Discovery has always been part of IFT FIRST. This year, it's been built into the event itself.
For the first time, scientific programming and the Expo come together in one integrated experience—making it easier to move from groundbreaking research to real-world applications, from session insights to conversations with innovators, and from emerging science to the companies bringing those ideas to market.
Not registered yet? There’s still time to join us in Chicago. We hope the preview below inspires you to experience this year’s event in person—and make a few discoveries of your own.
Ingredient costs, dye bans and omnichannel commerce are reshaping 2026. Discover key challenges and AI-powered solutions to turn market shifts into a competitive advantage for the rest of the year.
No two IFT FIRST experiences are exactly alike. The event app helps you personalize your schedule so you can quickly discover what matters most to you.
Filter by topics like AI, food safety, sustainability, and health, or browse attendee pathways—including First-Time Attendee, Student, and Early Career Professional—to discover sessions, exhibitors, networking opportunities, and events tailored to your interests.
Pro Tip: Bookmark the sessions, exhibitors, and people you want to connect with before you arrive. The more you personalize your schedule, the better the app’s AI can recommend additional sessions, exhibitors, and networking opportunities tailored to your interests.
Some of the most thought-provoking conversations at IFT FIRST begin before anyone takes the stage. Ahead of this year’s event, our editorial team spoke with several featured speakers about the ideas they’ll be expanding on in Chicago. Consider this a preview of the conversations waiting for you at IFT FIRST.
J. Kenji López-Alt
Opening Keynote: The Science of Flavor: Transforming Culinary Experiences Through Research
🕘 Monday, July 13 | 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Ahead of his Keynote, Chef López-Alt explains why asking how and why leads to better decisions in the kitchen and beyond—and why relatable stories, humor, and everyday experiences are essential to building trust in science.
Join Pulse Canada at IFT FIRST for 15-min sessions on pea, lentil, faba bean and chickpea ingredients. Get market insights & formulation guidance across bakery, beverages, meat and more.
Keynote: Building Trust: Scientific Consensus and Policy for a Safer Food Future
🕘 Monday, July 13 | 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Joshi, VP of programs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, explores why transparency, evidence-based decision-making, and clear communication are essential in today’s information environment—and how making science easier to understand can help strengthen public confidence in food and nutrition.
Keynote: Designing with Agentic Intelligence: Faster, Smarter, Safer Food Innovation
🕘 Wednesday, July 15 | 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Chen, CEO and founder of Tastewise, examines how AI is helping food companies identify emerging consumer signals sooner, make faster innovation decisions, and transform insight into action before competitors even recognize the opportunity.
Futurist Mike Lee explains why understanding the interconnected systems shaping innovation, consumer behavior, sustainability, and technology is the key to preparing for what’s next. It’s a fresh perspective on how systems thinking can help organizations make better decisions in an increasingly complex world.
Ready to bridge health and indulgence? GELITA’s OPTIBAR® and SOLUFORM® ingredients help you create satisfying, high-performance snacks. Let’s connect to discuss your next innovation!
The Expo Hall is where food science meets real-world innovation. It’s home to hundreds of exhibitors—from established industry leaders to more than 100 startups—showcasing the latest ingredients, technologies, equipment, and services shaping the future of food. Beyond the exhibitors, you’ll also discover scientific programming, networking opportunities, career development, and interactive experiences that make it easier than ever to connect ideas with practical solutions.
🚀 Emerging Innovators
Explore more than 100 startup companies developing the next generation of ingredients, technologies, equipment, and solutions in the Startup Pavilion. Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas, emerging technologies, or your next innovation partner, the Startup Pavilion offers a glimpse of what’s next for the food industry.
🧪 Scientific Discovery From Keynote and Hot Topics Studio presentations to Scientific & Technical Forums, Individual Presentations, and Digital Posters, explore the latest research shaping the future of food. Plus, live translation in 68+ languages makes scientific programming more accessible than ever.
⚙️ Innovation in Action See emerging ideas move from concept to commercialization through exhibitor-led Solution Showcase presentations, Taste of Science demonstrations, and conversations with the companies bringing food innovation to market.
🤝 Build Your Network
Whether you’re looking to exchange ideas with peers, meet new collaborators, or reconnect with colleagues, IFT FIRST offers multiple ways to connect. Join topic-based networking discussions, schedule one-on-one meetings through the event app, or attend dedicated networking opportunities—including a reception for Spanish-speaking attendees.
💼 Leadership & Career Growth Gain practical insights through fast-paced leadership and business skills sessions designed to help you grow professionally and navigate the future of the food industry.
Our Ingredients. Your Sourcing Simplified. Farbest Brands brings the highest quality food, beverage and nutritional ingredients to you, curated to suit all your formulation needs. We help you meet the demand for clean-label ingredients with a full range of dairy and plant proteins, gum acacia, vitamins, sweeteners, natural colors, organic, and NGPV...
Anton Paar produces high-end measuring and laboratory instruments for industry and research. It is the world leader in the measurement of density, concentration and CO2 and in the field of rheometry. Other areas of specialty are: Petroleum testing, microwave synthesis, viscometry, polarimetry, refractometry, X-ray scattering, sample preparation and...
At Mérieux Nutrisciences, we leverage over 50 years of scientific and entrepreneurial expertise to answer food industry needs. From our initial expertise in microbiology and consulting, we have broadened our scientific specialties into chemistry, education, certification, research, labeling, sensory, and digital to offer a complete suite of services...
With over 85 years of experience in the industry, Spraying Systems Company is the world’s leading manufacturer in industrial spray products offering more than 100,000 spray nozzles and accessories. Our world-wide presence and highly skilled sales staff make us uniquely qualified to help you with your specific spray application.
What sets Tilley apart is our commitment to quality and advanced supply chain capabilities. Our Q.C. and R&D Laboratory is thorough and provides not just quality assurance on established products but also allows our R&D team to dial in on customer specific needs. Let's Build Something, Together.
The conversations are just getting started. Throughout IFT FIRST, our editorial team will be on the ground bringing you the biggest stories, emerging trends, and memorable moments from across the event—whether you’re walking the Expo Hall or following along from afar.
📰 Daily News Coverage Start each morning with highlights from the previous day’s keynotes, scientific programming, hot topics, and the biggest developments from across IFT FIRST.
🎥 Daily Recap Videos
Catch up on the day’s biggest moments with short video recaps featuring highlights, observations, and takeaways from around the event.
💬 Voices From the Show Hear what attendees, speakers, exhibitors, and industry leaders are saying about the trends, technologies, and ideas shaping the future of food.
📸 Expo Hall Highlights Take a visual tour of the Expo Hall through photo stories showcasing innovative products, startup companies, exhibitor demonstrations, and the discoveries generating the most buzz.
Whether you’re joining us in Chicago or following along from wherever you are, we look forward to discovering what’s next—together.
Institute of Food Technologists
433 West Van Buren Street, Suite 11-G, Chicago, IL, United States, 60607
