Omnivore
Episode 4
Sandwiches on the Menu, Chemicals of Concern in Food Packaging, Meat Analogue Binders
Episode Description
In this episode of Omnivore, Food Technology’s editorial team gets in the New Year’s groove with stories and interviews taken from the January print issue.
Insight from Maeve Webster, president of Menu Matters, about sandwiches and why they are getting lots of love both from consumers and foodservice operators. Maricel Maffini, an internationally recognized scientist committed to public health advocacy through regulation and oversight of chemical exposure, provides us with a window into the world of chemicals of concern in food packaging. A chat with the lead researcher about a new University of Hohenheim study on how stickiness in meat analogues is influenced by different ratios of proteins and carbohydrates in the form of pea protein and apple pectin.
Plus: Information on IFT’s just-released Salary Survey resource.
Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Featured Guests
-
Maeve Webster President of Menu Matters
Maeve Webster is president of Menu Matters, an independent consultancy, based on 18 years of industry experience, designed to help foodservice clients identify, evaluate and leverage trends from flavors and preparation techniques to consumer behavior and operational innovations.
-
Maricel Maffini PhD
Maricel Maffini, PhD, is an independent consultant with MVM Consulting, whose accomplishments include successfully persuading FDA to eliminate unsafe uses of chemicals in food.
-
Pascal Moll M.Sc.
Pascal Moll, M.Sc., is a product development manager with E.V.A. GmbH and a consulting food scientist of his own company, Better Food Consulting, located in Germany. As a recent doctoral student at the University of Hohenheim’s Institute of Food Science and Biotechnology, whose recent research focuses on using pea proteins and apple pectin as binding agents in meat analogues.
Categories
-
Protein
-
Food Categories
-
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