Conference explores how technology is changing food

The IFST Spring Conference will focus on advances in technology, many of which are usually seen as outside of the normal scope of food science and technology.

Taking place on 7 April at King’s College in London, the conference will explore how food production from farm to fork is changing through new science and technologies and, in turn, how we can expect roles in the sector to change.

Keynote speaker David Crean, vice president corporate R&D at Mars Inc, will talk about sequencing the supply chain. He explains, “In summary, the hypothesis is that raw materials, factories and products may have a specific microbiome and changes to that microbiome could indicate increased risk from pathogens adulteration and fraud. A number of companies have now joined up with IBM and are the founding members of Sequencing the Food Supply Chain Consortium. This talk will demonstrate the new tools, approaches and thinking that are now needed to secure a quality food chain.”

Another angle will be offered by Professor John C Mathers, director of Human Nutrition Research Centre, Newcastle University, who says, “Personal health is now a big driver of innovation in food related industries. The opportunity is to use the emerging science on how dietary choices interact with genes and other personal characteristics to improve health and wellbeing. This is leading to the integration of biology, digital technologies and big data handling systems as the bases for new companies, products and services.”

Speakers will also be present from Mondelez, Innovate UK, Kantar Worldpanel, Leatherhead Food Research and Campden BRI.

Jon Poole, IFST chief executive, says, “I’m really looking forward to this year’s Spring Conference. We have such a wide range of topics and high profile speakers who have been invited to provide us with some really forward thinking insights that share a common theme. With huge advances in technologies, how do we see technical roles changing over the next five to 10 years? How do we prepare and develop people to be equipped and ready to take full advantage of these technologies? These questions lie at the heart of IFST’s purpose.”

For more information or to book your place, click here.