From the Expo Floor Day 3
Photo highlights from the IFT FIRST Expo Hall.
Edlong (both S1105) allowed attendees to sample a pairing of chocolate mousse and cookies, which uses the company’s natural milk, butterscotch, and chocolate flavors.
Samples of vegan soft jerky from CJ Food & Nutrition Company (booth S1841) contain the company’s Nrich flavors to mask the off-notes associated with plant-based meat.
AOI Matcha (booth S2638) features ceremonial-grade matcha in a blueberry and raspberry flavor. This company has been growing, harvesting, and producing matcha for 110 years.
Wednesday featured the Innovation Lab, an interactive experience in product development.
The Innovation Lab allowed attendees to develop a prototype product to help solve the food system’s challenges. An AI tool helped create a visual of the concept.
Attendees could also have their idea brought to life by two sketch artists.
Ajinomoto (booth S1135) served barbeque macaroni and cheese at lunchtime, which featured an MSG-enriched topping.
Ardent Mills (booth S0811) showcased their egg replacement product in a cupcake. This new replacement, made from chickpeas, can replace half of the eggs in a cake application.
About the Author
Digital Exclusives
When Color Meets Flavor
The shift away from artificial additives is fueling innovation with ingredients that deliver both natural color and flavor.
GLP-1 Medications Force Food Industry Rethink
In a sponsored session at IFT FIRST, Aptean’s Todd Austin and Tyler Bray explored how weight-loss drugs are altering consumer behavior and what food companies must do to adapt.
Policy Changes Put Food Innovation Pipelines to the Test
At IFT FIRST’s Hot Topics Studio, experts outlined how GRAS scrutiny, post-market surveillance, and state actions are reshaping product development.
Plantible Takes Top Honors in Pitch Competition
Crush Dynamics and RedLeaf Biologics achieve runner-up status.
Food Technology Articles
That’s the (Zero-Proof) Spirit
A visually oriented overview of low- and zero-proof spirits flavor, and ingredient trends.
Probiotics: Beyond Digestive Health
In this column, the authors explore emerging research on how probiotics influence health beyond digestion—examining their potential roles in mental health, cardiovascular function, metabolism, immune response, cancer therapy, and skin health—while emphasizing the need for standardized studies to translate these findings into practical applications.
Formulating for Functional Benefits
With consumers increasingly looking for enhanced nutrition, the functional foods market must find a way to balance the addition of in-demand ingredients with minimal processing.
How Cornell Students Created a Snackable Innovation
Sushi-inspired snack rolled to victory at the IFTSA & Mars Product Development Competition.
Plant Protein Powers Up
A visually oriented overview of plant-based protein ingredient trends.
Recent Brain Food
Food Choice Reality Check
Martin Slayne, PhD, calls for ending the finger-pointing and focusing on collaboration, evidence-based science, and meaningful solutions for healthful food choices.
Revisiting GRAS: Getting FDA’s Post-Market Review Right
Five priorities to strengthen how FDA evaluates food additives already on the market.
Three Lessons I Learned Building a Startup
Insights from Plantible cofounder Tony Martens on navigating uncertainty, scaling science, and building for impact.
How Pairwise Is Using Gene Editing to Build a Better Food System
CEO Tom Adams shares three lessons learned from bringing CRISPR-edited produce to market and how partnerships are helping scale its impact.
The IFT Community Discusses the MAHA Strategy Report
The food science community stressed that the MAHA strategy must be guided by current, high-quality science and clearer action steps to truly improve public health.