The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific association committed to advancing the science of food and its application across the global food system, is hosting a webinar series moderated by IFT Chief Science and Technology Officer Brendan Niemira, PhD. The series will preview some of the individual scientific sessions generating buzz at the upcoming IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo, which is being held July 12-15 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
Free and open to the public, Talking Science with the Chief Science and Technology Officer will feature four virtual sessions devoted to the following topics:
- Science Meets Circularity: Ingredients, Packaging, and the New Rules of Sustainability
- What’s New in Plant Protein?
- Next-Generation Processing: Nonthermal Technologies Shaping Food Safety and Quality
- Hot Concepts in Food Science
“Each scientific presentation at IFT FIRST delivers more than research—it provides actionable science that professionals can take back to their labs, plants, and classrooms to drive real-world impact across the food system. From breakthrough research to emerging technologies, the individual scientific presentations at IFT FIRST showcase the breadth and depth of food science, sparking new ideas and accelerating progress toward creating a healthier future for food,” said IFT Chief Science and Technology Officer Brendan Niemira, PhD.
“These intimate Q&A sessions will not only provide a rare preview of these invaluable discussions taking place at IFT FIRST but allow the global food community to connect with some of our leaders who are improving food through research, science, and technology,” he continued.
Here is an overview of the four webinar sessions, including a preview of what each panelist will be discussing at their respective IFT FIRST session:
May 26, 12:00 p.m. CT | SCIENCE MEETS CIRCULARITY: INGREDIENTS, PACKAGING, AND THE NEW RULES OF SUSTAINABILITY
Featured speakers:
- Nandika Bandara, Associate Professor, University of Manitoba
- Kevin E. Mis Solval, Associate Professor, University of Georgia, and Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, JellyCoUSA
- Colin Preston, Managing Consultant, Ramboll Management Consulting
Bandara’s session on “How Do Circular Economy Principles Reduce Food Loss While Strengthening Supply Chain Stability?” will focus on his research on the complete upcycling of oilseed meals (canola, hemp, and sunflower), and pulse processing byproducts (hulls, stems and starch) into functional protein ingredients, lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose to produce food ingredients, biopolymer-based materials such as food packaging materials and wood adhesives, and platform chemicals and additives such as cellulose nanocrystals and lignin nanoparticles.
Mis Solval will host an individual presentation on “Developing Next Generation Marine Collagen from Seafood Waste for Functional Ingredients,” which will highlight current research on the extraction, digestion, characterization, and commercialization of marine collagen-based food ingredients.
Meanwhile, Preston will address the “Impact of Extended Producer Responsibility on Food Science and Food Packaging,” which will explore how packaging developers and food scientists must converge to develop safe and sustainable solutions that meet these new regulatory requirements.
“The expansion and evolution of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws across North America and Europe is transforming how food and beverage packaging must be designed, manufactured, and validated,” said Niemira. “These policies place new obligations on producers to meet recyclability criteria, minimize packaging, and incorporate post-consumer recycled content for primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging. While these requirements are typically viewed through a sustainability lens, they also have profound implications for food safety, food quality, and packaging performance—areas central to food science.”
June 3, 10:00 a.m. CT | WHAT’S NEW IN PLANT PROTEIN?
Featured speakers:
- José Bonilla, Assistant Professor, University of Copenhagen
- Samira Feyzi, Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas
- Renske Janssen, Senior Project Manager, NIZO
Bonilla will discuss “Machine-Learning Based Quantitative Characterization of Plant Protein Hydrogel Microstructure,” which will explore how machine learning-based image analysis of microscopic plant protein hydrogels can reveal the relationship between microstructural and macroscopic properties of sustainable foods.
In her individual presentation, Feyzi will dive into “Moving Towards Clean Label Plant Protein Ingredients,” which will focus on leveraging natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) to produce clean-label plant protein ingredients.
“With the growing global population and increasing consumer demand for healthy, clean label, sustainable, and functional plant protein ingredients, it is essential to develop processing strategies that enable food scientists to incorporate or upcycle underutilized plant protein sources and agricultural by-products,” said Niemira.
