immediate Past President Colin Dennis and featuring the film’s Academy Award–nominated director, Scott Hamilton Kennedy, and special guests featured in the film. An independent production commissioned as part of IFT’s 75th anniversary celebration, Food Evolution uses the debate over GMOs as an entry point for a wide-ranging exploration of the ways in which emotion, fears, biases, and science affect decisions about food.

What’s Next?

The IFT17 agenda includes a series of interactive sessions that will take place on the IFTNEXT stage adjacent to the IFT booth near the entrance to the food expo. Here’s a preview of some of the highlights.

• “Design Thinking for Food: A Groundbreaking Pilot Course to Develop the Next Generation of Food Innovators” will take place from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Monday, June 26. In this program, Lauren Shimek, founder of Food.Tech.Design, will invite audience members to participate in some rapid product prototyping followed by a “show and tell” session in which students from a course Shimek teaches will display product prototypes they created.
• Simona Birtic, scientific coordinator at Naturex, will discuss “Synergistical Antimicrobial Effects of Botanical Extracts in Food: Antimicrobials and Antioxidants” from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, June 26. She will report on some of the latest research on plant extracts and explore their role in product development.
• A panel of food science experts from retail, manufacturing, and supplier organizations will team up for a discussion titled “Ideal Food Material Specification” from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, June 26. Their focus will be on the use and application of science for the creation of various types of material profiles that can be used to evaluate foods.
• On Tuesday, June 27, at 10:30 a.m., a presentation titled “Consumer Trends in 2017” will provide a sneak peek at the insights gleaned from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation’s 2017 Food & Health Survey, which explores consumer attitudes and behaviors related to food and nutrition. Silvia Dumitrescu, IFIC senior vice-president, communications and marketing, will share some of the survey findings and interpret their meaning.
• “Food Technologists Without Borders—A Compelling Concept” will be the subject for a panel discussion from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, June 27. The focus will be on efforts by IFT and its Feeding Tomorrow Foundation to collaborate with nonprofit organizations on volunteer programs that leverage the technical knowledge of the IFT community to provide food technology solutions for people in need. Panelists will include Alexandra Spieldoch, CEO of Compatible Technology International; Jeff Dykstra, CEO of Partners in Food Solutions; and Erika Smith, director of the Center for Technology Creation at General Mills. Bernhard Van Lengerich, former chief science officer/vice-president, technology strategy, at General Mills, will moderate the discussion.
• From 1:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 27, GMOs will be in the spotlight in an interactive discussion titled “GMOS … So What?” In this session, audience members will be invited to discuss the ways in which the GMO controversy has affected them and their businesses, what it means for the future, and how to better position the conversation to include sound science. The discussion will continue in a follow-up session on Wednesday, June 28, from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.
• Participants in the session “Sound Off! Four Industries’ Success Stories for Environmental Monitoring, Food Safety Validation, and Sanitation,” scheduled for 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 27, will share environmental monitoring program (EMP) success stories from the dry goods, meat, and frozen food sectors, zeroing in on the complexities of implementing EMPs and creating a food safety culture.
• 3-D printing technology has been making waves in the food industry, and a presentation from 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 27, will deliver a close-up look. The presentation, “Advances in 3-D Food Printing,” will include an analysis of the flowability and printability of various product streams and characterization of the resulting printed products as well as a discussion of printing customization and relevant regulatory issues. There will be time for audience members to engage with the speakers and observe 3-D printing demonstrations immediately following the presentation.

In addition to scheduled presentations, those who are interested in microgreens will be able to explore the topic in depth during a continuously running multimedia presentation available at iPad kiosks in the IFTNEXT space. Titled “Micro Greens, Macro Trends: Nutrition, Production, Quality, and Food Safety of an Emerging Fresh Produce Commodity,” the presentation will explore the potential for novel food product development using microgreens and microgreen ingredients, touching upon the lack of standard definitions and U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulation in this area.

IFTNEXT programming will also include two roundtable discussions on topics identified by IFT divisions. One of these discussions will be on the use of virtual reality or augmented reality in the food science curriculum and the other will be on the environmental impact of widespread adoption of a plant-based diet.

