IFT FIRST 2024: Explore how the overarching theme speaks to IFIC’s recent consumer findings

 

A big welcome to my amazing hometown Chicago, which is where The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is headquartered, and is also hosting its Annual Event and Expo starting Saturday, July 14, and ending Wednesday, July 17. This food science, technology and innovation conference will feature more than 1,000 exhibitors from across the food system sharing the latest in ingredient, equipment, processing, technology, safety, R&D and packaging solutions. 

From the myriad of exhibitor press releases I received the past few weeks, along with reviewing the educational program, I’ve determined that the overarching theme of this year’s event is “Doing More with Less.” 

This theme covers multiple consumer trends, as identified by the 2024 Food and Health Survey from the International Food Information Council (IFIC). The survey showed that American consumers (n=3,000) continue to rank taste (85%) as the most impactful element in their food and beverage purchase decisions. Price remains the second most impactful (76%), followed by healthfulness (62%), convenience (57%) and environmental sustainability (31%).  

Nine in 10 (90%) respondents said they have noticed an increase in the price of food and beverage. This recognition is up significantly from 83% in 2022.  It’s no wonder that food companies are trying to “do more with less” in order to keep prices down. 

VISIT INGREDION AT IFT FIRST, BOOTH S1131

IFT FIRST attendees can expect to see a lot of cost-cutting initiatives from ingredient suppliers, as well as technologies to assist with reducing food waste. This may come in the form of cultures and enzymes as natural preservatives, as well as antioxidants and plant extracts that help extend shelf life. This includes the shelf life of dairy foods, namely yogurt and other cultured products. 

Expect to see many suppliers focusing on their sustainability programs and claims marketers can make. This includes discussions on sustainably grown ingredients. All types of farmers are looking for ways to do more with less. 

Plan to attend “What Scientific Advancements Are Leading the Way in Sustainable Food Production” on Tuesday, July 16, from 1:15pm to 2:30pm at McCormick Place, Room S402.

Three speakers from different parts of the food industry will discuss how sustainable food production is critical for ensuring global food and nutrition security into the future. By the end of this panel discussion, the audience will gain deeper insights on different approaches to enhance sustainable production, including minimizing food loss and waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and using climate resilient crops for foods. The audience will also learn how advances in measurements, such as life cycle assessment and circularity, are changing the landscape of sustainable food processing and how stakeholders can collaborate to achieve more sustainable food production.

Advanced technologies, such as those fueled by artificial intelligence, are making many sustainability efforts easier. Such AI may assist with more efficiently managing energy consumption, air emissions and water use. Precision agriculture, including drones, satellite imagery, and more help farmers reduce the use of natural resources.

“Artificial intelligence has the power to massively change the way the global food system operates,” says IFT CEO Christie Tarantino-Dean. “Many recognize AI’s immense value but are unclear on how or when to incorporate it.”

At IFT FIRST, there will be a number of educational opportunities where attendees can learn from some of the top AI experts in the world. They will leverage their leadership experience at industry-disrupting organizations to show how companies of all sizes in the science of food community can use AI to innovate new products, quickly solve problems and transform the global food system at large.

Plan to attend, “Keynote: Revolutionizing Food Innovation Through AI” on Monday, July 15, from 8:15am to 9:30am at McCormick Place, IFT FIRST Theater (S100 Ballroom). The panel of experts will explore how collaboration across the human/machine spectrum fuels groundbreaking advancements in predictive analytics, precision engineering, biotechnology and food product development. The capacity of this technology to revolutionize the prediction, discovery, design and optimization of food innovation holds immense promise. 

One of the ways companies can address consumer needs is by utilizing AI to continuously improve formulations for different categories by connecting ingredients, chemical and physical measurements, sensory evaluations, and consumer preferences. To see this in action, plan to attend the presentation “Predicting the Sweet Spot: A New Frontier in Consumer and Sensory Science Using AI Predictive Modeling to Optimize Natural Non-Caloric Sweetener Taste and Performance” on Monday, July 15, from 11:00am to 11:20am in McCormick Place, Room S401d. 

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Scientists from Ingredion will present a case study on sweetened beverages in five countries (US, UK, Brazil, Mexico and India). The research uncovered the differences in taste preferences and drivers of liking in each country. They were able to use an iterative approach to train the model and optimize sweetener solutions based on the sensory data. The model reveals ingredient drivers of liking and predicts novel combinations for specific consumer groups.

Beyond AI, there’s another growing area of interest in the sustainability conversation, and that’s with upcycling. Upcycled foods use ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption. They are procured and produced using verifiable supply chains and have a positive impact on the environment, according to the Upcycled Foods Association, Denver, which defined the term in 2020. Formulators and marketers have started quantifying their use of upcycled ingredients and making this part of the product’s selling points.

And without a doubt, expect to hear a lot more about using precision fermentation to produce all types of ingredients, from colors to proteins to sweeteners. Of course, efforts in this space are going towards making more clean-label ingredients, as well as ingredients that assist with making foods more healthy. 

If you recall, IFIC showed that healthfulness ranked third on influencing purchase decision. But what exactly is a healthy food? 

For the third straight year in the IFIC Food & Health Survey, “fresh” (39%) is the most common criteria used by consumers to define a “healthy” food followed by “good source of protein” (37%) and “low in sugar” (35%). While the inclusion of “fresh” and “low in sugar” in definitions for “healthy” have remained consistent across the last three years, “good source of protein” is gaining steam, steadily climbing over the past three years (59% in 2022, 67% 2023 and 71% 2024). 

Also, more consumers are trying to limit their sugar consumption this year (66% up from 61%). Ingredients that assist with reducing added sugars will be dominant on the IFT FIRST expo floor. Many of these ingredients provide more sweetness with less (or no) added sugars. 

To view the full 2024 IFIC Food & Health survey, link HERE.

Hope to see you at IFT FIRST. The weather is expected to be clear and hot. Summer in Chicago is amazing. Hope you can enjoy the lakefront and some outdoor dining. 

VISIT INGREDION AT IFT FIRST, BOOTH S1131