CHICAGO -- Peer into the crystal ball of food science and technology at the Institute of Food Technologists' (IFT's) 1999 Annual Meeting & FOOD EXPO® July 24-28 in Chicago, Ill. This year's meeting, "The Window to the World... Food Science and Technology for the 21st Century," will predict and direct the future of food.
Star topics during the four-day technical program at McCormick Place South Hall will include global food safety, nutraceuticals (foods or food-related substances of potential health benefit), biotechnology, packaging, alternative food processing technologies, and product development in the 21st Century. Food scientists will also shed light on Listeria monocytogenes; food molds, yeasts, mold toxins, and pesticide residues; food research applications of the genomic analysis of living things; stress resistance of foodborne bacteria; ethnic food trends in America; the impact of Dietary Reference Intakes on Americans; food laws and regulations pertaining to dietary supplements; and ways to address the growth of obesity in America.
Herman Cain, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, will also enlighten attendees as the keynote speaker of the meeting's Opening Event on Sat., July 24 at 8 PM. His speech, "Visionary Leadership for the 21st Century," will present business savvy ways for food professionals to lead the global food system.
IFT's Annual Meeting, running July 25 to 27 from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM and July 28 from 8:30 AM to 12 noon, will feature more than 1,200 presentations of scientific papers*. It will also include panel discussions on timely and controversial food issues via special forums and Hot Topic Sessions. The IFT Student Association Product Development Competition (see separate news release) and two New Products and Technologies Sessions will feature food inventions and processing techniques that portend food uses in the new millennium.
IFT's FOOD EXPO® will reveal the existing wonders of the food world. More than 2,400 exhibit booths will display the latest in food products, ingredients, equipment, processes, and services. The show will be open July 25 to 27 from 12 to 5:30 PM and July 28 from 9 AM to 12:30 PM.
"IFT's 1999 Annual Meeting & FOOD EXPO® will be a 'window to the world' on two levels: 1) representative of global food trends and technologies and 2) predictive of foods and food processing methods in the new century," said IFT President Bruce Stillings. "It will address the scientific challenges of food professionals and compelling food interests of consumers."
For speaker names and more information on scientific presentations during the Annual Meeting, go to http://www.confex2.com/ift/99annual. To register for the meeting on-line, contact Angela Dansby for a password at 312-782-8424 x127 or aldansby@ift.org and go to IFT's web site at http://www.ift.org.
Founded in 1939, IFT is a non-profit scientific society with 28,000 members working in food science, technology and related professions in industry, academia and government. As the society for food science and technology, IFT brings sound science to the public discussion of food issues.