IFT has announced that Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, Executive Director, European Food Safety Authority, will be the third Beacon Lecturer at this summer’s 2013 IFT Annual Meeting and Food Expo. Scheduled to speak on July 14, 2013, from 4:00 to 4:45 p.m., Geslain-Lanéelle will be presenting on “Can Science Do More to Support Food Policy? The European UnionExperience.”
Europe faced a series of food safety crises around the turn of this century related to, among other things, BSE, Salmonella, dioxin contamination, and the use of chemicals in the food chain. Faced with public disquiet over the safety of the food on citizens’ plates, the near collapse of the European beef trade, and a deteriorating political milieu, legislators took the momentous decision to separate science from politics and to elevate the role of science in the policy making process. The enactment of the General Food Law in 2002 marked a watershed moment in the history of European food safety and gave birth to the European Food Safety Authority, the European Union’s independent risk assessment body.
A decade later, Europe can reflect on the relative merits and demerits of this food safety governance model, which has aroused global interest and been emulated elsewhere. Many factors have changed in EFSA’s operating environment during that decade, not the least of which is the economic crisis, which threatens the livelihoods of many and forces regulatory authorities worldwide to reconsider their return on investment for citizens. Ironically, while the need for evidence-based policy is gaining widespread acceptance, public trust in the scientific process and in scientists themselves is coming under increasing pressure. In parallel, there is a growing demand for greater social involvement in the democratic process and civil society groups have emerged as significant players in food policy decisions. Meanwhile, science advances relentlessly and complex food technologies are emerging with the potential to revolutionize our food production processes, aided by the easier transfer of technology from academia to industry.
Against this backdrop, Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle draws on her experience as Executive Director of EFSA since 2006, as a risk manager in the European Commission and in France, and as Chair of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on General Principles to chart European progress in establishing evidence-based food policy, and to identify the key future challenges facing the risk assessment community.
About Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle has been EFSA’s Executive Director since July 2006. Her renewed five-year mandate started on 1 July 2011. Throughout her career, Geslain-Lanéelle has held several positions of responsibility within the food sector. In 2000, she was appointed Director General of the Food Dept. within the French Agricultural Ministry at the height of the BSE crisis in France. In this post, she was responsible for managing health risks related to food, animal health and welfare, and plant protection as well as risk communications. Geslain-Lanéelle remained in this post until April 2003 when she became Regional Director of Agriculture and Forestry for the Ile de France region. She has held a number of international positions, notably as Chair of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on General Principles in 2001 and 2002, as well as Deputy Director of the French Dept. of International Trade from 1998 to 2000, managing French food aid. Here she worked closely with the European Commission and several other international organizations, working to promote the European agricultural model. She also worked at the European Commission from 1991 to 1993 as a National Expert at DG III (DG Industry and Internal Market) in the area of food safety. Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle has a Master of Science from the Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon and from the Ecole Nationale du Génie Rural, des Eaux et des Forêts.
About the Beacon Lecturers
The lectures made their debut in 2011 as a vehicle for adding new perspectives to the Annual Meeting with presentations by high-profile individuals capable of imparting cutting-edge, game-changing perspectives on food science and technology. The format for the lectures is a 30-minute presentation followed by a 15-minute question-and-answer session.
IFT has just announced that Fareed Zakaria will be the keynote speaker at this summer’s Annual Meeting and Food Expo. The host of CNN’s international affairs program—Fareed Zakaria GPS—Dr. Zakaria is also the Editor-at-Large of TIME, a Washington Post columnist, and best-selling author. In 2010, Foreign Policy named him one of the top 100 global thinkers.
Dr. Zakaria’s presentation comes at a critical time for food professionals who face extreme challenges in both developed and developing nations ranging from food waste, food safety, and food insecurity to new nutritional demands and limitations on natural resources.
About Fareed Zakaria
Since 2008, he has hosted Fareed Zakaria GPS, which airs Sundays worldwide on CNN. Dr. Zakaria’s in-depth interviews with the Dalai Lama, heads of state including Barack Obama, Manmohan Singh, King Abdullah II, Dmitry Medvedev, Moammar Gadhafi, and Lula da Silva, as well as countless intellectuals, business leaders, politicians, and journalists have been broadcast in more than 200 million homes in over 210 countries. Within its first year, GPS garnered an Emmy nomination for an interview with Premier Wen Jaibao.
Dr. Zakaria was introduced as TIME Editor at Large in October 2010 after spending 10 years overseeing all of Newsweek’s editions abroad. His cover stories and columns—on subjects from globalization and emerging markets to the Middle East and America’s role in the world—reach more than 25 million readers weekly. While his columns have received many awards including a 2010 National Magazine Award, his October 2001 Newsweek cover story, “Why They Hate Us,” remains the most decorated. Before joining Newsweek in October 2000, he spent eight years as managing editor of Foreign Affairs, a post he was appointed to at only 28 years old.
The Post-American World, which is Dr. Zakaria’s most recent book, was heralded in the New York Times book review as “…a relentlessly intelligent book” and The Economist called it “…a powerful guide” to facing global challenges. Like The Post-American World, his previous book, The Future of Freedom, was a New York Times bestseller and has been translated into over 20 languages.
Born in India on January 20, 1964, Dr. Zakaria went on to receive a B.A. from Yale College and a Ph.D. from Harvard University. He has received honorary degrees from numerous universities including Brown, the University of Miami, and Oberlin College. He lives in New York City with his wife, son, and two daughters.
IFT’s Taste the Expo program makes it easy for you to locate exhibitors who are providing samples on the expo floor. Show-goers polled about the Food Expo reported that product tasting/obtaining samples was one of their top three reasons for attending. Recognizing the importance of sampling, IFT started the Taste the Expo program at last year’s show. Exhibitor participants in this year’s Taste the Expo program will be highlighted right here on IFT Live. In addition, they can be found in the on-site Program and Exhibit Directory and within IFT’s smartphone mobile app.
IFT has announced that Mark J. Manary, M.D., Helene B. Roberson Professor of Pediatrics, and Director, Global Harvest Alliance, will be the second Beacon Lecturer at this summer’s 2013 IFT Annual Meeting and Food Expo. Manary will be speaking in conjunction with the IFTSA Closing Ceremony on July 15, 2013, from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. on the topic of “The Future of Food Aid: From the Miracle of RUTF in Malawi to Appropriately Designed Food Aid in the 21st Century.”
Food aid has classically been surplus commodities donated to circumstances in which food shortages exist. In the past, donors of food aid have given little consideration to the appropriateness of nutritional content, food safety, and stability of foodstuffs. The advent of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for severe childhood malnutrition 12 years ago demonstrated the clinical benefits that can be accrued when nutrition, safety, and stability are key criteria for appropriate food aid. RUTF has an extremely low water activity, preventing the replication of microbes therein. With the addition of proper emulsifiers, oil separation and subsequent oxidation of fat-soluble nutrients have been reduced in RUTF. Cooking of the RUTF ingredients prior to their mixing has allowed RUTF to be consumed directly from the package, offering children the chance to space their dietary intake out over the course of many hours, thereby consuming more food and recovering more quickly. RUTF has made home-based therapy possible, allowing children to receive treatment earlier in the course of their malnutrition. Dramatic increases in recovery rates, from 45% to 85%, have been routinely seen, as well as huge reductions in the opportunity cost to participants. RUTF has allowed for increases in program coverage from 10% to 60%, allowing for 10 times as many children to receive this life-saving therapy. All of these lessons need to be applied to food aid that is used for moderate malnutrition, prevention of malnutrition, and food aid directed at other target groups, such as pregnant women and HIV-infected individuals. Application of basic principles of food science will move food aid into the modern age, the 21st century, where the recipient is given foremost consideration and benefit.
About Manary
Mark J. Manary, M.D., is the Helene B. Roberson Professor of Pediatrics at Wash. Univ. and Director of the Global Harvest Alliance, a joint venture between St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Wash. Univ., and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. He has made it his professional goal to fix malnutrition for kids in Africa. To this end, he has developed ready-to-use therapeutic food and used it in home-based therapy. Manary performed the first clinical trial with this food in 2001. He is currently formulating and evaluating new foods designed to augment the therapy of HIV in Africa, and treat moderate childhood malnutrition. Manary also recognizes the importance of work to prevent childhood malnutrition, and to that end he is exploring the use of lipid nutrient supplements as complementary foods for children aged 6 to 24 months in Malawi. Because he believes the ultimate solution for malnutrition is improved agriculture, he is an investigator on BioCassava Plus, a Gates Foundation project to develop genetically improved cassava that is enriched with iron, protein, beta-carotene, and zinc. Manary runs a plant genetics lab at the Danforth Plant Science Center, where he investigates nutrient-enhanced peanuts. He continues to explore the basic pathophysiology and metabolism of malnutrition, and he is currently looking at the gut microbiota and metabolome in kwashiorkor and marasmus, as well as zinc homeostasis. Manary loves engaging students in his work, and says they can be inspired to embrace global health issues and bring fresh perspectives to long-standing problems.
About the Beacon Lecturers
The lectures made their debut in 2011 as a vehicle for adding new perspectives to the Annual Meeting with presentations by high-profile individuals capable of imparting cutting-edge, game-changing perspectives on food science and technology. The format for the lectures is a 30-minute presentation followed by a 15-minute question-and-answer session.
IFT has announced that David W. Robson, Head of Energy and Environmental Foresight, Scottish Government, UK, will be one of the Beacon Lecturers at this summer’s 2013 IFT Annual Meeting and Food Expo. Scheduled to speak on July 15, 2013, from 4:00 to 4:45 p.m., Robson will be presenting on “Food, Water, Energy Nexus: Surprise Is Inevitable, Being Unprepared Is Not.”
Demand for resources will escalate over the next 20 years as the world’s population approaches 8 billion, with the population of more than 50 countries increasing by over one-third. A total of 261 river basins are shared by more than one country, 175 million Indians consume grain produced from water supplies that are not being replenished, and energy demand is likely to increase by 35%, with non-OECD countries accounting for 93% of that growth. Before 2004, about half of the disputes between nations involved resource issues; since then, all of them have. The global energy-water-food nexus is reshaping international affairs as countries large and small attempt to assert their national interests on the global stage. In the meantime, it is hard to overestimate the growing impact of emerging economies on global resources. Looking ahead, these countries will increasingly shape the future picture of energy and food demand; resource supply; CO2 emissions; technology standards; and the prospects for global trade, security, and the environment.
Robson will make the case that this is a future that demands our immediate attention. Policy and investment decisions are being made now that will determine our room for maneuver over the next 20 years. We will have to juggle a competing and conflicting set of international resource security issues, economic shocks, and justice concerns that yield a tangle of difficult-to-manage domestic consequences. How can we best support decision-makers in making the best strategic choices for an uncertain world, dominated by a complex web of food-water-energy issues? Advice is made all the more difficult when evidence of the future is proving rather hard to come by.
About Robson
Robson heads Scottish Government’s energy and environmental foresight capability, leading work across government to better anticipate strategic threats and opportunities. He started his career as a designer working in industry before moving to the Design Council to lead multidisciplinary design projects with commercial clients. He was later appointed CEO of Scottish Design Ltd., consulting with companies on design and product development. After moving to the international division of Scottish Enterprise to manage secondary foreign direct investment (Scotland’s primary Economic Development Agency), he was appointed Director of Innovation Development in the same organisation to lead a “do-tank” researching and developing innovation policy. Latterly, Robson became Director of Policy and Practice for Industries Division of Scottish Enterprise.
David started working for Scottish Government by serving as an associate deputy director assisting the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy and Environmental Security Directorate. As part of his current government work, he leads an international government security community (under the Global Futures Forum) working on a range of issues that contribute to Human and Natural Resource Security—such as energy, environmental degradation, water and food security, global health, climate change, and bio-diversity.
About the Beacon Lecturers
The lectures made their debut in 2011 as a vehicle for adding new perspectives to the Annual Meeting with presentations by high-profile individuals capable of imparting cutting-edge, game-changing perspectives on food science and technology. The format for the lectures is a 30-minute presentation followed by a 15-minute question-and-answer session.
The IFT International Food Nanoscience Conference is back and better than ever. It will be held July 12–13 at the Hilton Chicago, in Chicago, Ill., just prior to the Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Join expert speakers from around the world and gain the latest insights into topics such as:
Current and emerging nanoscience applications for sustainability, nutrition, flavors, food processing and engineering, and other areas
Evaluating the safety of nanomaterials
Non-U.S. perspectives on nanotechnology
Consumer perceptions and education
New to Nanoscience?
Join us on July 12 for a primer workshop designed to help build or refresh your foundational understanding of nanoscience. Find out more information.
You can now register for 2013 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo, taking place July 13–16 in Chicago, Ill. Join thousands of your colleagues from around the world to learn about the newest trends, products, ingredients, processing technologies, and more, and their potential impact on your business. At the 2013 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo, you’ll also find nearly unlimited opportunities to connect with other food professionals — experts from industry, academia, and government who are involved in both the science and the business of food.
Save up to $150 when you register by May 31, 2012. Register today.
Not an IFT member?
Join now and save up to $220 off the cost of Annual Meeting & Food Expo Registration! IFT Member dues plus the member registration fee cost less than non-member registration rates alone! Join today and you’ll receive your IFT Membership number instantly.
IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo® June 25–28, Las Vegas, Nev.
Food professionals from all over the globe gathered in Las Vegas for the IFT 2012 Annual Meeting & Food Expo® June 26–28, 2012, to make this year’s event a huge success. Attracting over 18,000 registrants from all 50 states and nearly 80 countries, this year’s event featured 1,066 exhibitors, which is an 8% increase from last year. The number of international exhibitors was 358. Over 100 educational sessions and 1,000+ poster sessions provided information on the latest developments and trends in food science.
Obviously, one person can’t make it to everything that the meeting had to offer in just four short days. IFT Live—the official electronic show daily—offers the chance for you to see what you may have missed. This year, IFT Live contains 100+ articles from the event, written by the Food Technology magazine staff. Not only does IFT Live offer articles covering the show, it also includes a photo gallery and videos taken at the show.
In this newsletter—the official wrap up of the show—you will find in-depth coverage of the sessions, award winners, products from the expo, and much more. Visit IFT Live.
Casimir Akoh Receives Appert Award Casimir C. Akoh, Distinguished Professor, Dept. of Food Science & Technology, University of Georgia, was honored as the recipient of the 2012 Nicholas Appert Award on Monday, June 25, at the Awards Celebration. Roger Clemens, IFT President, presented Akoh with the award, which is IFT’s highest honor and is given annually to an IFT member for preeminence in and contributions to the field of food science and technology. The award includes a $5,000 honorarium and a plaque from IFT. Also honored Monday night were the 15 food professionals named 2012 IFT Fellows.
Here’s a look at some of the other awards and competition winners announced at the 2012 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo®:
Starbucks’ Schultz Urges Business Authenticity, Transparency, and Humanity Despite the economic challenges facing the nation—and the world—business operators can prevail by staying authentic and transparent and managing their companies through a “lens of humanity,” said IFT Keynote Speaker Howard Schultz, Starbucks president, chairman & chief executive officer. Speaking to an attentive crowd at Tuesday morning’s, June 26, Keynote Session in the convention center, Schultz reflected on the essential principles that have guided the company he took public 20 years ago.
Howard Schultz wasn’t the only presitigous guest that spoke at this year’s IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Speakers also included IFT’s Beacon Leacturers: Jose Saavedra, Nestlé Nutrition and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Mehmood Khan, M.D., CEO, Global Nutrition Group, and Chief Scientific Officer of PepsiCo. Here’s a look at what they shared with IFT attendees:
Fun Run is a Sure Bet for Attendees Las Vegas never sleeps … well, the 600+ registrants who got up first thing Wednesday morning, June 27, for the 12th Annual Fun Run and Walk may not have gotten much sleep, but it was for a good cause. And even Elvis showed up to support the effort (look for him in the video). In total, sponsorships garnered over $81,000, once again a record high for Feeding Tomorrow scholarships. More than 15 student and corporate teams were among the participants. As in previous years, Bruce Ferree, California Natural Products, again raised the most money for a single person. Just for participating, all runners received a race t-shirt.
IFT Food Expo Provides an Array of Themes Over the years, the IFT Food Expo has set the stage for a variety of exciting food and beverage prototypes that attendees can sample. This year, Food Technology Senior Editor Donald Pszczola noted that with casinos ranging from Treasure Island to Circus Circus, from the Venetian to Paris, Las Vegas is a city of themes. In a short distance, you can visit the duplication of various settings from around the world. It is quite appropriate then that many exhibitors at the IFT Food Expo showcased their own distinctive and exciting themes. Ingredient exhibitors use prototypes not only to capture the local atmosphere, but also to demonstrate, in a number of creative ways, how their ingredients can address trends in flavor, texture, functionality, and better-for-you formulating.
Establishing the Taste for Nutrition Before their second birthday, many children have begun to develop preferences for processed carbohydrates, in the form of added sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages, and sodium. As a consequence, scientific evidence shows that susceptibility for hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and obesity are rooted early in life. Several factors conspire to predispose children to consume diets that may lead to obesity, but namely, children’s taste preferences are innate and driven by evolution and environment. During the session “Flavor Perception, Satiety, and Nutrition: Implications Throughout the Life Cycle” on Thursday afternoon, June 28, speakers explained the science behind taste perception, flavor preferences, satiety, and nutrition.
With the industry highly focused on making food healthier, many of the 100+ scientific sessions offered at the IFT Annual Meeting addressed health and wellness. Here’s a look at just some of these sessions.
As more Americans become take an active interest in their health, it has become apparent that wellness doesn’t just correspond to the nutrients in their food. It has become an integral part of consumers’ everyday lives. In the presentation “Formulating & Marketing for Health,” Lynn Dornblaser, Director of Innovation & Insight at Mintel, explained how wellness is manifesting itself in the marketplace, and how food manufacturers are addressing consumers’ desire for it.
Looking at data on new product introductions in the United States, there has been growth in ethical and environmental claims. Dornblaser explained that usually this growth is about a food products’ packaging, not necessarily its formulation. This showcases consumers increased desire for environmentally-friendly and recyclable packaging and highlights the fact that wellness extends to a company’s environmental responsibility. In addition, 35% of all food product introductions contain “suitable for” claims, meaning they are suitable for diabetics, or they are Halal, or Kosher. “Consumers are demanding Kosher products not necessarily for dietary or religious reasons, but because in consumers’ minds it is more wholesome,” said Dornblaser.
This idea of wholesome can be seen in many new product introductions. For example, Kroger’s Wholesome@Home has a mac and cheese chilled side dish, which by all nutrition standards is not that healthy, but the brand name conveys a sense of home-cooked goodness.
Another factor influencing consumers’ perception of wellness is the authenticity of a product and where it came from. With consumers being more skeptical about the products they ingest, they are looking for products to come from the best possible origin. For some, this reflects the product’s sustainability, and for others it highlights a product’s safety. For example, 31% of fish eaters say that whether a fish is wild-caught or farm-raised is very important to them. Marketers are taking advantage of this, by playing up the item’s origin to add a sense of authenticity to the product. ChangingSeas has a Smoked Salmon that specifies on the packaging that is from farm-raised fish in Norway.
Although not a new concept, the idea that natural foods are healthier than non-natural foods is now apparent at all price points. Even more than that, natural has come to reflect the inherent goodness of a product’s ingredients. Companies are taking a softer approach to the natural claim, by seeking clean labels and minimal packaging. Dannon’s yogurt brand Pure gets that natural vibe across with its name and the fact that is only has seven ingredients. Consumers want to recognize the ingredients on the back of the product, so that instead of seeing strange chemical names they aren’t familiar with they see ingredients they know and trust.
Wellness is no longer about just claims and fortification of products; it extends the packaging, marketing, and aura of a product. Dornblaser predicts that the future will be about “clean fuel” but for your body.
Despite the food industry’s concerted efforts in the last few years to reduce sodium in foods, consumers still have many misconceptions about sodium’s impact on health. As moderator John Ruff, IFT President-Elect, said in his introduction to the “Stimulating Sodium Reduction and Overcoming Technological Challenges” late-breaking session held Wednesday morning, June 27, only 50% of consumers are aware of the link between sodium and high blood pressure. With 31% of deaths in America caused by cardiovascular diseases and the majority of Americans consuming way more than the recommended daily intake of sodium, it is apparent that the challenge to educate consumers is a vital one.
Part of this education needs to entail communicating with consumers about where the majority of their sodium is coming from. According to Ruff, 77% of sodium comes from processed foods, and only 11% comes from cooking and adding salt at the dinner table. However, when consumers think about making an effort to cut down on their sodium, they often forgo the salt shaker at meal time. In addition, “consumers think that salty snacks are the main source of sodium in their diets,” said Ruff, “when in reality, out of processed foods, breads contain the most sodium.”
There are obvious and known challenges to decreasing sodium in such processed foods. As MaryAnne Drake, North Carolina State Univ., explained to attendees, salt is a very functional ingredient in food products. It provides microbial stability, structure/texture, and flavor. And with salty taste being a main driver of liking, reformulating products to lower sodium needs to be done cautiously. “The products have to taste good and similar to their traditional full-sodium counterparts,” explained Drake.
“Very few consumers are willing to give up taste for health benefits,” said Barbara Davis, Health Focus International. In fact, even when faced with a serious illness or heart-related disease, only 17% are willing to sacrifice taste for health. Davis went on to say that in order to drive home the point that consumers need to reduce their sodium intake, the messaging need to be relevant to them. And sometimes, this is not a health message. For example, while 37% of women respond to medically driven concerns surrounding sodium, almost as many (26%) respond more to concerns over sodium causing bloating and water weight gain.
Davis also believes that instituting a new method for labeling sodium on food packaging might help consumers keep tabs on their daily allotment. “Milligrams don’t mean much to consumers when they are looking at the Nutrition Facts Panel,” said Davis. She proposes a point system for sodium, in which one point would be equal to 100 mg of sodium. Similar to the Weight Watchers Points program, consumers would know that, if they are healthy, they should consume 23 points or under a day, and if they are at risk, they would have 15 points/day.
So obviously there are still hurdles to overcome for the food industry to market low-sodium foods and have them accepted by consumers. However, it is clear we are moving in the right direction. “More than 50% of consumers say that reduced-sodium products taste better than they used to,” said Davis. And as Ruff said in his introduction, a step-wise approach to modifying food products is necessary in order for consumers to get used to lower levels of sodium in foods.
Janet Collins, IFT Incoming President-Elect and Global Biotechnology Manager, Government Affairs Lead, and Ag Policy Manager for the DuPont Co., kicked off the awards presentation for the inaugural “Making Healthy School Meals Easy Challenge” on Wednesday, June 27 in the Special Events Pavilion. As she explained, IFT in partnership with the IFT Foodservice Division and the American Culinology Federation (ACF) developed this competition to increase the accessibility of healthy foods throughout the country.
And there is certainly a need for more nutritious foods to be available for America’s children and teens. According to Rachel Dickens, from the USDA and one of the competition’s judges, 22 million children and teenagers take advantage of the free and reduced-price meals offered at schools in the United States. And with 17% of U.S.’s children and teens considered obese, it is vital to provide healthier options. This was one of the reasons the USDA launched the “Recipes for Healthy Kids Competition” in 2011, which sought out new recipe ideas in three categories: Dark green and/or orange veggies; whole grains; and dry beans and peas.
From there, the “Making Healthy School Meals Easy Challenge” was conceptualized. The goal: to recreate one of the winning recipes into a manufactured food product that is affordable, maintains the nutritional content, enhances the flavor, and can be easily used in cafeterias. Entries from the three finalist teams—each one comprised of a chef, food technologist, manufacturer, and school foodservice worker—were judged by an expert panel of eight judges including Charles Wilson, Executive Chef of Caesars Palace.
The winners were announced by Brian Yager of IFT’s Foodservice Division:
3rd Place: Team Delicious’ Roasted Fish Crispy Slaw Wrap
2nd Place: Team Arizona’s Porcupine Sliders
1st Place: Team Z-Trim’s Smokin’ Powerhouse Chili
Congratulations to all of the teams on their hard work!
Las Vegas never sleeps … well, the 600+ registrants who got up first thing Wednesday morning, June 27, for the 12th Annual Fun Run and Walk may not have gotten much sleep, but it was for a good cause. And even Elvis showed up to support the effort (look for him in the video below). In total, sponsorships garnered over $81,000, once again a record high for Feeding Tomorrow scholarships. More than 15 student and corporate teams were among the participants. As in previous years, Bruce Ferree, California Natural Products, again raised the most money for a single person. Just for participating, all runners received a race t-shirt.
The race got off to a great start at 6:15 a.m. and at the end of the 3.1 miles it was clear that many were taking the “fun” run very seriously. The top three men and women runners were as follows:
Men
• David Peters, with a time of 16:22
• Christopher Charles, with a time of 17:11
• Steve Kollars, with a time of 18:45
Women
• Trella Chrisco, with a time of 22:05
• Sara Spoede, with a time of 22:06
• Amanda Charbonneau, with a time of 22:08
The list of top runners for each category is here. The list of times for all runners can be found here.
The IFTSA and Feeding Tomorrow gratefully acknowledge the Fun Run event sponsors:
Platinum: Chicago Section IFT, D.D. Williamson, Glanbia Nutritionals, Ingredion, Michael Foods Inc., PepsiCo, Southern California Section IFT
Gold: David Michael & Co., GEA, GNT, Horn Co., Land O’Lakes Dairy Foods, MET-Rx
“Wellness has become a part of consumers’ everyday lives in a variety of ways,” said Lynn Dornblaser, Director of Innovation & Insight at Mintel, in her introduction to Mintel’s “Approaches to Weight Management” presentation at their booth (Mintel’s “New Products and Consumer Insights” pavilion, booth1569) on Tuesday afternoon. In fact, 42% of Americans strive for balance when it comes to their health, and they are starting to understand that healthy means many different things—from getting enough sleep, to riding a bike to work, to eating more fruits and vegetables. Moderation has become the key to living well for 98% of consumers. But while moderation, diet, and exercise seem to be well understood, consumers are still not necessarily following through.
Given the obesity epidemic, “weight management is the single most important health and wellness issue facing the nation,” said Mintel’s David Jago, Direcotor of Innovation and Insights. And food manufacturers are taking notice; there has been an increase in active health positioning of products to aid in weight control. Americans are using products that increase satiety, enhance metabolism, and block fat to aid in weight management. “There has been a shift away from dieting to lose weight towards dieting to maintain weight,” said Dornblaser. This demonstrates that consumers are increasingly seeking balance and health management and not a “quick fix.”
Overall, Mintel sees the concept of satiety gaining ground, especially using high fiber and protein claims. For example, General Mills’ Fiber OneBar provides 20% of the daily recommended fiber as a way to maintain fullness longer. And this is ringing true with consumers; the popular product had $149 million in sales in 2010. Other products are combining fiber and protein to enhance the message of satiety and healthiness. Take Life Choice Foods’ Wellness Bar, which contains fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
“Staying fuller longer really does resonate with consumers,” said Dornblaser. Given this, manufacturers are starting to expand beyond cereal-based products with fiber and satiety claims. Baxters’ Stay Full canned soup was launched in the U.K. and claims to balance carbs, increase protein, and keep you full longer. Although sales for the product have been slow, they are building and Mintel expects to see more products like this one introduced in the marketplace in the near future.
Additionally, Mintel expects to see the idea of “stealth health”—or building better nutrition into various products—increase over the coming year. “The focus is shifting to the positives of fullness and away from the negatives of dieting,” concluded Dornblaser.
With 30 companies in attendance at this year’s IFT Career Fair, held Tuesday, June 26, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Las Vegas Convention Center, it’s no wonder the aisles were crowded with graduates and students seeking internships and full-time positions. One of those job seekers was Christopher Gendron, who graduated in December from Univ. of Maine with a master’s degree in food science and human nutrition. In addition to presenting his poster at this year’s Annual Meeting, his goal was to explore full-time opportunities in sensory science and product development. However, Christopher hasn’t always had food science on the brain. He found his way to the field after working in a pharmacy and learning about pharmaceuticals, which led him to food science.
In fact, it seems many food scientists come into the field after learning about it through a related field. Graduate student Rebecca Lipasek was on the crew team as an undergraduate at Purdue Univ. and has always been interested health and nutrition as it relates fitness. She also loves and excels in chemistry and found that the field of food science would be the perfect pairing of both of her interests. Although Rebecca doesn’t graduate until December, she was at the Career Fair looking to line up a full-time job in research and development.
While the companies present at the Fair were seeking candidates for open positions they currently have, Mars Chocolate was also looking to the future. “We are here to be proactive and fill current openings, but we are also looking to build a pipeline of jobs,” said Nicolas Miele, Senior Manager in Talent Acquisition at Mars Chocolate North America. This is especially important given the expansion the company is planning in process development and sensory over the next six to 12 months. Mars, a Career Fair regular over the years, sees these events as an important step in building that pipeline. In fact, only an hour into the Fair, the company had already secured 13 one-on-one interviews with potential candidates.
Another company in attendance that proved the Career Fair is a vital tool for its recruitment is Kellogg’s. The company hired seven people they interviewed at last year’s Career Fair and three of them were present at this year’s event to conduct interviews. Patrick Williams, product developer for Kellogg’s global snacks business, remembers meeting with the company for the first time at the Fair in 2011. As a recent Ph.D. graduate from the Univ. of Maryland, Williams was looking for a chance to grow with a company and do a multitude of things. “I have a passion for food and wanted to see it go from the lab all the way through to the store shelf,” said Williams. After getting hired in August 2011, Williams made the move from Maryland to Battle Creek, Mich., and says he finds the job fulfilling. “Every day is different for me. I could be in the lab, in the pilot plant, or meeting with the marketing team,” said Williams. “And I get to make Cheez-Its!”
And now Williams finds himself on the opposite side of the table, hoping to find the next employee to add to Kellogg’s talent pool, and there are certainly plenty of worthy candidates vying for his—and the other companies’—attention. Who knows … maybe some will find themselves in Williams’ position at the 2013 IFT Career Fair.
Move over Grammys, Oscars and Emmys—The Poppys are here! The first annual Poppy Award charged IFT members to create a short video on why it’s cool to be a food geek. The winners were announced this morning at the Keynote Session. The finalists had their videos highlighted during the Keynote, and the winning company—Decagon Devices—had its winning video “Food Geeks Through History” shown in full.
Congratulations to the Winners!
1st Place: Decagon Devices: Food Geeks Through History
Blue California (booth 753) debuts its BlueSweet LHG Extract—a natural sweetener derived from monk fruit with excellent solubility and taste. Quality certificates include GRAS, GMP, Kosher, and Halal. 300X sweeter than sugar and 100% Natural. Reduce sugar calories and enjoy the taste!
If you are a student and looking for events to connect with your peers you’ve come to the right place. You can always participate in the Fun Run which takes place Wednesday, June 27, from 6:15–7:15 a.m. Or there are many other events—social and educational—to get involved with your peers. These events not only help you network with industry professionals, but they also provide ways to advance your professional and technical skills. Here’s a look at some of what is planned for this year.
Booth and Student Lounge: The IFTSA booth will be located in the registration area, Hall N1 of the Las Vegas Convention Center, and is a popular gathering place for both students and members. Be sure to stop by and pick up your brochure of student events. IFT will also be offering a student lounge, located in room N231. This is a great place to meet, mingle, and lounge.
Mixer and Chapter of the Year Display: Plan on attending the Mixer, to be held 5:30–6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27 at the LVH-Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Ballroom B. Meet and mingle with other students and professionals while viewing the Chapter of the Year displays.
Welcome Assembly and College Bowl Competition: Join your fellow students on Wednesday evening, immediately following the Student Association Mixer at the LVH-Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. It will feature an introduction of the IFTSA leadership and presentation of awards, including Chapter of the Year and Most Improved Chapter, Product Development Competition winners, Fun Run winners, and recognition of the Excellence in Leadership Award recipients. Afterwards, the finals of the 27th anniversary of the Food Science and Technology College Bowl Competition will take place. The eight teams competing in the finals will be:
North Carolina State Univ.
Purdue Univ.
Brigham Young Univ.
Cornell Univ.
Univ. of Minnesota
Univ. of California, Davis
Clemson Univ.
Univ. of Arkansas
Undergraduate Research Paper Competition: For the third year, the competition finals will feature both an oral and poster component. Finalists will have 5 min to present their research orally before manning their posters to discuss their research and answer questions from the judges. These hybrid finals of the Undergraduate Research Competition will take place on Tuesday, June 26, from 3:30–5:00 p.m., at the Las Vegas Convention Center, room N107. Winners will be announced at the IFTSA Welcome Assembly on Wednesday evening. Finalists include:
Margaret Debrauske (Univ. of Wisconsin)
Evonne Lau (Cornell Univ.)
Brittany Miller (Cornell Univ.)
Graysen Ortega (Texas Tech Univ.)
Sara Spoede (Univ. of Missouri)
Ashleigh Willems (Texas Tech Univ.)
