New Orleans--July 7, 2008--During the 2008 Annual Meeting & Food Expo, members of the Institute of Food Technologists helped to fight hunger in South Louisiana by working with Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, a local nonprofit that is a member of America's Second Harvest, the Nation's Food Bank Network.
NEW ORLEANS -Scientists, educators and marketing experts gathered to discuss how consumers influence and receive food-health and food-safety messages at Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo in New Orleans. "Taste is what it's all about," said Nancy Childs, PhD, professor of marketing at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia. "The more health-related information and claims that manufacturers present, the more taste assurance the consumer needs."
NEW ORLEANS--Everyone knows that oat bran is a source of dietary fiber. Now dates, fenugreek, purslane and sweet potato greens are emerging to add their beneficial properties to the worldwide array. In the United Arab Emirates, where dates are a major component of individual diets, the fruit's fiber is having a favorable role in baked goods, so date cultivation is encouraged. By reducing flour and replacing it with date fiber by 10 to 30 percent, breads, cookies and muffins have become as tasty as their flour counterparts but healthier. However, with more date fiber, the volume of a loaf of bread shrunk too much, said Isameldin Hashim, Ph.D.
NEW ORLEANS-Back in World War II, the U.S. military gave soldiers Hershey chocolate bars to boost their morale as well as their energy. The Ration D bar was a survival ration that provided subsistence calories and nutrition to soldiers facing extreme conditions. With today's scientific advancements in nutrition, soldiers will soon be plied with candy, cookies and cakes, except these will contain probiotics, the beneficial bacteria already found in the human gut. Because they suffer from high incidences of diarrhea, U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan will soon receive ice cream sandwiches, peanut butter bars and vanilla pudding desserts filled with probiotics, with the hope that good bacteria will help curb intestinal illness.
NEW ORLEANS - Research shows that only 20 percent of consumers use thermometers, and a mere 30 percent are aware that they should have them in their refrigerators. "You don't have to go to a restaurant or to a party to get sick," said Fur-Chin Chen, Ph.D., a microbiologist at the University of Tennessee. He found a variety of pathogens in a quarter of the refrigerators he inspected during a recent study. Vegetable bins were the most contaminated.
NEW ORLEANS-A load of antioxidants, nutrients and vitamins are available in the produce aisle from white and brown fungi, commonly known as mushrooms. Mushrooms are low in calories, cholesterol and sodium, and they provide plenty of fiber and flavor when cooked. But the big news is that they are high in antioxidants, selenium, riboflavin and other healthful substances that protect the immune system and fight cancer.
NEW ORLEANS-An anti-aging pill is not yet an over-the-counter phenomenon, but it's never too late to start eating better to live a longer, healthier life. Studies prove that consuming more fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains, as well as fewer calories, results in prolonging a healthier lifespan.
New Orleans-Ethnic foods constitute one of the fastest growing segments of the food service industry. The rise of ethnic dining establishments throughout the nation presents barriers to the food inspection process. Consequently, U.S. inspectors who may be unfamiliar with ethnic foods and customs can experience shock and uncertainty upon entering ethnic restaurants serving traditional dishes prepared with items such as fertilized poultry eggs, live eels and frogs, and animal genitalia.
NEW ORLEANS- The term natural adds a premium to food products and makes them appear fresher, minimally processed, and safer. But consumers and the food industry will have to wait to know exactly what natural does - or does not-mean. Scientific experts clarify the use of the term natural on products during the Institute of Food Technologists Best of Food Thinking Annual Meeting and Food Expo held Sunday in New Orleans.
NEW ORLEANS--A novel technique for reducing tumors in rats-using nano-sized, oil-based emulsions may be the latest weapon in fighting cancer. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Lowell injected rats with neuroblastoma, so they would develop tumors, and then treated them with nanoemulsions containing antioxidants. They found that while the rats fed in the control group continued to develop tumors, the growth rate for those fed antioxidants was actually negative 65 percent, meaning the tumors actually shrank.