June 9, 12:00 p.m. CT | NEXT-GENERATION PROCESSING: NONTHERMAL TECHNOLOGIES SHAPING FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY
Featured speakers:
- Mario Gonzalez Angulo, HPP Applications Manager, Hiperbaric
- Deepti Salvi, Associate Department Head, North Carolina State University
- Anubhav Pratap-Singh, Associate Professor, Food, Nutrition and Health (Food Processing), The University of British Columbia
At IFT FIRST, Gonzalez Angulo will discuss “High-Pressure Thermal Processing (HPTP): Overcoming Technical Barriers to Industrial Application,” where attendees will understand how HPTP combines pressure and heat to achieve spore inactivation with reduced thermal load compared with conventional retorting and they will be able to identify product categories where HPTP can unlock new shelf-stable or refrigerated foods with extended shelf life while preserving sensory and nutritional quality.
“To reduce chemical contaminants and preserve nutritional and sensory quality, the food industry seeks processes that achieve microbial safety with reduced thermal load compared to traditional heat treatments,” said Niemira. “High-Pressure Thermal Processing offers this potential, and recent engineering advances now enable its industrial-scale implementation.”
Salvi will examine “The Current State of Cold Plasma Technology in Food Processing,” which will focus on the current state of cold plasma technology for various applications in food processing. The talk will also cover challenges and future directions for this novel technology.
Meanwhile, Pratap-Singh will discuss “Unlocking Red Seaweed Phenolics With Cold Plasma-Treated Water and Enhancing Antioxidant Activity.”
June 30, 12:00 p.m. CT | HOT CONCEPTS IN FOOD SCIENCE
Featured speakers:
- Chico Qike Li, PhD student, Cornell University
- Dilek Uzunalioglu, Founder, Agora Food Solutions LLC
In collaboration with Cornell University Associate Professor Alireza Abbaspourrad, Li will address “Structurally Tuning Phycocyanin: From Blue Chromoprotein to Natural Emulsifier” at IFT FIRST, which presents a molecularly resolved framework showing how controlled dissociation and denaturation tune phycocyanin’s color, antioxidant activity, and emulsifying performance. By integrating the urea-shifting strategy with protein modeling, it was revealed how structural transitions directly enhance the interfacial behavior of phycocyanin as a natural blue emulsifier.
Meanwhile, Uzunalioglu will discuss “Fermentation Enabled Ingredients: From Technical Performance to Metabolic Potential,” which will highlight how precision, biomass, and solid-state fermentation can be leveraged to develop ingredients with different functionalities including ingredients with technofunctional benefits, ingredients with enhanced protein fiber content and improved digestibility, and ingredients with gut and metabolic benefits.
Register for the full webinar series here.
IFT members receive a significant discount to IFT FIRST and have access to an extensive library of exclusive content and resources, as well as a series of virtual and in-person networking opportunities. Learn more about joining this growing community at www.ift.org/membership.
About IFT FIRST
IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo is one of the most influential food technology events in the world as it unites instrumental leaders across the global food system to help shape the future of food. Each year, IFT FIRST (Food Improved by Research, Science, and Technology) convenes prominent food, health, and nutrition professionals across industry, academia, and government to collaborate, innovate, and educate. IFT FIRST features a dynamic expo hall that connects many of the top global food and wellness companies with buyers and those with purchasing influence, while also offering cutting-edge scientific programming that explores the hottest topics across the science of food. IFT FIRST also offers valuable networking opportunities, unique food competitions, and engaging interactive experiences to connect, enrich, and empower attendees in their missions to transform the global food system. For more information, go to www.ift.org/ift-first-event/.
About Institute of Food Technologists
Since 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has served as the voice of the global food science community. IFT advocates for science, technology, and research to address the world’s greatest food challenges, guiding our community of more than 200,000. IFT convenes professionals from around the world – from producers and product developers to innovators and researchers across food, nutrition, and public health – with a shared mission to help create a global food supply that is sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible to all. IFT provides its growing community spanning academia, industry, and government with the resources, connections, and opportunities necessary to stay ahead of a rapidly evolving food system as IFT helps feed the minds that feed the world. For more information, please visit ift.org.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260512585502/en/
Media gallery