Professional Development Oral Sessions (Sessions 310–318): These sessions are designed to give students, who are presenting posters, experience in presenting orally, as well as feedback to refine their presentation skills. Selected students will have the opportunity to present at eight professional development sessions which are scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon from 4:30 –5:30 p.m. A panel of food science and technology professionals will act as judges, and provide written feedback to student presenters. Come support the students and learn about their research in the process. See the Scientific Program portion in the Program Directory (Tab A) for more information.
Product Development Competitions: Always highlights of the Student Association year and Annual Meeting, there are three product development/process competitions taking place this year.
The Product Development Competition, sponsored by Mars, showcases the food scientists of tomorrow and their ability to apply the knowledge and skills learned in school to a real-world situation. Product development teams from participating universities each conceptualize a new food idea, then work to see that idea through the stages of production and marketing. The finalists are:
California Polytechnic State Univ.: Veg This Way
Cornell Univ.: Dough TEMPtations
The Ohio State Univ.: UnBeetable Burger
Pennsylvania State Univ.: Brew Bites
Univ. of Minnesota: Theikos Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars
University of Wisconsin-Madison: Cranberry POPlers
Oral presentations will be 12:00–3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26, in room N101. Product posters will be on display from 8:00–11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 27, in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Hall C5. Winners will be announced at the IFTSA Welcome Assembly on Wednesday night, where Mars will present the winning teams with their prizes.
In the Disney-IFTSA Product Development Competition: Nutritous Food for Kids, the IFTSA and Disney Consumer Products Inc. have challenged student members of the IFT to address and important wellness need by creating healthy snacks for kids. The competition goal is to create a market-relevant, nutritious and delicious snack applicable to a retail food or beverage item that integrates a fruit or vegetable in a product targeted to children under the age of 12. The finalists are:
Cornell Univ.: Vegginators
Univ. of Florida: Yum-e-Milk
Univ. of Minnesota: Mickey Fantasticos
Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison: Peanut Butter Jamsicles
Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison: Pit Stop
The competition’s oral finals will be held in the Special Events Pavilion on the IFT Food Expo floor. Winners will be announced at the IFTSA Welcome Assembly on Wednesday night, where Disney will present the winning teams with their prizes.
Now in its fourth year, the Developing Solutions for Developing CountriesCompetition encourages food science and technology students from around the world to address the critical issues in the development, safety, and distribution of food. The 2012 theme is “Mangoes—especially the Apple, Kent, and Tommy Atkins varieties—grow abundantly in Kenya, but a short harvest season, high fiber content, and typically irregular quality (size, shape, color, etc.) make it difficult for growers to realize the full potential of this crop. Develop a mango-based product that can be produced rapidly in order to realize the full potential of this crop during its short harvesting season.”
The following teams were chosen as finalists:
International:
Bogor Agricultural Univ. (Indonesia): Magnut
Brawijaya Univ. (Indonesia): Stift Oorrid Mango
Universiti Putra Malaysia (Malaysia): Vit-A-Go
Domestic:
Univ. of Massachusetts-Amherst: Mango Meal
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ.: Uji-mate
Washington State Univ. & Univ. of Idaho: Maandazi
IFTSA Retro Bowling Party: Don’t miss the IFTSA Bowling Party, Thursday evening, June 28, starting at 9:30 p.m. Plan on wearing your neon clothes and fingerless gloves … this year the theme is an 80s bowling night. This event will bring students together in an informal atmosphere to network and have some fun. The party will be held at the Gold Coast Casino Bowling Alley (4000 W. Flamingo Rd.). Stop by the Student Association booth (in the registration area, Hall N1 of the convention center) for more information.
Henriette de Kock of the Univ. of Pretoria issued a challenge to the global sensory community at the 9th Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium in Toronto in September 2011. Her presentation was entitled, “Challenges and Opportunities for Sensory Science to Address Food and Nutrition Issues of Less Affluent Societies in Sub-Saharan Africa.” She identified three important areas that merit attention. The first is the enormous potential for food product development to meet the demands of a growing and more urbanized African population. The second is the incredible richness of sensory experience in traditional foods and the yet-to-be-discovered tastes of the biodiversity of Africa’s food plants. The third is in the fight against chronic disease in Africa. HIV/AIDS is now being treated with effective medical intervention, but the road to quality of life also comes in the form of better nutrition.
Session 108—An African Sensory Adventure: How Sensory Science Can Contribute to Food Security, Diversity, Health, and Nutrition in Africa—invites de Kock to present her challenge to a wider audience and expand her message with the help of two speakers.
After de Kock takes attendees on a sensory adventure of Africa, John S. Mendesh, General Mills, will discuss Partners in Food Solutions—a nonprofit organization that links the technical and business expertise of volunteer employees at General Mills, Cargill, and DSM to small and medium-sized mills and food processors in the developing world. The goals of Partners in Food Solutions are to improve the ability of those companies to produce high-quality, nutritious, and safe food at affordable prices, and to increase demand for the crops of small-holder farmers who supply those businesses. Partners in Food Solutions is currently assisting food companies in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia. Through infrastructure development and human-capital development, the program is helping to build a vibrant, sustainable food supply chain—and a more secure future.
Fran Osseo-Asare, BETUMI: The African Culinary Network, will then delve into sub-Saharan African flavor principles, ingredients, and cooking equipment and techniques, with special emphasis on western Africa. From the special texture created by the ridged grinding bowl called “asanka” in Ghana to the signature steamed bean pudding “moimoin” of Nigeria, from “Grains of Paradise” to fonio and other “Lost Crops of Africa,” and on to Africa’s love affair with New World crops, such as cassava, maize, and peanuts, this session will celebrate the abundance and diversity of good tastes from Africa.
Get a sense of Africa—from the flavors to the challenges facing the continent—in session 108 taking place Wednesday, June 27, 10:30–12:00 p.m., room N119.
The New Professionals Pass Program is back for the second year. Join in on events with high networking potential (listed below), find the New Professionals poster, and fill out a pass or scan the QR code. The more events you attend, the broader your professional network will get, and your odds of winning a $50 gift card go up.
New Professionals Pass Events
Keynote Session on Tuesday, June 26
New Professionals Mixer on Tuesday, June 26
12th Annual Fun Run & Walk. Scan at the Fun Run booth, Hall N1, between 11 a.m.–4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26
Beacon Lecture in room N101 on Wednesday, June 27
Prizes will be announced on June 28 here on IFT Live.
Fellow is a unique professional distinction conferred on individuals with outstanding and extraordinary qualifications and experience for their contributions to the food science and technology field. The nominee must have been an IFT Member for 15 years and a Professional Member at the time of nomination. The 15-year member requirement may be waived by the Fellows jury for those nominees who have spent all or a portion of their careers outside the United States. IFT has conferred the Fellow designation on a select number of Professional Members every year since 1970. A complete list of Fellows can be found on the IFT website at ift.org.
Cesarettin Alasalvar, Associate Professor and Chief Research Scientist of the Food Institute at TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Centre in Turkey, was honored for his research activities in the areas of nutraceutical, functional food, and phytochemistry.
Alasalvar is a leading international researcher in bioactive components from marine resources as well as plant materials, especially hazelnuts. He is recognized for his impact in identifying bioactives and phytochemicals present in foods and plant-based products. He has published over 60 refereed publications and has co-edited four books. He is a leader in Turkey in this area of research. Alasalvar has been active in IFT programs for many years, and has played a leadership role in the Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods Division. He served as a past chair of the Division and serves as the editorial board member of Food Chemistry and as receiving editor of Journal of Aquatic Food Product Technology. Alasalvar has also been a reviewer for several peer-reviewed journals. He serves on the Expert Advisory Board of Turkish Government and Higher Education on research and development projects and as a Panelist for European Funded Projects. Alasalvar is widely recognized as a role model for young scientists.
V.M. (Bala) Balasubramaniam, Professor of Food Engineering, Dept. of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, was honored for his contribution to the advancement of various alternative thermal and nonthermal processing technologies.
His lab pioneered innovative research on pressure-assisted thermal processing. His research accomplishments in the fields of advanced thermal and nonthermal processes have resulted in major advances in knowledge and practice in these fields. At Ohio State, Balasubramaniam teaches the undergraduate Introduction to Food Processing and upper level Principles of Food Processing courses as well as supervising research of numerous M.S. and Ph.D. students. His research has been recognized with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center’s Distinguished Research Faculty Award in 2011, and with Gamma Sigma Delta, The Honor Society of Agriculture at Ohio State University’s Research “Award of Merit” in 2008. Since joining IFT in 1990, Balasubramaniam has contributed to IFT divisions, committees, and sections, helping to organize or present symposia and oral sessions. Currently, he is serving as the Chair of the IFT Food Processing and Packaging Subpanel. He also serves as the Past Chair of Nonthermal Processing Division. He has received many awards, including the IFT Nonthermal Processing Division Member of the Year Award. He also served the Ohio Valley IFT section executive committee as member-at-large.
Reinhold Carle, Full Professor, Food Science and Biotechnology, Hohenheim University, Stuttgart, Germany, was recognized for his expertise and contributions in the field of food technology.
He has applied his strength in chemistry, biology, and plant science to solving fundamental problems in food science and technology. His research has focused on food processing, extending to food analysis and nutritional evaluation of plant-derived foods. He has made several novel and important contributions in food science and plant science in his research with a strong scientific publication record in respected scientific journals. Carle is an international authority on plant foodstuff technology. His research program has been well funded by European and national grant agencies and the food industry. Carle’s accomplishments in food technology have been acknowledged by several groups including the German National Academic Foundation. He has trained and guided almost 40 Ph.D. students within the 15 years of his university career. He is co-editor and member of the editorial advisory boards of scientific journals such as Planta Medica and Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. His commitment and contributions in the areas of research, teaching, and service have made visible positive impacts on the students, faculty, and staff at the university, as well as on international, national, and local professional organizations and on food quality and safety.
Philip G. Crandall, Professor, Food Science, University of Arkansas, was honored for his significant work in food science and service to IFT.
He has made outstanding contributions to food safety and quality through his research programs at the University of Florida and the University of Arkansas. He has been very effective in widely publishing his research and transferring the technology he has developed. He is currently working with identifying the most significant sources of Listeria monocytogenes contamination and the development and practical application of control measures. At the University of Florida’s Citrus Experiment Station, his research group’s findings included the economic and environmental benefits of extracting pectin from fresh orange peel as a more economical and more sustainable raw material than the traditional source for pectin. At the University of Arkansas, Crandall’s research team developed a novel method to recover pectin from an agricultural waste stream, soybean hulls. He has received U.S. and foreign patents on this product and process. He has delivered more than 30 papers at IFT meetings since 1974, has served as Chair and co-Chair of IFT symposiums and technical sessions, has been a member of many IFT committees, and has served on the Board of Editors of the Journal of Food Science.
Carol Ann Cooper, Academic Advisor, University of California, Davis, was recognized for her commitment to the profession, and service to IFT and the educational arena.
Her skill in recruiting and guiding potential food scientists at UC-Davis has helped grow the profession. Cooper has been a portal through which students discover IFT. She champions their cause at NCIFT meetings, advocates for scholarships, including travel support to attend IFT Annual Meetings, arranges transport for students to attend local meetings, and encourages students to compete wherever possible in IFT-sponsored competitions. Cooper plays a critical role in student career mentoring. She has been instrumental in developing college and campus internship programs. In her career, Cooper has inspired countless students, brought recognition to the university, assisted many companies, served IFT, and has demonstrated the influence an inspired, committed, and caring professional can make.
Carolyn Fisher, Senior Scientist, Decernis LLC, was recognized for her contribution to the advancement of scientific knowledge in the fields of food science and flavor chemistry. While at the University of Delaware, Fisher enhanced communication of food and flavor science principles to students by producing numerous videos for the food principles lab to provide consistent instruction among the graduate teaching assistants. She published the textbook Food Flavours: Biology & Chemistry, which incorporates the problem-based learning techniques used in the graduate-level flavors course she developed. While at McCormick & Co., she utilized her problem-solving skills in Quality Assurance to determine the root cause of issues and resolve them. Later, as a Regulatory Manager, she promoted active learning and developed courses to extended scientific and regulatory knowledge within McCormick’s Learning and Development Center. Fisher is published in a wide range of technical journals including Food Technology, Chemistry in Britain, and the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.
In addition to developing and implementing programs and publishing results for the benefit of the scientific community, she has been an active IFT member since 1992. Fisher has served on Annual Meeting Scientific Program Subpanels, Divisions Task Force, held leadership roles in the Food Laws and Regulations and the Food Chemistry Division and has developed a number of IFT symposia over the years. She has also been proactive in promoting the advancement of food science through her leadership in other profession societies such as FEMA and ACS.
Ravishankar Gokare, Chief Scientist, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI), India, was honored for his outstanding food biotechnology research and products of commercial/societal relevance for health food applications including natural pigments, flavors, phenolic derivatives, and their functional attributes.
Gokare is a prominent researcher and teacher in the area of plant and food biotechnology in India. He has guided 23 students for Ph.D.s and over 40 students at the Master’s degree level in the field of plant biochemistry and biotechnology. His area of research is very relevant to the Indian food sector as well as to the development of herbal products for the well-being of people worldwide. He has been innovative in developing products and analytical methods to advance scientific knowledge in the field of food science and technology. He is a prolific writer and innovator as evidenced from developing 14 processes, publishing 205 refereed research papers, and 45 review papers and being granted 40 patents. Gokare has been recognized for his research work in the areas of plant biochemistry, plant physiology, biotechnology, micro-algal technologies, bioactive molecules, and metabolic engineering. He has successfully managed 28 externally funded projects obtained through competitive grants. He is Fellow of nine professional organizations. He has received several research awards from scientific organizations in India. He has ensured that technological developments in food science and of relevance and utility to India are viewed in an integrated fashion and that scientific and workforce needs are identified and understandably explained.
Mukund Karwe, Chair and Professor, Dept. of Food Science, Rutgers University was recognized for his research contributions to food extrusion, hybrid baking, and high pressure processing.
Karwe’s research brings together fundamental knowledge of fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and mass transfer with specific applications in food processing. His research in mathematical modeling and numerical simulation of single- and twin-screw extruders involved application of finite difference, finite element, and neural networks techniques to simulate fluid flow, heat and mass transfer, cooking reactions, and quality of extruded products. His research group was the first to demonstrate successful application of the laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) technique in extruders to validate the results of numerical simulations and gain better understanding of the fluid flow in extruder channels. His research efforts to date have resulted in 109 publications including refereed journal papers, conference papers, and books. He has been active in an editorial capacity on many scientific publications. He is an active IFT member and has served as Chair of IFT’s Committee on Higher Education. He has served as a panel member on USDA’s National Integrated Food Safety Initiative, the National Research Initiative for Competitive Grants Program, and the Small Business Innovation Research Program.
Tyre Lanier, Professor, Dept. of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, was honored in recognition of outstanding research and teaching contributions in muscle foods chemistry, translation of basic research into industrial practice, and mentoring and training of future food scientists.
Lanier has made significant scientific achievements in surimi manufacturing. His work on the development of analytical methods to assess quality, the study of mechanisms of gelling and functional properties, use of ingredients and process technology to minimize freeze denaturation, technology transfer and the annual surimi school for practitioners has contributed to the success and growth of the industry. Lanier’s research on surimi manufacture and physical property evaluation has led to international recognition. His research, instruction, and outreach programs have contributed to a greater understanding of food composition and functional properties of fishery gels. He has been active in several IFT divisions by serving as symposium organizer, moderator, newsletter contributor, and manuscript reviewer. He has also devoted substantial time to students who have presented scientific papers and participated in the IFT Food Product Development competitions.
Tzu-Ming Pan, Professor, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, was recognized for more than three decades of teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses in food science.
Pan has conducted extensive research in fermentation, microbiology, and genetically modified foods. In addition, he mentored generations of professors and researchers in food science and technology. Internationally known for his work on the health properties of red mold rice, a fermented rice of Monascus, he discovered that it can alleviate the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia. His other prominent research topic is the benefit of lactic acid bacteria fermentation product, the most significant findings of which were that fermentation product of lactic acid bacteria can prevent osteoporosis and obesity. He has published 298 articles and given 409 conference presentations. For more than 30 years, Pan has designed and taught undergraduate and graduate level courses in food science. He serves on the editorial boards of numerous book series and scholarly journals and is currently the editor-in-chief of Journal of Bioindustry. He was the President of Taiwan Society of Agricultural Chemistry (2001-2003), the President of AOAC Taiwan Section (2003-2007), and President of Health Food Society of Taiwan (2007-2011). He has been a member of IFT since 2002.
Kathleen Rajkowski, Microbiologist, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, was honored for her 37 years of laboratory experience in basic and applied food research and her team leadership with the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service.
Rajkowski has extensive expertise in microbiology and food safety, particularly pathogen reduction. She was the first to detect the thermal D and irradiation D-value of Listeria monocytogenes, concluding that human bacterial pathogens remained viable in frozen finfish glaze and that UV radiation would be effective against them. The Food Industry Irradiation Coalition used her research as a basis for its petition to use ionizing radiation on food products. In addition, Rajkowski, as a member of the team, was instrumental in obtaining approval of the use of irradiated ground beef in the U.S. National School Lunch Program. She has been a member of IFT since 1974.
Peter Salmon, President, International Food Network, Ithaca, New York, was recognized for his technical expertise; development of novel foods and beverages; and management of international business, packaging, and food safety issues.
Salmon has held various research and management positions at large food companies where he developed and launched successful food and beverage products recognized around the world. He twice received the General Mills Ideation Award for his creativity in the area of fruit-based snacks and desserts. He also won two awards from General Foods (now Kraft Foods) for his innovative ideas. In 1987, he founded the International Food Network, which primarily serves large multinational companies, generating ideas for new products and then developing and commercializing them. Salmon has been a Professional member of IFT since 1987.
Thomas H. Shellhammer, Professor, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, was recognized for his leadership in working with universities and professional societies to establish collaborative research and educational programs in brewing science and nonthermal processing.
Shellhammer focuses his research on high pressure processing, food packaging, brewing engineering, and the chemistry of beer flavor. While at Oregon State, he has obtained 47 grants totaling $1.5 million to support research in brewing science and high pressure processing. He has written or contributed to 40 peer-reviewed articles, six book chapters, and the obtainment of one patent. Having been instrumental in addressing many technical obstacles related to high pressure processing and working at the forefront of hop chemistry, Shellhammer has garnered international attention for his research and breakthroughs in brewing science and high pressure processing of food. He has been a member of IFT since 1987.
Liangli (Lucy) Yu, Professor, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, was honored for her knowledge and expertise in factors affecting the quality, safety, and health properties of nutraceuticals and functional foods.
Yu and her colleagues have discovered and developed a number of nutraceutical products that can be used to reduce the risk of age-related diseases. She also has conducted research on the enhancement of value-added agricultural and food production. She hopes to increase the global marketability of domestically produced agricultural and food products. Yu and her colleagues have developed several natural antioxidant shelf-life enhancers, discovering that certain antioxidants capable of preventing rancidity may not protect w-3 PUFA losses. She has received 12 major research and instruction awards, including the Fellow Award from the American Chemical Society-Agricultural and Food Chemistry Division. Yu has been a member of IFT since 1996.
Yanyun Zhao, Professor, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, was recognized for her expertise and innovative research in edible films/coatings and the safety and quality of fruits and vegetables during post-harvest storage and processing.
Zhao is internationally known for her development and characterization of antimicrobial edible films/coatings and biodegradable packaging products made from agricultural byproducts. Her research is focused on post-harvest technologies that enhance the quality, microbial safety, nutraceutical properties, and extended shelf life of fruits and vegetables. Through competitive grants and industrial contracts, she has increased the knowledge base of edible films/coatings and developed novel approaches for value-added fruit and vegetable products. She has effectively integrated her research into outreach programs to assist the processed fruit and vegetable industry in the production of safe, wholesome, and value-added fruit and vegetable products. An active member of IFT since 1991, Zhao has served on various IFT committees, including serving as Chair of the Peer Reviewed Communication Committee and Chair of the Fruit and Vegetable Products Division.
Those of you who ran in the 2011 IFT Student Association and Feeding Tomorrow Fun Run know what’s it’s like to run in the heat. Well, this year it’s going to be a little warmer, but hey it’s dry heat! And just keep in mind that after you take part in the 5K/3.1 mile run/walk 12th Annual Fun Run on June 27 you can go jump in your hotel pool to cool off. And most importantly, the proceeds generated will go to undergraduate and graduate scholarships.
If you have pre-registered for the Fun Run, be sure to pick up your race bib and t-shirt on Tuesday, June 26, at the Fun Run Booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The booth will be open from 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. But don’t worry, if you haven’t registered yet, you can still do so on race day for $30.
Custom plaques will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place men’s and women’s 5K winners. Collect Fun Run pledges from your peers, and you could qualify as the “Top Fundraiser”…and win a fabulous prize.
On Wednesday, registration will begin at 5:45 a.m. at the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino and the race officially starts at 6:15 a.m.
The IFTSA and Feeding Tomorrow gratefully acknowledge the Fun Run event sponsors:
Platinum: Chicago Section IFT, D.D. Williamson, Glanbia Nutritionals, Ingredion, Michael Foods Inc., PepsiCo, Southern California Section IFT
Gold: David Michael & Co., GEA, GNT, Horn Co., Land O’Lakes Dairy Foods, MET-Rx
Among the 11 Pre-Annual Meeting Short Courses held prior to the 2012 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo, a new course—Commercializing Innovation in Food Products (Monday, June 25)—offered attendees an inside look at commercializing innovation from ideation, sourcing, intellectual property considerations, valuation, and implementation to market launch.
The term “open innovation” is relatively new; in fact, it wasn’t officially coined until 2003 by Henry Chesbrough who got companies thinking about a new way of conducting the product development process. While Chesbrough firmly believed that companies have excellent internal resources—meaning the employees have a great deal of knowledge—he was also willing to admit that there are many smart people outside of company walls. Therefore, he believed it to be vital to seek out external experts to get insight on how to solve certain product development problems.
Since 2003, many large companies have implemented the open innovation process and have used it to successfully launch new cutting-edge products in the marketplace. For example, General Mills launched the General Mills Worldwide Innovation Network (G-WIN) in 2010 to actively seek partners that can help the company deliver breakthrough innovation in categories such as packaging, technologies, and ingredients.
As Alfred Malouf, NineSigma, explained in the opening presentation to the Short Course, there are many advantages to utilizing open innovation for product development. “People can have preconceived notions about how something should be done, but maybe there is someone out there who has a better idea that may be simpler, costs less, and is easier to develop,” said Malouf. In addition, this can help save time that would be lost “reinventing the wheel” and accelerate the innovation process.
However, in order to be successful, an open innovation program has to be integrated and sustained across the value chain. “It is vital to get all the stakeholders along the value chain involved in the beginning,” said Malouf. Another mistake some companies make is that they use the open innovation program solely for large projects. Malouf believes it should be used for smaller, incremental projects as well.
To give the short course attendees an example of open innovation at work, Malouf offered a case study of how NineSigma helped Kraft solve a packaging problem. As an open innovation service provider, NineSigma works as an intermediary between a client and solution providers. In this case, Kraft’s consumer research showed that while consumers love Ritz Chips, they aren’t fans of the re-sealable bag. NineSigma sought out solution providers and came back with nine proposals. One was from Biomimetics, which uses nature to solve human problems. In this case, they looked at how nature would repeatedly open and seal items. Kraft ended up contracting with Biomimetics to develop a biology report on closures used in nature.
At that point, Kraft was still faced with the challenge of how to take these solutions found in nature and apply them to packaging. So they reached out to Michigan State Univ.’s Packaging and Engineering School and created a student competition to develop a solution to the Ritz Chip packaging problem using one of the methods described in the Biomimetics report. The winning team’s concept is currently patent pending and will be on store shelves soon.
Malouf ended his presentation by reminding attendees that open innovation—in fact, any kind of innovation—is hard work and requires persistence. As illustrated by the Kraft case study, it is often the nontraditional paths that lead to some of the most exciting new technologies and products.
Since 2000, the U.S. National Integrated Food Safety Initiative (NIFSI), a competitive grants program, has awarded approximately 300 grants to fund applied research using an integrated approach to solve food safety problems over the farm-to-fork continuum. In 2006, the Special Emphasis Grants was introduced to the program in order to increase funding for critical food safety issues as they arise, and in 2007 the “Improving the Safety of Fresh and Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables” Special Emphasis area was launched, which has remained because of the many issues the food industry faces with produce safety.
NIFSI has funded seven produce safety special emphasis projects since its inception for a total of $11.5 million. They are focused on a variety of pathogens and viruses and the development of interventions and trainings targeted towards farmers, processors, retailers, and consumers. Session 022 “Improving the Safety of Fresh Produce: An Integrated Approach” will provide information on the major outcomes and impacts of several projects that have been funded through this funding stream as provided by the project directors for individual projects.
Jodi Williams, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, will give attendees an overview of the successes and accomplishments of grants program over its 12-year lifespan thus far.
Michael P. Doyle, Univ. of Georgia, will delve in and specifically discuss a research project that was initiated in 2007 to cover both production and processing elements to improve the safety of leafy green products.
Following Doyle, Jeffrey LeJeune, Ohio State Univ., will discuss another research project that looked specifically at how to identify farm management practices to reduce pathogenic contamination and how to get farmers to adopt such methods.
Finally, Larry Goodridge, Colorado State Univ., examines how index organism testing can be used to predict Salmonella contamination in a greenhouse tomato operation.
With the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans stressing the importance of eating fresh fruits and veggies, the research being done to keep produce pathogen-free is vital. Attend session 022 on Tuesday, June 25, 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. in room N113 to learn more about this research.
Nanoscale science, engineering, and technology (nanotechnology) is undoubtedly one of the hottest and topical areas of research. Nanotechnology continues to rapidly advance and show great promise for valuable applications throughout the food system. Promising areas of research in the food sector include, but are not limited to: nanocomposites for food packaging, nutrient delivery systems, and nanomaterials that could block certain substances in food, such as harmful cholesterol. In order to fully realize the benefits of nanoscale research in the food industry, it is vital to better understand the basics of nanoscale science, engineering, and technology; applications; and the regulatory and legal landscape. Sunrise session 006 “Nanotechnology and the Food System: Fundamentals, Applications, Education and Outreach, and the Legal and Regulatory Landscape” will provide an overview of fundamental concepts, applications, and the legal and regulatory environment, and will also address issues and challenges relating to consumer acceptance, public outreach initiatives, and educational developments.
Jozef Kokini, Univ. of Illinois, will get the session started by introducing concepts of nanotechnology that offer useful applications in food science. The talk will explain what nanotechnology is and what kinds of characterization and design tools are being used. Applications will include manufacturing and characterization of nanoparticles, the design and utilization of microfluidic and nanofluidic devices, surface science, and imaging tools that have been used so far. The talk will also show examples of useful applications in food science.
Rickey Yada, Univ. of Guelph, will follow up with a discussion on how nanoscience can be adopted in the food industry. A big part of this includes educating the public, expanding nanotechnology programs at universities, and addressing consumers’ issues with nanotechnology.
Finally, Mitchell Cheeseman, Steptoe and Johnson LLP, will examine nanotechnology from the political and regulatory point of view. As with previous emerging technologies, political forces and regulatory environments have forced divergence between the dominant food regulatory forces in the United States and Europe. Cheeseman will discuss the challenges and opportunities that the global legal and regulatory climate will create moving forward.
If nanotechnology is a new subject for you, or if you need an update on the regulatory happenings surrounding this controversial topic, don’t miss out on this session’s great speakers on Tuesday, June 26, from 7:15–8:15 a.m. in room N116.
Complimentary Scientific Program Digital Library – Sponsored by Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
Does your schedule often prevent you from attending essential sessions? Are you interested in the presentations from speakers? Do you often wish you could reference a session you attended like you would a website? New this year, IFT has partnered with Ajinomoto Co. Inc. to sponsor a new and complimentary Digital Library. This resource will give you web-based access to IFT’s 100+ Scientific Program sessions. More specifically, you will gain access to:
Recordings of presentations, including PowerPoint slides for one-year
Speaker biographies
Search features to quickly find a speaker or session
Registrants with access to the Scientific Program in Las Vegas will receive an email by late July linking to the Digital Library.
In order to be successful in the competitive food industry, it is necessary to stay on top of the newest advancements in technology and ingredient innovation. Instead of spending days calling your contacts and googling, attend the 2012 IFT Food Expo where 900+ companies will be showcasing innovative ingredients, instruments, equipment and services. And for the second year, IFT has made it easier to the new products and services being introduced at IFT12. Hundreds of new products will be identified with an attention grabbing yellow “What’s New!” logo.
At the Food Expo, “What’s New!” floor stickers will help exhibitors with featured products stand out. Products labeled with the “What’s New!” logo will also be included in the mobile application. In addition, products labeled with the logo will be featured on IFT Live’s homepage and listed within the tabbed section in the printed Program and Exhibit directory available on-site.
Taste the Expo
Attendees state that product tasting/obtaining samples was one of the top three reasons for attending the IFT Food Expo. IFT’s Taste the Expo program was designed to make it easy for you to locate those exhibitors who will be providing samples on the expo floor. You can find the list of products being sampled in the following places:
The Taste the Expo section in the event mobile application
In the Taste the Expo tab (Tab D), of the onsite directory
It’s easy to get swept up in the craziness and excitement that is the Food Expo floor. However, apart from holding meetings and presentations in their booth, some exhibitors will be featuring larger-scale presentations in the Special Events Pavilion, booth 776. And this year there is some exciting presentations planned … everything from product development competitions, trend reporting from Mintel and Innova, information on patent reform laws, to price trends for key ingredients. This year’s Special Events Pavilion is sponsored by the Almond Board of California. Here’s the schedule:
Trends + Innovation + New Technologies: Bringing it All Together
Lu Ann Williams, Innova Market Insights; Bernold Kemperink (Director Foreign Investments, Food Valley/Oost NV); Kees de Gooijer
Tuesday, June 26 | 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.
Innova Market Insights and Food Valley come together to show how consumer demands for healthy products, new convenience solutions and sustainability are driving innovation and the development of new technologies. Trends are moving around the globe faster than ever and companies must have a global outlook for their business as well as for their technology solutions. This presentation will highlight the most important global trends driving new product development in the food and beverage industry today and some new technologies being brought to the market by a highly innovative group of companies with the support of a sophisticated innovation network.
Commodity Trends in the Food industry
Tuesday, June 26 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Ron Sterk, Associate Editor of Food Business News will present a price trend and supply update on key ingredients, including sugar, cocoa, dairy, eggs, major fruits and vegetables, nuts, dry beans, red meat and poultry, along with raw commodities including wheat, corn, soybeans, rice and oats…all from a food product developers perspective.
Are You Prepared for the Effect the Patent Reform Laws Will Have on Food Packaging R&D Strategy, Organization, and Management?
Tuesday, June 26 | 3:15 – 4:15 p.m.
Significant changes to the U.S. patenting system are going to take place starting in September 2012. The law’s provisions, such as inter parties reviews and first-inventor-to-file, will likely have a profound effect on food packaging R&D. Failure to respond proactively to these changes will increase the likelihood of competitive threats, alter open innovation initiatives, and provide fewer opportunities for leadership. We will present strategies that can help R&D food technologists successfully respond to patent reform and increase their ROI from innovation.
The Making Healthy School Meals Easy Challenge Awards Presentation IFT and American Culinary Federation
Wednesday, June 27 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Teams competed to recreate USDA Recipes for Healthy Kids to promote accessibility of healthy school food options. The teams, comprised of food technologists, chefs, manufacturers and food service workers, recreated recipes for a manufacturing environment, while keeping the product cost effective and retaining original recipes nutrient content, flavor and taste.
Partnering for Success with your Contract Manufacturer
Wednesday, June 27 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Food companies choose to work with contract manufacturers for two primary reasons: to get products to market faster, and to augment internal capabilities. But unlike their internal operations, companies have limited control over the processes used by contractors to manufacture their products. Yet they are completely accountable for the quality and safety of the product that’s produced.
Knowing the technical capabilities a contract manufacturer has is only part of the selection criteria. Equally important are their processes, safety standards, and service protocols. So how can you guarantee your contract manufacturer will deliver the results you need for your project to succeed? How do you ensure your products will be safe? That the products will meet your company’s quality, service, and processing standards? What should you expect from your partnership with a contract manufacturer?
Whether you are a food scientist needing a manufacturer for a new formula, or an engineer requiring a smooth technical transfer and scale-up, you’ll learn from a diverse, highly-qualified panel how to create a successful partnership with your contract manufacturer; how to understand critical qualifiers to help you identify a worthy partner; and how to cultivate a partnership that delivers trust, confidence, and sustainable benefits over time. Equipped with practical screening questions, participants will understand how to qualify prospective contract manufacturers step-by-step, and how to make their product or process a success!
