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Recent Advancements in the Production of Healthy Foods

Recent Advancements in the Production of Healthy Foods

About

Consumer demand for healthier food choices are increasing steadily. However, production of healthy foods poses its own challenges due to limitations in the choice of technology, choice of ingredients, cost effectiveness, etc.

The panelists will shed light on various challenges facing the production of healthy foods and will explore various opportunities to tackle these challenges. Specifically, recent developments in the following three areas will be discussed by the panelists. Challenges & opportunities in:

  • Health and nutrition
  • Food safety
  • Food processing

Attend and gain a detailed understanding of the issues facing the production of healthy foods and learn about various ways to mitigate these issues.


Panelists

Portrait of John Hammerstone

John Hammerstone

Co-Founder, Symphony Foods, LLC
Illinois Tech Adjunct Professor

Read John’s Bio

John Hammerstone has over 30 years of industrial and academic research with Mars Incorporated with a focus on the analysis of natural products associated with positive health outcomes, flavors for both humans and companion animals. His additional research has included extensive troubleshooting in factory settings including melamine and PCP contamination, autoxidation, and packaging contaminants. He is the co-founder of a start-up food business in the Chicagoland area, Symphony Foods, LLC.

Portrait of Dr. Pratik Banerjee

Dr. Pratik Banerjee

Associate Professor of Food Safety
University of IL

Read Dr. Pratik’s Bio

Dr. Banerjee is an Associate Professor of Food Safety at the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign. He grew up in the Kolkata (then Calcutta) metropolitan area in West Bengal, India. He completed his B.Tech. degree in Dairy Technology from the West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, Kolkata, India, followed by M.Tech. degree in Biotechnology from Jadavpur University, also in Kolkata.

He received his Ph.D. in Food Science from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana working in the area of food safety, focusing on the rapid detection of pathogens and toxins in food and drinking water.

Before joining the University of Illinois, Dr. Banerjee worked as a faculty member in the School of Public Health at the University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, and in the Department of Food and Animal Sciences at Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, Alabama. Previously, he worked as the Principal Scientist leading the R & D section of LacPro Industries, LLC, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Dr. Banerjee teaches courses in food safety.

Andrea Liceaga, PhD

Professor of Food Science & Director of the Sensory Evaluation Laboratory
Purdue University

Read Andrea’s Bio

Professor Andrea Liceaga has a PhD in food chemistry from The University of British Columbia. In 2009, she became a faculty member in the Food Science Department at Purdue University where she oversees the Protein Chemistry and Bioactive Peptides Laboratory.

Dr. Liceaga has established her research efforts at fomenting the study of emerging proteins (e.g. insects, hemp, chia and hairless canary seeds) in food formulation to advance food security. Her research also looks at their allergenicity and potential biological activity for therapeutic use known as “foods for health”.

Her publication record highlights the application of food proteins as novel ingredients for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Dr. Liceaga’s research on biological active peptides from traditional and emerging protein sources has generated new knowledge on the development, characterization, and mode of inhibition. In addition, as Director of the Sensory Evaluation Laboratory, Dr. Liceaga studies the sensory & consumer acceptability of these emerging proteins.

January 15, 2025 @ 5:00 pm 7:30 pm


Schedule

5:00-5:45 PM

Networking (Heavy Appetizers & Cash Bar)

5:45-6:00 PM

Welcome & Introductions

6:00-7:00 PM

Panelists

7:00-7:30 PM

Networking & Dessert


Cost

  • $50 members (Invite a guest for 50% off with code ChicagoGuest50)
  • $60 nonmembers
  • $25 students, retired, unemployed (Use code 2025HEALTHY)

Cost (After September 16)

  • $60

Carlucci’s Rosemont

6111 N River Rd
Rosemont, IL 60018 United States
View Venue Website
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