Those who want to keep the conversation going and exchange ideas after IFTNEXT presentations conclude—or at any time during the annual event—will have a place to do so in the iHUB located adjacent to the IFTNEXT stage.

An Abundance of Educational Options

Ready for a deep dive into educational programming on issues ranging from current hot topics to new cold plasma technologies? It will be waiting at the annual event in Las Vegas. With 100 sessions and hundreds of expert presenters from around the globe slated to share their insights in symposia, panel discussions, and workshops scheduled throughout the day on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, June 26–28, the IFT scientific session content is sure to impress.

The process of planning the scientific program schedule takes months and relies on the expertise of hundreds of peer reviewers and a dedicated team of expert volunteers who serve on the IFT Annual Meeting Scientific Program Advisory Panel. As its organizers point out, it is educational programming developed by scientific experts for scientific experts.

“I have been involved in the organization of quite a few conferences,” says Gunnar Sigge, Dept. of Food Science head at Stellenbosch University in South Africa and chair of this year’s panel. “This is truly the best system I have seen to ensure that the best-quality session proposals are chosen for final inclusion in the program.

“Due to the comprehensive planning process, the quality of the selected proposals not only ensures that there is a diverse range of topics covered, but also that only the best session proposals are selected in each track,” Sigge continues. “I’m excited about the program, knowing that the selection process was rigorous, robust, and fair. But [I’m] also excited by the scientific and commercial appeal of the program, which really has something for everyone—an excellent mix of topics, technologies, and speakers.”

Sessions are organized within a framework of 12 tracks, but with so many options available, deciding which sessions to attend can be a challenge. Fortunately, IFT’s online planner can help simplify the planning process, allowing users to create their own customized educational experiences, searching forsessions by key words, speakers’ names, track information, and other options.

In addition to the scientific sessions, the IFT17 educational options will include nearly 700 printed poster technical research presentations and 139 ePoster presentations. The ePoster approach, introduced at last year’s annual event, was well-received and for that reason, it is making a return appearance at IFT17.

Julie Schell, an expert in higher education learning innovation, is the 2017 Fennema Lecturer. She will present her lecture, “How to Help Students Learn: Incorporating Cognitive Science Research in Food Science & Technology Education,” from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 27, in Titian 2301B. She will also lead a hands-on Fennema Workshop in the same room from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. that day; it is titled “Deep Dive Into Interactive Learning Strategies for Improving Food Science & Technology Education.”

Schell has 20 years of experience in higher education, has written and presented widely on flipped learning and peer instruction, and has held positions at leading universities, including Stanford, Yale, Columbia, Harvard, and most recently, the University of Texas at Austin.

The Expo Experience

There’s always something new to see, taste, and learn about at IFT’s food expo, and this year the show floor will open earlier than usual on the first day of the annual event—at 10 a.m. instead of the customary noon opening time. Food expo hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, June 26, and Tuesday, June 27, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28.

With more than 800 exhibitors occupying 230,000 square feet of exhibit space at the Venetian/Sands Expo, attendees will have lots of ground to cover. A New Exhibitors Pavilion located adjacent to the entrance to the show floor will make it easy to identify the newest companies on hand for IFT17. To date, 46 new exhibitors have signed up for the food expo. Other specialty pavilions will house organic products and products and services related to food safety.

• IFT Booth. This year the IFT booth will be located outside the entrance to the exhibit hall and will feature sessions about IFT’s new membership model, Certified Food Scientist (CFS) certification/recertification (including tips for how to prepare for the CFS exam), IFT volunteer and leadership opportunities, and more. IFT staff will be on hand throughout the food expo hours to answer questions about IFT, IFT membership, programs, online resources, and networking opportunities.
• On Trend Display. Also located just outside the entrance to the exhibit hall, On Trend by IFT Powered by Innova Market Insights will showcase supplier solutions to issues and challenges associated with the following trends: “Clean Supreme,” “Plant-Powered Growth,” “A Sweeter Balance,” “New Age Snacking,” and “Gut Health NPD.”
• Food Expo Innovation Awards. This annual competition invites industry innovators that are exhibiting at the food expo to submit products, technologies, ingredients, instrumentation, equipment, or services for award consideration by a panel of expert judges.
• Innova Pavilion. Always a hub of show floor activity, the Innova Market Insights Pavilion (booth 4455) will have a full complement of Innova’s food and beverage experts standing by to share their insights. Striking visual displays will keep show-goers informed about the latest market trends the Innova Market Insights team has identified. The pavilion will also include displays of products from around the globe and will be home to a series of presentations by the company’s analysts.
• Mintel Pavilion. Mintel food and beverage analysts will be on hand in the Mintel Intelligence Zone (booth 4317) throughout the course of IFT17, sharing information and pitching in to help facilitate food and beverage tastings. Eight live main stage presentations will help keep food expo attendees abreast of significant industry trends and activity.