Disney-IFTSA Product Development Competition: Nutritious Food for Kids
Wednesday, June 27 | 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.
This competition has challenged student members of IFT to address an important wellness need by creating healthy snacks for kids. Participating teams must develop a nutritious, unique, and innovative concept, applicable to a food or beverage item for retail or foodservice, and intended for children under 12. Based on preliminary reports, finalists will be notified on March 15 for the 2012 Disney-IFTSA Product Development Competition, sponsored by Disney Consumer Products. Winners will be
announced at the IFTSA Welcome Assembly on Wednesday night, where
Disney will present the winning teams with their prizes.
Formulating and Marketing for Health
Lynn Dornblaser, Director, CPG Trend Insight
Thursday, June 28 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
We have seen shifts in how “healthy” is marketed to consumers, as products with “low-in” claims drop and those with some types of fortification and those with a focus on “natural” formulations continue to grow. This presentation will look at product activity and consumer preferences regarding “healthy” foods.
The “Real, Fresh, Natural Foods” Trend: How to Win With Consumers
Rachel Kyllo, Vice President of Marketing, Kemps Diary LLC; Loren Ward, Director of Research and Development, Glanbia Nutritionals; and Cara Kelly, Director of Strategy, Insights and Planning, Dairy Management Inc.
Thursday, June 28 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
New research provides insights into the growing consumer movement toward real, fresh and natural foods. Learn about the consumer segments driving this trend, their attitudes and motivations, what product, packaging and placement cues work for this audience, and how dairy and dairy ingredients can help deliver what they’re looking for.
Casimir C. Akoh, Distinguished Professor, Dept. of Food Science & Technology, University of Georgia, was honored as the recipient of the 2012 Nicholas Appert Award on Monday, June 25, at the Awards Celebration. Roger Clemens, IFT President, presented Akoh with the award, which is IFT’s highest honor and is given annually to an IFT member for preeminence in and contributions to the field of food science and technology. The award includes a $5,000 honorarium and a plaque from IFT.
Akoh is recognized for his innovative contributions to research in fats and oils, especially his research on the enzymatic modification of lipids to produce functional and healthful structured lipids and improvement of frying oil life and quality. He is one of the first researchers to publish articles on the enzymatic modification of lipids to produce trans-free fats, and industry has used the enzymatic technology to commercialize the production of diacylglycerol oil. Akoh is also a research leader in the area of enzymatic production of infant formula fat analogs. He continues to collaborate with others in academia, industry, and government from the United States and around the world.
2012 IFT Achievement Awards In addition to presenting Akoh with the Nicholas Appert Award, IFT recognized 15 other achievements on at the Awards Celebration.
Babcock-Hart Award: Richard Black $3,000 honorarium from the International Life Sciences Institute North America and a plaque from IFT
Richard Black, Vice President/Chief Nutrition Officer, Kraft Foods Global, received the 2012 Babcock-Hart Award for his leadership and efforts in addressing the public’s health and wellness concerns, including the public health challenge of rising obesity rates.
In his role at Kraft, Black has led corporate-wide nutrition programs by developing strategies, guidelines, and portfolio improvement opportunities as well as providing overall accountability for nutrition research, nutrition communications, and nutrition business applications. He is a member of Kraft’s internal Worldwide Health and Wellness Committee, and leads the Worldwide Health and Wellness Advisory Council by engaging independent experts in key health and wellness disciplines. Additionally, he has played a key role in helping Kraft enhance the nutrition profile of its product portfolios, substantiate the company’s “Sensible Solution” labeling program in the United States, and improve nutritional labels to make it easier for consumers to choose the portion size of the foods they eat.
Research and Development Award: Vijay K. Juneja $3,000 honorarium and a plaque from IFT
Vijay K. Juneja, Lead Scientist, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service-Eastern Regional Research Center, received the 2012 Research and Development Award for his research on pathogenic bacteria to ensure a safe food supply
A leading authority on food safety research, Juneja has made significant contributions to multiple areas within the broad discipline of food safety microbiology, including a series of groundbreaking publications on microbiological safety of minimally processed foods and predictive microbiology. Specifically, his research focuses on interventions to reduce/eliminate pathogens in foods of animal origin, assessing and minimizing risks from emerging technologies, and developing strategies for performing risk assessment on cooked foods.
Carl R. Fellers Award: Mary K. Schmidl $3,000 honorarium from Phi Tau Sigma Honorary Society and a plaque from IFT
Mary K. Schmidl, Principal, National Food & Nutrition Consultants and Assistant Adjunct Professor, University of Minnesota, has received the 2012 Carl R. Fellers Award for her service to the field of food science and technology and for bringing honor to the profession.
For 40 years, Schmidl has had a distinguished career as a scientist, research director, educator, and leader to public and private agencies both domestically and internationally. One of her major contributions is her ability to effectively communicate on issues related to food science, technology, and public health not only to food scientists but to the entire scientific community as well as to governments, international agencies, students, and consumers. She has played an active role in the International Union of Food Science and Technology and serves on the European Union’s Advisory Board on Risk Communication. Schmidl was the President of IFT (2000–2001); chaired IFT Nutrition Division and Minnesota Section; and was a leader/member of more than 25 IFT committees. During her term as IFT President, she worked with the IFT Committee for Global Interests to develop a relationship with food science professionals and food industry officials in China. Her vision, commitment, and diplomacy contributed to the current relationship that IFT has with the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology.
Bor S. Luh International Award: Richard F. Stier $3,000 honorarium from the Bor S. Luh Endowment Fund of Feeding Tomorrow and a plaque from IFT
Richard F. Stier, Food Scientist Consultant, received the 2012 Bor S. Luh Award for his international contributions in food science focusing on food safety, quality, and sanitation.
Stier has worked in more than 35 countries as a member of industry and a consultant in the area of technology transfer. He has helped processors upgrade operations and has taught or developed educational programs. His work has ranged from the evaluation and validation of technologies for transfer throughout the world (aseptic processing systems in the early 1980s) to his ongoing work of enhancing food safety and quality in developing nations. During a two-year project in Egypt, Stier utilized IFT’s Continuing Education Group as a resource for enhancing programs organized there and brought many Egyptians into the IFT fold. Stier’s most recent international project took him to Afghanistan to work on the Afghan Small to Medium Enterprise Development project, part of which focused on training a group of Afghani men and women to become food plant auditors and consultants to the local food industry.
Samuel Cate Prescott Award: Qixin Zhong $3,000 honorarium and a plaque from IFT
Qixin Zhong, Associate Professor of Food Biophysics and Nanotechnology, Dept. of Food Science, University of Tennessee, received the 2012 Samuel Cate Prescott Award for outstanding work in food science research.
Zhong’s research is focused on the application of biophysics and nanotechnology for developing solutions for the food industry. His overall research goal is to discover physically inspired materials and processes for improved food safety, quality, and healthfulness through the creation of nanoscale materials and the understanding of material properties at the nanoscale. His specific research projects focus on delivery systems for bioactive food components, functional nanomaterials, and interfacial engineering. Additionally, Zhong has contributed to the establishment and growth of the university’s Food Biopolymers Research Group, which centers on food biophysics and nanotechnology as they are related to food biopolymers.
Food Technology Industrial Achievement Award: Tate & Lyle A plaque from IFT
Tate & Lyle received the 2012 Food Technology Industrial Achievement Award for its Promitor™ soluble corn fiber to help manufacturers incorporate fiber into everyday food and beverage applications.
The ingredient can replace traditional sweeteners such as liquid and dry corn sweeteners, sucrose, and other sugar alcohols, and its clarity, low viscosity, and process stability allows for its use in clear beverages, sauces, and dressings. In addition to these applications, the ingredient can replace corn syrup in others like yogurt, jams, soups, energy bars, cereals and cereal coatings, confections, and bakery. Promitor is acid stable and is said not to break down in products with a low pH. And because it is a fiber (more specifically, a prebiotic), manufacturers can make a “good” or “excellent” source of fiber claim.
William V. Cruess Award: Nicki Engeseth $3,000 honorarium from IFT and a bronze medal from the Northern California Section of IFT
Nicki Engeseth, Professor, University of Illinois, Urbana, received the 2012 William V. Cruess Award for excellence in teaching food science and technology.
Engeseth is being honored for her effectiveness in the classroom, leading curriculum development in her department, and valuable contributions to teaching and learning at multiple levels and venues. Over the years, Engeseth has taught various food chemistry courses to undergraduate and graduate students as well as to food industry professionals in the university’s off-campus M.S. food science program. A mentor for many students, she has also created opportunities for students through projects that integrate teaching and research. She has received multiple awards for teaching from the university and its food science and human nutrition department and from national organizations.
Sensory and Consumer Sciences Achievement Award: Harry T. Lawless $3,000 honorarium from the Sensory and Consumer Sciences Division Fund of Feeding Tomorrow and a plaque from IFT
Harry T. Lawless, Emeritus Professor, Cornell University, received the 2012 Sensory and Consumer Sciences Achievement Award for excellence within the sensory and consumer sciences field.
Lawless has made numerous contributions to the understanding of sensory science over a highly distinguished career. He has authored or edited more than 100 articles and technical reports on sensory science, ranging from applied methodological questions to basic work in chemosensory psychophysics, and he currently co-edits Journal of Sensory Studies. His contributions throughout his career include coining the phrase “tip of the nose” phenomenon and demonstrating that it is functionally distinct from its paronym; finding that the mutual mixture suppression of bitterness and sweetness was a central not peripheral phenomenon; and researching sweetener psychophysics, astringency perception, bitter receptor genes, and metallic “taste.”
Calvert L. Willey Distinguished Service Award: A. Elizabeth Sloan $3,000 honorarium and a plaque from IFT
A. Elizabeth Sloan, President, Sloan Trends, Inc. received the 2012 Calvert L. Willey Distinguished Service Award for meritorious and imaginative service to IFT.
From her research work for and participation in Food Technology magazine’s General Session at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo, researching and writing the magazine’s State of the Industry Reports, serving as a chairman of IFT’s Nutrition and Student Divisions, Sloan has provided exemplary service to IFT since 1973 when she joined as a student member. She has been a contributing editor for Food Technology magazine since the early 1990s. In addition to her writing contributions, Sloan has served on the planning committee for the annual IFT Wellness Conference.
Bernard L. Oser Food Ingredient Safety Award: James Griffiths $3,000 honorarium and a plaque from the Bernard L. Oser Endowment Fund of the IFT Foundation
James Griffiths, Vice President, Food, Dietary Supplement and Traditional Medicine Standards, United States Pharmacopoeia, has received the 2012 Bernard L. Oser Food Ingredient Safety Award for his contributions to the scientific knowledge of food ingredient safety and leadership in establishing principles for food ingredient safety evaluation or regulations.
Griffiths is board certified in toxicology and a fellow of the Society of Biology. Currently he is Chair of the IFT Toxicology and Safety Evaluation Division and Chair of the Society of Toxicology Food Safety Specialty Section (FS3). His contributions to food safety research have added to the understanding of functional food safety, adulteration or deliberate contamination of food ingredients, and the toxicity of several food ingredients, additives, and contaminants including D-ribose, spirulina, polydextrose, high-selenium yeast, solvents, and arsenic. His research about and writing on quality standards and the deliberate contamination of food ingredients are particularly important in the post-9/11 world as governments face the challenges of potential food terrorism.
Gilbert A. Leveille Award and Lectureship: Jonathan C. Allen $3,000 and a plaque
Jonathan C. Allen, received the 2012 Gilbert A. Leveille Award for outstanding research and/or public service at the interface between the disciplines of nutrition and food science, over a period of five years or more, which has contributed to improved health and well-being.
Allen is a professor in the Dept. of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, and Director in Graduate Programs for Food Science and the Interdepartmental Nutrition Program. Allen’s research is varied and uses human, animal, and in vitro model systems to test the nutritional quality and bioavailability of nutrients. His recent research on the utilization of whey permeate as a salt replacer and the extraction of edible and bioactive protein from sweet potato peel show how food industry by-products can improve the nutritional value of foods. Through his teaching, administration, and program development activities, Allen has contributed to the understanding and potential amelioration of such chronic diseases as infant growth retardation, metabolic bone disease, diabetes, and hypertension.
Stephen S. Chang Award for Lipid or Flavor Science: Michael Eskin $3,000 honorarium and a Steuben crystal sculpture from the Stephen S. Chang Endowment Trust Fund supported by the Taiwan Food Industries
Michael Eskin, Professor and Associate Dean, University of Manitoba, has received the 2012 Stephen S. Chang Award for Lipid or Flavor Science for significant contributions to lipid or flavor science.
Eskin has made significant contributions to the understanding of the quality and stability of edible oils. His work has helped to establish canola oil as an important oil in the world market. He has made significant accomplishments in basic and applied research in lipid science useful to the food industry. He has published extensively in the area of lipid science, made major breakthroughs in research on lipids, and holds two patents. Eskin’s contributions to the edible oils market has been recognized by professional associations and the oil industry. He is the co-author and co-editor of 13 books. Eskin was recently selected as the new co-editor of Lipid Technology.
Marcel Loncin Research Prize: Wade Yang $50,000 paid in two annual installments and a plaque
Weihua Wade Yang, Assistant Professor, Food Processing & Engineering, University of Florida, has received the 2012 Marcel Loncin Research Prize, which provides research funding to a scientist or engineer conducting basic chemistry, physics, or engineering research applied to food processing and the improvement of food quality.
Yang’s proposed research will focus on developing pulsed ultraviolet light technology for producing hypoallergenic peanut butter. The successful completion of this multi-disciplinary project, which is supported by the food industry (Kellogg’s) and government organizations (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service-Southern Regional Research Center), will yield technology for producing allergenic peanut butter as well as to generate optimal processing conditions for future scale-up.
W.K. Kellogg International Food Security Award and Lectureship: Bruce Hamaker $3,500 honorarium and a plaque from IFT
Bruce Hamaker, Professor of Food Science, Purdue University, is Director of the Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research and co-Director of the newly formed International Food Technology Center at Purdue. He has over three decades of experience working in developing countries.
Hamaker has an established research and publication record in the food science and nutrition areas, as well as noted achievement in applying such principles to agricultural and food science development work in Africa. He and his colleagues push toward transforming locally grown crops in Africa into competitive processed food products that can compete with imported products. New work has the potential to improve energy delivery from local foods to benefit marginally malnourished children. His group has made notable advances in understanding how to improve sorghum protein and energy availability. Collaborating with scientists and technologists in the West African Sahelian region, his team implemented or improved existing cereal processing technologies in a way that empowers local entrepreneurs to become more competitive in the marketplace. “Incubation Centers” were formed in Niger, Senegal, and Mali, whereby the food science units of the national agricultural research systems act as technology transfer and entrepreneur-nurturing centers. Hamaker has been an IFT member since 1985, has served as Chair of the Carbohydrate Division, and as a member of the Science Reports and Emerging Issues Committee of the Global Strategy Advisory Panel.
IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo®
June 25–28 , Las Vegas, Nev.
Las Vegas has long enjoyed a reputation as the capital of the U.S. gaming industry, a key draw for many of the 38 million people who visit the destination each year. This summer, when the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo® comes to town June 25–28, it’s a pretty sure bet that Sin City will also be the capital of food science innovation and information.
The menu of Annual Meeting education options is extensive. More than 100 sessions and 1,200 poster presentations are scheduled on subjects ranging from sodium reduction to front-of-label packaging. The Food Expo will bring together 900-plus exhibitors occupying more than 210,000 sq ft of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The Expo is the food industry’s largest collection of ingredients, equipment, processing, and packaging suppliers under one roof, and its enduring effectiveness as a venue for identifying trends, gathering information, and forming and maintaining business relationships is well recognized. And it’s all set against the lights of fabulous Las Vegas.
In this newsletter—the official preview of the show—you will find more in-depth information on the scientific sessions offered, in addition to some of the new products and services on display at the Food Expo. Make sure you don’t miss out on experiencing these exciting events firsthand … register today at www.ift.org/ift12.
Starbucks’ Schultz to Speak at Keynote Innovation is what drives the food industry. So it makes perfect sense that it will be high on the list of topics addressed by Keynote Session headliner Howard Schultz, President, CEO, and Chairman of Starbucks. In a presentation titled “The Importance of Innovation,” Schultz will share insights on the value of scientific innovation in creating thriving companies and communities and filing the talent pipeline. Prepare for a session that will jumpstart your Annual Meeting & Food Expo experience every bit as well as a Starbucks espresso. Sponsored by CornNaturally.com, the Keynote Session will take place from 8:30–10:15 a.m. June 26.
On the Expo Floor It’s hard to imagine a better way to get an up-close view of food industry product development and technology innovation than walking the floor of the IFT Food Expo. Traversing the Expo is sure to be a rich sensory experience full of new sights, aromas, and tastes as exhibitors serve up inventive food and beverage prototypes, showcase colorful new packaging, and demonstrate cutting-edge analytical and processing equipment. Be prepared for a long walk, though; this year’s Expo will sprawl across more than 210,000 sq ft of space. Here’s a look at some of the highlights of this year’s Expo.
Here’s a look at some of the highlights of this year’s Expo.
What’s New! Returns After a successful first year in 2011, the What’s New! program will return to the Food Expo floor this year. Hundreds of new products and services will be identified with an attention-grabbing yellow What’s New! logo. At the Food Expo, What’s New! floor stickers will help exhibitors with featured products to stand out. Products labeled with the What’s New! logo will also be included in the downloadable mobile phone application. In addition, products labeled with the logo will be featured on IFT Live’s homepage and listed within a tabbed section in the printed Program and Exhibit Directory available on-site.
Scientific & Education Programming
The Annual Meeting’s Scientific Program provides a forum for sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas on myriad food science and technology topics. It’s an ideal way to stay up to date about current research in food science and technology and its practical business applications. The peer-reviewed program is organized around key industry focus areas and the core sciences that represent the foundation of the food science discipline. The focus area tracks are as follows: Food Safety & Defense; Food Health & Nutrition; Food Processing & Packaging; Product Development & Ingredient Innovations; Sustainability; Public Policy, Food Laws & Regulations; and Education & Professional Development. Core science program tracks include Food Microbiology, Food Chemistry, Food Engineering, and Sensory Science.
Given the fact that there are more than 100 sessions in the Scientific Program this year, here are some sessions to be on the lookout for in some key trending topics.
In a global marketplace with an increasingly complex food retail environment, it is vital to stay on top of new ways and technologies to enhance food safety. With one of the more popular focus areas in IFT being Food Safety & Defense, it is no surprise that attendees to this year’s Scientific Program will find many options to choose from. Here are just a select few:
Improving the Safety of Fresh Produce (session 022): Jodi P. Williams of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) will review the accomplishments of the National Integrated Food Safety Initiative Competitive Grants Program. Michael P. Doyle of the Univ. of Georgia will discuss minimizing Escherichia coli O157:H7 food safety hazards associated with fresh and fresh-cut leafy greens, and J. LeJeune of Ohio State Univ. will discuss validating pre-harvest and peri-harvest food safety practices for their impact on microbial contamination of fruits and vegetables. Lastly, L.D. Goodridge of Colorado State Univ. will discuss the use of microbial index organisms to predict the presence of Salmonella in a greenhouse tomato operation.
Food Safety Assurance in a Global Food Biotechnology Market (session 065): A. Gutsche of Pioneer Hi-Bred will describe how comparing the composition of a genetically altered crop to its parental conventional counterpart is one of the elements of a full safety assessment of the altered crop. Randal Grioux of Cargill Inc. will provide an overview of the global standards and guidance for the risk assessment of genetically altered foods, and Hector Quemada of the Biosafety Resource Network at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center will address developments in genetic engineering of crops and how communication and perception limit the ability to develop new technologies and products.
Case Studies in Fresh Produce Safety, Fast Food, Food Processing, and Foodservice (session 181): C. Harold King of Chick-fil-A Inc. will discuss tools and procedures to prevent foodborne illnesses in restaurants. Valentina Trinetta of Ecolab will discuss use of chlorine dioxide and ozone for microbial inactivation on produce, and P. Crowe of Applied Oxidation will discuss a new chlorine dioxide technology called D-Fenz for pathogen control in food processing.
New Tools and Emerging Strategies to Minimize Risk of Economically Motivated Adulteration (session 244): Jeffrey C. Moore of U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention will describe development of a searchable online database of food ingredient fraud reports and detection methods and a project to create a toolbox of rapid authentication methods for skim milk powder. Joe Jablonski of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will address detection of adulterated skim milk powder. Ken Rosnack of Waters will discuss detection of adulterated pineapple juice, and David Bolliet of Kalsec Inc. will discuss adulteration of garlic and onion oils.
Safety, Quality, and the Future of Raw Milk Cheese in the United States (session 264): Dennis D’Amico of the Univ. of Vermont will discuss assessing the risks associated with cheeses made from raw milk. Diane L. Van Hekken of the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service will discuss the quality advantages and disadvantages of making cheese from raw vs. pasteurized milk, and John Sheehan of the FDA will review the federal regulations governing raw-milk cheeses.
In April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a draft guidance document that addresses the use of nanotechnology by the food industry. Nanotechnology is an evolving technology that allows scientists to create, explore, and manipulate materials on a scale measured in nanometers—particles so small that they can’t be seen with a regular microscope. There is great potential to impact the food and agriculture sector with on-going research and development in many areas. Public interest in nanotechnology as it relates to food has significantly increased in recent years. Particular interest has focused on application discoveries, potential safety implications, and regulatory oversight. Here are some of this year’s sessions that will focus on different aspects of nanotechnology:
Nanotechnology and the Food System (Session 006): Jozef Kokini of the Univ. of Illinois will provide an introduction to the methods, tools, and applications of nanotechnology. Rickey Yada of the Univ. of Guelph will then discuss nanotechnology programs at universities and the need for educating consumers about nanotechnology. Mitchell Cheeseman of Steptoe & Johnson LLP will close the session by discussing differences between U.S. and European laws and regulations.
Safety Evaluation of Nanodelivery Systems and Nanoparticles in Foods (Session 182): Sally Tinkle of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) will describe the National Nanotechnology Initiative’s research efforts to provide the information regulatory agencies need to perform risk assessments that protect public health and the environment and support the beneficial use of nanotechnology. Secondly, Cristina M. Sabliov of Louisiana State Univ. will discuss biodistribution of polymeric nanoparticles used for enhanced vitamin E delivery. Prabir Dutta of Ohio State Univ. will discuss interaction of commercially available nanoparticles with intestinal epithelial cells. Finally, Mengshi Lin of the Univ. of Missouri will discuss new methodologies and strategies for extraction, detection, and characterization of engineered nanoparticles in foods.
Educational programming at the Annual Meeting & Food Expo will get under way early with a series of Pre-Annual Meeting Short Courses held at the LVH-Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. This year’s schedule includes 11 courses ranging in length from one to two-and-a-half days starting on June 23, and wrapping up on June 25. Returning short courses include “Food Science for the Non-Food Scientist,” “Ingredient Applications for Product Innovation and Consumer Health,” “Labeling Requirements and Implications for Foods Marketed in the U.S.,” “Microencapsulation in Food Applications,” and “Sensory Testing for Product Development and Claims Support.” In addition, there will be six new short courses offered this year. They are:
Integrating Risk-based Preventive Controls into your HACCP Program (June 23–25): This 2.5 day course features an in-depth look at the various prerequisite programs required for creating Risk-based Preventative Controls to satisfy recent regulatory changes affecting both FDA and USDA products. Geared for food industry professionals of all levels, this class is especially recommended for HACCP Team members, QA/QC personnel, and Food Processing Plant supervisors and managers who would benefit from this current-events based curriculum format provided by knowledgeable, experienced industry and regulatory professionals. Meets HACCP training requirements for companies operating under regulatory-required HACCP plans by introducing basic principles, how to conduct a Records Review, and best-practice implementation resources; course also meets SQF, BRC, and other 3rd party audit requirements for becoming “HACCP certified” in a dynamic hands-on small-group format.
Flavor Interactions in Food (June 24–25): This course provides an overview of flavor chemistry and technology, interaction of flavors with food ingredients, application of flavors in food products, and the assessment of flavor quality changes. As an advanced complement to IFT’s primer online course, this two-day face-to-face course covers more in-depth training about the physical and chemical composition of flavors, sensory evaluation and descriptions of flavors, and the regulatory framework for use of flavor ingredients in the food and beverage industries.
Commercializing Innovation in Food Products (June 25): This course will cover key aspects of commercializing innovation from ideation, sourcing, intellectual property considerations, valuation, and implementation to market launch. This course will combine current theoretical practices with case studies from the food industry to illustrate the subject matter. It will be useful for any food scientists who would like to get into finding and commercializing innovation.
Designing Carbohydrate Supramolecular Structures for Food (June 25): This course will lead you to the exciting frontiers of carbohydrate design for foods and how these initiatives can eventually benefit your business goals, i.e., to make food safer, have enhanced sensory quality, and be more nutritious. The course will focus on carbohydrate-based supramolecular structures—the assemblies among molecular components or subunits for achieving specific functionalities, such as enhanced texture and the protection and delivery of bioactive food components. This is a first-time partnership with the Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research of Purdue University, a leader in carbohydrate research and development. The course will be taught by renowned academic and industrial leaders in the field of carbohydrates.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Training: Understanding You and How You Work with Others (June 25): Discover how your personality impacts your day-to-day activities and how you can more effectively work with others. Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(MBTI) instrument, which will be completed by registrants at the course, you will learn how you direct your energy, take in information, make decisions, and orient yourself to your environment. The result is the popular four-letter personality type code used by organizations worldwide. This highly interactive course is useful for those looking for ways to work more effectively on teams, improve performance management, and further personal development.
Quality Changes in Foods Processed Using Alternative Processing Technologies (June 25): This course will provide a view of the impact of selected alternative processes on quality of the same product: tomatoes. The course begins with studies on kinetics of changes in ascorbic acid, color, phenolics, lycopene, pectin methylesterase, polygalacturonase, and a target microorganism, Bacillus coagulans subjected to ohmic, microwave, and high pressure processing; and moves through the physical operation of pilot scale operations for these technologies. Collectively, the course will provide a unique case study on the effect of three different, emerging process technologies on the same product, as well as the consumer, nutritional, sensory, and regulatory considerations needed to make practical decisions.
For many companies exhibiting at this year’s Food Expo, celebration is in order due to an anniversary, new merger, etc. Here are some exhibitors to stop by and congratulate:
U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (booth 2438) celebrates its 100th birthday and the birth of Julia Child on Aug. 15, 1912. A century ago, USDA botanist Frederick Coville and collaborator Elizabeth White began breeding the best and most promising blueberry plants and produced an entirely new variety—the highbush blueberry.
German/Finnish titanium dioxide manufacturer Sachtleben (booth 2648) celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Using the sulfate process, Sachtleben produces anatase particles for the food industry.
Synergy Flavors (booth 1508) has acquired Sethness Greenleaf, a flavor company in the Chicago, Ill. area. The purchase strengthens Synergy’s offerings to several key markets, including the beverage, dairy, and bakery.
Bell Flavors & Fragrances (booth 2101) celebrates its 100th anniversary. As a part of the party, Bell will be highlighting products from its 2012 top 10 list, the theme of which is “Emerging Cultures.”
Corn Products/National Starch Food Innovation (booth 12111) will be officially launching its new name—Ingredion—at this year’s Food Expo.
Colloides Naturels International and Bio Serae laboratories are merging to become Nexira (booth 3375), which is launching a new range of highly purified acacia gum products with enhanced products.
This year’s IFT Food Expo contains the newest developments in color, including the latest breakthroughs in natural colors. The following solutions and many others will help create a colorful spectrum that should dazzle attendees:
D.D. Williamson (booth 1551) has developed an improved oil-dispersible caramel color using emulsion technology that offers a 25% increase in color intensity compared to its previous blend version and demonstrates improved solubility in food and beverage systems containing lipids.
Sensient Technologies (booth 1440) will highlight its Fusion Precise Natural Colors line that features bold colors with improved visual consistency allowing food manufacturers to add vibrant color to food and beverage products.
Food Ingredient Solutions’ (booth 2575) new line of clear carotene colors will be shown in a full range of yellow to orange.
GNT USA Inc. (booth 1501) will showcase Exberry—a colorful spectrum of naturally derived food colorants made exclusively from fruits and vegetables in a variety of applications ranging from beverages to confections.
Naturex (booth 2221) will feature the NAT color range which offers lots of possibilities in color through its VegeBrite and E-Color lines. VegeBrite gives a comprehensive, vibrant palette of shades made exclusively from concentrates of fruits and vegetables. Obtained without selective extraction or isolation, these ingredients perform in a wide range of applications. E-Color is a complete range of color additives extracted and isolated from natural origins to ensure exact color targets are achieved.
Through traditional breeding or advancements from biotechnology, compositional traits within a bean or seed can be enhanced to produce better-for-you oils with improved functionality characteristics. Here are some of the directions that emerging fats and oils—as well as novel oil blends—are taking in a wide range of prototypes:
Heartland Flax (booth 1851) recently began producing Real Cold Pressed (RCP) Premium Flax Oil, which is an ultra-pure, virgin flax seed oil that demonstrates the potential of flax products in terms of functionality, stability, and long-lasting qualities.
Pioneer Hi-Bred (booth 1426) will be offering samples of its Plenish high-oleic soybean oil. The oil offers food industry and consumer benefits with improved performance and broader applications than other available edible oils to help meet the need for a soy-based trans fat solution.
Austrade Inc. (booth 3269) will showcase its raw sunflower lecithin—Giralec SF—which is made without the use of chemical solvents like hexane and reportedly has the same functionality as conventional sunflower lecithin.
Representatives from SK Food International (booth 1855) will be on hand to discuss the benefits of canola oil, which is low in saturated fat, has zero trans fat, and contains a healthy blend of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Technology Crops International (booth 3854) will introduce a plant-based source of omega-3 stearidonic acid called Ahiflower oil. It contains 20% stearidonic acid, as well as other fatty acids, including 5.3% gamma-linolenic acid, 38.8% alpha-linolenic acid, and 11.2% linoleic acid.
Savory foods are always popular on the Food Expo floor, and this year will be no different. However, as the push for lowering sodium in formulations continues, you will find a plethora of new ingredients and technologies that help lower sodium in food. Here are just a few:
Kudos Blends (booth 2381) showcases its potassium bicarbonate—a patented alternative to sodium bicarbonate—which maintains all the functional qualities of sodium bicarbonate without the sodium content.
Balchem Corp.’s (booth 2755) C-Salt choline chloride can be used as a 1:1 “drop-in” replacement for salt, allowing reduction in sodium chloride of up to 50%, without imparting undesirable flavor or otherwise complicating food processing operations.
OneGrain technology from AkzoNobel Salt Specialties (booth 2885) can achieve up to 50% sodium reduction by combining regular salt, mineral salt, and taste-enhancing flavors in single salt grains.
Biorigin (booth 1735) highlights the use of ingredients from the Bionisand Bioenhance lines, which allow for a 70% reduction in sodium in snack applications. The Bionis line of yeast extracts provides body, mouthfeel, and umami taste and the Bioenhance line of naturally derived taste enhancers will help improve the salty taste in sodium-reduced products without the addition of salt.
The Scoular Co.’s (booth 1807)SmartSalt ingredient is formulated with a co-crystallized triple mineral salt—magnesal—which the company reports is primarily a form of magnesium chloride that has a clean flavor profile and reduced hygroscopicity. It is said to provide 100% salt taste with up to 60% less sodium in a number of applications.
Spicetec’s (booth 2401) newly patented Micron Salt ingredient is a blend of ultra-small crystals made by micropulverizing salt to a patented particle size, making it have three times more surface area per volume than salt.
Visit Morton Salt’s (booth 2559) Salt Inspiration Station where you can learn more about the company’s specialty products, and experience for yourself different salt particles and their functionality across product categories. In addition, Morton Salt will introduce the newest addition to its line of sodium-reduction solutions—Fine KaliSel Potassium Chloride (KCI).
The 2012 Annual Meeting & Food Expo® offers some exciting new features for attendees.
Taste the Expo: Show-goers polled about last year’s Food Expo reported that product tasting/obtaining samples was one of their top three reasons for attending. Recognizing the importance of sampling, IFT’s new Taste the Expo program gives exhibitors additional visibility for their product samples and makes it easy for attendees to locate the booth where samples will be available. Exhibitor participants in this year’s Taste the Expo program will be highlighted in the on-site Program and Exhibit Directory, on the IFT website, and within IFT’s smartphone mobile app.
Digital Library: Insights shared within the Scientific Program will be easily accessible to attendees in the weeks and months following the event in Las Vegas thanks to IFT’s complimentary Digital Library sponsored by Ajinomoto Co. This new web-based resource will make recordings of presentations and speakers’ PowerPoint slides available for one year and will include a search feature to make finding a particular presenter or session simple. Also, the Book of Abstracts will be offered as a digital version in addition to the print version.
