8:30 - 9:30 AM: Opening Keynote Panel: “Agility Matters: Food Systems of Today - When Complexity Rules, Simplicity Wins
Track 1: Navigating Change in the Food Industry
9:40 - 10:30 AM: Helping Bakeries Adapt to a More Sustainable Food Supply
10:35 - 11:20 AM: Trends and Innovative Methods for Sugar Reduction
Track 2: Adapting and Transforming to Consumer Trends and Technology Developments
9:40 - 10:30 AM: How Enzyme Technology is Improving Plant Protein to Keep Up With Trends
10:35 - 11:20 AM: Emerging Technologies Shaping the Future of Foods
11:30 - 12:30 PM: Closing Keynote Panel: Agility Matters - An Appreciative Approach in the Food Industry: Fighting Back with Science & Sensibility
The business of food is getting ever more interesting in today's complex world. A world, where environment, politics, economy, population, technology, affluence, diseases, emotions, life styles, and consumer preferences are all colliding at a global scale. We are seeking to utilize the technologies of tomorrow to go back to the good old times where we simply enjoyed a hearty and wholesome meal with our family.
Attend this session and learn how to leverage and utilize the opportunities that modern technological advances afford us to feed the global population without harming the earth.
Panelists
Joanna Barker Self, Business Development Director, Food & Nutrition, Brenntag Americas.
Joanna’s 20 years’ experience in food industry ingredients and distribution have given her a broad range of expertise in marketing, branding, and commercialization. She and her team are passionate about finding solutions for food companies that align with consumer wants and needs.
They are focused on the ever-changing trends in all major food categories and interpreting that information to enable strategic growth. Joanna holds a B.Sc.(Eng) in Biological Engineering from the University of Guelph.
Asim Syed, Sr. Directory, R&D, Americas, Brenntag Food & Nutrition.
Tenured and dedicated executive with a strong background in food innovation and business development. Over 27 years of successful experience in designing food innovation portfolio, and leading and implementing innovation strategies.
Led commercialization of 100+ cutting-edge new products for the retail, CPG, and QSR markets. Since last 12 years focused mostly on alternative protein technologies. Helped multiple global start-ups formulate and commercialize plant-based meats. Published writer on food, leadership, and innovation.
Courtenay Turner, Commercial Manager, Value-Added Services Food and Nutrition, Brenntag Americas.
Courtenay has over 20 years’ experience representing value-added products/services at companies like Prinova USA, Glanbia, and Pharmachem, and has a deep insight into the challenges and systems driving the global food CPG industry.
Courtenay holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University and a B.S. in Biology from Loyola Marymount University.
Track 1: Navigating Change in the Food Industry
With the growing trend towards sustainability and consumer demand for sustainable products it is important for food manufacturers to understand the environmental impact of their manufacturing processes and products, and to evaluate how they can adapt to a more sustainable food supply.
In this session we will explore some of the ways that food manufacturers (with a focus on bakeries) can modify their formulations or processes to be more sustainable. This will include formulation considerations, such as using upcycled or side-stream ingredients in baked goods while benefiting from their functional properties, as well as moving towards more plant-based formulations.
In addition, we will address some ways to help reduce food waste, through formulating for extended shelf life. Finally, we will take a look at some process considerations, and how to reduce energy costs through more efficient production.
Attend this session to learn about sustainable ingredient options, reducing food waste, and increasing production efficiencies.
Michelle Amyot, Technical Lead – Bakery & Incremental Packaging Blends, Caldic.
Michelle has a Food Science background and has been in the industry for 7 years, with a focus in R&D. In her current role, as Technical Lead for Bakery Blends at Caldic, she focuses on the development of bakery solutions for large customers across North America.
Sugar reduction has become a critical focus area in food industry due to associations with various health issues. Recent studies revealed a 10% reduction in added sugar consumption across multiple countries over the past five years. This trend is further supported by a Food Marketing Institute survey, indicating that 76% of consumers are actively seeking out low-sugar products. The compelling data fueled strategy developments for sugar reduction.
Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of reformulation efforts in various categories, resulting in an average 15% sugar reduction. Notably, advancement in processing tools have shown promise in reducing sugar content without compromising taste or product stability. Furthermore, high intensity sweeteners, such as stevia and monk fruit extract, have emerged and gained traction as natural alternatives. In conclusion, this abstract highlighted recent trends, effective sugar reduction strategies and tools, provided valuable insights to various stakeholders to address the concerns associated with excessive sugar consumption.
