Rethinking Approaches to Obesity, Precision Fermentation Takes Off, GLP-1 Drugs: A Boon for Product Development

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Omnivore

Episode Description

Get the latest insights from the food science and technology community in the March 2025 episodes of the Omnivore podcast.

Obesity policy expert Ted Kyle shares his thoughts on how the food industry should respond to consumers’ need for more healthful food options, and why he’s not a fan of the food as medicine concept. Process engineer Shalima Sreenath, whose previous work with Beyond Meat focused on scaling up transformative alt-meat technologies, shares the exciting new possibilities of precision fermentation technology in the food and ag space. With anti-obesity drugs on the rise, Barb Stuckey, chief new product strategy officer at Mattson, talks about the abundant innovation opportunities for companies.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT Virtual Workshops, where you stay “in the know” instead of “on the go.” Learn more about all four exciting new virtual workshops on the Career Development page at ift.org.

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GUESTS

Featured Guests

Ted Kyle Founder, ConscienHealth

Ted Kyle, founder of ConscienHealth, is a veteran of the pharmaceutical industry who has spent nearly two decades advocating for better approaches to preventing and treating obesity. He has a BS in Pharmacy and an MBA in marketing.
Shalima Sreenath, MEng Chemical Engineer

Shalima Sreenath, MEng, is a chemical engineer with over a decade of experience in the food and biotechnology industries. Currently the head of downstream processing at Cellibre, she leads the isolation of novel small molecules produced through precision fermentation, driving innovations from lab scale to commercialization. Sreenath began her career as a process engineer at Kerry and had an impactful tenure at Beyond Meat, where she focused on scaling up transformative alternative meat technologies.
Barb Stuckey Chief Strategy Officer, Mattson

Barb Stuckey is chief new product strategy officer at Mattson and a food and beverage industry veteran specializing in innovation, trends, consumer behavior, food tech, flavor, and development.

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.

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