Making Healthy School Meals Easy competition: Since the announcement of new standards for school lunch programs earlier this year, the subject of school meals has been getting plenty of attention. IFT will do its part to promote the development of better-for-you school meals with the debut of the “Making Healthy School Meals Easy” challenge at the Food Expo. Conducted in partnership with the IFT Foodservice Division, the American Culinary Federation, and the Research Chefs Association, the competition challenges participants to covert a recipe from the 2011 U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s “Recipes for Healthy Kids” contest into a manufactured product that maintains the nutritional content, flavor, and taste of the original version and is cost-effective for school systems. Attend the awards ceremony on June 27 in the Special Events Pavilion to find out the winners.
Electronic addendum: It will be easier than ever to stay up to date on exhibitors who sign on to participate in the Expo after the Program and Exhibit Directory is printed thanks to an electronic addendum featured on IFT Live. In addition, the addendum will include any changes to the Scientific Program sessions. Look for the icon on IFT Live’s homepage.
Accessing and sharing information about the Annual Meeting & Food Expo has never been easier and more convenient. Here’s a look at a few of the options.
Smartphone Mobile Application: Available for iPhones, iTouches, iPads, Androids, and Blackberrys, the IFT12 mobile application is easy to download and available at no charge. It will keep users up-to-date on floor plans, exhibitors, the Scientific Program, and more. In addition, IFT Facebook and Twitter updates can be viewed within the mobile app. And keep an eye out for QR codes in exhibitors’ booths. Scan the code and the app takes you directly to the exhibitor’s product/service information.
IFT Live Show Daily: Don’t miss the daily digital edition of the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo’s show daily. Check it out at http://live.ift.org. You’ll find regularly updated articles on Annual Meeting programs and sessions, news from the show floor, competition results, and much more. Interactive content will include videos, photos, and Twitter feeds. IFT Live may be accessed at Internet Café terminals or through laptops, smartphones, or PDAs. Additionally, there is a direct feed from IFT Live on the mobile app.
Social Media: IFT is using the social media channels LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter (twitter/#IFT), and Flickr (flickr/IFT) to communicate about event highlights and changes during the Annual Meeting & Food Expo and to allow those on-site to engage in the virtual IFT community.
What’s Cool About Being a Food Geek? IFT has announced the three finalists in The Poppys—a new video competition with the goal of showing why it’s cool to be a food geek. The three finalists—from D.D. Williamson and Decagon Devices—will have their videos highlighted during the 2012 Keynote Session on June 26, in Las Vegas. But you can view the three finalists’ videos now! In addition to receiving a Poppy, VIP seating will be provided for up to five team members per video and a food package will be sent to the finalists to host a celebratory viewing party back home. Visit YouTube to view all of the submissions.
The Institute of Food Technologists has announced that Howard Schultz, president, chairman, and chief executive officer of Starbucks, will be the Keynote speaker at the 2012 Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Named Fortune magazine’s 2011 Businessperson of the Year, Schultz has taken an active role in focusing public discussion on the importance of job creation to spur growth in the economy through a partnership between Starbucks and Opportunity Finance Network and the Create Jobs for the USA initiative. He will share insights on the importance of scientific innovation in creating thriving companies and communities, and filling the talent pipeline. Join us at the Keynote Session on June 26, from 8:30–10:15 a.m. to hear from IFT leaders, see what’s new at IFT, and be inspired by our keynote speaker, Howard Schultz, of Starbucks.
Is your company a leader in its field but may not always get the credit it deserves? And are you exhibiting at the 2012 IFT Food Expo in Las Vegas, Nev., June 26–28? If you answered yes to both questions, then gain recognition for your ingenuity and achievements by entering the 2012 IFT Food Expo Innovation awards. The deadline of April 15 is fast approaching so enter today.
The product, technology, ingredient, instrumentation, equipment, or service must have been commercially introduced since Jan. 1, 2011. In addition, new applications of existing products/services that were commercially introduced since Jan. 1, 2011 also are eligible. There is no entry fee, and companies may submit more than one entry. Qualifying entries will be reviewed by an independent, expert panel of judges.
Some guidelines for submitting:
All entry materials must be in English.
All entries must be submitted online.
All entry descriptions must be 500 words or less.
Once your entry has been submitted, you cannot re-submit the form.
You may attach up to three supporting documentation, such as brochures, by using the “Attach File” option located at the top of the online form.
Winning entries will be announced and awarded prior to the opening of the exhibit floor at the 2012 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo in Las Vegas. This allows winning companies to promote their achievements at their booths, increasing booth traffic and attracting prospective customers. In addition, IFT will further spread the word by publicizing these outstanding innovations in the IFT Live (the electronic show daily), on-site press materials, ift.org website, and in the September Official Post-Show issue of Food Technology magazine.
Introduced last year, the Beacon Lecturer series will take place again at the 2012 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Two sessions will be led by two prestigious individuals who use their extensive experience and knowledge to dispense provocative opinions and cutting-edge strategies in the fields of science and technology. Each session will include a 30 minute presentation followed by a 15 minute Q&A. IFT is excited to announce the first Beacon Lecturer for 2012 is Mehmood Khan, CEO, Global Nutrition Group, and Chief Scientific Officer of PepsiCo.
Khan will speak on Tuesday, June 26 at 4 p.m. Khan leads company-wide research and development and has overseen PepsiCo’s expanded investment in R&D by recruiting highly regarded clinical scientists, global health leaders, and medical experts. As CEO, Global Nutrition Group, he directs PepsiCo’s enterprise planning, portfolio development, and execution of new technology to accelerate growth of a global architecture for the company’s nutrition-focused brands. Previously, Khan was a faculty member at the Mayo Clinic, serving as Director of the Diabetes, Endocrine, and Nutritional Trials Unit in the division of endocrinology.
What resources and expertise can a global food and beverage business leverage in order to enable access to safe, delicious, and affordable nutrition worldwide? Chartered with growing PepsiCo’s portfolio of nutritious foods and beverages from approximately $14 billion in revenue currently to $30 billion by the year 2020, the Global Nutrition Group (GNG) brings together the best of PepsiCo research & development, product innovation, operations, and marketing expertise from across the company to accelerate food and beverage product and process innovation across 22 billion-dollar-brands, including Quaker Oats, Tropicana, and Gatorade, in addition to the company’s core Pepsi and Lay’s businesses. Learn how Khan leverages his unique experience and perspective as a medical doctor to meet the challenges of accelerating innovation across the company and around the world.
IFT is equally excited to introduce the second Beacon Lecturer, but you’ll have to wait a bit longer for that announcement in April. Stay tuned…
Tell us: Do you plan to attend the Beacon Lecture series?
Starting today, March 1, 2012, you can register for 2012 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo, taking place June 25-28 in Las Vegas, Nev. Join thousands of your colleagues from around the world to learn about the newest trends, products, ingredients, processing technologies, and more, and their potential impact on your business. At the 2012 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo, you’ll also find nearly unlimited opportunities to connect with other food professionals — experts from industry, academia, and government who are involved in both the science and the business of food.
Save up to $150 when you register by May 14, 2012. Register today.
IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo® More than 15,000 food professionals found themselves in the Big Easy for the 2011 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo®, which was held June 11–14 in New Orleans, La. In addition, 900+ exhibitors were present to show their latest products and innovations on the expo floor. In between enjoying breakfast at Brennan’s and a late night snack at Café Du Monde, attendees were meeting exhibitors, attending meetings, and brushing up their skills at the 100+ scientific sessions.
Obviously, one person can’t make it to everything that the meeting had to offer in just four short days. IFT Live—the official electronic show daily—offers the chance for you to see what you may have missed. This year, IFT Live contains 100+ articles from the event, written by the Food Technology magazine staff. Not only does IFT Live offer articles covering the show, it also includes a photo gallery and videos taken at the show.
In this newsletter—the official wrap up of the show—you will find in-depth coverage of the sessions, award winners, products from the expo, and much more. Visit IFT Live.
Malcolm Bourne Receives 2011 Appert Award Malcolm Bourne, Emeritus Professor of Food Science, Cornell University, was honored as the recipient of the 2011 Nicholas Appert Award on Saturday, June 11, at the Awards Celebration. Robert Gravani, IFT President, presented Bourne with the award, which is IFT’s highest honor and is given annually to an IFT member for preeminence in and contributions to the field of food science and technology. The award includes a $5,000 honorarium and a plaque from IFT. Also honored Saturday night were the 16 food professionals named 2011 IFT Fellows.
Here’s a look at some of the other awards and competition winners announced at the 2011 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo®.
Running to Raise Money There’s nothing quite like starting the day off with a run in the New Orleans heat and humidity. Still, the heat didn’t deter the 575+ people that registered to take part in Feeding Tomorrow’s 11th Annual Fun Run on Monday morning, June 13, at Audobon Park. In total, sponsorships garnered over $77,000, once again a record high for Feeding Tomorrow scholarships. Just for participating, all runners received a race t-shirt.
Attendees also gave their time and energy for another worthy cause—the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana.
Dr. Regina Benjamin Defines a Role for Food Science For the Beacon Lecture series on Monday, June 13, Dr. Regina Benjamin, U.S. Surgeon General, laid out her goal for the health and wellness of U.S. citizens. Food science and the food industry play significant roles in her vision. “As America’s doctor, I really want to provide the best scientific knowledge” to make the lifestyles of Americans healthier, she said. And the best time to provide that knowledge is before illness strikes: a strategy for prevention. Food is an important part of this strategy, and Dr. Benjamin emphasized the role that the food industry can play in the prevention of food-related disease.
Dr. Benjamin wasn’t the only prestigious guest that spoke at this year’s IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo. They include: Patrick Wall, Professor of Public Health at the University College Dublin; Michael Specter, Journalist with the New Yorker; and Sam Kass, White House Chef & Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives. Here’s a look at what they shared with IFT attendees.
In the Spirit of New Orleans This year, Food Technology Senior Editor Donald Pszczola noted that New Orleans fare—tumbo, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice, and bananas foster—helped to inspire the creation of many of the prototype foods and beverages served at the IFT Food Expo. Ingredient exhibitors use these prototypes not only to capture the local atmosphere, but also to demonstrate, in a number of creative ways, how their ingredients can address trends in flavor, texture, functionality, and better-for-you formulating.
Here’s a look at some of Don’s other product development takeaways from the IFT Food Expo.
Snacks Take Off as Food Industry Struggles to Define There’s a phenomenon that has taken the United States by storm in the last 30–40 years. In session 136 “Snacking: Insight and perspectives on contributions to the American diet,” held Monday, June 13, three experts examined how snacking has taken over and its role in the growing obesity epidemic. Although the industry is lacking a definitive definition, there is no doubt that consumers are snacking more. According to Rick Mattes, Purdue University, consumers have increased the number of snacks they are eating per day so much so that a quarter of total energy taken in is from snacks.
With the industry highly focused on making food healthier, many of the 100+ scientific sessions offered at the IFT Annual Meeting addressed health and wellness. Here’s a look at just some of these sessions.
Trend & Solution Tours For the third year, IFT offered Trend & Solution Tours on the Food Expo floor. Trend & Solution Tours are self-guided tours to the booths of exhibiting companies that offer innovative products or services related to major issues and current trends facing the food industry. This year’s tours were: Taste Modification; Ingredients for Functional Foods; Next Generation for Fats & Oils; New Direction for Carbs; and Weight Management & Diabetes. Of the companies chosen to a part of the Trend Tours, eight were selected to make short videos discussing their products and what trend they address. View the Trend & Solution Tour videos.
Understanding consumers’ attitudes toward food and what motivates their purchasing habits is not black and white. Consumers have a complex relationship with food driven by such factors as health, emotion, geography, nostalgia, culture, ethnicity, and religion. To be more effective at helping Americans to eat healthful diets, product developers and nutritionists must acknowledge and respect the many roles that these factors have, said Mary K. Young, Executive VP, Edelman.
Young and other experts presented their perspectives and research on society’s relationship with food during the session, “The Way We Eat: Weaving Cultural Anthropology and Consumer Science into Food Product Development.” The session began with a discussion by Polly Adema, a culinary anthropologist, whose research has shown that food choices are affected by culture rather than science. What is considered edible in one culture is not considered so in another. Take insects for example, which are a source of protein and other nutrients and an ingredient in contemporary cuisine in many cultures but not in America, she said. It is probably safe to say that Americans will not be indulging in meals consisting of crickets, wasps, and other creepy-crawlers anytime soon. But who knows. At one time garlic was frowned upon by Americans and thought of as a food only Italian immigrants ate. Over time, however, socio-cultural dynamics helped transition garlic as well as other foods of Italian heritage from foreign to fad, emphasized Adema. Now, store shelves are filled with products drawn from Italian and other cultural heritages as Americans have become more accepting of them.
Culture still influences consumer choices and preferences but so does the need to eat healthy foods. Young presented results of four studies conducted by Edelman that show many consumers believe that food production is on the wrong track by using too many additives and preservatives and they want more transparency in regards to nutrition and ingredient information. However, consumers are reasonable in their expectations; while they do not expect food companies to produce only “better-for-you” foods, they do want healthful food choices available.
Unfortunately, eating a healthy diet is difficult for many, said Kantha Shelke, Principal, Corvus Blue. Food product developers and nutritionists tell consumers to eat healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, dry beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds but do not consider that these foods are expensive and often out of reach for budget-conscious consumers. By developing foods that balance health, indulgence, and convenience, product developers will have success at meeting the demands of these consumers. Shelke added that product developers also need to keep in mind two things: Consumers do not always know or cannot express what they want and consumers can tell developers what they want when they see, touch, and taste it.
Every day, consumers are inundated with messages extolling the benefits of antioxidants and their potential remarkable ability to clear harmful free radicals from the body. In fact, it is impossible to walk down the aisles of any supermarket without seeing a myriad of food products with labels announcing the level of antioxidants they contain. But many of those messages may be misleading as much of the information about the health benefits of antioxidants is exaggerated and, some say, downright deceptive.
In Session 253, “Antioxidants, Science, and Health: New Perspectives,” presenter John Finley of Louisiana State University discussed how the information about the properties and benefits of antioxidants has largely been exaggerated and misconstrued. He pointed out that processing profoundly affects the potency and bioavailability of antioxidants in various foods. Moreover, some antioxidants that show promise in laboratory studies have limited or no effectiveness within the human body, Finley said. Once antioxidants are ingested, many either lose their potency or are inadequately absorbed by cells. To illustrate his point, Finley referred to a recent study showing that anthocyanins from blueberries were helpful in protecting cells from inflammation but useless at treating cells that were already inflamed.
Presenter Navindra Seeram of the University of Rhode Island had a slightly different view of the efficacy of antioxidants within the body. Seeram and his colleagues believe that the body indeed absorbs antioxidants but that the mechanisms scientists use for detection and absorption are ineffective. He presented data indicating that after antioxidants are ingested, the body metabolizes them into other compounds that are either poorly studied or not documented at all in science. Presenter Darryl Sullivan of Covance Laboratories endorsed this perspective. Sullivan pointed out that more than 5,000 phytochemical compounds exist; most of them have not been identified. Research on antioxidants is in its infancy, he said, and scientists have a lot more to learn. In addition, he stressed that some of the current methods for studying and detecting antioxidants are good, but many more methods are needed.
Discussions on the processing of antioxidant-rich foods and the degree of antioxidant absorption in the body could soon be irrelevant. Presenter Li Li Ji of the University of Wisconsin presented compelling data on how exercise facilitates the body’s inherent ability to scavenge and get rid of free radicals. His research indicates that moderate exercise appears to have a deleterious effect on free radicals within the human body (rigorous exercise apparently has the opposite effect).
The debate on the healthfulness of antioxidants is sure to continue, but in the meantime, consumers should continue to eat fruits and vegetables (both rich in antioxidants) and engage in moderate physical activity just in case.
“The economic downturn may have slowed growth, but ‘natural’ is here to stay,” said Mintel’s Lynn Dornblaser, Director CPG Trend Insight, in a presentation in the Special Events Pavilion on Tuesday, June 14. This is mainly due to the fact that U.S. consumers are demanding natural products because they equate natural with healthy. In fact, more than 60% of consumers agree with the statement that “If a product is labeled all natural it’s healthy.” In addition, some consumers will pay more for natural products in certain categories, especially children’s beverages.
Consumers are attracted to this “natural nutrition” because they see it as inherently good, fresh, and wholesome. As Dornblaser explained, consumers desire transparency in their food and beverages. “They are very suspicious of things they don’t understand and this translates into them being afraid of chemical names they can’t understand,” said Dornblaser. For this same reason, they are attracted to “clean” labels, which have a relatively small number of ingredients and those ingredients are identifiable. Natural colors and flavors can play a role in delivering these benefits that consumers are looking for.
In new product development traditional health claims are in a long-term decline. However, other claims are on the rise, including convenience and ethical and environmental. But natural claims take the cake with the highest number of new products over other product claims. In fact, more than 35% of all new products released in 2010 bore a natural claim.
Not only are consumers seeking out products with natural claims, but companies can use these claims to enhance a premium product. For example, Haagen-Dazs launched its Five ice cream (made with just five simple, natural ingredients) in 2009 and since then it has outperformed the company’s other brand ice creams. However, natural isn’t just about premium; value priced items with natural claims work as well. Yoplait’s Simply… Go-Gurt yogurt is priced the same as non-natural yogurt, but it has no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial colors or flavors. This product sold $17 million in the first 71 weeks on the market.
Natural flavors and colors are popular claims around the world; however the desire for each varies from country to country. In Europe, both natural colors and flavors are highly valued in food, while the U.S. market has a stronger focus on artificial colors in foods. For beverages, European consumers once again value natural flavors and colors. Americans really desire natural flavors, which are driven by juices, but artificial colors are still used a lot. According to Mintel’s data, the five top food categories with natural colors and flavors are bakery, snacks, meals and meal centers, sauces and seasonings, and processed fish, meat, and eggs.
Dornblaser concluded the session by emphasizing that “consumers are attracted to all things natural but they see the see the whole picture.” This includes natural colors and flavors as well as other natural ingredients, natural sweeteners, and natural packaging. The focus in the future will be on the promotion of the positive, not the absence of negative ingredients. “Success is built on the brand values of transparency, trust, and simplicity,” explained Dornblaser. So, whether companies decide to “go natural” with their products, it is important to honest and simple with your messages and formulations (if possible) in order to build a trusting relationship with consumers.
Prairie Berries’ (booth 8539) Saskatoon Berry Powder packs a punch! Canada’s newest superfruit contains uniquely high antioxidativecharacteristics. The major anthocyanins in saskatoon berries are cyanidin 3-galactoside and 3-glucoside. Some literature indicates that cyanidin 3-glucoside has more bioactivity than other anthocyanins. In a research study conducted by POS Bio Sciences, saskatoon berry powder was compared to other common superfruit powders showing higher phenolics and anthocyanins.
SilverMill/Steensma’s (booth 8040) toasted chiplet coconut is a suitable ingredient for cereal bars. The very low water activity is useful and mitigates the effects of high moisture ingredients like raisins and dried fruit. Toasted Chiplet is high in dietary fiber at 12.3%.
A number of food and beverage prototypes demonstrate how dairy ingredients can contribute to improved taste, functionality, and nutrition, while solving many of today’s formulation challenges. These prototypes, which can be sampled at U.S. Dairy Export Council, Booth 6139, target different consumer groups and showcase the latest trends, ranging from satiety to low-sodium formulating.
For example, Americans are urged to cut back on salt, and food and beverage manufacturers are looking for solutions. One possibility is permeate, a dairy ingredient that provides salty characteristics while helping formulators reduce sodium content levels in products without sacrificing their taste. A butternut squash soup prototype is made with permeate.
Emerging research suggest that spacing protein intake throughout the day provides optimal benefits. Prototypes including a protein-packed waffle and a chilled pasta salad made with cheese and whey protein are just some of the ways to make this “spacing” possible.
A sweet potato bread pudding, made with whey protein, is a new twist on an old favorite. The incorporation of whey protein can help the mature consumer who is interested in maintaining muscle strength to support an active lifestyle.
As consumers look for ways to improve their eating habits, yogurt is being viewed in a new light as a valued dairy ingredient. Yogurt can be used as a functional ingredient in products for added flavor and nutrition. A refreshing, savory yogurt-based beverage that takes its cues from ethnic influences is highlighted.
These prototypes were developed by different dairy research centers throughout the country, illustrating the knowledge and resources of these food scientists.
A number of food and beverage prototypes feature ingredient innovations that can help overcome specific functionality challenges. For example, a brownie is made with a whole-grain cocoa replacer. A high-diglyceride oil is specifically developed for potato par frying. A low-expansion tortilla pellet delivers texture and bite for snack applications. And a new line of natural colors address stability issues.
Let’s sample some of these imaginative solutions:
A new line of natural cocoa replacers, CocoaPlus™, is based on whole-grain specialty flours which mimic the color, functionality, and flavor of cocoa powder. The cocoa replacers from Briess Malt & Ingredients Co, Booth 7349, replace ingredient costs while preserving and enhancing the cocoa flavor of many foods. Made from North American-grown barley and wheat, the ingredient can be used to replace natural, black, and some specialty cocoa powders at rates varying from 5% to 50%, depending upon the application. Blind taste tests are conducted at the booth to determine whether participants can tell which brownie is made with cocoa powder and which one contains the whole-grain alternative.
The latest flour innovation from ConAgra Mills, Booth 5029, provides superior food safety while preserving gluten functionality and taste appeal. The new flour line and patent-pending system is highlighted in prototype food products, along with other products from the company’s portfolio. These include Ultragrain® (whole wheat flour with the taste, texture, and appearance of white flour); Sustagrain® (ultra-high-fiber whole-fiber grain); Ancient Grains (amaranth, millet, quinoa, sorghum, and teff in flour, multigrain blend, and gluten-free forms); and Eagle Mills® Gluten-Free All-Purpose Multigrain Flour (multigrain flour blend featuring Ancient Grains that deliver whole-grain nutrition, functionality, and mainstream taste and texture for gluten-free products).
A new yogurt powder, developed by Grande Custom Ingredients, Booth 7247, provides a more pronounced yogurt flavor and creamier mouthfeel and texture than current versions in the marketplace. The ingredient is suitable for use in coatings, dips and dressings, candies, snacks, smoothies, frozen desserts, nutrition bars, and cereal inclusions.
Cooking demonstrations showcase the benefits of high-oleic soybean oil, Plenish™, from Pioneer Hi-Bred, Booth 8055.The oil has zero g of trans fat and 20% less saturated fat than commodity soybean oil and enhanced stability for food preparation. It offers more than 75% oleic content (the highest of any soybean under commercial development). Benefits of the oil include higher stability for frying, increased fry life, improved flavor, increased shelf life for manufactured products, decreased equipment maintenance, and blending opportunities.
A high-diglyceride oil for potato par frying enhances the nutritional profile of the product while maintaining a desirable flavor profile. The oil, Trancendim®130, is the result of a breakthrough high-diglyceride technology developed by Caravan Ingredients, Booth 7013. Potatoes fried in oil systems utilizing the ingredient can benefit from zero g of trans fats, decreased saturated fatty acids, and a structure that prevents freezer clumping and crumbling. Additionally, the oil has no impact on finished product sensory attributes.
A new low-expansion tortilla pellet from J.R. Short, Booth 7052 has a special crinkle shape which provides the texture consumers expect from traditional, higher-fat-content tortilla chips but in a whole new look. These tortilla pellets are also available in a medium range expansion that can be air popped and are very low in fat. The flavor innovation and healthy appeal can be further boosted by incorporating vegetables such as black bean, red corn, or sweet potatoes in the formulation.
Dairy-based protein ingredients from Fonterra (USA) Inc., Booth 7131, demonstrate functionality and nutritional benefits in several prototypes. A range of whey protein isolates, ClearProtein™, are designed for clear, clean-tasting powdered and ready-to-drink applications. A functional milk protein, DeluxeProtein™, can enhance the taste and texture of a thick, creamy Greek-style yogurt. A whey protein concentrate powder, PowerProtein™, delivers specific functional benefits and a source of protein for aerated protein bars.
A new line of natural colors offering increased stability are available from Food Ingredient Solutions, Booth 4607. The line, FISclear™, uses emulsification techniques to address stability concerns. Emulsions are produced with particle sizes in the 50–100 nm range, providing clarity, stability, and shelf life. The colors work well in liqueurs, are clear, and do not ring. Potential applications also include clear confections.
Although the culinary traditions of New Orleans provide the stimulus for many of the food and beverage prototypes sampled at the IFT Food Expo, other products are influenced by a variety of global flavor trends and the cuisines that come from those areas. Let’s look at some of these exciting developments in flavor, flavor combinations, and ethnic cuisines.
Experience Mediterranean Mezze at Innova, a Griffith LaboratoriesCompany, Booth 6747, and how it utilizes a new line of clean label meat flavors called Ultra-Clean™, part of the Robust®Ultima portfolio.The flavor line is designed to deliver the flavor characteristics inspired from classic culinary cooking techniques using only clean label ingredients. Prototypes available for sampling include Greek Style Chicken Kabob with three sauce choices: Tzatziki, Chorizo Tomato, and Olive & Tomato Tapenade.
A cosmopolitan flavors collection, “Urban Chic,” captures the flavor experiences of Paris, Cairo, Moscow, Shanghai, New Delhi, Cape Town, New York, Mexico, Tokyo, and Sydney. Each distinctive flavor is inspired by the culture, the environment, the differences, and the way of living of people from these 10 cities. The Nielaromes collection, launched by Jean Niel Inc., Booth 4307, is totally contemporary, cosmopolitan, urban, and multicultural, and was developed for customers looking for a new flavor but still attached to tradition, researching originality while preserving their identity. The flavor collection can be tasted in diverse applications such as jellies, confections, and beverages.
A refreshing prototype cucumber/lemon yogurt-based beverage, featured at U.S. Dairy Export Council, Booth 6139, takes its sweet and salty flavor cues from Middle Eastern beverages. The prototype demonstrates how yogurt can be used as a functional ingredient for added flavor and nutrition.
Exotic fruit flavors from around the world continue to find their way into food and beverage prototypes. Try a Rambutan or Yumberry Slushie at Bell Flavors, Booth 7829.
Churros are sometimes referred to as a Spanish doughnut. Cargill, Booth 8153 adapts this ethnic dessert to create a Churro Snack Bar, made with the company’s Whole-Grain Corn Crisps. The unique snack satisfies consumers’ desire for increased fiber and whole grains while still being delicious.
A high-fiber tortilla used in a kid-friendly quesadilla can be sampled at Grain Processing Corp., Booth 7239. The prototype features the company’s TruBran® corn bran to easily increase fiber.
Almond demonstrations are conducted by Research Chef Czukor at the Almond Board of California, Booth 5229. See and sample innovative yet practical almond recipe concepts within the chocolate, snacking, bakery, and cereal categories. Also, at the private hospitality event, ABC showcases the innovative pairings of almonds with ales from around the world.
Hummus chips and curry salsa are featured by Tate & Lyle, Booth 6229. The prototype contains the company’s soluble corn fiber, Promitor 85.
A ruby variety of prickly pear is showcased by S&P Marketing Inc., Booth 4807. This variety has an attractive magenta color. Its mildly sweet, melon, and berry profile blends well with other foods and it is high in fiber and soluble fiber, as well as other nutrients. Beverages made with prickly pear are available for sampling, including Prickly Pear Quencher and Prickly Pear Smoothie.
A line of barbecue sauces, Cattlemen’s Master’s Reserve, is featured by French’s Flavor Ingredients, Booth 7524. These sauces provide authentic regional flavors from America’s “BBQ Capitals,” including styles of Memphis, Carolina, Kansas City, Texas, St. Louis, Louisiana (perfect for our site), Mississippi, and Kentucky.
Premium Ingredients International’s (booth 4119) Stevia (Reb A 97 & SG95): Premium Ingredients is the exclusive U.S. distributor for PureCircle’s (booth 7313) Reb A 97 and SG95, which is the new, natural stevia derived proprietary blend. Half the cost of other sweeteners, it can be used to replace up to 50% of sugar without detection. 100% natural, non-caloric, and up to 400 times sweeter than sugar.
Dr. Regina Benjamin Outlines a Role for Food Science For the Beacon Lecture series on Monday, June 13, Dr. Regina Benjamin, U.S. Surgeon General, laid out her goal for the health and wellness of U.S. citizens. Food science and the food industry play significant roles in her vision. “As America’s doctor, I really want to provide the best scientific knowledge” to make the lifestyles of Americans healthier, she said. And the best time to provide that knowledge is before illness strikes: a strategy for prevention. Food is an important part of this strategy, and Dr. Benjamin emphasized the role that the food industry can play in the prevention of food-related disease. Read More >>
Check out other sessions that took place on Monday:
Humidity Can’t Keep the Fun Runners Down
There’s nothing quite like starting the day off with a run in the New Orleans heat and humidity. Still, the heat didn’t deter the 575+ people that registered to take part in Feeding Tomorrow’s 11th Annual Fun Run on Monday morning, June 13, at Audobon Park. In total, sponsorships garnered over $77,000, once again a record high for Feeding Tomorrow scholarships. Read More >>
Tapping Into Trends Courtesy of Innova Market Insights
What’s driving consumer behavior in 2011? Experts from Innova Market Insights mapped it out for Food Expo attendees with comprehensive top 10 trend displays in the Taste the Trend pavilion (Booth 6253) on the show floor. Innova showcased a list of overarching top 10 trends as well as lists of numerous secondary trends. Read More >>
Healthy Icon Served on a Plate
Earlier this month, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled a new icon to help U.S. consumers make better food choices: the MyPlate icon. To elaborate further on what the icon represents and why it was developed, Robert Post, Deputy Director of the USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, and Sam Kass, Assistant Chef for the White House, held a press conference on Monday, June 13, at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Read More >>
Ensuring Food Safety after a Nuclear Disaster
Environmental accidents do affect the food supply and consumer perceptions of food safety, but speed, consistency, and communication are keys to responding to food safety issues, reported Ronald Klein, President of the Association of Food and Drug Officials. He and other experts were on hand to provide information about addressing food safety concerns arising from radioactivity in the late-breaking session “Food after Fukushima: Responding to Radioactive Material as a Foodborne Contaminant.” Read More >>
A Taste for Reduced Sodium
Although the movement to reduce sodium intake is underway, strategies to limit sodium in foods are diverse and not as straightforward as simply reducing the use of salt in food preparation. During Session 183, “Reducing Sodium in Foods: Implications for Flavor and Health,” presenter Russell Keast of Deakin University in Australia pointed out that humans have a biological imperative for sodium intake. Read More >>
Although the movement to reduce sodium intake is underway, strategies to limit sodium in foods are diverse and not as straightforward as simply reducing the use of salt in food preparation. During Session 183, “Reducing Sodium in Foods: Implications for Flavor and Health,” presenter Russell Keast of Deakin University in Australia pointed out that humans have a biological imperative for sodium intake. Because of organisms’ evolutionary transition from sea to land, cells require a saline (i.e., salty) solution to function properly. For this reason, humans have a dietary requirement for sodium and an urge for it as well. Yet some humans crave more saltiness than others and have far more sensitive taste receptors than others.
According to presenter John Hayes of Pennsylvania State University, biological differences in taste perception exist, and optimal salt levels differ by sex (male vs. female). These genetic tasting factors make the relationship between saltiness and food likability a complex issue than cannot be solved by unilaterally cutting the salt level of foods across the board. Janice Johnson of Cargill Inc., emphasized that sodium reduction in foods is very challenging for the food industry. It involves achieving desired flavor attributes, which varies by type of food, and maintaining a salt level that maintains a high microbial management for food safety purposes. Food manufacturers are therefore identifying all ingredients in food formulations that are sources of sodium so that sodium reduction can be a multilateral approach.
Chefs are also working to reformulate recipes to reduce sodium in restaurant food. Presenter Chris Loss of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) says that most chefs refrain from relying solely on salt to season food. Instead, chefs use salt as a conduit to increase the flavor, depth, and texture of other flavorful ingredients such as herbs and spices and fruits and vegetables (e.g., onions, garlic). In addition, they rely on various culinary techniques (i.e., cooking and preparation methods) to enhance the natural flavor of foods. For example, the CIA determined that a 40% reduction in salt use can be achieved without a decrease in a food’s likability factor by seasoning the food on the surface after cooking.
With these insights into the prepping and cooking of food, the solution to reducing America’s sodium intake may not be simple but it will certainly be flavorful.
A little over a year after the devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, government regulators with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have determined that seafood from the gulf is safe for human consumption.
“The bottom line is that there is an extensive amount of data that supports the statement that gulf seafood is safe to eat,” said Calvin Walker, a scientist with NOAA, who made the statement at a press conference on Monday, June 13, during the 2011 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo in New Orleans.
NOAA and FDA teamed up to test seafood for oil contaminants and chemical dispersants used to break up the oil that flowed into the gulf. The agencies focused testing on two compounds—Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the oil and Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate (DOSS) from the dispersants.
