What Stood Out to Our Editors

Before another memorable IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo came to a close, we asked each member of the Food Technology editorial team to reflect on what stood out most. From emerging nutrition trends and thought-provoking conversations to the relationships that define this community, these are the ideas and moments we’ll remember long after leaving Chicago.

Tomorrow, Voices From IFT FIRST will spotlight the people who made this year’s event memorable. After that, we’ll continue bringing you the trends, technologies, and conversations that emerged at IFT FIRST through ongoing Food News Now and Food Technology coverage in the weeks and months ahead.

Beyond Protein

Panelists discussed how GLP-1 medications are reshaping consumer expectations and influencing food formulation during a Hot Topics Studio session at IFT FIRST.

Protein remains a major priority, but I heard a broader conversation about the need for a more holistic approach to nutrition. Across sessions and the expo hall, there was growing emphasis on fiber and the important role it plays in health, formulation, and delivering meaningful consumer benefits.

— Bill McDowell, Editor-in-Chief, Food Technology

Finding What's Next

Food futurist and innovation strategist Mike Lee shares his perspective during a Hot Topics Studio conversation with Food Technology’s Science & Technology Editor Julie Larson Bricher.

One of my favorite parts of IFT FIRST was the editorial team’s Hot Topics Studio programming. Each conversation offered a fresh perspective, but one insight from food futurist Mike Lee has stayed with me: “If you’re reading it in a trend report, you’re late. Often that thing coming next is not in the trend report. It’s on the ground.”

— Mary Ellen Kuhn, Executive Editor, Food Technology

The Connections That Last a Lifetime

Members of the team receiving IFT’s Research & Development Award pose with IFT Board President Peggy Poole (left). Dr. Yookyung Kim (far right) accepted the award on behalf of the late Dr. Louise Wicker.

One of my favorite moments happened at the Achievement Awards Reception, where I met two women who first became friends at an IFT annual event decades ago and had returned to honor their friend, Dr. Louise Wicker. Listening to their stories reminded me that while IFT FIRST is where groundbreaking science is shared, it is also where lifelong friendships and professional communities are built.

— Kelly Hensel, Deputy Managing Editor, Food Technology

Taste Is King

Attendees sampled food and beverage innovations in the IFT FIRST Expo Hall.

As I walked the Expo Hall, nearly every conversation about health and wellness, AI, ingredients, and product innovation eventually came back to the same point: consumers want foods and beverages that deliver tangible benefits. But despite all the advances in formulation and technology, one timeless truth still reigns: taste is king. If a product doesn’t taste great, consumers simply won’t come back for a second bite.

— Julie Larson Bricher, Science & Technology Editor, Food Technology