Smart Options for Students

Competitions, educational programs, and networking as well as time for relaxing and socializing will be on the agenda for students at IFT17. The IFT Student Assoc. (IFTSA) Lounge in Lido 3001AB–3002 will be the go-to destination for students seeking a place to relax and recharge in between sessions, competitions, and walking the show floor. The lounge will be open from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 25; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, June 26; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 27; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28.

• Go With Purpose Global Challenge. Made possible when IFTSA was awarded a $10,000 Innovation Grant from the American Society of Association Executives, this brand-new initiative will challenge the student participants to tap into the resources available at IFT17 in order to arrive at solutions for a food innovation challenge related to a pressing global food issue. Participating students will work in teams, receiving guidance from professionals who will help them to think critically, apply theory to practice, and ultimately understand how global collaboration will advance innovation. Twelve students from around the globe who demonstrate a passion for innovation and a desire to better understand the global issues facing the science of food were chosen to participate in the challenge.
• Thesis Video Competition. This competition, sponsored by Campden BRI and now in its second year, invites graduate students to share their original research via a three-minute video. Finalists will be announced this month, and the winner will recognized in Las Vegas. The award for first place is a 10-day visit to Campden BRI, a United Kingdom–based research and industry advisory organization.
• Developing Solutions for Developing Countries Competition. Now in its ninth year, this competition annually asks students to apply their scientific skills to benefit the greater good, working to create new products and processes to help improve the quality of life of those in developing countries. This year competition entrants were tasked with developing a beneficial food product that uses one or more by-products from processing groundnuts, a major crop in many developing countries. The Developing Solutions Competition is sponsored by Tate & Lyle.
• Disney-IFTSA Product Development Competition. Student product developers embrace the magic of Disney in this annual competition in which each participating team creates a concept for a nutritious snack developed around a Disney franchise. A grand prize, first-place prize, and three honorary prizes will be presented at IFT17. This competition is sponsored by Disney Consumer Products.
• IFTSA & Mars Product Development Competition. Still going strong in its 27th year, the IFTSA & Mars Product Development Competition gives students on participating teams an opportunity to apply their academic expertise to the real world, generating the idea for a new food concept and taking it through marketing and production, much in the manner of a commercial product development team. The competition is sponsored by Mars Chocolate North America.
• Undergraduate Research Competition. Independent research expertise is celebrated in this competition. Student finalists chosen to present their research orally and via poster at the annual event will vie for first-, second-, and third-place recognition.
• Division Poster Competition. IFT divisions host student research competitions—poster and oral—during IFT17. Winners will be recognized at the Phi Tau Sigma ( ) and IFT Division Poster Competition Awards Ceremony that will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. Sunday, June 25.
• College Bowl Competition. Always a fierce competition, this year’s College Bowl will pit eight regionally chosen finalist teams against one another throughout multiple rounds, culminating in the final rounds during the IFTSA Closing Ceremony on Tuesday, June 27. The competition has been testing participants’ knowledge in the areas of food science and technology, the history of food and food processing, food law, knowledge of IFT facts, and food-related trivia since its inception in 1985.
• Excellence in Leadership Award. Two IFTSA members—one undergraduate and one graduate student—who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in support of IFT’s mission will be recognized as recipients of this award and each presented with $1,000 during the Awards Celebration on Sunday, June 25.
• First Timers Session. Designed for IFT annual event newbies, this session will be full of useful tips for navigating IFT17. It will take place from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 25, in Lido 3104–3106.
• IFTSA Closing Ceremony. Announcement of all the competition winners and the final rounds of the College Bowl competition will take place during the closing ceremony from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 27, in the Venetian Ballroom.
• IFTSA Networking Party. Students are invited to continue socializing at this event slated for 10 p.m. to midnight on Tuesday, June 27, at the Gold Coast Bowling Center in the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino.