The agencies broke up the affected area (about 37% of the Gulf of Mexico) into 30-mile grids and systematically conducted tests on samples drawn from each grid. During the testing process, thousands of samples were collected and tested for contaminants using both sensory and chemical analysis.
At this point, said Walker, all samples have passed the established testing protocols; levels of contaminants were routinely found to be 100 to 1,000 times below any levels of concern. All federal waters and 99% of the state waters have been reopened for seafood harvesting. NOAA is wrapping up the post-opening surveillance process of follow-up testing.
Beverage manufacturers can make their reduced-calorie drinks taste better than ever with an innovative new approach by Cargill. TasteWise™ reduced calorie solutions uses Cargill’s patent-pending technology, application capabilities, and ingredients to enable beverage makers to deliver better-tasting, reduced-calorie products. Stop by Cargill’s booth 6039 to take the TasteWise™ challenge and see if you can tell which lemon-lime soda is zero-calorie.
Grande Custom Ingredients Group’s (booth 7247) Grande Yogurt Powder has authentic yogurt flavor and creamy textural properties. It can be used in traditional compound coatings, and supports the creation of products not possible in the past. ou can create instant yogurt dips and dressings, yogurt smoothie mixes, and more – without the use of starches and expensive gums. Ideal for dips, dressings, smoothies, coatings, frozen desserts, and nutrition/meal replacement bars.
Fibersol®-2 AG digestive resistant maltodextrin has been specially designed for applications in which rapid dispersion and quick dissolution are key for final product success. Fibersol®-2 AG is an agglomerated form of digestive resistant maltodextrin and is ideal in specialized applications.
Compatible with Various Products:
Applications where a low bulk density is needed
Instant hand stir-in or shake beverages where Fibersol-2 AG is the primary dry ingredient
Carrier for supplements, vitamins, flavors, colors, and high intensity sweeteners
Tableting applications where particle size is essential for proper flow properties in process
Applications where increased oil absorption properties are needed (as compared to standard Fibersol®-2)
Fibersol®-2 AG Beneficial Effects include:
High solubility
Rapid dispersion
Quick dissolution
Increases total soluble fiber
No added flavor, taste
Transparent solution
Adds minimal viscosity
Masks out metallic taste (to a more sugar-like flavor) of high-intensity sweeteners
Requires minimal formulation and process adjustments
Heat and acid stable
Fiber Claim:
2.8 g of Fiberosl®-2 (2.5 g fiber)/serving “Good source of fiber”
5.6 g of Fibersol®-2 (5.0 g fiber)/ serving “Excellent source of fiber”
Bunge UltraBlends Enzymatic Solutionsutilizes a unique process—enzymatic interesterification—to produce a line of soy-based shortenings and margarines to eliminate trans fat and optimize saturated fat. Made with domestically sourced soybean oil, Bunge’s UltraBlends are suitable year round, making them a great alternative to traditional hydrogenated shortenings and palm based products. They also provide food manufacturers with 8-20% less saturates than palm oil while continuing to deliver a wide plasticity range. With a more consistent SFC Curve, they create less variability in firmness of the dough, which is especially beneficial for machining process of food manufacturers. And less processing and no-harmful by-products make this line of shortenings and margarine a sustainable option.
A new approach, developed by Cargill, Booth 6039, enables beverage manufacturers to deliver better-tasting, reduced-calorie products. With this approach, which integrates patent-pending technology, application capabilities, and ingredients (texturizers, sweeteners, and flavors) from the company’s diverse portfolio, reduced-calorie solutions, TasteWise™, are created to provide the right balance between desired sweetness and enhanced mouthfeel.
The secret to delivering a superior taste experience to consumers is in optimizing the balance between texture, sweetness, and mouthfeel, explained Andy del Rosal, Team Leader of Cargill’s North American beverage application scientists. When producing reduced-calorie beverages, manufacturers typically lower sugar content. To compensate for losing sweetness, it is common to add zero- or mid-calorie high-intensity sweeteners and taste-modifying flavors. Although this effectively addresses the loss of sweetness, the resulting beverage is likely to deliver a thinner mouthfeel and a different taste profile.
Using its new approach, Cargill claims to remedy this problem, as the company explained in a presentation given at a Special Events Pavilion (Booth 8153) on Monday, June 13, 10:30–11:30 a.m. Brian Guthie, Research Fellow in Cargill’s Global Food Research Group, and del Rosal delivered the presentation, “Great Science Meets Great Taste: A Revolutionary New Approach for Formulating Great-Tasting Reduced-Calorie Beverages,” which reported on the preliminary results of Cargill’s multi-year research and development program to understand how beverage ingredients interact to affect taste, sweetness, and mouthfeel to ultimately drive overall consumer liking.
The presentation then described the company’s new approach for optimizing taste in reduced-calorie beverages such as a zero-calorie lemon-lime soda. According to Cargill, it uses “tribology” (the science and technology of interacting surfaces in relative motion) to more accurately mimic and measure what goes on inside the mouth when a beverage is consumed. The company emphasizes that it is a pioneer in the use of tribology in the food and beverage industry, and through its use can predict and shape mouthfeel with an accuracy previously unknown in the industry.
“With this new approach, Cargill not only provides the ingredients to achieve desired sweetness and enhanced mouthfeel, but the science and expertise to achieve the right balance,” said del Rosal. “This is the culmination of years of scientific research to help our customers develop reduced-calorie beverages that also taste great.” Sensory and consumer testing of Cargill’s measurement and ingredient technology, conducted at North Carolina State University’s Sensory Science Center, validates the connection between key mouthfeel sensations and consumer liking.
The new approach also helps customers to save time and reduce costs. TasteWise™ reduced-calorie solutions helps speed product development through the utilization of its special prediction capabilities and new ingredient components. These components may include new texturizing blends that make possible the use of less sweeteners or other ingredients to achieve the same mouthfeel; the use of sweetener developments such as stevia-based, zero-calorie sweetener Truvia; and the use of taste enhancing and masking flavors. At Cargill’s booth, attendees are able to take the TasteWise challenge to see if they can tell which lemon-lime soda is zero-calorie.
Cargill has filed several patents on its TasteWise reduced-calorie solutions, and is working to extend its capabilities into food products including dressings, sauces, and soups.
Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.’s (booth 7349) CocoaPlus Cocoa Replacers is a new line of all natural cocoa replacers that can reduce ingredient costs while preserving and enhancing the cocoa flavor of many foods. CocoaPlus ingredients are all natural, whole grain specialty flours that mimic the color and functionality of cocoa powder. CocoaPlus can replace natural, black, and some specialty cocoa powders. Replacement rates vary from 5-50% depending upon the application. Briess can also work with your technical team to develop a custom cocoa replacer. During a recent blind taste test, two-thirds of the participants could not tell which brownie was made with cocoa powder and which brownie was made with CocoaPlus replacing 20% of the cocoa powder. Taste for yourself at Booth 7349.
Symrise is presenting several taste modifiers and flavor enhancers. SymLife® Mask demonstrates competencies in encapsulation technology, further strengthened by LC Taste®, a patented, advanced, liquid chromatography process that allows technical teams to analyze extracted food or pharmaceutical products. By identifying potential masking components and assessing in real time their effect in mitigating negative effects, the technology serves as a bridge between receptor and sensory science.
Addressing the medical imperative to reduce the added salt in processed and restaurant foods by half the amount are SymLife® Salt natural and salt enhancers. They provide a complete clean label, non-intrusive flavor solution, delivering a desired amount of saltiness. They overcome the sodium reduction challenges of KCL masking agents and flavor enhancing technologies, offering up to a 50% sodium reduction while maintaining salty perceptions.
Other flavors for healthier, clean label formulations are SymLife® Sweet, providing up to 35% reduction in sugar in beverages, confectioneries, and bakery products; and SymLife® Umami, a cost effective, great tasting alternative to MSG and HVP.
Symrise’s tropical fruit flavor collection—go tropicals!—features true-to-life natural fruit taste of less familiar varieties. Some novel tropical fruit flavors are effective in masking the off-tastes of various vitamins and minerals.
The flavors are part of Symrise’s taste for life® platform, a flavor development initiative of superior flavors that demonstrate how the company is combining holistic health with pure pleasure, “making the tastes people love.”
A number of new ingredients designed to overcome formulation challenges associated with health and wellness, cost management, and sustainability were launched by Cargill, Booth 6039, at a press conference, held on Monday, June 13, at 11:30 a.m. Nine food and beverage prototypes demonstrated the benefits of these ingredients.
A sodium reduction system, FlakeSelect™, maintains the benefits of salt in products with reduced sodium levels. The product is the result of a patent-pending system that created a compacted flake combining components with uniform distribution and minimal segregation. The sodium reduction system is featured in a sausage pizza that offers 35% less sodium, whole grain nutrition benefits, and a desirable taste.
A next-generation high oleic canola oil, Clear Valley® 80, is said to provide the best flavor, stability, and label friendliness of any vegetable oil currently in the marketplace. A Berries and White Chocolate Granola Bar with zero g of trans fat and low saturated fat levels is made with the oil along with Wilbur®Y252 white chocolate drops.
TasteWise™ reduced-calorie solutions are incorporated in a lemon-lime zero-calorie soda with a full calorie taste experience. Initial results of a research program to understand how beverage ingredients interact to affect taste, sweetness, and mouthfeel, and ultimately drive overall consumer liking, were presented.
To support growing customer and consumer demand for more eco-friendly ingredients and practices, a sustainable palm oil is now available to North American food manufacturers.
In addition to the above product launches, other ingredients from the company’s vast portfolio were used in the creation of the highlighted prototypes. For example, ice cream bars, featuring Oliggo-Fiber® inulin, provide an indulgent product with digestive health benefits, such as increased fiber, without compromising taste or texture. A churru snack bar, made with Whole Grain Corn Crisps, is a unique snack that satisfies consumers’ desire for increased fiber and whole grains while providing a delicious taste. Corn muffins, formulated with CitriTex™ stabilizer blend, Clear Valley® omega-3 oil, and MaizeWise® whole-grain corn, has 33% less fat than traditional versions and qualifies for a whole-grain stamp and a good source of ALA omega-3 claim. Savory snack crisp clusters, made with Barliv®Barley Betafiber Crisp and GrainWise®Wheat Aleurone, deliver a fiber-rich snack that qualifies for a structure-function claim regarding heart health. A shelf-stable soup formula, Cajun-style creamy vegetable soup, features Natural Dairy Flavors and PolarTex® modified food starch, delivering a desired flavor and texture with 70% less fat. A vanilla-flavored energy gel contains Xtend® sucromalt which provides a convenient source of fuel and sustained energy delivery without the blood sugar peaks and valleys of traditional carbohydrate sweeteners.
I know, I know … it’s the last day of the meeting and you feel like you have been up for the past 72 hours straight. However, you don’t want to miss out on Tuesday’s Sunrise Sessions, which take place from 7:15–8:15 a.m. Don’t worry, there will be free coffee to perk you up. And you can always sleep on the plane ride home. Tuesday’s bonus sessions are as follows:
Knowledge of macromolecular architecture helps to explain functionality. In polymer science, form and function are inseparable, i.e. shape dictates observed properties. In the carbohydrate arena, there is a big gap in our knowledge between atomic structure and its intrinsic relationship to the macroscopic behavior. This session will delineate these puzzling properties of carbohydrate polymers from insights of structural features and assembly. Further, it provides a strong platform for sharing existing methods and techniques from experts in the field, and promotes collaboration between academia and industries, leading to innovation of new functional ingredients.
Non-targeted analytical approaches for detecting economically motivated adulteration of food and food ingredients: Part 1 Session 212, Tuesday, 7:15–8:15 a.m.
Room: 396
Track: Food Safety & Defense
Economically motivated adulteration presents a huge challenge in the marketplace and threatens the integrity of the food supply chain. A developing approach for detecting adulteration is screening food and food ingredients for adulteration using non-targeted approaches. This symposium will highlight promising research done to date and identify challenges and opportunities to transform these approaches into tools that can be used in routine quality assessment settings for raw material screening to guard against adulteration in the food supply.
How to obtain and manage AFRI competitive grants Session 213, Tuesday, 7:15–8:15 a.m.
Room: 398
Track: Food, Health & Nutrition
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) competitive grant programs of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), formerly CSREES, of the USDA are of high relevance to the food science and nutrition community, especially in improving quality of food and ensuring food safety. NIFA National Program Leaders will provide overviews on the peer review process, attributes of a winning proposal, and tips for post award management.
Fruit-flavored frozen coconut water. Stevia-sweetened drinks. New color emulsions for enhanced water applications. And a tropical beverage made with a transparent soy protein. These are just a few of the innovative prototypes found at IFT Food Expo that might be of special interest to beverage formulators.
Let’s sip for a moment on some of these beverage concepts:
Tropical flavored coconut water ices are available (for sipping or slurping) from David Michael & Co., Booth 5217. Using coconut water as a frozen treat base offers consumers a refreshing healthy alternative without compromising taste. As you sample these drinks, cookies made with a partial cocoa replacer are provided as well.
Beverage prototypes feature a number of innovative solutions from National Starch/Corn Products, Booth 6839. For example, a fortified, citrus-flavored vitamin water is crystal clear because of a Q-Naturale encapsulating system. The beverage is sweetened with Enliten A stevia and fortified with Aquamin® calcified mineral source and Nutriose soluble fiber. Other prototypes include sweet tea and raspberry powder beverages sweetened with Enliten A and fortified with Aquamin, Nutraflora prebiotic fiber, and Purimune high-purity GOS for digestive, immune, and bone health.
A number of natural flavor distillates, part of the Treattarome™ line from Treatt, Booth 7213, are showcased in beverage prototypes. Visitors can sample the latest additions to this range of sweet and savory flavor ingredients. These include, honey, ginger, mango, spearmint, green tea, and habanero pepper. Clear and entirely water soluble, these products are suitable for applications including beverages, alcoholic drinks, juices, and dairy formulations.
A tropical beverage, Orange Mango Protein Cooler, is made with Clarisoy, an isolated soy protein product that is 100% soluble, transparent, and very low in viscosity. Use of this protein allows for the production of transparent, protein-fortified beverages such as juices, soft drinks, and sport drinks in the low pH range. Recently, ADM, Booth 6539, entered into a license agreement with Burcon NutraScience Corp. for the worldwide production, distribution, and sale of the soy protein.
Idyllic beverage prototypes can be enjoyed in a park-like setting at Virginia Dare, Booth 6130. These prototypes include a fortified smoothie made with masking flavors and natural fruit flavors; refreshing iced teas made from tea concentrates (black, green, Assam, oolong, and white, as well as Rooibos); a beverage highlighting vanilla’s delicate aromatics and complex, full-bodied flavor profile; and a lightly flavored spa-type drink.
A “Symrise Happy Hour,” features Mixologist Junior Merino, who will concoct special cocktails—the kind of creations that have crowned him as “the liquid chef.” The event is held by Symrise Inc., Booth 5015, on Sunday and Monday, from 2–4 p.m. Also, the company will showcase its new line of tropical fruit flavors—mango, guava, papaya, pineapple, lychee, passionfruit, pomegranate, and coconut water fruit flavors.
Natural water-soluble colors for beverages can be created without opacity. The clear color emulsions are developed by Wild Flavors, Booth 6813, using new delivery systems. They have bright appealing color and can be made in a variety of shades without imparting a negative taste to the end product. The emulsions also have a high stability over shear forces and phase separation such as ringing or sedimentation, and are heat and light stable. They not only provide bright natural color in enhanced water applications, but can be easily incorporated into most beverages and other products.
Reduced-calorie solutions, TasteWise, optimize the balance between taste and mouthfeel in beverages. The solutions are developed by Cargill, Booth 6039, based on a new approach using “tribology” (the science and technology of interacting surfaces in relative motion). Attendees are able to take the TasteWise challenge to see if they can tell which lemon-lime soda is zero calorie.
The wellness benefits of whey protein are infused in a variety of beverage concepts demonstrated by Hilmar Ingredients, Booth 4942. Prototypes include a clear, high-protein sports drink, a whey-protein-fortified tropical fruit and veggie smoothie, a low-fat chai spice protein shake, and a chocolate dairy drink designed for markets where a lack of refrigeration and supply infrastructure limit fresh dairy. Working on healthy beverages? This may be the booth for you.
Sip on a refreshing, effervescent pomegranate beverage at Grain Processing Corp., Booth 7239. The prototype is made with Maltrin® maltodextrins for building body and mouthfeel while adding a clean-tasting, non-sweet energy source into beverages.
A “Happy Hour” is held daily from 3–5 p.m. by GNT USA, Booth 7039. Frozen cocktails, such as rum punches, are served, made from fruit juice concentrates. Also virgin frozen mocktails are available throughout the day. Learn more about the company’s fruit-derived natural colors and fruit and vegetable extracts.
SK Food International’s (booth 4335) Precooked Quinoa and Amaranth Flakes are custom milled from heirloom grains, and the flakes are gluten-free and kosher. Product applications include but are not limited to cereals, tortillas, snack foods, baby food, flat breads, baking mixes, and energy bars. Available packaging sizes include 50 lb bags and bulk totes.
Rudolph Research Analytical’s (booth 4101) J457 Refractometer has several innovations for the food industry: smart measure system reports prism cleanliness, totally free operation where sample loading and cleaning is automatic, and detection of improper sample loading. The refractometer has a wide measuring range making it capable of measuring materials like essential oils and food chemicals.
Keynote Session: Speaking Out for Science Journalist Michael Specter and panelists representing the food industry tackled the complicated question of how to go about changing the image of food science in the marketplace during a provocative Keynote Session on Sunday morning, June 12. Specter, a New Yorker staff writer who has frequently focused on issues of science and public health, set the stage for the discussion in a presentation that underscored U.S. consumers’ mounting mistrust of science. Read More >>
Check out other sessions that took place on Sunday:
Communicating Food Safety Issues in a Global Society
Outbreaks are not due to bad luck, they are due to bad management, explained Patrick G. Wall, Professor of Public Health at the University College Dublin and one of the Institute of Food Technologists’ inaugural Beacon Lecturers. During the last 25 years many high profile food scares and outbreaks have occurred in the European Union that have eroded consumer confidence in the safety of the food supply and the regulators charged with overseeing food safety issues. Read More >>
Four ‘Must Sees’ on the Food Expo Floor
At the Sunday morning keynote session of the 2011 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo, incoming IFT President Roger Clemens and President-Elect John Ruff announced and presented four companies with the 2011 IFT Food Expo Innovation Awards. The winners are DuPont Teijin Films, Ecolab, Loders Croklaan North America, and Summit Resource Group. Read More >>
Chefs and Food Scientists Working Side by Side It is becoming increasingly common for food scientists to be inspired by the culinary world and vice versa. At this year’s IFT/RCA presentation on Sunday, June 12, a chef and food scientist from Bruce Foods shared how they are bringing together their respective fields to enhance the product development process. Chef Nick Landry (photo, left), Corporate Chef and R&D Chef, kicked off the presentation by explaining to the audience what the chef can bring to the table. Read More >>
Attendees Sample Top Trend Products at Mintel At the beginning of each year, Mintel releases their flavor and ingredient predictions for the year ahead. Now, six months into 2011, Mintel reviewed the top seven of 12 trends at their New Products & Consumer Insights Pavilion presentation on Sunday, June 12. In addition to reviewing the data on new product introductions, Mintel’s Lynn Dornblaser and David Jago offered 23 products for attendees to taste featuring these trends. Here’s a look at the top seven trends influencing the marketplace now. Read More >>
The launch of Purefruit™ monk fruit extract was celebrated at a food- and drink-tasting event, hosted by New Orleans Chef John Besh at Tate & Lyle, Booth 6229, on Sunday, June 12, from 3:30–5 p.m. Besh prepared several dessert and cocktail recipes using the natural fruit-based, calorie-free sweetener solution.
Tate & Lyle recently entered into a five-year strategic partnership agreement with New Zealand-based BioVittoria, a producer and processor of monk fruit. According to the agreement, Tate & Lyle receives exclusive global marketing and distribution rights for BioVittoria’s monk fruit extract which will be sold in the United States under the Purefruit brand name. Using proprietary, natural methods, the Tate & Lyle research team has further refined and improved the taste of its Purefruit products for a variety of commercial applications, although BioVittoria will continue management of the monk fruit extract supply line, including seedling cultivation, the grower network, and natural processing.
Monk fruit, also known as luo han guo, is native to Southeast Asia where it has been in use for hundreds of years. Its pulp is steeped in hot water to release a natural, calorie-free sweetening ingredient that is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar. Monk fruit extract received a letter in January 2010 stating that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had no questions after receipt of BioVitoria’s GRAS notification. The extract made from monk fruit can help reduce sugar and calories in a variety of formulations, including beverages, dairy products, cereals, confections, and bakery products.
“In addition to its great taste, Purefruit enables a ‘sweetened with fruit extract’ label claim, which our research shows is extremely appealing to consumers,” noted Karl Kramer, President, Innovation & Commercial Development, for Tate & Lyle. He also noted that the agreement with BioVittoria has expanded Tate & Lyle’s broad portfolio of wellness ingredients and helped to advance the company’s strategy of extending its leadership position as a global provider of specialty food ingredient solutions.
The monk fruit extract is one of several ingredients that Tate & Lyle is highlighting at IFT Food Expo. For example, soluble corn fiber, Promitor 85, is featured in such prototypes as hummus chips and curry salsa. Other ingredients include Splenda sucralose in Arnold Palmer Tea andLemonade, instant granular starch in key lime filling, instant pregel starch in whipped cheesecake, and food systems for sour cream.
At the food and drink tasting event attendees were able to watch Chef Besh as he demonstrated the benefits of monk fruit as a natural sweetener solution. Attendees were also eligible to win a dinner for four on Monday, June 13 at Besh’s popular New Orleans restaurant August. Executive chef, TV personality, and cookbook author, Besh has set the benchmark for fine dining in New Orleans with six successful restaurants.
Product: High Intensity Sweeteners and Texturizers for Sugar and Fat-Reduced Foods
The Corn Products/National Starch booth will be featuring high intensity sweeteners, including stevia and erythritol, for sugar-reduced foods, and a range of texturizing solutionsthat effectively mimic the textures of full-fat foods. Corn Products Enliten® stevia product is unique in that it comes from a plant specifically bred by the company and its partner to produce a sweetener without the bitterness typically found in stevia. Erysta® directly compressible erythritol is the first form of this natural-based sweetener to effectively make tableted products. National Starch will be introducing a new product for low and no-fat dairy foods, from its Precisa® texturizing system line—an output of its Dial-in® Texture Technology.
ALPHA M.O.S.’ (booth 4108) Heracles II Electronic Nose uses fast gas chromotography with two columns of different polarities mounted in parallel and connected to two detectors. It has high repeatability (RSD < 0.3% on retention times and RSD <3% on peak areas) allowing headspace or liquid injection modes. The integrated solid adsorbent trap thermo-regulated by Peltier cooler (0-260°C) achieves pre-concentration of light volatiles. Fast column heating rates (up to 600°C/min) make typical analysis cycle time around 5 min.
The PC interface monitors parameters settings, programs, FID ignition, etc. Besides classical chromatography, it provides powerful tools such as sample fingerprint analysis & comparison, qualitative and quantitative models, quality control cards. The database integrates info on sensory features linked to the chromatograms peaks. Compounds and sensory info are classified by application area. This integrated database (Kovats indices) also facilitates peak identification; it can be enriched with user data.
Fabuless® is a unique, patented lipid emulsion for satiety. It is a natural, caffeine free, safe, and clinically proven ingredient. Nine published clinical studies demonstrate its short- and long-term effects on calorie intake reduction, appetite control, as well as improved body composition. Clinical studies have demonstrated that individuals using Fabuless® reduce their average calorie intake by up to 30%, have reduced body fat, and do not regain lost weight up to several months post-diet. Fabuless® is available in liquid as well as powder form and ideally suitable for ready-to-drink beverages, dairy applications, stick packets, meal replacement shakes, etc. Fabuless® has been successfully launched in over 20 countries worldwide.
Diabetinol can be used for glucose intolerence and the management of type 2 diabetes. It is all natural and citrus based. The company has conducted a USA Phase I human clinical study using the ingredient. As a citrus-based ingredient, Diabetinol offers the food and nutritional producers proof of performance to satisfy tighter government regulations. The best applications: beverage, dairy, protein bar, and nutra. This ingredient will support the management of insulin when presented with a glucose challenge.
One of the dominant trends in the baking industry today is whole grain, part of the consumer’s overall interest in healthier food choices. While the consumer is looking for whole grain options, at the same time they are unwilling to give up taste and quality. Watson’s Perfect GrainTM is a whole grain concentrate that provides customers with the health benefits they crave and the taste and texture of conventional baked products.
Perfect GrainTM is not whole grain flour, but a wheat germ and wheat bran blend, which can be used in conjunction with your existing flour. Replace 18% of your white patent or pastry flour with Perfect GrainTM to make any baked good a whole grain food. This allows for ultimate flexibility in formulation while eliminating the need to inventory two different types of flours. Applications include bread, rolls, croissants, muffins, cakes, donuts, pizza crusts, pasta, as well as breading and batters.
C.W. Brabender Instruments Inc.’s (booth 5100) new Farinograph-AT has advancements that center around the automatic water dosing system which eliminates the potential for operator error during the addition of water to the flour in the mixer measuring head. The new model offers a higher torque range which is better suited when investigating various speed profiles and calculating missing energy for new applications including chocolate, chewing gum, cheese, meat, fish, full formula dough, etc.
This is a very exciting time for IFT, and we need you to get involved. The Nominations & Elections Committee strives to put forth the finest leaders in the food science and technology profession, and we need your input to make that happen! You have an opportunity to nominate yourself or a colleague for President-Elect or for a position as a member of the 2012–2013 Board of Directors. Nominees must be Professional Members of IFT to be considered for candidacy. Find out more about Professional Membership.
It is easy to submit a nomination online. Click here to access the online nomination form. The deadline is October 3, 2011. Questions? Contact Erin Carter, Staff Coordinator for the Nominations & Elections Committee at ecarter@ift.org.
S&P Marketing Inc.’s (booth 4807) Prickly Pear Quencher is an all-natural, prickly pear and lime beverage that is 100% sweetened naturally by fruit. Prickly pear is high in fiber and soluble fiber and rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, betalains, and quercetin. It is also a good source of magnesium and is low in fat and calories compared with other, more common, plant-derived ingredients, as well as being a dietary source of taurine.
For the third year, the Disney-IFT Student Association (IFTSA) Product Development Competition challenged student teams to address an important wellness need by creating healthy snacks for kids. Participating teams were asked to develop a nutritious, unique, and innovative concept, applicable to a food or beverage item for retail or foodservice, and intended for children under the age of 12.
Finalists from four universities will participate in oral finals on Monday, June 13, from 2–5 p.m. in the Special Events Pavilion, Booth 8153 on the Food Expo floor. Winners of the competition, which is sponsored by Disney Consumer Products, will be announced on Monday, June 13, at the IFTSA Welcome Assembly, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel, Grand Ballroom CD.
One travel grant of $1,000 will be awarded to each of the six finalist teams. The travel grants are provided to help subsidize the expenses incurred for airfare and lodging to compete at the Annual Meeting. The grand prize winners will receive a check for $7,500 and a trophy from Disney. The first place winners will receive a check for $3,500, while the four remaining teams will be given honorary prizes in the form of a check for $1,000.
Here’s a peek at the entries submitted by the six finalists.
University of Arkansas: Phenomenal Funchies—A hand-held, baked snack filled with dried fruits including berries, mango, and banana.
University of Nebraska: CarsZone—A microwavable, stuffed, whole-grain calzone filled with a variety of vegetables and cheese.
Rutgers University: Gitchi Gitchi Goo—A lactose- and gluten-free, whole grain pudding with containing vitamin C, vegetables, and fruits.
Washington State University: Mater’s Craters—A carrot-based, cracker sandwich made of whole grains, vegetables, and dietary fiber.
University of Wisconsin, Madison (Graduate): Pixie Dust Fruit Beverage Mix—A combination of raspberry and apple fruit powders in an easy open-and-pour package.
University of Wisconsin, Madison (Undergraduate): Tangerine Dream—A portable, yogurt-based, carbonated beverage.
Watch for an announcement of the competition winners in IFT Live.
If you are a student and looking for events to connect with your peers you’ve come to the right place. You can always participate in the Fun Run which takes place Monday, June 13, from 6:15–7:15 a.m. However, I understand if sweating is not your thing. Thankfully, the 2011 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo offers students many other events–social and educational–to get involved with your peers. These events not only help you network with industry professionals, but they also provide ways to advance your professional and technical skills. Here’s a look at some of what is planned for this year.
Booth and Student Lounge: The IFTSA booth will be located in the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, Lobby H. Be sure to stop by, hang out, and pick up your schedule of student events. The student lounge will also be located in Morial Convention Center, room 281. This is a great place to meet, mingle and lounge.
Mixer and Chapter of the Year Display: Plan on attending the Mixer, to be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 13 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside in Grand Ballroom AB. Meet and mingle with other students and professionals while viewing the Chapter of the Year displays and enjoying refreshments.
Welcome Assembly and College Bowl Competition: Join your fellow students on Monday evening, immediately following the Student Association Mixer at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside for the presentation of the Chapter of the Year Competitions, Fun Run, and Excellence in Leadership awards. Afterwards, the finals of the 26th Annual Intercollegiate Food Science and Technology College Bowl Competition will take place. The College Bowl facilitates interaction among students with different universities, encourages the accumulation and retention of knowledge, and…it’s fun!
Undergraduate Research Paper Competition: If you have been participating in an independent research project, the Undergraduate Research Competition is for you. The competition is open to any IFTSA undergraduate member who has participated in original research, and who has not graduated by July 1, 2010. The competition will feature both an oral and poster component. These hybrid finals will take place on Sunday, June 12, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. in Morial Convention Center, room 388.
Professional Development Oral Sessions: These sessions are designed to give students experience presenting orally, as well as feedback to refine their presentation skills. Selected students will have the opportunity to present their research on Sunday and Monday afternoon, from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., and selected professionals will act as judges and provide written feedback to the presenters.
Product Development Competitions: Always highlights of the Student Association year and Annual Meeting, there are three product development/process competitions taking place this year.
The Product Development Competition, sponsored by Mars, showcases the food scientists of tomorrow and their ability to apply the knowledge and skills learned in school to a real-world situation. Product development teams from participating universities each conceptualize a new food idea, then work to see that idea through the stages of production and marketing. The finalists are:
Cornell University: Vege3
Michigan State University: Minute Escape
Ohio State University: Omega Munch
Pennsylvania State University: Par‐fections
University of Massachusetts-Amherst: Joe Nuts
University of Wisconsin-Madison: Blissful Bites
In the Disney-IFTSA Product Development Competition, the IFTSA and Disney Consumer Products, Inc. have challenged student members of the IFT to address and important wellness need by creating healthy snacks for kids. The competition goal is to create a market-relevant, nutritious and delicious snack applicable to a retail food or beverage item that integrates a fruit or vegetable in a product targeted to children under the age of 12. The finalists are:
University of Arkansas: Phenomenal Funchies
University of Nebraska: CarsZone
Rutgers University: Gitchi Gitchi Goo
Washington State University: Mater’s Craters
University of Wisconsin, Madison (Graduate): Pixie Dust Fruit Beverage Mix
University of Wisconsin, Madison (Undergraduate): Tangerine Dream
Now in its third year, the Developing Solutions for Developing CountriesCompetition requires student teams to use scientific skills and innovative thinking to create products and/or processes that can improve the quality of life for people in developing nations. In the 2011 challenge, student teams were asked to “utilize food science and technology to address the issue of iron deficiency in developing countries.” The finalists are:
International: Brawijaya University, Indonesia; Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia; Institute of Chemical Technology, India
Domestic: Cornell University, Rutgers University, University of Minnesota
End-of-the-Meeting Networking Reception: To end the meeting with a bang, students will be gathered at the IFTSA Networking Reception at Maison on Tuesday, June 14 from 7–10 p.m. It will be an informal event that brings students together to network and…ahem…party!