NEW ORLEANS - At Sunday morning's keynote session of the 2008 Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting & Food Expo, incoming IFT President Sheri Schellhaass and President-Elect Marianne Gillette announced and presented four companies with the 2008 IFT Food Expo Innovation Awards. The recipients are Bunge North America, CEM Corp., Multisorb Technologies, and NC Hyperbaric. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jeannie Houchins, jhouchins@ift.org
WASHINGTON--The Institute of Food Technologists formally commented on food safety as it applies to imports during the U.S. Interagency Working Group on Import Safety public meeting held here Oct. 1, hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
As they work to protect the nation's food supply from accidental contamination and intentional threats, food industry and homeland security experts alike are feeling the weight of the world.
Across borders and oceans, the Japanese yen and Europe's euro jittered in relation to the U.S. dollar as costs related to the outbreak of foodborne illness mounted to $74 million.
Approaching food safety and food defense as one issue rather than two separate considerations is key to protecting the public.
When it comes to the business of food, Latin American and Caribbean countries are playing by two sets of rules.
It could be decades before science can accurately measure the body's systems to determine which foods, in what quantities and combinations, will best combat against disease and illness.
Exotic and extreme foods are turning on consumers' appetites. Look no further than the explosion of bottled water that's packaged, priced and marketed into vastly different consumer categories.
There may be some risk in consumption of fish, but there's a bigger risk in not consuming fish at all.
Once was the day that beef was considered the primary source of foodborne illness. Now fresh produce is increasingly responsible for the outbreaks, and receiving increased focus from people paid to protect public health.
As food retailers and manufacturers work their way toward global sustainability, lofty goals abound. But businesses may find the road to this "consumer eco-topia" to be more complex than originally expected.
Baby boomers want to feel younger for longer, food companies and food researchers are striving to reach their needs.
An estimated 2 million Americans are afflicted with celiac disease, an intolerance for food containing wheat, and the market for gluten-free products is booming even while food companies and researchers have yet to fully solve their greatest challenge--making products taste good.
The pursuit of health and wellness is no longer an option for four of the biggest global food companies. It's mandatory business.
Consumer and homemaker awareness of the steps to take to combat against foodborne illness is growing, but they're not all practicing simple safety measures.
As consumers around the globe increasingly keep attuned to the effects diet can have on their health, researchers are now eyeing innovations in functional foods that could address disease prevention as well as maintain a fit lifestyle.
Recent federal studies have found a link between the E.coli found in the vegetables and nearby cattle ranches.
A significant problem in replacing these hydrogenated oils with healthier ones lies in the supply of soybean, canola, rapeseed and alternative crops to make replacement oils.
Wal-Mart and Greenpeace may seem unlikely bedfellows, but when it comes to the push by the retail industry to go green, old conventions are dissolving while new collaborations are being formed.
Sunday, July 29, at the 2007 Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting & Food Expo, six companies were presented inaugural IFT Food Expo Innovation Awards.
WASHINGTON D.C.-- Philip E. Nelson, president of the Institute of Food Technologists in 2002, is 2007 recipient of the World Food Prize, selected for the world's highest honor in food for his achievements in bulk aseptic packaging which allows perishable foods to be distributed globally in a sterile environment without refrigeration and without significant loss of nutrients.
WASHINGTON D.C.--Recognizing the importance of focused and intentional efforts for the advancement of food science and technology, the Institute of Food Technologists ' 2007 Congressional Support for Science Award will be presented here today to U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas . The award is presented annually by the Institute of Food Technologists , the not-for-profit scientific society for food science and technology.
CHICAGO--Today's food trends--and Americans' demands for increased variety in their diets--are as diverse as the U.S. population, according to the latest Top 10 Food Trends published in Food Technology magazine, the monthly professional magazine by the non-for-profit, international scientific society Institute of Food Technologists.
WASHINGTON D.C.--In order to manage the inherent complexity of the U.S. food safety system that's affected on the global scale, the Institute of Food Technologists recommends food safety policies be developed as part of a national initiative with input from all stakeholders. Managing food safety is a complex task, as hazards are ever-changing and the amount and complexity of data--and the residual unknowns--are growing at a rapid rate. This is clearly reflected in the relatively recent confirmation of illnesses and deaths among humans and household animals that have heightened concern among Americans toward the methods to provide fresh produce, peanut butter, pet food, animal feed, and effective food safety in general.