Attend this session and learn:
Yi Gong, Ph.D, Principal Scientist, Tate & Lyle
Dr. Yi Gong is a Principal Scientist, specializing in Food & Beverage Solutions at Tate and Lyle. Yi has his PhD in Food Science from the University of Georgia, and prior to his career at Tate and Lyle, Yi has led multiple initiatives in product development and innovation at Ocean Spray Cranberries.
Track 2: Adapting and Transforming to Consumer Trends and Technology Developments
Enzyme biotechnology has been helping companies develop products and improve formulas for many years. This technology is becoming more relevant in the faster changing landscape of the food and beverage industry that is present today.
The demand for plant-based products has presented the industry with major challenges due to the functional differences inherent to plants. Amano Enzyme and its enzyme technology can help improve flavor, functionality, and broadly the possibilities of plants for food and beverages.
Attend this session and learn more about:
Nickolas Broches, MS, Scientist, Amano Enzyme, USA
Nickolas Broches has a BA in molecular and cellular biology and a MS in Food Science and Human Nutrition with a focus in business from The University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. He is a Scientist at Amano Enzyme with experience with enzymes, plant protein, coffee, tea, and more.
We should strive to make better foods that are better for human lives and better for our planet. Science and technologies from neighboring industries could change how we food scientists discover and invest. Emerging technologies includes precision fermentation, bioconversion, cellular agriculture, plant-based, neurofoodscience, gut-brain axis and most recently AI ML. Current leader in each technology space will be critically reviewed.
Attend this session and learn about:
Alex Woo, CEO, W20 Food Innovation
Alex is the founder and CEO for W2O, a flavor technology firm for the past fourteen years. He specializes in creating Better Food with niche expertise in contemporary taste & smell neuroscience and state of art clean label plant-based sweeteners and flavors.
There is a curious phenomenon in the publication and influence spheres of food. Instead of scientists, farmers, physicians and culinarians teaching people about the benefits of food, there is a steadily growing pile of books and broadcast material spreading an unwarranted message of certainty on the harmful side of food ingredients but by people without a lick of science or physiology in their education portfolio.
This session will address how food and ingredient companies can help influencers, the press, and product developers understand what matters most in food for health and wellness. We will skillfully show the power of communicating food science and nutrition with an appreciative approach and sensibility.
Attend this session and learn:
Panelists
Kantha Shelke, Ph.D., CFS, IFT Fellow, teaches food safety regulations at Johns Hopkins University, and is founder/ principal at Corvus Blue LLC, a food science and research firm that is retained by mid-market enterprises to expedite development and commercialization of new food products and technologies with science and sensibility. Kantha is on the Faculty Advisory Board on Food and Agriculture at McGill University, Montreal, and the Board of Trustees of the Southwest University of Health Sciences, Tempe, Arizona. She is passionate about advancing the understanding of food science, nutrition, food law, food safety, and culinary arts in the marketplace.
John Hammerstone, Co-Founder, Symphony Snacks, is an analytical chemist who spent a significant part of his career in various fundamental research roles at Mars Incorporated primarily focused on functional nutrition and flavor chemistry across all of the Mars business units. Of note was his contribution to the analytical techniques used to characterize and quantify the functional flavanols present in cocoa as well as other foods. Following his work at Mars, John worked at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Institute for Food Safety and Health where he was director of Chemistry. Currently John is the co-founder of Symphony Foods where he applies his knowledge of functional nutrition to deliver allergen safe, nutritious foods based on Sorghum.
Cydney Jackson, Cornell University
"I am humbled to be named a 2023-2024 recipient of the CFSF scholarship, sponsored by the Illinois Soybean Association. I will be a third-year Ph.D. student studying food science with a minor in microbiology at Cornell University, and I never imagined having the opportunity to pursue higher education due to the financial challenges my family experienced when I was a child. Yet, thanks to this scholarship, I am honored and encouraged to continue my pursuit of education.
Moreover, my capacity for meaningful leadership and volunteering will expand in the 2023-2024 academic year upon receiving this scholarship. With financial needs met, I am looking forward to contributing more time to mentoring students in the food science field.
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