Omnivore
Episode 17
Sustainable Product Positioning, Plant-Based Product Safety, Where NOVA Goes Awry
Episode Description
In this episode of Omnivore, our hosts interview food science thought leaders appearing in the pages of the August 2023 issue of Food Technology.
Dr. Dave Lundahl, CEO of behavioral research firm InsightsNow, talks about the importance of—and challenges related to—sustainable food and beverage product positioning. Dr. Erdogan Ceylan joins us once again, this time to discuss potential food safety risks when formulating plant-based foods. Drs. Job Ubbink and Allen Levine assess the shortcomings (and strengths) of NOVA food classification.
Plus: Find out more about IFT’s new Product Development Bootcamp, a comprehensive, 10-module online course designed to equip food and beverage professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to elevate and accelerate product development. Learn more at www.ift.org/bootcamp.
Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Featured Guests
-
Dave Lundahl
Dave Lundahl, PhD, applies his skills as a statistician and food scientist to understanding consumers’ motivations and their impact on product development priorities, as CEO of InsightsNow behavioral research firm. -
Erdogan Ceylan
Erdogan Ceylan, PhD, is director-scientific affairs with Mérieux NutriSciences and chair of IFT’s Refrigerated and Frozen Foods Division. He is an award-winning food safety and quality executive with 25 years of experience in industrial research, food processing, operational food safety issues, troubleshooting, crisis management and regulatory affairs. -
Job Ubbink
Job Ubbink, PhD, is Professor and Head of the Food Science and Nutrition Department at University of Minnesota, and a member of IFT’s Food Chemistry Division. -
Allen Levine
Allen Levine, PhD, is a past Vice President of Research at the University of Minnesota and Professor Emeritus of Food Science and Nutrition.
Categories
-
Food Safety
-
Food Safety and Defense
-
Podcasts
-
Omnivore
Omnivore
IFT’s Omnivore and Omnivore Presents: SciDish podcasts spark lively, thought-provoking conversations with the science, business, and regulatory leaders shaping the future of food. Each episode delivers sharp analysis, practical insights, and bold ideas designed to challenge assumptions, ignite innovation, and energize your work across the global food system.
Recent Podcasts
Mar 23, 2026
2026 Consumer Food Trends, Why Alt-Meat Is a Long Game
Dr. Liz Sloan shares her take on the defining consumer trends of 2026. And John Ruff draws on decades of product development experience to explain why alternative meat is a long game.
Podcasts
Mar 16, 2026
How Food Science is Reinventing Meat
Bruce Friedrich explores how cultivated and plant-based meat could reshape food production—and what it means for the future of protein.
Podcasts
Feb 23, 2026
Deconstructing America’s New Dietary Guidance, Unlocking Sustainable Fat Innovation
Nutrition experts break down the new U.S. Dietary Guidelines and explore how animal-free fats are improving taste and mouthfeel in plant-based foods.
Podcasts