CHICAGO--The impact on our environment from food packaging waste can be minimized by prudently selecting materials and following established regulatory guidelines, yet the primary purpose must continue to be maintaining safe, wholesome and quality food, according to the Institute of Food Technologists and its latest scientific review, Food Packaging--Roles, Materials, and Environmental Issues.
CHICAGO--Compelling evidence that herbs and spices found prevalent in many popular dishes can help ward off disease remains elusive but, according to the latest issue of Food Technology magazine, some small clinical trials raise the question of whether some positive health influence exists.
Chicago--Supermarkets are whipping up their own recipe to take a bite out of America's growing takeout trend. According to this month's Food Technology magazine, supermarkets around the nation are making every effort to create meals eaten at home easier, fresher, healthier and more exciting.
CHICAGO--Breakfast alone may not be the solution to reducing obesity among American consumers, but some reformulation of morning selections could prove beneficial in the battle against the bulge according to the latest issue of Food Technology .
CHICAGO--Its caffeine can bring jitters and its color can stain teeth, yet moderate consumption of coffee is being shown to have generally positive and protective effects on the emergence of disease conditions according to this month's issue of Food Technology magazine.
The Institute of Food Technologists believes that a few changes to regulatory policies involving functional foods could provide very positive benefits to consumers and consumer health, commending the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for holding Tuesday's public hearing on functional foods and making recommendations to the agency.
CHICAGO--As investigators actively seek to identify sources and vehicles responsible for the introduction of E. coli O157:H7 onto California spinach that made its way into the food supply this fall, the Journal of Food Science this month provides up-to-date research on the various ways bacteria can survive on fresh produce.
CHICAGO--Contrary to a claim made earlier today, the Institute of Food Technologists does not have several of its members serving on a National Institute of Health's Institute of Medicine panel, and the two IFT members serving are professors at flagship research universities and demonstrate integrity to science. This specifically contradicts erroneous information issued by groups critical of the IOM.
CHICAGO--Official dates of the 2007 Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting + Food ExpoŽ in Chicago have been changed to July 28-31, in order to maintain the world's largest annual food science forum's traditional Saturday-through-Tuesday schedule.
ORLANDO--Food that can make the brain function better is the same food that can make the entire body healthier. But that doesn't stop consumers from still seeking an edge. Food scientists and other researchers presenting at the Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting here say they're still trying to nail down mental energy's definition, even as new products make new claims that they are the answer.
ORLANDO--Contrary to popular opinion, beer is as healthy--if not more healthy--than wine, according to a university professor with an academic title any Joe Six-pack would relish.
ORLANDO--Everything organic seems touched with a magic wand, where the $15 billion dollar food segment gives every indication for continuing success as its own niche in the broad food industry. But where organic can make no claim is also where U.S. producers could use a boost, according to seafood experts speaking to food scientists and professionals here this week.
ORLANDO--For anyone who's ever placed a minty breath strip on their tongue, they've sampled only the tip of the iceberg in the uses of edible films that food scientists are dreaming up for consumers. Those scientists spoke today at the Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting here.
ORLANDO--What's the fastest growing food appliance in America? It just might be your car's power window, according to Harry Balzer, one of the food industry's leading consumer research experts and vice president of the NPD Group, a food research company that's been tracking trends for 25 years.
ORLANDO--As food scientists actively search for ways to extend the shelf life of fresh produce, the U.S. Navy is at the front of the line waiting to buy it.
ORLANDO--Heredity and family customs--especially what you are fed as baby--have an enormous impact on eating habits and taste cravings as an adult. That's what scientists speaking at the world's largest annual food science conference said here Monday at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPOŽ.
ORLANDO--Efforts to improve foods targeted at improving women's health face a major challenge: A significant shortage of research reliant upon women's participation in food trials and studies. Food scientists responsible for creating new functional foods addressed this lack of available women's research at this week's Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPOŽ, the world's largest annual meeting on food science, business and product development.
ORLANDO--International travel and the global food trade are driving the spread of pathogens resistant to control according to food safety experts assembled here this week. Yet as some bacteria become more difficult to eliminate from food and health concern, American consumers may be putting themselves at risk by the food choices they make.
ORLANDO--Scientists are making progress in reducing the levels of the potentially cancer-causing acrylamide from foods like potato chips, but reducing its presence in coffee is still a challenge, according to food science experts meeting here at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPOŽ.