Malcolm Bourne,Emeritus Professor of Food Science,Cornell University, was honored as the recipient of the 2011 Nicholas Appert Award on Saturday, June 11, at the Awards Celebration. Robert Gravani, IFT President, presented Bourne with the award, which is IFT’s highest honor and is given annually to an IFT member for preeminence in and contributions to the field of food science and technology. Read More >>
Check out other news from the Awards Celebration on Saturday night
Career Fair Offers Opportunities Despite Economic Downturn
Food science students were out in force at the IFT Career Fair on Saturday, June 11, armed with resumes and determination. The past couple of years have proven difficult for graduating students due to the economic downturn resulting in hiring freezes and budget cuts. Joe Brately, who graduated from Ohio State in 2009, has been working at a New Balance shoe store while he continues to search for a job in product development. “I’ve been considered for jobs but either they decide to hire within the company or the funding disappears,” said Brately. Read More >>
IFT Cares Volunteers Pitch in, Reach Out in New Orleans
IFT’s anti-hunger initiative, IFT Cares, gave about two dozen volunteers an excellent reason to get up early on Saturday morning, June 11. Volunteers boarded a bus at the New Orleans Hilton Riverside Hotel at 7:30 a.m. and traveled for about an hour to the Plaquemines Parish, where they worked at a mobile pantry operated by the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana. Read More >>
Analyzing the Safety of Seafood Following the Gulf Oil Spill
Due to the size and persistence of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon explosion, the methods for testing the safety of the affected seafood were inadequate and new protocols had to be designed on-the-fly, according to presenters at a Saturday morning IFT Pre-Annual Meeting Short Course on Evaluating the Safety of Gulf Seafood: Programs and Analytical Techniques in the Aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon Spill. Read More >>
In the Spirit of New Orleans
Gumbo, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice, bananas foster, dishes smothered in hot sauce, and other examples of New Orleans fare help inspire the creation of many of the prototype foods and beverages served at the IFT Food Expo. Ingredient exhibitors use these prototypes not only to capture the local atmosphere, but also to demonstrate, in a number of creative ways, how their ingredients can address trends in flavor, texture, functionality, and better-for-you formulating. Read More >>
Check out other product development stories by Don E. Pszczola:
Kikkoman Sales USA’s (booth 4728) Oyster Sauce is a delicious way to add the sweet, delicate flavor of fresh seafood to your products. It is made in the United States, and contains no preservatives or added MSG. Kikkoman Oyster Sauce brings depth, color, and a rich umami effect, without any fishy or harsh flavor notes. Ideal for Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and fusion dishes. Available in 50-lb pails or 55-gal drums.
IFT’s fifth annual Town Hall Meeting will take place from 4:45–5:45 p.m. Sunday, June 12, in Room 243 of the Morial Convention Center. As it does each year, the meeting will give those who attend an opportunity to learn more about IFT’s programs and services and to ask questions of members of the Board of Directors.
IFT President Bob Gravani and Executive Vice President Barbara Byrd Keenan will open the Town Hall Meeting with a short presentation on some of the highlights of the past year.
Those who attend will then have the opportunity to visit one or more of the three “information stations” set up in the meeting room. The topic areas for the three stations are as follows: 1) Ask the Board of Directors; 2) Section Engagement; and 3) IFT’s Certification Activities.
IFT volunteer leaders and/or staff members will offer brief remarks to start off the discussions at the Section Engagement and Certification Activities stations. Town Hall Meeting attendees will be invited to provide input, if desired, to questions posted at each of the stations.
ConAgra Mill’s (booth 5029) Ultragrain Pastahas a mild flavor, smooth texture, lighter color, and no brown specks—the same benefits of traditional refined flour pasta—in addition to whole grain nutrition and fiber. Ultragrain Pasta is available in six varieties: penne, macaroni, rotini, spaghetti, and now lasagna, all made with Ultragrain and a whole 9-grain orzo.
Watson Inc.’s (7339) micronized corn branWT-11867B has been developed for use in grain-based products where high fiber claims are desired, along with smooth textural properties and bland flavor contribution. Watson uses proprietary equipment to grind and classify bran fractions into colloidal particle dimensions with an average particle size of 1.25 microns. The result is low water retention and virtually no organoleptic perception of bran particles. Corn bran is high in dietary fiber (compared to other cereal brans) and has no allergenic attributes. Micronization of corn bran brings the particle size down to a dimension where use in fine textured snacks and even beverages are now possible.
Brand new this year, we have set up a Knowledge Center, giving you a resource to learn more about IFT’s 11 key focus area and core science tracks, divisions, Trend and Solution Tours, additional educational offerings, and much more. Knowledgeable IFT staff will be on hand to event help you design a learning experience focusing on your needs to maximize your time in New Orleans. Or, since the Center will be decked out with comfy seating, you may choose to host a “meet up” and talk about scientific topics important to you or meet new colleagues. Conveniently located in Lobby G as you enter the convention center, the Knowledge Center is a great place to stop and plan your day.
SunOpta Fruit Group’s (booth 7421) frozen garden green garbanzo beans are high in fiber, offering 20% of your daily requirement per serving. Naturally low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. They can be served with entrees, added to salad and pasta, pureed for dips, spreads, or soups, and eaten by themselves seasoned or plain.
ConAgra Mill’s (booth 5029) Eagle Mills Gluten-Free Multigrain Flour Blend features five Ancient Grain flours—amaranth, millet, quinoa, sorghum, and teff—in addition to brown rice, whole grain corn flour, corn starch, tapioca flour, and rice flour. Each serving delivers 15 g of whole grain and 6 g of fiber in addition to healthful vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
In order to be successful in the competitive food industry, it is necessary to stay on top of the newest advancements in technology and ingredient innovation. Instead of spending days calling your contacts and googling, attend the 2011 IFT Food Expo where 900+ companies will be showcasing innovative ingredients, instruments, equipment and services. And this year, IFT has made it easier to the new products and services being introduced and IFT11. Hundreds of new products will be identified with an attention grabbing yellow “What’s New!” logo.
At the Food Expo, “What’s New!” floor stickers will help exhibitors with featured products stand out. Products labeled with the “What’s New!” logo will also be included in the new downloadable application. Annual Meeting & Food Expo attendees will even be able to use the mobile app to vote for the best new products from participating companies. In addition, products labeled with the logo will be featured on IFT Live’s homepage and listed within the tabbed section in the printed Program and Exhibit directory available on-site.
Check out just some of the products and services you can expect to find at this year’s Food Expo in the following popular categories:
Want to know what new products/services will be featured at this summer’s IFT 2011 Food Expo? Hundreds of new products and services will be identified with an attention-grabbing yellow What’s New! logo. Here we take a look at some ingredients that feature advancements in wheat and grains:
ConAgra Mill’s (booth 5029) Ultragrain Pasta has a mild flavor, smooth texture, lighter color, and no brown specks—the same benefits of traditional refined flour pasta—in addition to whole grain nutrition and fiber. Ultragrain Pasta is available in six varieties: penne, macaroni, rotini, spaghetti, and now lasagna, all made with Ultragrain and a whole 9-grain orzo.
FiberGourmet’s (booth 7853) Wheat Cracker has half the calories of conventional versions and 12 g fiber per serving.
SK Food International’s (booth 4335) Precooked Quinoa and Amaranth Flakes are custom milled from heirloom grains, and the flakes are gluten-free and kosher. Product applications include but are not limited to cereals, tortillas, snack foods, baby food, flat breads, baking mixes, and energy bars. Available packaging sizes include 50 lb bags and bulk totes.
Watson Inc.’s (booth 7339) Perfect Grain White Wheat is not whole grain flour, but a blend of wheat bran and germ from white wheat that can be used in conjunction with your existing flour to make any baked good or pasta whole grain. Perfect Grain White is derived from white wheat and therefore provides minimal color impact when compared to our original Perfect Grain from red wheat. Perfect Grain White has an average particle size of under 1.5 microns, resulting in low water retention and virtually no organoleptic perception of the bran particles, producing smooth textured baked goods. Applications include bread, rolls, croissants, muffins, cakes, donuts, pizza crusts, and pasta as well as breading and batters.
Woodland Foods’ (booth 5160) Freekeh is a 100% natural roasted grain from highly nutritious green wheat. An ancient food from 2300 BC, this Eastern Mediterranean protein-enriched super-food is high in fiber (up to four times the fiber of brown rice), high in iron, and promotes healthy digestion. Freekeh has a smoky aroma and a nutty, toasted taste. This whole grain is a cousin to bulgur wheat and also similar to brown rice and barley.
Want to know what new products/services will be featured at this summer’s IFT 2011 Food Expo? Hundreds of new products and services will be identified with an attention-grabbing yellow What’s New! logo. Here we take a look at some ingredients that can add fiber to your formulations:
ConAgra Mill’s (booth 5029) Eagle Mills Gluten-Free Multigrain Flour Blend features five Ancient Grain flours—amaranth, millet, quinoa, sorghum, and teff—in addition to brown rice, whole grain corn flour, corn starch, tapioca flour, and rice flour. Each serving delivers 15 g of whole grain and 6 g of fiber in addition to healthful vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Grain Processing Corp.’s (booth 7239) TruBran Corn Bran delivers a high level of dietary fiber and can be incorporated into a variety of applications such as nutritional bars and beverages, snacks, cereals, baked goods, and other fiber-fortified foods. TruBran corn bran is a golden brown fiber made from 100% yellow corn. It contains a minimum of 75% total dietary fiber and is specially processed for added stability.
Lallemand/Macco’s (booth 8447) Engevita D is a naturally occurring vitamin D rich inactive yeast. Engevita D provides a dependable source of vitamin D for a broad number of applications. Bio-Engevita is a mild tasting organic inactive yeast. Bio-Engevita provides a natural source of fiber (Glucans and Mannan-oligosaccharides) and readily assimilated high quality proteins.
Medallion Laboratories’ (booth 6047) dietary fiber, total, soluble, and insoluble CODEX Definition Assay measures the total dietary fiber as well as the soluble and insoluble fiber portions including resistant starch and non-digestible oligosaccharides as defined by the CODEX Alimentarius.
S&P Marketing Inc.’s (booth 4807) Prickly Pear Quencher is an all-natural, prickly pear and lime beverage that is 100% sweetened naturally by fruit. Prickly pear is high in fiber and soluble fiber and rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, betalains, and quercetin. It is also a good source of magnesium and is low in fat and calories compared with other, more common, plant-derived ingredients, as well as being a dietary source of taurine.
Sensus America Inc.’s (booth 4139) Frutalose SF75 is a low-calorie, all-natural sweetener, specifically designed to help manufacturers reduce sugar in their products. The product delivers 65% the sweetness of sugar at 2 kcal/g. In addition, it contains 75% soluble, dietary fiber. Functionally, this all-natural ingredient behaves very similarly to HFCS, making it easy to formulate with.
SilverMill/Steensma’s (booth 8040) toasted chiplet coconut is a suitable ingredient for cereal bars. The very low water activity is useful and mitigates the effects of high moisture ingredients like raisins and dried fruit. Toasted Chiplet is high in dietary fiber at 12.3%.
SunOpta Fruit Group’s (booth 7421) frozen garden green garbanzo beans are high in fiber, offering 20% of your daily requirement per serving. Naturally low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. They can be served with entrees, added to salad and pasta, pureed for dips, spreads, or soups, and eaten by themselves seasoned or plain.
Watson Inc.’s (7339) micronized corn bran WT-11867B has been developed for use in grain-based products where high fiber claims are desired, along with smooth textural properties and bland flavor contribution. Watson uses proprietary equipment to grind and classify bran fractions into colloidal particle dimensions with an average particle size of 1.25 microns. The result is low water retention and virtually no organoleptic perception of bran particles. Corn bran is high in dietary fiber (compared to other cereal brans) and has no allergenic attributes. Micronization of corn bran brings the particle size down to a dimension where use in fine textured snacks and even beverages are now possible.
In January 2011, the U.S. government released the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Guidelines set a high standard designed to reduce overall caloric intake, eat more nutrient-dense foods, and increase physical activity to help reduce the incidence and prevalence of obesity in the U.S. population. The guidelines pose both challenges and opportunities for the food science industry. Sessions that highlight the Dietary Guidelines and how the food industry can meet them include:
New Dietary Guidelines: Improving food labels with fats and oils (Session 74): This session will focus on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines’ approach to fat in the diet. The Guidelines have shifted the story around fat from avoiding it to including healthful fats as a significant part of a quality diet. Speakers in this panel discussion provide the scientific basis for the current guidelines for fat. The speakers address the translation of these guidelines to an appropriate diet for Americans. There is confusion on the guidelines around fat and how to incorporate healthy fats in a diet pattern. How can products be developed that meet the needs of consumers without sacrificing taste? Speakers will address how these guidelines can be used to address the demand for healthier products by combining taste and health. The discussion will include case studies that demonstrate the ways health and taste can be a part of the same food product.
Changing the food environment: What are we doing to implement the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans? (Session 117): The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans have received considerable public attention—more than any other dietary guidelines in the past 30 years. The imperative of improving public health has never been stronger, and the need for food scientists and nutritionists to join forces to combat obesity and other chronic diseases has never been more critical. Processors, advertisers, communicators, and policymakers are dedicated to significantly changing the public health landscape and helping consumers make healthier choices. The panelists describe the initiatives of their organizations to change the food environment and improve consumer adherence to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines.
Translating the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to bring about real behavioral changes (Session 137): After 25 years of dietary guidance, now more than ever food and nutrition scientists are looking for ways to bring meaningful change to the American diet. While the simplest solution appears to be a back-to-basics approach, the realities of modern life and the current food supply make the answer more complex. It is well-known that dietary guidance exists to optimize consumption of targeted nutrients or foods, but consumer adoption of existing guidance is low. This session involves a discussion on new consumer insights on dietary guidance along with realistic recommendations based on modern food production. Are food science professionals doing enough to help Americans?
Is there still a place on the table for refined grains after the 2010 Dietary Guidelines advisory committee report? Rice as a case study (Session 256): The 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report places refined grains in the same category as added sugars and saturated fat. This categorization leads to questioning the role refined grains should play in U.S. diets. Moreover, the simplified categorization places all refined grains in the same category, ignoring the fact that not all refined grains result in the same physiological responses. This session explains the rationale for this categorization and what implications it holds for consumers and food manufacturers.
2010 Dietary Guidelines recommendations on saturated fat: A case for balanced fatty acid intake including saturated fats (Session 272): There continues to be substantial pressure from many health and nutrition leaders to reduce saturated fat to as low as 5% even though the evidence of population-based benefit is less clear. A change in the consumption pattern of a class of fatty acids can have unexpected and unintended consequences on human health. This symposium evaluates the implications of nutrition guidance to reduce saturated fat intake and reviews the evidence for a how a balanced intake of fatty acids could be critical for optimal human health. Also, the session covers potential health effects from changes in fatty acid consumption and the practical considerations for food companies as they manage the formulation and labeling of foods.
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for the food industry, as many consumers are demanding it. In fact, a Strategy One survey found three-quarters (75%) of adults surveyed agree that “eating green or sustainable foods will help me lead a life that is good for my body and the environment.”A majority of consumers say they purchase more sustainably produced food now than they did a year ago. As one of IFT’s Focus Areas, it is obvious that the “green” trend is here to stay. Here are some sessions that will offer insight into this growing movement:
Fundamentals of sustainability for the food industry (Session 8): Sustainability is a trend that continues to be reflected in the business models of various companies and organizations in the food industry. It is based in three pillars: environment, economy, and society. This session teaches the basics of the sustainability movement.
Greening of food processing and packaging technologies (Session 26): Energy consumption is a major contributor to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) in food processing, packaging, and transportation. Characteristics of green food technologies include recyclability and/or biodegradability of packaging material, eco-friendly transportation, and savings in water usage. Several promising food technologies for reducing impact on climate change exist: high hydrostatic pressure processing (HHP), microwave heating, ohmic resistance, pulsed electric field, electrolyzed water, ultra-violet treatment, and irradiation. HHP technology has been shown to use substantially lower energy than traditional heat processing technologies. Novel packaging technologies include plant-based packaging systems and totally compostable packages. This panel discussion focuses on possible greener approaches to technologies in processing and packaging of foods.
Sustainable food systems: Nutrition and the environment (Session 79): Sustainability encompasses many complex, environmental, economic, and social intersections and means many things to many people. With much of the focus on the environmental impact, there is a need to broaden the definition of what constitutes a sustainable diet: foods and beverages that are not only environmentally responsible but also promote health and wellness. This session explores multiple and overlapping perspectives that include diet, nutrition and health, agriculture land use in the face of population growth, and practical aspects relevant to consumers and families. The session also explores areas of research needed to build a coherent framework for the health of Americans, to serve families and communities, and to sustain the environment.
What does sustainability mean to the food industry? Part 1: Defining sustainability (Session 124) Part 2: Industry case studies (Session 142): Sustainability has many interpretations. This session defines sustainability and a second session examines case studies within specific segments of the food industry. From these two sessions, participants will gain insight into the aspects of sustainability. The first session begins with experts describing different measures being used by consumers, investors, and retailers to define sustainability for the food industry. The second session includes presentations from leaders within different segments of the food industry (e.g., ingredient suppliers/manufacturers, packaged food manufacturers, and restaurant industry) who present and discuss their efforts to achieve sustainability. Both sessions will help IFT members define and implement sustainable solutions to their food, nutrition, and health agendas.
Greening of the restaurant (Session 186): The roadmap to environmental responsibility for the restaurant industry follows a path of incremental steps. It is an ongoing process that continually challenges businesses to generate greater efficiencies, reduce waste, and expand their capacity to use renewable resources as new technologies and practices become available. This session reveals the latest consumer sustainability trends along with best practices and case examples from the latest industry-led initiatives. These will provide tools to help reduce the cost of running restaurant operations.
Sustainability: How beverage innovation award winners did it (Session 230): Winners of the 2010 Beverage Innovation Awards in sustainability discuss the processes they developed and deployed. The concepts include an innovative conveyer lubrication that has reduced water usage by 720 million gallons in 160 countries while improving sanitation, a process to create a sanitizer that has fewer issues than traditional chemical processes, and a completely renewable bottle that does not impact plant-food sources. This session focuses on the process rather than the products: how hurdles were overcome.
Nanotechnology, also known as nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, is a rapidly growing field of research and applied science that is revolutionizing various sectors of the economy including medicine, energy, electronics, and defense. There is great potential to impact the food and agriculture sector with on-going research and development in many areas. Public interest in nanotechnology as it relates to food has significantly increased in recent years. Particular interest has focused on application discoveries, potential safety implications, and regulatory oversight. Here are some of this year’s sessions that will focus on different aspects of nanotechnology:
Nanotechnology-enabled food safety interventions (Session 17): In recent years, various nanotechnology-based approaches have been explored to provide novel solutions to food safety intervention challenges. Such solutions include nanoscale delivery of antimicrobials, novel nano-biomaterials and delivery vehicles, food processing surface modification at nanoscale, food polymer packaging, and interactions with food matrices. This symposium presents a comprehensive review of nanotechnology-based food safety intervention technologies. Four active research leaders in the field with diverse and complementary scientific approaches discuss the newest and latest developments.
Inspiration from nanoscale science and engineering (Session 68): The structure of many familiar foods is often the result of self-assembly of food component molecules into nano-sized structural elements. The ability to control molecular assembly in a food matrix over several length scales will become an integral part of food product design. Future development of food products will require an understanding of the relations between nano, micro, and higher order structures and their impact on physical, chemical, and sensory properties and nutritional functionality. Food scientists and technologists in the future will find themselves ever more engaged in nanoscience and nanotechnology.
Designing nanoscale vehicles for effective delivery of drugs and bioactives in functional foods (Session 227): The impact of nanotechnology on the food sector is expected to be sizeable. Researchers and industry experts envision better quality and safer foods with enhanced nutritional and health benefits achieved via nanotechnology applications. The first wave of nanotech applications in foods is focused on enhanced uptake and bioavailability of bioactives. Critical developments made in the area of nanodelivery applications for drug delivery can be translated and applied in food applications. This symposium covers topics ranging from information transfer between the drug and food industries, design of nano-delivery systems for food use, and improved efficacy and bioavailability of bioactive compounds via nano-sized delivery systems.
Although equipment and technology sometimes takes a backseat to new product introductions, none of the new products would exist without the advances in equipment and technology. This year’s Food Expo show floor will abound with exciting new equipment and technology that will enable the advancement of food product development in the coming years:
Alpha M.O.S.’ (booth 4108) IRIS Visual Analyzer (electronic eye) analyzes complex food and packaging products. Upon measuring qualitative and quantitative attributes, the IRIS can be used in product development and at-line quality control.
C.W. Brabender Instruments Inc.’s (booth 5100) new Farinograph-AT has advancements that center around the automatic water dosing system which eliminates the potential for operator error during the addition of water to the flour in the mixer measuring head. The new model offers a higher torque range which is better suited when investigating various speed profiles and calculating missing energy for new applications including chocolate, chewing gum, cheese, meat, fish, full formula dough, etc.
Crystal Chem Inc.’s (booth 3905) Lateral Flow Kits are qualitative assays for the determination of milk, egg, wheat, and buckwheat proteins in both raw and processed foods. The kits have a sensitivity of as low as 5 ppm and are fast and easy to use.
Fluid Imaging Technologies Inc.’s (booth 4754) FlowCAM with Front-Fill Illumination particle imaging and analysis system is the world’s first to feature bidirectional front and back lighting which illuminates the surfaces of opaque particles and reveals their true colors and textures. Replacing two-dimensional, black silhouettes with shapely, three-dimensional images, the FlowCAM Front-Fill Illumination combines both bright field and dark field microscopy in a single unit.
Matcon’s (booth 3759) Flexi Batch Micro Formulation System is an automatic formulation machine for very small components of a recipe—typically up to 10 kg with accuracy of about 4 g. Multiple raw ingredients are stored in easily detachable polyethylene bottles which are moved to a single dosing point on a rotating carousel, then dosed according to recipe requirements.
Rudolph Research Analytical’s (booth 4101) J457 Refractometer has several innovations for the food industry: smart measure system reports prism cleanliness, totally free operation where sample loading and cleaning is automatic, and detection of improper sample loading. The refractometer has a wide measuring range making it capable of measuring materials like essential oils and food chemicals.
With the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans that were released at the beginning of this year, the U.S. government now advises that more than half of the population needs to drastically cut their daily salt intake. Several food companies have already introduced initiatives to cut sodium and introduced low-sodium alternatives, but the efforts continue. Here are some new products/services that move us closer to the Dietary Guidelines’ goal:
Cargill’s(booth 6039) FlakeSelect reduced sodium system: A new sodium reduction system being launched at IFT.
Kikkoman Sales USA’s (booth 4728) NFE natural flavor enhancers: The new line includes one liquid and two dry versions of powerful umami flavor boosters. Incorporating NFE can allow sodium reduction of 30–50% while keeping the label clean.
Kudos Blends Ltd.’s (booth 7946)KUDOS Potassium Bicarbonate: Gives bakers and bakery suppliers the opportunity to reduce sodium levels without compromising product quality, volume, taste, or texture.
Levapan SA’s(booth 4208) Salt Replacer: A natural, clean label containing yeast extract. Serves as a building block for substituting salt as high as 45% and reducing sodium up to 45% in typical food formulations.
Novozymes’ (booth 3829)Protamex and Flavourzyme: Enzymatic solutions such as Protamex and Flavourzyme can produce meat protein extract (MPE) from a range of raw materials such as turkey, chicken, pork, beef, and even fish. After its injection or tumbling into processed meats, MPE preserves the taste and properties of the end product while effectively reducing the salt content.
Savoury Systems International Inc.’s (booth 4113) #0885 Salt Replacer: Based on yeast extract, it will be shown at IFT’s Food Expo in a chicken noodle soup. Amino acids in the yeast extract help increase savory notes, in turn rounding out flavors so that the sodium is not missed in the final application.
It was recently reported that U.S. adults consume 22.2 teaspoons of sugar a day—or 355 calories. This may be contributing to the obesity epidemic in the United States and around the world. Thankfully, many ingredients companies are developing low-calorie or no-calorie replacements for sugar. Here are some new products featured in this category:
Anhui Jinhe Industrial Co. Ltd.’s(booth 8013) Acesulfame K: A sweetener that is 200 times sweeter than sugar.
Clasen Quality Coatings’(booth 6613) “Better For You” Coatings: This new line represents a reduction of up to 25% in both sugar and fat content over its Star line. Available in milk, white, and dark chocolate flavors.
Domino Specialty Ingredients’(booth 4529) Organic Blue Agave Light Nectar: Slightly thinner than honey with a neutral, mild flavor. Can be used to replace high fructose corn syrup and zero calorie sweeteners. A multi-purpose sweetener that is 25% sweeter than sugar.
Jiangxi Beiyang Food Additive Co. Ltd.’s(booth 8322) Acesulfame K: Can be used as a sweetener in soft drinks, chewing gum, instant coffee, instant tea, dairy product analogs, gelatins, pudding desserts, and baked foods.
New Trend Group’s(booth 6417) Sucralose: A high intensity sweetener that makes a wide variety of calorie-reduced products possible, including soft drinks, ice cream, dairy products, and baked goods. Can be used almost anywhere sugar is used.
Premium Ingredients International’s (booth 4119) Stevia (Reb A 97 & SG95): Premium Ingredients is the exclusive U.S. distributor for PureCircle’s Reb A 97 and SG95, which is the new, natural stevia derived proprietary blend. Half the cost of other sweeteners, it can be used to replace up to 50% of sugar without detection. 100% natural, non-caloric, and up to 400 times sweeter than sugar.
Sensus America Inc.’s (4139) Frutalose SF75: A low-calorie, all-natural sweetener designed to help manufacturers reduce sugar in their products. Delivers 65% of the sweetness of sugar at 2 kcal/gram. A clinically proven prebiotic that contains 75% soluble dietary fiber.
Univar Food Ingredients’ (4135) “Less is More” Interactive Formulation Tool: Allows easy access to the latest ingredient application information and a browser-like interface that customers can use to navigate technical documents, trend guides, and starting formulations for reducing sodium, fat, and sugar.
With consumers demanding healthier food that tastes delicious, the food industry has to incorporate healthy ingredients into more and more foods. In the last few years, whole grains have seen their way into everything as expected as breads to the unexpected cakes and sweet treats. Here are some new innovations in whole grains being shown at the 2011 Food Expo:
Briess Malt & Ingredients Co. (booth 7349) is introducing a new line of natural cocoa replacers, CocoaPlus, which is based on whole-grain specialty flours that mimic the color, functionality, and flavor of cocoa powder. CocoaPlus ingredients, made from North American-grown barley and wheat, can be used to replace natural, black, and some specialty cocoa powders.
J.R. Short (booth 7052) will showcase new low-expansion tortilla pellets, which provide the texture consumers expect from traditional, higher-fat-content tortilla chips but in a whole new look. The flavor innovation and healthy appeal are boosted by incorporating vegetables such as black bean, red corn, or sweet potatoes in the formulation.
21st Century Grain Processing (booth 6423) will highlight its grain-based ingredient solutions. Special capabilities are available to custom design texture, flavor, bursts, and fortification to build desired nutritional profile.
New Orleans is certainly known for its wonderful savory foods, including gumbo and jambalaya. At this year’s Food Expo you can expect to find a plethora of savory flavors and ingredients. Here are just a few:
Biorigin (booth 6921) will apply yeast extracts and taste enhancers to local Creole and Cajun flavors. An autolyzed yeast, Biotaste Meat, will be launched; it provides a mild meat taste and toasted notes to wide variety of applications.
Savoury Systems International (booth 4113) will have a soup bar serving up both hot and cold soups, made with flavor enhancers including yeast extracts, hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, and salt replacers.
French’s Flavor Ingredients (booth 7524) will be featuring its line of barbecue sauces—Cattleman’s Master’s Reserve. Savory flavors include Memphis Style, Carolina Style, Kansas city Style, Texas Style, St. Louis Style, Louisiana Style, Mississippi Style, and Kentucky Style.
Ajinomoto Food Ingredients (booth 5516) will be showcasing Ajimate S-AX, a versatile ingredient designed to deliver a combination of kokumi richness and umami impact to savory dishes. It adds complexity and richness to a range of liquid and dry savory products, including beef, pork, and chicken.
Tabasco Brands/McIlhenny Co. (booth 8239) will be offering prototypes highlighting its pepper sauce flavors, which are available in a variety of flavor profiles and convenient forms. Products include Original Tabasco Pepper Sauce, Green Pepper Sauce, Garlic Pepper Sauce, Habanero Pepper Sauce, and Chipotle Pepper Sauce.
When in New Orleans, it is not uncommon for the Food Expo to feature a variety of prototypes such as gumbo, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice jambalaya, bananas foster, and a variety of other dishes smothered in hot sauces. And this year is probably no exception. Here are some New Orleans-focused prototypes to be on the lookout for:
ADM/Matsutani American LLC (booths 6539, 6439) will be serving up Whole Wheat Beignets. This sweet pastry treat highlights Kansas Diamond white whole-wheat flour, vegetable shortening, frying oil, and Sweet N’ Neat Fibercal.
Edlong Dairy Flavors (booth 6429) will feature a Bourbon Street Bananas Foster Smoothie. Made with a dairy flavor line designed to address a range of challenges—from masking off notes present in soy, whole wheat, and other fortified foods to enhancing creamy mouthfeel in low-fat and non-dairy applications.
Bell Flavors (booth 7829) will be demonstrating how Creole cuisine can be combined with the flavors of other world cultures. Attendees will be able to sample a Korean gumbo with some exotic spice flavors.
The 2011 Annual Meeting & Food Expo® offers some exciting new features for attendees.
Knowledge Center: An IFT resource that will be conveniently located in the lobby of the convention center. The Knowledge Center will feature information detailing IFT educational opportunities. Staff members will be on hand to provide guidance and tips for building a personalized Scientific Program education plan. In addition, the Knowledge Center will offer Scientific Program listings broken out by track and core science topic, information on IFT groups of special interest, and guides to the Trend & Solution Tours of Food Expo exhibitors.
Beacon Lectures: 2011 marks the debut of a new Scientific Program feature—the Beacon Lectures. These sessions will bring two high-profile presenters to the Annual Meeting: Regina M. Benjamin, Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service, and Patrick Wall, Associate Professor of Public Health in University College Dublin’s School of Public Health and Population Sciences. As “America’s doctor,” Benjamin is charged with providing the public with the best scientific information available on improving health and wellness. Wall’s research interests include foodborne diseases, lifestyle-related diseases, and consumer behaviors that are damaging to health. The Beacon Lecturer presentations are scheduled for Sunday and Monday from 4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Accessing and sharing information about the Annual Meeting & Food Expo has never been easier and more convenient. Here’s a look at a few of the options.
Smartphone Mobile Application: Available for iPhones, iTouches, iPads, Androids, and Blackberrys, the new IFT11 mobile application is easy to download and available at no charge. It will keep users up-to-date on floor plans, exhibitors, the Scientific Program, and more. In addition, it will provide Twitter updates and offer full search capabilities.
IFT Live Show Daily: The Annual Meeting & Food Expo’s digital show daily will deliver a comprehensive overview of the event’s happenings. Check it out for reports on Annual Meeting programs and sessions, Food Expo news, competition results, and much more. IFT Live may be accessed at Internet Café terminals or through laptops, smartphones, or PDAs.
Social Media: IFT is using the social media channels LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter (twitter/ift11), and Flickr (flickr/IFT) to communicate about event highlights and changes during the Annual Meeting & Food Expo and to allow those on-site to engage in the virtual IFT community.
If you thought that last year’s Annual Meeting & Food Expo was exciting, then be sure to join us this year, June 11-14, when we return to New Orleans, Louisiana.
World-class cuisine, lively music, and warm hospitality make New Orleans one of IFT’s favorite host cities to visit. Combine that with in-depth, practical scientific education; a food expo showcasing suppliers from around the world; innumerable opportunities to forge new professional relationships, and much more, the 2011 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo is an event you won’t want to miss.
Register today to join us in the “Big Easy.” We look forward to seeing you there!
An emulsifying starch, EmulTru from Cargill, Booth 4629, reportedly provides food and beverage manufacturers the same functionality in products as gum arabic, while delivering a potential cost savings of 25%. The new texturizing ingredient, made from waxy corn, was showcased in a sports drink prototype at the company’s booth.
“The beverage industry is fiercely competitive, and the instability in the gum arabic market is a serious challenge for many of our customers,” said Wen-Juin Shieh, Technical Manager, Fruits and Vegetables, Cargill Texturizing Solutions, at a press conference held on Tuesday, July 20. Although gum arabic functions as an emulsifier, giving beverages consistent flavor and appearance features such as cloudiness or coloration, the supply of the ingredient has presented challenges in recent years. “The largest supplier of this gum is Sudan, where drought, locust infestations, and conflict have affected the price and supply of Sudanese production,” Shieh said. “Supply is expected to be down in 2010 and beyond while prices will be up. In addition, gum arabic can perform inconsistently because of challenging growing conditions in that country.”
According to Shieh, the emulsifying starch can offer a true replacement for gum arabic, and can help customers manage ingredient pricing and supply chain-related risks. “It delivers the same type of functionality that gum arabic does in flavor emulsion or cloud beverages, but a lower cost, with longer term emulsion stability and with more consistent quality performance,” he noted. Furthermore, it can remain liquid at high solids and in cold storage conditions, which presents a potential for cost saving when shipping concentrated emulsions.
With the starch, the stabilizer usage level can be decreased, pre-hydration becomes unnecessary, and foaming and pre-homogenation waiting time is reduced. Shieh added that overall, this starch outperformed other starches targeted at replacing gum arabic.