More IFT17 Happenings

• Pre-Event Learning. Looking to learn a lot without spending a lot of time on it? If so, short courses scheduled in the days just prior to IFT17 in Las Vegas are an ideal learning option. Taught by industry experts and consistently highly rated by their participants, short courses last from one day to two-and-one-half days. Preregistration is recommended to secure a spot.
• Emerging Leaders Network. Just prior to the start of IFT17, some of the best and the brightest new professionals in the science of food will gather at the Venetian/Sands Expo Center for an intensive two-and-one-half-day Emerging Leaders Network leadership seminar (Friday to Sunday, June 23–25). This seminar has been carefully planned to provide new professionals with access to IFT volunteer leadership and to offer mentorship and peer collaboration opportunities. The event will allow participants to learn and practice critical skills in areas such as conflict management, team dynamics, change management, and more.

  This year marks the debut of the Emerging Leaders Network Award, which will be presented to five professionals who demonstrate high potential for success in leadership roles and a strong commitment to the profession. The 2017 Emerging Leadership Network Award recipients are Akshay Kumar Anugu, Ingredion; Bicheng Wu, Ingredion; Diane M. Schmitt, Wegmans Food Markets; Jean Pankuku, Universal Industries; and Rosalee Hellberg, Chapman University.

• New Professionals Mixer. Those who have been in the profession a decade or less are invited to mix and mingle at this annual social event scheduled for 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, June 26, in Murano 3201–3202.
• Division Networking Reception. Relax and wind down on Tuesday, June 27, at this reception with open bar and light appetizers from 4:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. in Casanova 501–507 and 601–607 in the Venetian/Sands. No ticket is required to attend; just bring your business cards for networking. A prize drawing for a student travel grant worth up to $500 will be given away following the completion of a fun on-site activity.
• Career Center Live. Any career counselor will tell you: credentials count but so do connections. And IFT’s Career Center Live is all about making professional connections. The process will begin with an open networking event from noon to 5 p.m. on Monday, June 26, in Galileo 904–907 and 1004–1007. The event always draws a crowd; last year more than 600 job seekers participated. The networking event will be followed by two very busy days of prescheduled interviews on Tuesday, June 27, and Wednesday, June 28. In 2016, participating employers conducted 550 interviews over two days. Employers are still signing up for Career Center Live; the list of those already scheduled to be on hand includes Kerry, Mars North America, Impossible Foods, and Saputo Cheese USA.
• CFS Activities. Located in Marco Polo 806–807, the CFS Lounge will be open during food expo hours for those who wish to take a break, network with peers, or learn more about the CFS program. A variety of CFS informational sessions will be held in the lounge as well as at the IFT booth during the course of the annual event.
  
  Professionals who have earned the CFS designation in the past year will be recognized at the CFS Networking Breakfast from 7:15 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on Monday, June 26, in the CFS Lounge. Tickets for this event, which will provide the latest updates on the program, may be purchased during advance registration.
• Feeding Tomorrow Student Celebration. IFT’s foundation, Feeding Tomorrow, supports undergraduate and graduate students in a variety of ways, including scholarships, internships, travel stipends, and via the summer scholars program. A gathering to celebrate 2017–2018 recipients and to provide information on 2018–2019 opportunities will be held during the annual event, with the time and location to be announced soon.

On the Horizon in 2018

So come with purpose to Las Vegas for an event that is sure to deliver beyond expectations. And when it’s all said and done, it will be time to start anticipating IFT18, which will return to Chicago’s McCormick Place July 15–18, 2018, once again creating a food science experience that simply should not be missed.

Mary Ellen Kuhn is executive editor of Food Technology
magazine
[email protected]