ORLANDO--Resources are fewer and the responsibilities greater for ensuring the country's food safety and protecting its public health, according to a high-ranking U.S. Food and Drug Administration official speaking here Sunday to scientists and senior executives within the food industry at the opening of the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting + Food ExpoŽ .
The following data appear within the latest Expert Report by the international nonprofit scientific society Institute of Food Technologists, Antimicrobial Resistance: Implications for the Food System, released here today at the IFT Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPOŽ, the world's single largest annual scientific meeting and technical exposition on food. Refer to the report for attribution and references.
ORLANDO--Prudent use of decontaminants, sanitizers and other antimicrobial treatments in the production and manufacturing of food appears to generate no bacterial resistance of concern to human health, according to the Institute of Food Technologists. In its report issued today, Antimicrobial Resistance: Implications for the Food System , IFT recommends that current antimicrobial treatments continue unabated to ensure food safety and public health.
ORLANDO--"Food is related to just about every single challenge people have living on this planet," is the perspective of Alton Brown, television personality and author of the popular book, I'm Just Here For The Food , who spoke Sunday at the opening of the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPOŽ, the world's largest annual scientific forum and exposition on food.
ORLANDO--Amid a climate of worldwide attentiveness to avian influenza, a disease that's resulted in the slaughter of millions of birds and the deaths of more than 100 people, the Institute of Food Technologists will offer this month expert insight on the issues surrounding this overly anticipated scourge.
Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's 100th anniversary and the World Food Prize 2006 laureate will be celebrated during the opening ceremonies of the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting + Food ExpoŽ, to be held Sunday, June 25, in the Orange County Convention Center.
ORLANDO--A dash of spice, a pinch of perspective and a dollop of humor promise to enliven the keynote address at this year's Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting + Food ExpoŽ when personable television food star Alton Brown delivers his unique flair and insight here June 25.
ORLANDO--The U.S. food supply faces new challenges of defending against food terrorism while at the same time effectively harnessing technology at the atomic level that promises phenomenal advancements in delivering healthful nutrients to our bodies. Nanotechnology--the science of shaping matter into new applications at sizes smaller than one-billionth of a meter--shows promise of meeting each challenge, and will gain exposure here during, and after, the Institute of Food Technologists' Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPOŽ.
ORLANDO--Changes in the infectious traits of germs, their resistance to antibiotic treatments, and even changes within human bodies all can have dire effect on our susceptibility of foodborne illness as a result of the globalization of the food supply. Experts in food safety will target the factors that threaten to contribute to the emergence of illnesses spread via food on Sunday, June 25, at the Orange County Convention Center here, during this year's Institute of Food Technologists' Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPOŽ.
ORLANDO--Obtain the pulse of the marketplace and learn what consumers' current selection traits and spending habits are telling manufacturers about the next big trends on grocery shelves for the remainder of the decade. Leading food marketing experts put their first-hand knowledge of consumer food buying on display here, Tuesday, June 27, during the Institute of Food Technologists' Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPOŽ.
ORLANDO--Judgment on the widespread use of antimicrobials, including antibiotics, in the production of animals intended for human consumption will headline technical presentations during this year's Institute of Food Technologists' Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPOŽ , the world's largest annual food science forum and exposition, June 24-28.
WASHINGTON D.C.--Recognizing the importance of focused and intentional efforts for the advancement of food science and technology, the Institute of Food Technologists' 2006 Congressional Support for Science Award was presented Wednesday, May 3, to U.S. Sen. Robert Bennett, of Utah, and U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge, of North Carolina.
Three of every four American adults are eating dinner at home, but preparing it from scratch is now the choice of only one-in-three, and restaurant take-out has overtaken sit-down dining according to the latest issue of Food Technology magazine and its compilation of the latest trend studies in U.S. food consumption.
Health is going to remain a powerful influence on consumers' food choices in the coming year, as Americans seek out more effective food and beverages, according to Food Technology magazine. The latest issue highlights the nation's top 10 trends involving functional foods.
The emerging discipline of nanotechnology holds the promise of improving functional foods and the capability of delivering healthful food compounds to the body where it can utilize them best, according to the latest issue of Food Technology magazine.