Congratulations to all the IFT Student Association 2010 Competition Winners!
And thanks to all the finalist teams that participated.
Product Development Competition, sponsored by Mars:
1st place: Ohio State University—Coccobello
2nd place: Rutgers—Ruggets
3rd place: Cornell—Tamarangles
Developing Solutions for Developing Countries Competition, sponsored by General Mills and McCormick:
Domestic:
1st Place National: Penn State University—CalciMelo
2nd Place National: North Carolina State University—Famille Saine
3rd Place National: University of Minnesota—Shakti
International:
1st Place International: Bogor Agricultural University—Crantz Flakes
2nd Place International: Bogor Agricultural University—Zuper
3rd Place International: Brawijaya University—Fighting malnutrition through the production of artificial rice
Nutritious Food for Kids, sponsored by Disney Consumer Products:
Grand prize—University of California at Davis
First place—Cornell
Honorary mention—University of Arkansas
Honorary mention—University of Illinois
Chapter of the Year, sponsored by PepsiCo:
Chapter of the Year—North Carolina State University
By the member and for the members, this is much of what IFT is about. As with most nonprofit societies, IFT relies on its members working in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government to volunteer their time, experience, and knowledge. Thanks to all for their contributions.
This year, IFT recognizes the following individuals who have gone “above and beyond” in either their Section or Division. Each individual has received an “Outstanding Section/Division” pin. Please congratulate the winners, and if time permits in your busy schedule, plan to get more involved this coming year.
IFT Sections are the local regional chapters of IFT. Participation in a Section provides up-to-date scientific information, along with an excellent opportunity to network and help your profession. Each Section charges nominal dues and holds meetings. In all cases, except the four non-U.S. Sections, Sections are determined by the zip code of the mailing address of the IFT member. In addition to their “home” Section, members may join as many Sections as they wish by contacting IFT.
IFT Divisions are organizations formed through interest in a specific area of food science and technology. Joining IFT Divisions provides you with rewarding opportunities to network with other food scientists with similar professional interests. To join a Division, you must first be an IFT member.
To join a Section or Division, please visit the Community link on the IFT Web site, or call 312-782-8424.
2010 Section Outstanding Volunteers:
Chicago Section
Jerry Bard, Daniel Best, Mike Hosler, Atul Khare, Anna Lovis, Jan Miller, Susan Monckton, Joe Stout
Florida Section
Larry E Clement
Great Plains Section
Mary Ellen Wagner
Intermountain Section
Jay Astle
Kansas City Section
William Gladhart
Lake Erie Section
Richard Hricik
Lewis and Clark Section
Landon Terry
Long Island Section
James Duffy, Jay Glantz, Frank Vollaro, Carol Zamojcin
Longhorn Section
Hank Dres
Louisiana Gulf Coast Section
Ashley Bond, Miguel Gutierrez,
Joongmin Shin
Minnesota Section
Naomi Sundalius
New York Section
Beth Anthony, David Horowitz, Sara McCormick, Mark Moisey, Karen Penichter
Northeast Section
Ken Racicot
Northern California
Maria Vargas
Nutmeg Section
Nadya Antoniades
Oregon Section
Jeff Clawson, Kim Hutchinson, Carri Matthieu, Sharon McFadden
Philadelphia Section
Barbara Brojack, Andrea Gerstle
Puget Sound Section
Chris Charles, Paul Cole, Mardi Fitzgerald, Offie Gallevo, Russ Haehl, David Lee, Megan Leifson, Tom McLean, Kirk Stallman, Jim Sutton
San Joaquin Section
Erin Dormedy
South Eastern Section
Adelia Bovell-Benjamin, Kristi Michele Crowe, Leslie Taylor
Southern California Section
Gerrie Adams, Barbara Cadwell, Toni Gitter, Ana Gumabon, Christy Kadharmestan, Alan Katusi, Dan Rosson
Volunteer Section
Virginia Mercer
Washington D.C. Section
Yaguang (Sunny) Luo
Western New York Section
Warren Clark
2010 Division Outstanding Volunteers
Aquatic Food Products
Don Kramer, Alexandra C.M. Oliviera, Joe Regenstein, Subramaniam Sathivel
Dairy Foods
Jonathan Allen
Education
Denise I. Skonberg
Food Chemistry
John Coupland, Ingolf Gruen, Joan King, Zhimin Xu
Food Engineering
Dennis Heldman, Rosana Moreira, Cristina Sabliov, Juming Tang
Cats and dogs can have some of the same health problems as humans—namely, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Presenters for the symposium “Innovations in Biofunctional Ingredients for Optimizing Pet Health” provided insight into pet health and how treatments being used to counter inflammatory disease in pets may have positive implications for human health.
Demian Dressler, a veterinarian specializing in dog cancer, detailed the striking similarities between pet health and human health. Only 5–10% of cancers are attributable to genes. Consequently, the main factors affecting the rate of cancer in both humans and their pets are diet and lifestyle. Dressler says that three dietary factors leading to an increased risk of cancer are excessive consumption of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), inefficient consumption of omega-3 PUFAs, and excessive calories in food. Modern Western diets for humans have a 16 to 1 ratio of omega-6 PUFAs to omega-3 PUFAs; the same is true for pet food. This highly disproportionate ratio leads to inflammation, which provides an ideal environment for cancer. Tissue proliferation, blood supply, and cell movement also provide ideal conditions for cancer growth.
Dressler’s study of apoptosis in animals, a natural process by which cells die off to prevent tissue proliferation, shows promise for cancer elimination. The loss of apoptosis is a hallmark for cancer, and apoptogens initiate apoptosis in animals. Polyphenols (found naturally in fruits and vegetables) are dietary sources of apoptogens. Dressler revealed that a new pet drug containing apoptogens has been tested on pets, and it shows great promise. The drug halts the growth of tumors in pets, causing the abnormal growths to disappear. Dressler emphasized that the study and use of apoptogen drugs is still in its infancy, but if trials continue to be successful, a version of the drug for humans may eventually become available.
Professor John Bauer of Texas A&M University presented research findings on the effects of omega-3 PUFAs on neurological development in pets. Discussing the outcomes of administering docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to dogs, Bauer relayed how DHA improved visual function in puppies, appears to reduce seizure activity in epileptic canines, and may mitigate aggressive behavior in dogs.
Closing the program, Kelly S. Swanson, Associate Professor with the University of Illinois, gave an illustrative talk on the use of fibrous and prebiotic ingredients to promote pet health. Through his research, Swanson has determined that the same dietary components that promote intestinal health in humans also promote healthy gut health in dogs and cats: dietary fiber, yeast products, probiotics, and prebiotics. However, Swanson cautions that pet owners should not administer large amounts of dietary fiber to their pets; too much causes loose stools, so moderation is key.
Helmut Traitler, who just retired as Vice President of Nestlé Innovation Partnerships, began Monday’s symposium on open innovation (session #121) with one vital message for companies: “Open up.” Both Traitler and Todd Abraham (Senior Vice President of Research and Nutrition for Kraft Foods), who also presented, instructed attendees that if they weren’t involved in the process already to get started with an open innovation strategy at their companies. Abraham and Traitler described that it can be tough to convince management in large organizations, such as Kraft and Nestlé, to change the way they are operating that that the pace of innovation is going to have to speed up in order to continue being successful. Afterall, innovation is one main resource to create and sustain competitive advantage.
Traitler took the attendees through the process that Nestlé went through to implement open innovation, which they began in 2007. As they developed a strategy they realized “traditional open innovation is getting more and more between a rock and hard place,” according to Traitler. He explained that the term “open innovation” has a somewhat negative connotation, especially with larger companies who hear it and think it is all about “giving stuff away.” However, there was no going back to the way business used to be conducted—all internally—so they had to find a way forward. For Nestlé, they developed a process termed “Sharing-is-Winning,” a balanced combination of internal R&D and external solution providers. While it may seem counterintuitive to normal business practices, this new way of conducting business “takes guts” and is based on symbiotic situations. Of course, this requires a framework of legal precautions to prevent antitrust issues as well as a commitment to ethical conduct. In 2007, Nestlé’s first year with the new strategy, the company partnered with a group of 10 suppliers. Today, Nestlé has 18 such partnerships. The process has paid off for Nestlé, which has seen an increase of over 30% in development, and an increase of more than 10% in product launches.
The emerging field of nutrigenomics offers the potential to deliver appropriate foods to individuals based on their personal health needs. Session 212 “Nutrigenomics, nutritional phenotype, and delivery of personalized nutrition” on Tuesday morning, July 20, at 8:30–10 a.m. in Room S401cd will feature experts from the U.S. FDA Office of Personalized Nutrition and the European Union Nutrigenomics Organization, who will lead attendees toward an understanding of the genomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and nutritional status assessment technologies used to determine individual nutritional phenotypes, as well as the technical and regulatory opportunities and challenges facing the development and delivery of publicly available online knowledge repositories about nutritional phenotypes and their appropriate nutritional interventions.
Ben van Ommen, TNO Quality of Life, will provide background and the mission of the EU Nutrigenomics Organization, the science behind the concept of a nutritional phenotype, and its recent efforts with the FDA to produce internationally agreed upon standards for a nutritional phenotype database.
Jim Kaput, FDA, will discuss research strategies for personalizing nutrition, medicine, and health care. To reach the goal of personalizing medicine and nutrition, new experimental strategies are needed for human study designs. A promising approach for more complete analyses of the interaction of genetic make-ups and environment relies on the translational research concept of community-based participatory research (CBPR). Successful development of these strategies and research studies require national and international cooperation.
Four novel technologies—roasting combined with pasteurization, aseptic particle flow monitoring, microwave vacuum technology, and microencapsulation—will be featured at Session 208 “New Products & Technologies: New process technologies” on Tuesday morning, July 20, at 8:30–10 a.m. in Room S403ab.
The NR-CEP roasting and pasteurizing technology for nuts and oilseeds from Bühler Barth AG combines dry roasting with pasteurization. For pasteurization during the first roasting stage, the humidity of the hot air is increased, while the surface product temperature is below dew point temperature. Moisture condenses on the surface of the nuts as a film and pathogenic microorganisms are securely inactivated. After pasteurization, dry roasting continues and residual moisture is removed quickly from the product surface.
UltrAseptics particle flow monitoring system consists of conservatively designed simulated food particles optimized for flow and heat penetration properties and used as carriers for magnetic and thermo-sensitive tags and implants; a network of noncontact magnetic field sensor arrays located at critical detection locations on process installations for safety monitoring; proprietary amplifiers; data acquisition hardware and data monitoring; and display and recording software with a set of functions enabling capture, recording, display, and analyses of recorded data in real-time.
Radiant Energy Vacuum (REV) technology is based on the application of microwave energy under vacuum, and is emerging as an attractive alternative to freeze drying. Numerous published studies have demonstrated that the technique is capable of excellent retention of nutrients, flavor, bioactivity, viable dry bacteria, color, and product appearance. The first commercial-scale installation of the technology was at a blueberry drying plant in 2009.
While microencapsulation is commonly used in the food industry, a unique collaborative approach to product innovation may provide food companies with new ways to leverage different shell materials, unique release mechanisms, and different core capabilities (oil or water soluble, liquid or solid).
Many advances in food processing that ultimately find their way to products on store shelves originate from research on feeding programs for the military and space exploration. Session 213 “Novel processes and food safety for military and space feeding” on Tuesday morning, July 20, at 8:30–10 a.m. in Room S501ab will facilitate the mutual and beneficial exchange of information with national and international industrial, research, and academic organizations. This may enable the formation of partnerships that could give symposium attendees the ability to leverage and accelerate technology development and advance basic research. The symposium also will include presentations on innovative sensors for food safety, food development for future long duration manned exploration space flights, and emerging new food processing technologies.
Andy Senecal, U.S. Army Natick Soldier Res., Development & Engineering Ctr., DoD Combat Feeding Directorate, Food Safety and Defense Team, will discuss strategies for mitigation of foodborne illness in military feeding, including detection systems, risk analysis tools, and elimination strategies. One goal is to provide smaller, lighter, and faster pathogen identification and detection tools for field use.
Michele Perchonok, NASA, will discuss challenges and opportunities for feeding astronauts during long duration missions lasting 2–3 years and the requirements of a shelf-stable food supply with a shelf life of 3–5 years.
C. Patrick Dunne, U.S. Army Natick Soldier Res., Development & Engineering Ctr., DoD Combat Feeding Directorate, will explore emerging food processing technologies—including novel thermal and nonthermal—for dual use for military combat rations and the civilian marketplace.
In many parts of the world, coffee is a popular drink consumed daily at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between. The caffeine in coffee stimulates the central nervous system and maintains alertness. New studies, however, are shedding light on coffee’s health-promoting properties.
Session 253 “Emerging health benefits of coffee: Recent advances in epidemiologic and experimental knowledge” on Tuesday morning, July 20, at 10:30–12:00 p.m. in Room S402ab will present emerging science on coffee’s potential benefits toward cognition and neurodegenerative disease with results from recent laboratory and observational studies. Recent large, long-term studies suggest that coffee offers protection against type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Other research shows that compared to not drinking coffee, at least two cups daily can translate into a reduced risk of colon cancer and liver cirrhosis risk. In addition, a recent Harvard study also indicated a reduced diabetes risk among those drinking coffee, but not in those drinking tea beverages.
Nearly one billion people around the world suffer from chronic food shortage and many more experience devastating nutritional deficiencies. At the same time, obesity is a serious problem in expanding parts of the world, where people have access to significantly more (but often nutrient-poor) calories. The United Nations has called for a 50% increase in food production by 2030, warning industrialized countries to revitalize agriculture, increase yields, and distribute food to areas in most need. Otherwise, a global catastrophe is imminent. Food technologists need to play a role in solving the food supply and demand issue.
Session 218 “Global food supply: How do we secure food for the future?” on Tuesday morning, July 20, at 8:30–10 a.m. in Room S501cd is structured to help food scientists deepen their understanding of the driving factors behind the food shortage, and navigate the right solutions for product development and business performance. Leading experts will examine the myriad of political, environmental, and economic factors contributing to global food challenges and outline potential solutions. Among the solutions, panelists will address agricultural biotechnology as an option for a high-yield food supply.
Heart-healthier solutions utilizing omega-9 oils are ‘popping’ in the marketplace, according to Dow AgroSciences, Booth 5609, at a press conference held on Sunday, July 18. At the event, the company launched its new offering, Omega-9 Oils Ingredient Solutions, designed to help manufacturers produce healthier baked goods, snacks, and packaged foods. A microwave popcorn product using omega-9 canola oil is already in the marketplace.
Derived from the same omega-9 canola oil used by the foodservice industry, these solutions include customized oils, spray oils, and shortenings. They are suitable for food manufacturers looking to eliminate trans fat and reduce saturated fat without compromising food quality, functionality, or performance, while increasing heart-healthy monounsaturated (omega 9) fat levels in their products. The company provides application development and analytical support, such as nutritional analyses and sophisticated equipment for chemical analyses, to assist manufacturers in developing the right product formulations.
“We believe that quality and progress shouldn’t require a compromise,” said David Dzisiak, Commercial Leader Oils for Dow AgroSciences. “Through extensive product formulation research and development, our omega-9 solutions team works to ensure our customized solutions help companies improve the health profile of a product, without changing the key attributes their customers expect from their favorite brand.”
The ingredient solutions, such as omega-9 shortening, maintain important product functionality qualities, including flavor, shelf life, texture, and mouthfeel. Because this shortening is naturally stable, it can provide equal or longer shelf life to products containing traditional, high-saturated fat shortenings. This is achieved without the use of antioxidants.
The company, using its omega-9 canola oil solution, worked with Indiana-based Weaver Popcorn Company, a producer of more than 30% of the world’s popcorn. Together, they developed the right product formulation for Pop Weaver brand of microwave popcorn. The new formulation entirely replaces the popcorn manufacturer’s existing product line, and is said to be among the healthiest microwave popcorn on the market, maintaining the product’s rich, buttery flavor. The new popcorn has more than a 50% reduction in total fat, including 60% less saturated fat.
According to Dzisiak, Dow AgroSciences understands that the oil and shortening needs of each manufacturer are often unique, with specific application requirements. To meet this need, the company’s omega-9 solutions team has the resources and technology available, along with the technical and product formulation expertise, to provide the best solutions for food manufacturers. Try some popcorn and see for yourself.
At Sunday morning’s keynote session of the 2010 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo®, incoming IFT President Bob Gravani and President-Elect Roger Clemens announced and presented five companies with the 2010 IFT Food Expo Innovation Awards. The winners are Bühler Barth AG and Log5 Corporation (co-recipients), Bunge North America, Caravan Ingredients, and Handary SA.
“Now in its fourth year, the Food Expo Innovation Awards are a showcase of the ongoing ingenuity in our food science and technology profession and, in some cases, the results of the collaborative work among industry, academia, and government,” said Clemens.
A panel of nine jurors from industry and government with broad expertise in research & product development, processing & packaging technology, and food safety selected the five companies and their innovations from 56 qualified entries. Only companies exhibiting at the 2010 IFT Food Expo in Chicago were eligible. Judging criteria included degree of innovation, technical advancement, benefits to food manufacturers and consumers, and scientific merit.
Co-recipients Bühler Barth AG and Log5 Corporation (Booth 6616) garnered the 2010 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for their Controlled Condensation Process Pasteurization Technology, which pasteurizes low-water-activity foods, such as tree nuts, peanuts, spices, and grains, and preserves the natural quality of the food. The technology maintains thermal equilibrium conditions by controlling pressure, temperature, surface condensation, and moisture levels. “Food safety is paramount, and new technologies like this will make our food supply safer,” noted a juror.
Bunge North America (Booth 4047) won the award for its Phytobake Shortening with Phytosterols. The functional shortening for bakery applications enables the dilution of the amount of traditional hard fat or saturates and trans fats used in the plastic shortenings by up to 46%. Bakers using this ingredient can produce healthier sweet goods, such as cookies, pie crusts, and cakes. “Though phytosterol-enhanced foods have not been very popular with consumers, an ingredient like this expands application and may help bring the ingredient the attention it deserves,” declared a juror.
Caravan Ingredients (Booth 3823) was honored for its Trancendim Emulsifiers for Zero Trans Shortening—a zero trans, reduced saturated fat alternative for structuring fats and oils that mimics or improves the melting behavior of common fat-based products. Applications include salad dressings, frying oils, margarines, and bakery products. Users can create better-for-you products without sacrificing taste or mouthfeel. “Trans fat replacement is still a tough food science challenge in some products, and this innovation is an interesting application of technology to address this ongoing consumer need,” stated a juror.
Handary SA (Booth 6341) captured the 2010 IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for its NisinA Natural Antimicrobial Agent, a vegetable-based natural product that can improve food safety by controlling foodborne pathogens, such as Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus cereus. It also extends the shelf life of foods by controlling lactic acid bacteria and prevents the formation of bacteria due to high temperatures. “With increased focus on food safety and refrigerated food products, NisinA provides benefit to a large scope of applications as a versatile, heat-stable natural antimicrobial,” observed a juror.
Despite the early hour, attendees packed the conference room at McCormick Place in Chicago on Sunday, July 18, for the IFT Sunrise Session “Nanoscale Science for Food.” Offering an excellent primer to the field of nanoscience and technology, Rickey Yada, Advanced Foods and Materials Network, University of Guelph, started his discussion with some history on nanotechnology. As he explained, the creation of the word/field to many seems relatively new. However, the concept is old. Scientists have been studying “nanoscience” phenomena for more than a century. Louis Pasteur’s work with spoilage bacteria (1866), Watson and Crick’s discovery of the structure of DNA (1953), can be considered nanoscience as well as Richard Smalley’s research on buckyballs (1996) and, in fact, each represent major milestones in the “science of small.”
Nanotechnology is often generally defined as any technology dealing with objects within the 1–100 nm range. But without having a sense of what kind of objects are 1–100 nm long, many people have a difficult time relating to this length scale. Yada says it is helpful when trying to explain the concept of nanotechnology to people not involved in the science to use a visual display of nanosized natural and manufactured objects, so that consumers and the public can see descriptive objects in relationship to the length scale. For example, nanomaterials exist naturally in the form of casein proteins found in milk.
After giving a brief background on the field, Yada moved onto discussing the economic impact of nanotechnology, saying that the nano agriculture and food market is expected to have a staggering economic impact of $20 billion in 2010. Taking a look at the list of top 10 challenges that the world faces over the next 50 years, including energy, water, sustainability, and food, Yada explained that they can all be looked at through the eye of nanotechnology.
“We are faced with a huge population crisis,” said Yada. “In 2050, there will be 9 to 10 billion people on the planet. How do we ensure potable water and food sustainability for them all? Will nanotechnology be a solution? Yes, it will probably be one of the solutions for meeting these needs.”
Solving these more interesting problems will require coordinated, interdisciplinary efforts among food engineers, food chemists, food microbiologists, and others.
Yada thinks there are great potential benefits to be had for the food industry from the use of nanotechnology. In food packaging some of these benefits are improved safety of products, quality, functionality, conductivity, mechanical strength, and thermal stability, just to name a few. In addition, we are beginning to hear more and more about “smart” packaging, in which the package signals environmental changes in the product itself. Nanotechnology is sure to play a key role in the development of such packaging. Nanotechnology can also have beneficial implications for areas such as food safety, agriculture, and health.
“Nanotechnology has been called a molecular revolution—innovation so profound it will allow us to rebuild our world molecule by molecule. The unprecedented benefits of such control over matter have the potential to permeate every aspect of our lives. But so do the risks.”
—Hilary Thomson, 2008
Yada ended his presentation with this quote from Thomson. He noted that there are several issues about the consequences of nanotechnology that will need to be addressed in order to alleviate consumer concerns. Its introduction must be transparent and the public has to be educated. Most importantly, it is key to talk about the risks involved in using nanotechnology to ensure that the consumer has a safe product.
Bernadene Magnuson, Cantox Health Sciences International, picked up where Yada left off with a discussion of the risks of nanotechnology and the procedure for assessing the safety of nanomaterials. Magnuson also spoke on the subject at the fifth IFT International Food Nanoscience Conference, which took place Saturday, July 17, just prior to opening of the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo®. To read more about her view of the challenges in determining the validity and objectivity of nanoparticle safety studies, read “Challenges for evaluating the safety of food nanomaterials.”
If your boss gave you an assignment to find out the latest science on dietary fiber at the IFT Annual Meeting in Chicago, you are in luck. Three scientific sessions will explore current and emerging science on soluble and insoluble fiber. Session 102 “The brave new world of fiber: New functional applications, simplified measurement, labeling and health” on Monday morning, July 19, at 8:30–10:00 a.m. in Room S401cd will examine innovative functional applications of fibers, the interpretation of new analytical methodology to be used for labeling of fibers, and the latest updates on the nutritional and health aspects of fibers.
Session 114 “Understanding dietary fiber: Source, definitions, and impact on food quality and health implications” on Monday morning, July 19, at 10:30 a.m–12:00 p.m. in Room S503ab will clarify the classifications of dietary fiber, including soluble, insoluble, and how they relate to the published definitions, as well as the legal definitions used by the U.S. FDA for addition to foods. The session will also cover FDA health claims, the classification of the resistant starches, RS1 through RS4, as dietary fiber sources, and the impact of food processing and storage on the function of dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber.
On Tuesday afternoon, July 20, at 1:15–2:45 p.m. in Room S403ab, Session 272 “Research update: The role of dietary fibers in preventing and treating diabetes and metabolic syndrome” will provide an overview of the evidence linking dietary fiber with diabetes risk, and will examine epidemiological and laboratory-based studies to elucidate possible mechanisms for the role of individual dietary fibers in glycemic health and diabetes risk reduction.
New research on the beneficial relationship between probiotics and human health continues to unfold. The probiotic food market continues to grow with a host of probiotic strains now added to a broad array of dairy and other food products. For the latest research on probiotic-related health outcomes, please plan to attend Session 101 “Probiotics: Insights and health applications” on Monday morning, July 19, at 8:30–10:00 a.m. in Room S401ab. Attendees will obtain insights into probiotic traits that can impact survival and activity in the gastrointestinal tract and how the form of the food can influence expression of these traits.
Bruce German, Univ. of California, Davis, will discuss human milk oligosaccharides and the genetic capability of select intestinal bacteria to utilize them. Todd R. Klaenhammer, North Carolina State Univ., will describe how the use of genomic tools for gene cloning, expression, and inactivation can investigate mechanisms through which probiotic microbes interact with the intestinal mucosa and impact health. Mary Ellen Sanders, Dairy and Food Culture Technologies, will discuss the regulatory environment (primarily U.S., Canada, and Europe) for translating probiotic-related research into health benefit claims for foods.
There are a number of value-added ingredients and bioactives from Asia that may help in the fight against diabetes, obesity, and other disorders and diseases, says experts at a panel discussion, “Bioactives and Value-added Natural Products in Asia, Now and Beyond: Prospects for Commercialization,” on Saturday, July 17.
Many edible herbs and spices are used by Sri Lankans as traditional remedies for health issues, some of which have been shown through extensive scientific tests to confer health benefits, Sirimal Premakumara, Head of the Herbal Technology Division of the Industrial Technology Institute in Colombo, Sri Lanka, told the session attendees. The worldwide growing popularity of healthy foods and ingredients offers potential for rice, herbs, spices, and other ingredients from Sri Lanka to be used in food and beverage products.
Premakumara highlighted rice, the Salacia reticulata plant, and cinnamon as having potential to maintain healthy blood glucose levels. Regarding the S. reticulata plant, he said that there are plans to cultivate the plant and sell it as tea is sold.
Sri Lanka produces rice, herbs, and spices, exporting many of them in their whole, unprocessed form. D.B. Wijeratne of the Ministry of Agriculture Development & Agrarian Services in Battaramulla, Sri Lanka, told of how his organization has formed a private—public partnership whereby the Ministry of Agriculture develops finished products that contain the ingredients and industry commercializes them. One such product is a tea said to have weight-loss properties, and includes Garcinia zelanica (a flowering plant) powder. Another tea beverage that is exported to markets around the world includes the herb gotu-kola said to have anti-inflammatory properties and collagen synthesis properties. Wijeratne also spoke of a cereal made from the rice variety suwadal, which is said to have a glycemic index as low as 35. (As a comparison, Wijeratne said that basmati rice has a glycemic index of 58.)
So will Americans see more and more of these ingredients and products in the United States? It depends if they meet standards and safety requirements established by the U.S. government, said Ramkishan Rao of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture in Washington, D.C. Importers of these bioactive ingredients and products that contain them need to keep in mind that U.S. law does not have a formal definition of functional foods, that functional foods are regulated under the same laws that regulate foods, and that dietary supplements are governed by the Dietary Supplements and Health Education Act of 1994, according to Rao.
A wide array of food and beverage prototypes from National Starch Food Innovation, Booth 4036, demonstrates how starch-based ingredients can help formulators capitalize on the newest food trends while achieving cost savings and process improvement. Each prototype area—bakery, dairy, beverage, and savory—has its own kiosk or kitchen for attendees to sample the concepts and learn more about the benefits of the ingredients they use.
At the bakery kiosk, a brownie made from a dry mix contains Homecraft Create 765, a specialty flour that can reduce fat content of indulgent baked goods while maintaining texture and sensory properties. Two types of gluten-free cookies—a crispy sugar and a chewy chocolate chip—are formulated with Homecraft Create gluten-free solutions. These ingredients (GF 10 and GF 20) can replace wheat flour while providing comparable texture profiles. Other baked goods available are fortified with resistant starch (Hi-maize) shown to have significant impact on satiety.
At the dairy kiosk, a creamy low-fat chipotle ranch sour cream dip is made with Precisa Cream 20 texturizing solution that replaces part of the cream without compromising on consumer appeal. Yogurts, including a gelatin-free one, are made with starch-based ingredients that provide preferred textures while helping to differentiate the product in the marketplace. A highlight at this kiosk is the company’s newest prototype, fromage frais, which brings a European flair—it is served with a “super fruit” topping and promises to take “permissible indulgence” to a new level. Ingredients that can play a key role in these dairy formulations include N-Dulge dairy texturizers, Nutriose soluble fiber, and Novation starches.
At the beverage kiosk, concepts include a fiber-fortified beverage, clear alcoholic beverage, and an ultra-clear beverage with flavor oils. A fortified water prototype combines the latest flavor trends with one full serving of fiber. It uses an all-natural emulsifier (Q-Naturale) derived from Quillaja trees and soluble fiber (Nutriose) in a surprisingly clear beverage. In an alcoholic beverage, Q-Naturale produces a finished product with higher clarity, enhanced flavor, increased stability, and minimal sediment. The emulsifier is also used in a beverage flavored with orange oil that contains no murk or turbidity clouds.
According to the company, the highlight of the overall booth is the savory demonstration kitchen where Research Chefs Association President Janet Carver and her Culinology team will be cooking morning and afternoon. A variety or recipes are incorporating Precisa Cling and Precisa Cream texture solutions which help formulators reduce tomato solids, oil, cream, and butter, while building back the consumer eating experience. Try, for example, a Memphis-style BBQ sauce which uses Precisa Cling 50 and Textaid modified starch to reduce the tomato solids and costs without sacrificing body, cling, and mouthfeel. Or check out a refreshing carrot ginger soup that shows what a rich, mouth-pleasing texture can be delivered by Precisa Cling 50. Or an almond-peppadew sambal, a South African dip and spread, that gets sheen, texture, clarity, and smoothness from Novation 5600, a cold-water-swelling food starch made from waxy maize.
All these prototypes demonstrate the exploration of texture in a cost-effective fashion. Enjoy your travels, especially the carrot ginger soup.
The dairy ingredients program for the U.S. market has formally transitioned from Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) to the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) to support a global ingredients marketing program. This formal merger permits a more integrated industry role in supporting dairy ingredient sales to the global marketplace.
The ingredients program continues to focus on the U.S. market and Booth 4223, will be referenced under both Dairy Management Inc. and USDEC.
At the booth, recent research will be available to demonstrate how U.S. dairy ingredients can contribute improved taste, functionality, and nutritional benefits that meet consumer demands. Included are the latest findings from the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy which highlights new consumer research and marketing potential for dairy in the emerging snack category.
A variety of prototype foods and beverages that incorporate value-added dairy ingredients are available for sampling. These include Soothing Smoothies, an excellent source of protein and calcium; Breakfast Bites, a convenient protein-packed breakfast or snack that can appeal to on-the-go consumers; Cheesy Pizza Veggie Dip, a nutritious and versatile cheese dip that gives kids and adults a convenient snacking option and entices kids to eat their vegetables; Frozen Nutrition Snack, a source of protein and calcium in a frozen format; and Mini Cream Pie Tart, a portion-controlled creamy indulgence that evokes nostalgic memories of mom’s cream pie.
USDEC is a non-profit independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers, and export traders. Its mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and assist the U.S. industry to increase its global dairy ingredient sales and exports of U.S. dairy products. USDEC accomplishes this through programs in market development that build global demand for U.S. dairy products, resolve market access barriers, and advance industry trade policy goals. USDEC is supported by staff across the U.S., Mexico, and overseas in South America, Asia, Middle East, and Europe.
DMI continues to manage the U.S. Dairy Export Council, American Dairy Association, and the National Dairy Council.
For the first 150 people who visit the California Walnut Board, Booth 7315, specialty walnut chocolate bars from Charles Chocolates will be available. You don’t want to miss out on one!
Walnuts can add crunch and nutrition to a variety of food products. Each day of the show a different product will be offered for sampling. These include French Style Chocolate-Walnut Macarons (Sunday), Muhamarra DipServed on a Pita Chip (Monday), and Spanish Style Walnut Romesco Sauce over Tortellini (Tuesday).
Along with one of these products, each day attendees will be presented a sample of Walnut Chocolate Fleur de Sel and Spiced Walnuts, along with information that will help formulators develop products with walnuts as an ingredient.
So learn more about the walnut. Statistics on walnuts are provided by representatives at the booth. The California walnut industry accounts for 99% of U.S. production of English walnuts. More than 4,600 growers and 64 handlers ship walnuts to more than 40 countries, representing three-quarters of world trade. High-quality walnuts offer great taste, versatility, value, and nutrition. One ounce of walnuts reportedly contain the highest amount of the plant-based omega-3 fatty acids (2.5 g), protein (4 g), fiber (2 g), and a good source of magnesium and phosphorous. Free of cholesterol and sodium, walnuts also rank high in antioxidant content.
California walnuts add value to a variety of applications, including confections, baked goods, dairy products, and many others
Under the theme, “An App for Every Flavor Situation,” Wixon Inc., Booth 3415, developed a menu that provides flavor system applications for every meal of the day and a solution for every flavor situation. Attendees can enjoy these gourmet specialties designed by the company’s Corporate Chef, Judson McLester, better known as Chef Jud.
