Episode 2
Foodservice Menu Upgrades, USDA’s Nutrition Chief Speaks, Ingredient Trends, and Light-Based Disinfection Tech
Episode Description
In this episode of Omnivore, Food Technology’s editorial team takes a deeper dive into a selection of 2022’s most significant stories and interviews taken from the August - November print issues.
Hear from consumer trends guru Liz Sloan on how menu superstars, reimagined classics and internationally inspired cuisine are upgrading foodservice menus. Discover how USDA’s nutrition chief Sara Bleich is poised to break down barriers to nutrition security and health equity. Get the scoop on the latest ingredient trends from the IFT FIRST show floor. And, find out more about how UV-LED and pulsed light disinfection technologies have advanced pathogen control in the food industry from nonthermal processing scientist Tatiana Koutchma.
Plus: Information on IFT’s new Concierge membership program.
Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Featured Guests
-
A. Elizabeth Sloan President
A. Elizabeth Sloan, PhD, is CEO and president of consumer trends consultancy Sloan Trends Inc. and a longtime contributing editor of Food Technology magazine. A veteran of work in industry, media, and public relations, Sloan received a PhD in food science and technology from the University of Minnesota.
-
Sara Bleich Vice Provost and Professor
Sara Bleich, PhD, is vice provost for special projects and professor of public health policy at Harvard University. She is formerly director of nutrition security and health equity with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
-
Tatiana Koutchma, PhD
Tatiana Koutchma, PhD, is a research scientist specializing in the development of novel and nonthermal food safety technologies at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Categories
-
Food Health Nutrition
-
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
Apr 20, 2026
Food Product Scale-Up Strategies, A New Path for Chocolate Production
Renee Leber unpacks scaling food innovations from lab to plant trials, plus California Cultured CEO Alan Perlstein discusses how plant cell culture could reinvent cocoa production with sustainable, scalable solutions for future chocolate supply.
Podcasts
Apr 13, 2026
Designing Climate-Resilient Food Systems
Explore how circular food systems, upcycling, and new technologies are reducing food waste and transforming sustainable food production.
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