Omelet Sticks, a golden-fried portable breakfast of reduced-sodium turkey bacon, is wrapped in seasoned potatoes and infused with a butter herb seasoning. It is served with Maple Brown Sugar Ketchup, made with Mag-nifique Sugar Lift technology to enhance sweetness on the go.
Antonjitos—Mexican-inspired street food—are grilled flat bread layered with shredded hickory-smoked mole seasoned cabbage, Orange Goji Berry Vinaigrette, and Aji Amarillo Annatto marinated chicken. The vinaigrette is developed with Mag-nifique Sour-Away; Mag-nifique Sweet Lift, for a synergistic effect with sugar than enhances perceived sweetness; and Garam Masala seasoning. The chicken is enhanced with Aji Amarillo Annatto seasoning featuring KCLean Salt, an all-natural flavor modifier that matches the taste and texture of regular salt with half the sodium, and Wix-Fresh Umami to enhance natural flavors.
Thai Slider with Coconut Coleslaw features a Thai flavor system. A pan-seared blend of beef, pork, and chicken, along with water chestnuts, coconut milk, and Thai seasoning, is served on a yeast-raised roll topped with coconut coleslaw. Made with Wix-Fresh Miner Max, the protein technology provides an antioxidant benefit while potentiating savory notes and inhibiting oxidation. The slider is also prepared with Wix-Fresh Umami.
At its snack station, Wixon showcases prototypes that are low in sodium and sugar. Sweet flavors of honey, sugar, and tomato combined with the zest of Worcestershire, smoke and chili peppers create the tangy BBQ Baby Back Ribs Potato Chips. Made with Sweet Lift and KCLean Salt, sugar is reduced by 34% and sodium by 38%. French Toast Corn Puffs feature a medley of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and maple, combined with butter and white and brown sugars. Sweet Lift reduces the sugar content by 43%. Cheeseburger Potato Chips, flavored with beef, cheese, onion, dill pickle, tomato, and mustard, is made with KCLean Salt, offering a 24% reduction in sodium. Sweet Potato Pie Chips infuse brown and white sugar with vanilla and marshmallow. A blend of spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves, round out this chip with a 51% reduction in sugar from Sweet Lift.
At the Wixon Counter, attendees can taste dishes prepared by Chef Jud and Ron Ratz, the company’s Director of Protein Development. Breakfast Egg and Cheese Sausage Snack Stick, made with real eggs and served in stick form, uses Wix-Fresh technologies. A Bacon Breakfast Egg and Cheese Sausage Snack Stick is also available. The Turducken Po Boy Sandwich contains a marinated deli slice of chicken, turkey, and duck, made in the company’s new meat and poultry pilot plant, and is low in salt, fat, and calories. It is served on a French baguette, blackened coleslaw adds a taste reminiscent of that famous New Orleans flavor, and crispy, fried sweet onions, lettuce, and tomato finish off the sandwich. For comfort food with a twist, Meatloaf on a Stick features traditional meatloaf flavor with mashed potatoes and was created in the Wixon pilot plant using MinerMax technology.
IFT’s Town Hall Meeting will have a new format this year developed to encourage dialogue and to provide plenty of time for question-and-answer exchanges. The meeting will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, July 18, in Regency Ballroom AB at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place.
Five stations—each devoted to a particular discussion topic—will be set up in the meeting room. The topic areas are as follows: 1) Science Leadership; 2) Divisions Task Force; 3) Annual Meeting Scientific Program; 4) Ask the Board of Directors; and 5) ift.org. At each station, IFT volunteer leaders and staff members will be on hand to serve as discussion facilitators. Town Hall Meeting attendees will be invited to provide input, if desired, to questions posted at each of the stations.
Groups will be asked to rotate from one station to the next at 10-minute intervals. IFT President Marianne Gillette will welcome meeting attendees and will offer closing remarks.
The new format was created in response to feedback from past Town Hall Meeting attendees. As always, the meeting provides an excellent opportunity for those who attend to learn more about current IFT programs, ask questions about IFT initiatives, and provide insight and information that will help deliver member value.
The fourth annual Town Hall Meeting is open to all IFT members.
Research indicates physiologic differences following consumption of a carbohydrate-rich versus a protein-rich breakfast. Results of various studies suggest that eating protein at breakfast promotes satiety, lean body mass preservation, weight management, and nitrogen balance. Emerging research also reveals that both an overall increase in daily dietary protein intake and an optimum amount of protein at each meal may be beneficial and quantifiable. These issues and more will be explored at Session 017 “Breakfast is more than timing: Research shows the importance of high-quality protein in the breakfast meal” on Sunday morning, July 18, at 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. in Room S501ab.
Douglas Paddon-Jones, Univ. of Texas Medical Branch, will discuss his recent research that demonstrates 25–30 g of protein per meal is optimal for maximally stimulating muscle protein synthesis in both younger and older individuals. Marie Spano, Intl. Society of Sports Nutrition, will explore consumer trends related to protein-rich foods and high-quality protein as ingredients in food formulations. Chef Craig Julius, Pierre Foods, will discuss strategies for incorporating protein into prepared products.
Obesity is a huge public health problem in the United States and it is reaching epidemic proportions in other parts of the world. One remedy may lie in the application of satiety-enhancing ingredients. Session 053 “Designing macronutrient ingredients for enhanced satiety” on Sunday afternoon, July 18, at 1:30–3:00 p.m. in Room S501ab will review key terms and definitions of relevance for conducting clinical research studies of satiety-enhancing ingredients. Two key physiologic processes—satiation and satiety—will be defined. Key clinical design challenges will be described from two perspectives: “proof of concept” studies and studies to support structure/function claims. Furthermore, an overview of physiological mechanisms will be described, with an emphasis on how macronutrients interact with and in the gastrointestinal tract.
The symposium will address four macronutrient-based approaches: 1) fibers, including resistant starch; 2) food gums and hydrocolloids; 3) lipid-based ingredients; and 4) protein-based ingredients. Relevant clinical studies will be critiqued with an emphasis on specific ingredient modifications designed to enhance satiety.
Find out how nanotechnology may enhance food safety at Session 022 “Applications of novel nanomaterials in solving food safety issues” on Sunday morning, July 18, at 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. in Room S402ab. The symposium will examine novel nanomaterials—such as metallic or metallic oxide nanoparticles and nanosubstrates, quantum dots, etc—and fabrication via bottom-up or top-down approaches. It will also explore how nanomaterials are aiding in the rapid detection of chemical contamination (i.e., melamine, pesticide, toxins) and foodborne pathogens (E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella).
Azlin Mustapha, Univ. of Missouri, will present research findings on the inhibitory activities of zinc oxide nanoparticles on Escherichia coli O157:H7 and SalmonellaTyphimurium in different media, food, and food contact surfaces. Zhonglin (Tony) Jin, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, will discuss the development of an antimicrobial food packaging system with zinc oxide nanoparticles, nisin, and polylactic acid for inactivation of pathogens in liquid foods.
Successful food companies are looking beyond their office and plant walls and personnel to find the next “big thing” for a new product line, a new business platform, or to find solutions to everyday product and process development challenges.
If you are charged with finding new opportunities, then head to the Intellectual Property Exchange (IPEx) forum on Sunday afternoon, July 18, at 2:30–4:30 p.m. in Room N427cd. The goal of IPEx is to offer proprietary technology (may be intellectual asset, intellectual capital, or intellectual property) for sale or license. Posters and tabletops will be staffed by IP holders, giving attendees the opportunity to talk innovation exchange. Participating organizations include Virginia Tech, McCormick & Co., General Mills, Scientific Food Solutions LLC, EXERT Juice LLC, Lytone Enterprises Inc., Cornell University, Colorado State University, and Louisiana State University.
Take the words of Chicago visionary Daniel Burnham to heart as you think about how to spend your time in this world-class city: “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood.”
Chicago’s great magic lies in its mix: sophisticated yet friendly, bustling city streets adjacent to long stretches of green parks and sparkling blue Lake Michigan, and a stunning year-round array of things to see and do unique in all the world.
Newcomers usually notice the architecture first. In this city where the skyscraper was born, city streets wind through urban canyons, shaped by the world’s leading architects, and into diverse neighborhoods, each with its own fascinating flavor.
Chicago is more walkable than most global cities, and visitors of all ages enjoy the proximity of such attractions as Navy Pier, Millennium Park, Lincoln Park Zoo, Museum of Science and Industry, Art Institute of Chicago and other treasures.
The city’s explosive performance art scene delivers audience-thrilling theater, music, and dance in historic venues downtown and throughout neighborhoods.
Remarkable shopping opportunities in Chicago’s renowned department stores, upscale and trendy neighborhood boutiques, galleries, and specialty shops will satisfy your quest for a special memento or all-out retail therapy.
And when you’re ready to recharge, the city’s endless assortment of restaurants and nightlife is ready to match every taste, budget, and mood.
Come and discover why so many visitors fall in love with the city every year. For more information on all that Chicago has to offer, visit www.choosechicago.com/meetinchicago.
Want to see Chicago’s top attractions or sites which match your particular interests? Take a tour.
Chicago is distinguished by its incredible architecture, and the Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) can tell you why. Savvy docents lead more than 80 walking, boat, bus, bicycle and Segway tours to show off the city’s built landscape from every angle.
CAF Architecture River Cruises wind alongside soaring towers and point out 50-plus significant sites. The Historic Skyscrapers Walking Tour takes you back in time to see some world-famous early skyscrapers in this birthplace of the modern skyscraper. Visit neighborhoods and other points of interest on CAF’s bus tours. Or check out lunchtime, happy hour, Frank Lloyd Wright, non-English language, and other special tours.
A Chicago Theater Tour reveals the architecture of this majestic venue plus renowned performers’ autographs and colorful murals on dressing room walls.
Chicago Neighborhood Tours introduce you to different communities’ people, arts, culture and history. Focus on the city’s many different ethnic groups, magnificent churches, great cemeteries or other specific subjects. Or tour monumental art on one of the new Chicago Public Art tours.
Or take a tour off the beaten path:
Bobby’s Bike Hike reveals why Chicago was recently named best bicycling city in the country. Guides and cruiser-style bicycles take riders of all ages and fitness levels through lakefront neighborhoods, parks and more.
Savor Chicago Dine-Around’s progressive dining experience at top Chicago restaurants. Chicago Food Planet specializes in food tours in Chicago’s most historic, delicious neighborhoods. Visit fine chocolate shops in the Loop, Andersonville and other spots with Chicago Chocolate Tours.
The secret is out: As Saveur Magazine reports, “the Windy City is America’s new culinary star.” And with good reason. Chicago’s ever-evolving culinary scene reaches tantalizing new heights every day!
In fact, Chicago is such a food lovers’ paradise that diners face just one dilemma: How to choose from so many delicious options?
One way to narrow your dining choices is by type of food. Eager for an ethnic meal? Along with the many restaurants serving outstanding Italian, Latin, and Asian foods, countless others offer excellent French, Greek, Indian, Mediterranean, Polish, German, or Ethiopian menus. Want seafood or soul food or barbecue? Find it downtown or in the city’s 77 neighborhoods.
Chicago’s contemporary dining scene is stunning. While the world takes notice, innovative chefs—many emphasizing foods from America’s Heartland—are fusing flavor and excitement in delectable ways.
Chicagoans are famous for taking two classics very seriously: pizza and hot dogs. Sample these two favorites during your visit so you can officially join in the debate.
Or let restaurant atmosphere help you decide where to eat. Match your mood to one of the city’s elegant dining spots, charming cafes, intimate bistros, convivial eateries, pizza palaces, or another of the endless alternatives.
Location will never limit your food choices. Great options for satisfying your hunger are always nearby.
It’s a fact: Food tastes wonderful outdoors. During spring, summer, and fall, Chicago foodies flock to the many great eateries which offer alfresco options. Here’s an insider guide to dining outside.
Savor the flavors outdoors at such Phil Stefani restaurants as Tavern on Rush, an upscale contemporary American steakhouse, at Italian steakhouse Phil Stefani’s 437 Rush, and at Riva where you can enjoy steak and seafood along with spectacular views from Navy Pier.
The city’s largest outdoor dining venue provides an intimate experience right in the heart of Millennium Park. Just a few steps from Michigan Avenue, The Plaza at Park Grill serves up handmade ethnic specialties by Chef Bernard Laskowski plus live entertainment.
Relax over a meal of American fare in a garden setting—perhaps after a challenging round on the 18-hole putting course—at The Green at Grant Park.
In the Loop, enjoy contemporary American fare at a table under a yellow umbrella in Rhapsody’s lush flower garden. And a bit further south Zapatista offers authentic Mexican specialties in the grand sidewalk dining area.
Enjoy the lively rooftop atmosphere at Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, where delicious food is enhanced by handcrafted, award-winning beer. Located in River North, Rock Bottom is an easy Redline ride to both Wrigley Field and U.S. Cellular Field.
A great spot after a Cubs game is the outdoor café at Twin Anchors Restaurant & Tavern. You’ll recognize this Oldtown eatery, renowned for great ribs, if you saw the movie The Dark Knight.
And right on North Avenue Beach, Castaways serves up great food, refreshing desserts, and ice cold drinks along with spectacular views of the city and Lake Michigan.
At several great restaurants, food is presented against the dramatic backdrop of the Chicago skyline.
The sky’s the limit at The Signature Room at the 95th, the restaurant on the 95th floor of John Hancock Center, which blends contemporary American fare with sweeping views of the city.
Combining awe-inspiring city views from its seventh floor perch in Park Hyatt Chicago with palate-pleasing contemporary French cuisine, NoMi engages all the senses.
Shanghai Terrace, nestled among magnificent Mag Mile buildings, serves Shanghainese and Cantonese dishes from the fourth floor of The Peninsula Chicago and from the outdoor terrace, weather permitting.
Spiaggia offers unparalleled Italian dining in a sophisticated setting and spectacular views of Michigan Ave.
Enjoy 360-degree panoramic views of the city and lakefront and contemporary American Cuisine with a French influence at Cite, on the 70th floor of Lake Point Tower.
See the Chicago River, Wrigley Building, and more through the 30-foot windows at Sixteen, the restaurant on the 16th floor of Trump International Hotel and Tower which features an eclectic menu.
Everest’s acclaimed French cuisine and location on the 40th floor of One Financial Place make it a wonderful spot for special-occasion dining.
For a pint or two, traditional Irish fare, and maybe even a favorite Irish tune, check out these downtown pubs.
Corned beef and cabbage and cream of potato leek soup are just two of the Irish-inspired dishes on the menu at The Emerald Loop at 216 S. Wabash Ave.—named in tribute to its location in the landmark Jewelers Building, to Ireland, and to Chicago’s Loop.
To experience Ireland’s contemporary pub culture, head to Fado Irish Pub at 100 W. Grand Ave. for live music on weekends and, every day, fish and chips, bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie, boxties, and other dishes known to go well with a pint.
Grace O’Malley’s Restaurant – Pub at 1416 S. Michigan Ave. is a kid-friendly spot for casual foods, including several Irish specialties. Or meet friends for drinks and snacks at this South Loop eatery’s long bar.
Ready to stretch your mind? Chicago’s amazing museums are the perfect places to satisfy your curiosity and spark your imagination.
Science rules at the three great institutions that make up Chicago’s lakefront Museum Campus. Centered within The Field Museum’s 20 million biological and anthropological specimens is Sue, the largest and most complete T. rex dinosaur ever found. Explore the universe at Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, the world’s only museum with two full-size planetarium theaters. Or head to the Shedd Aquarium and get up close with 22,000 aquatic species.
The Museum of Science and Industry—the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere—offers over 800 captivating interactive exhibits including the U-505 submarine, a working coal mine, a Boeing 727 airplane, and much more.
Among Chicago’s world-class institutions showcasing art is the Art Institute of Chicago, whose permanent collection of paintings, drawings, photography, and textiles includes the largest compilation of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works outside the Louvre and which recently opened the extraordinary new Modern Wing. Find outstanding and thought-provoking visual art created since 1945 at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Curious about the environment we live in and creatures that live among us? Visit The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park to learn about urban nature.
Photography is in focus at The Museum of Contemporary Photography, the Midwest’s sole museum committed exclusively to this medium, and changing Chicago-focused installations at City Gallery at the Historic Water Tower.
With 50 acres of parks, promenades, entertainment, attractions, restaurants, shops, and more, it’s easy to see why historic Navy Pier is the top tourist destination in the Midwest!
The Pier’s most distinctive landmark is the 150-ft Ferris wheel. Step into one of 40 gondolas for an exciting 7-min ride and unparalleled view of the skyline and lakefront. The Ferris wheel—which twinkles at night with thousands of lights—is in Pier Park, a landscaped area on the upper deck, along with a whimsical musical carousel, Wave Swinger lift-and-twirl ride, miniature golf course, remote control boats, and new Light Tower Hopper ride.
Twist and turn your way through Amazing Chicago’s Funhouse Maze. Ramp up your thrill level with a high-speed ride to the moon, Antarctica, or other exciting spot via Transporter FX.
Two unique museums are at home on the Pier. Discover dozens of lively interactive exhibits such as BIG Backyard, Dinosaur Expedition, Inventing Lab, Kovler Family Climbing Schooner, WaterWays, Skyline and Treehouse Trails at Chicago Children’s Museum. Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows showcases both secular and religious windows in Victorian, Prairie, Modern, and Contemporary styles by such artists as Louis Comfort Tiffany and John LaFarge and Chicagoans Ed Paschke and Roger Brown.
Hundreds of free shows, concerts, and special events for all ages raise the entertainment quotient. See blockbusters on Chicago’s largest flat movie screen at IMAX Theater. Hear the city’s hottest bands at the free admission Beer Garden where the party never stops Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Be dazzled by fireworks displays on summer Wednesday and Saturday nights. Seven great restaurants plus food court and seasonal eateries offer dining options to suit every taste and budget. And find apparel, accessories, toys and games, gifts and collectibles, souvenirs, international goods, and more in sensational Pier shops.
Don’t look down … unless you want to see spectacular views of Chicago from one of the high-flying observatories on top of the city’s tallest buildings.
The John Hancock Observatory offers more than a birds-eye view from its unique open-air Skywalk 94 stories above Magnificent Mile. Soundscope multilingual talking telescopes provide narration and sound effects for what you’re seeing. Dramatic murals on the History Wall trace Chicago’s rise from marsh to metropolis. Even the elevators will leave you breathless as they rocket at 1,800 ft/min—the fastest in North America.
Hit an all-time high at Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) Skydeck—Chicago’s highest observatory atop the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.
Powerful high-tech telescopes enable you to zero in on details from your vantage point 1353 ft above the city, and touch and tell computers bring the skyline to life in 6 languages (English, French, German, Japanese, Polish, Spanish). Interactive, museum-quality exhibits present Chicago’s past and present.
Watch the sun set, then stick around for skyscraper views of the glittering nighttime cityscape.
Chicago’s rich musical landscape includes incredible blues and jazz.
In the Blues Capital of the World, you can get the blues every night of the week in renowned clubs like Buddy Guy’s Legends. Repeatedly voted “Best Blues Club” by Living Blues Magazine and others, this Mecca hosts the world’s most influential blues musicians, including Buddy Guy himself. Add to your experience by enjoying Cajun soul food and the club’s major archive of blues memorabilia.
At Kingston Mines—Chicago’s oldest, largest blues club and named “best blues club” eight times by Chicago Music Awards—traditional blues musicians along with today’s brightest young blues talent appear on two stages. Check out the menu of southern specialties.
Find live music in many different flavors plus southern-inspired cuisine in an environment celebrating the African American cultural contributions of blues music and folk art at House of Blues. Be sure to check out the award-winning Gospel Brunch—a one-of-a-kind live music show and all-you-can-eat southern style buffet.
At Blue Chicago, the city’s best blues musicians and vocalists perform nightly in the warm, friendly atmosphere of a 1940s-style bar.
Is jazz your genre? At elegant Pops for Champagne, you’ll find the world’s most acclaimed champagne bar and live jazz entertainment. The Back Room, known primarily for great Chicago jazz, also includes blues, R&B, and Motown in its lineup. And Green Dolphin Street is a great place for outstanding music and food and for private events.
What are you doing tonight? Chicago’s clubs, lounges, and other night spots are sure to end your day on a high note. Relax over cocktails at cool lounges like Martini Park and Republic.
For a unique and highly entertaining experience, check out the famed Baton Show Lounge’s glitzy and glamorous revue featuring female impersonators. In a comedy club-like setting with cocktail tables scattered around a main stage, audiences from around the world are dazzled by the best-of-the-best in the art of female impersonation as they present characterizations of such American divas as Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson.
Many foods and ingredients are reported to offer benefits beyond basic nutrition. But what does really happen during digestion and how are these nutrients absorbed in the body? Find out at Session 051 “Rational design of food delivery systems: Physicochemical basis of food component digestion, release, and absorption” on Sunday afternoon, July 18, at 1:30–3:00 p.m. in Room S402ab. The symposium will provide attendees with a review of the physicochemical properties affecting the overall digestibility of foods, with an emphasis on structured delivery systems. These systems come in various sizes, shapes and compositions, which challenges their study.
Speakers will explore their current research into a variety of food delivery systems and the assessment of their performance, namely ingestion, digestion, and uptake. The talks will emphasize the relationships between the physicochemical attributes of the systems and the digestibility and bioavailability of the core bioactive ingredients. Attendees will learn how the physicochemical properties of food and various ingredients can be utilized to fabricate innovative food delivery systems.
A virtual poster is an online version of the technical research papers presented as posters at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Virtual posters expand accessibility at and beyond the Annual Meeting & Food Expo. IFT’s new virtual poster tool uses state-of the art technology with enhanced features that allow viewers to:
Search for specific research topics
View individual sections of each virtual poster
See available multi-media including video, pictures, graphics
Send comments and feedback to authors
Access to the virtual poster site is free to full, paid conference attendees. To purchase access to the 2009 virtual posters, click here.
Market research company Mintel had close to 100 products on display at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo that represented three trend categories of sweeteners, purity, and functional foods. Following daily presentations, the products were used in a taste test, where attendees tasted the products and voted on their favorites.
“It’s always exciting to see the outcome of the taste tests, but with so many unique products this year, we didn’t know how they would fare,” said Mintel New Product Expert, Lynn Dornblaser. “The winners are all great examples for manufacturers to look to as they develop innovative new products.”
Sweeteners
High-intensity sweeteners took a clean sweep in this category as the taste test winners all came from non-sugar products. IFT attendees chose Lotte Zero non-sugar chocolate from Japan as their favorite. Coming in second and third were products from the US: Sprite Green, sweetened with Truvia, followed by Breyers Double Churn No Sugar Added butter pecan ice cream, sweetened with Splenda.
While high-intensity sweeteners fared well, Dornblaser expects a battle of the sweeteners in the future. Consumer concerns regarding weight and diet will ensure continued growth of high-intensity sweeteners; however, there is a new trend emerging towards the desire to be “all-natural,” which will lead people to products featuring good old-fashioned sugar.
Purity
It was a tight race in the purity group. Pepsi Natural Premium, made with all-natural ingredients and part of the company’s “Refresh Everything” campaign, took first place. In second place was Nestle Milkybar White Moments, white chocolate in a crispy sugar shell, and there was a tie for third between True North Peanut Clusters and Bissinger’s Naturals Pomegranate White Tea Gummy Pandas.
According to Mintel, people have growing concerns about additives, preservatives, and artificial colors in their food and therefore have a renewed interest in all-natural and organic options. For success in the future, manufacturers need to put a strong emphasis on the association that simplicity has with goodness and health, as well as provide as much information on package descriptions as possible to show consumers the many health benefits.
Functional
Kellogg’s FiberPlus Antioxidants Chewy Bars took first place in the functional category as tasters found the bars delicious and full of flavor while being impressed by their antioxidants, added fiber, and vitamins. Cubio Gummies containing collagen and Leclerc Praeventia Almond and Apple bars with prebiotic fiber and antioxidants came in second and third place, respectively.
“Consumers are skeptical about the benefits and efficacy of many functional foods,” said Dornblaser. “Messages are often confusing and complicated, making it hard for consumers to know what products to choose. Ultimately, if something tastes good and has added benefits, it will do well in the marketplace.”
Did you miss any of the scientific program sessions at the 2009 Annual Meeting? Want to share content of a session with a colleague that could not attend the meeting? No problem!
IFT has partnered with a new recording vendor in 2009, Resourceful Recordings, to produce CD’s, MP3 file downloads and a DVD-Rom of the sessions held at this year’s IFT Annual Meeting Scientific Program. Products can be ordered online at Resourceful Recordings.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity! These recordings are valuable resources to attendees long after the IFT meeting is over. They serve as an excellent refresher course, are an important educational and training tool, and let participants “attend” the sessions they missed.
Heading to the Expo floor today? Make sure to stop by and visit the Sustainability Pavilion located in 1500 aisle. As everyone has probably witnessed, there has been a growing demand for sustainability in company operations. To highlight food industry organizations that offer products or services to help meet these sustainable needs, IFT has introduced the special pavilion to the Food Expo. One of the companies exhibiting in this pavilion is Alcan Packaging (booth 1550), a global company that supplies the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries with its packaging needs. The company has 30,000 employees and is located in 32 countries. Talking to Nina Goodrich, Director of Sustainnovation, it is clear that Alcan is dedicated to investing in sustainable packaging. This not only involves taking a look at the product, through its life cycle analysis tool, it also entails looking at the facilities and their water and energy usage. In fact, the company looks at sustainability from three pillars: Economic, social, and environmental. And if you visit Alcan’s booth you can learn all about the importance of these three pillars with a fun board game!
Another booth in the pavilion is CCR Containers (booth 1554) provides aseptic container solutions for food companies, including storage, transport, and processing. According to Sandi Drewitz, Account Executive, an increasing number of companies are switching from plastic containers to more sustainable solutions. CCR rents out stainless steel tanks, from 200 L to 12,000 L, for three months to eight years. By renting the tanks out companies are able to use them for the period of time they need them and then return them, saving the potential waste from plastic containers that aren’t needed any longer. Stop by CCR’s booth to learn about the 450 different designs of containers.
This year’s IFT/RCA Culinology presentation took place on Sunday, June 7, and centered on the topic of “Connecting Art & Soul to Science through Culinology.” The three panelists each shared their different perspectives on the food product development process from different segments of the industry including consulting, food manufacturing, and food service. The first speaker, Judy Lindsey (Product Dynamics) shared the viewpoint of a food scientist in the product development process. However, as all of the speakers explained, it is important to consider the other perspectives when developing food products. “Lots of perspectives leave us with a multidimensional picture about product development,” said Lindsey.
Lindsey briefly recapped the role that culinary has had in the food industry over the decades, explaining that it wasn’t until the late 60s that science really began to enter into the food field. This was due to the need for the safe mass production of food. In the late 80s “science changed to allow culinary to enter back into the picture,” said Lindsey. And thus culinology was born. As Lindsey defined it, “Science is the means by which we can bring the culinary art and soul to the consumer safely, cost effectively and with expected quality again and again and again.”
The second speaker, Chef Andrew Hunter (Culinary Kraft) shared his perspective as a culinary expert who has the job of working with high profile chefs to develop products for the casual and retail marketplace. In this role he considers himself “less of an artist and more of a craftsman.” Hunter’s belief is that it’s not necessary to come up with the newest and latest thing, it just needs to “delicious, better for you, and profitable.” For the culinary folks Hunter says it is important to set ambitious but realistic culinary parameters. He also discussed the similarities between formulas and recipes. Although one term is used by food scientists and the other by chefs, Hunter explained that formulas can be like recipes by incorporating classical or traditional techniques with science to reach the desired end product.
The final speaker, Dr. Samir Amin (Two Chefs On A Roll) demonstrated that food science and culinary arts really do complement each other by telling the story of his journey from culinarian to culinologist. He started off going to culinary school and later got his Ph.D. in food science. Amin, as with Hunter and Lindsey, explained that in order to produce a food product that is pleasing to the consumer and ultimately successful, it is necessary to include all perspectives. “Taste is where the culinary merges with technology,” concluded Amin.
Ingredients designed to help product formulators reduce fat and calorie content, deliver satiety benefits, replace sugar, and enhance the taste of lower-fat and lower-calorie formulations are a hot area in new product development. Visit the exhibiting companies listed in this guide to discover unique solutions and the suppliers who can deliver them.
Dairy Management Inc.
Booth 327 Product/Service: Whey Protein Research and Information Resources
Functional, nutraceutical, and fortified foods and beverages are designed to deliver benefits beyond traditional formulations. Take a self-guided Trend Tour and visit the exhibiting companies that are showcasing ingredients for use in the formulation of better-for-you products.
What’s new and different in the world of flavors for 2009 and beyond? Check out cutting edge flavors and colors, and prototypes that showcase unique flavor combinations or color applications.
This year’s companies selected for the Naturally Sourced Trend Tour are:
Modena Fine Foods, Inc.
Booth 2554 Product/Service: Balsamic Vinegar Powder
American Color Research Center, Inc.
Booth 2884 Product/Service: Stabilized and Non-ringing Beta Caroten Emulsions for Beverages, Organic Compliant; Acid Stable Annatto and Tumeric Solutions
Premium Ingredients International
Booth 3101 Product/Service: Flavor Savor™ for Reb A
Are you interested in ingredients derived from natural sources? You’ll discover the ingredient’s source, hear about what these participating companies consider to be natural, and learn more about the functionality, health benefits, and labeling advantages that their ingredients deliver.
This year’s companies selected for the Naturally Sourced Trend Tour are:
Briess Malt & Ingredients Co. Booth 665
Product/Service: BriesSweet™ White Sorghum Syrup 45DE High Maltose
WILD Flavors, Inc.
Booth 1301 Product/Service: OnlySweet™
Adjust your business platform as appropriate to respond to rapidly changing factors, such as consumers seeking more locally produced foods, and discover the key business drivers that most impact consumer perceptions as well as the bottom line.
Enhance your understanding of differences in the regulation of color additives among countries, and learn how regulatory developments in one region affect another region. Plus, get a better sense of how to overcome the product development challenges of replacing synthetic color additives with naturally derived alternatives.
Keep abreast of future trends in food science and technology.
For webcast details and times, visit ift.org/knowledge. When registering, please enter this code: 0509EM1611
IFT has announced that Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, Executive Director, European Food Safety Authority, will be the third Beacon Lecturer at this summer’s 2013 IFT Annual Meeting and Food Expo. Scheduled to speak on July 14, 2013, from 4:00 to 4:45 p.m., Geslain-Lanéelle will be presenting on “Can Science Do More to Support Food Policy? The European Union Experience.”
Complimentary Scientific Program Digital Library – Sponsored by Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
After a successful first year in 2011, the What’s New! program will return to the Food Expo floor this year. Hundreds of new products and services will be identified with an attention-grabbing yellow What’s New! logo. At the Food Expo, What’s New! floor stickers will help exhibitors with featured products to stand out. Products labeled with the What’s New! logo will also be included in the downloadable mobile phone application. In addition, products labeled with the logo will be featured on IFT Live’s homepage and listed within a tabbed section in the printed Program and Exhibit Directory available on-site.
Biorigin (booth 1735) highlights the use of ingredients from the Bionis and Bioenhance lines, which allow for a 70% reduction in sodium in snack applications. The Bionis line of yeast extracts provides body, mouthfeel, and umami taste and the Bioenhance line of naturally derived taste enhancers will help improve the salty taste in sodium-reduced products without the addition of salt.
Talking to Nina Goodrich, Director of Sustainnovation, it is clear that Alcan is dedicated to investing in sustainable packaging. This not only involves taking a look at the product, through its life cycle analysis tool, it also entails looking at the facilities and their water and energy usage. In fact, the company looks at sustainability from three pillars: Economic, social, and environmental. And if you visit Alcan’s booth you can learn all about the importance of these three pillars with a fun board game!
This year’s IFT/RCA Culinology presentation took place on Sunday, June 7, and centered on the topic of “Connecting Art & Soul to Science through Culinology.” The three panelists each shared their different perspectives on the food product development process from different segments of the industry including consulting, food manufacturing, and food service. The first speaker, Judy Lindsey (Product Dynamics) shared the viewpoint of a food scientist in the product development process. However, as all of the speakers explained, it is important to consider the other perspectives when developing food products. “Lots of perspectives leave us with a multidimensional picture about product development,” said Lindsey.
The second speaker, Chef Andrew Hunter (Culinary Kraft) shared his perspective as a culinary expert who has the job of working with high profile chefs to develop products for the casual and retail marketplace. In this role he considers himself “less of an artist and more of a craftsman.” Hunter’s belief is that it’s not necessary to come up with the newest and latest thing, it just needs to “delicious, better for you, and profitable.” For the culinary folks Hunter says it is important to set ambitious but realistic culinary parameters. He also discussed the similarities between formulas and recipes. Although one term is used by food scientists and the other by chefs, Hunter explained that formulas can be like recipes by incorporating classical or traditional techniques with science to reach the desired end product.
