Some themes emerged again and again throughout this year’s IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo. Artificial intelligence is moving from hype to implementation. Consumer trust is reshaping how food companies innovate and communicate. Health priorities and an evolving regulatory landscape are driving reformulation and product innovation. Across scientific sessions and the Expo Hall, emerging technologies and breakthrough ideas offered a glimpse of the future of food.
In this special wrap-up edition of Food News Now, we’ve curated some of the standout ideas, must-read coverage, and key takeaways from IFT FIRST—with links to explore even more on IFT.org.
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From groundbreaking research and global collaboration to emerging technologies and the next generation of food scientists, these numbers capture the scale and impact of this year's IFT FIRST.
Nearly 15,000 people participated in this year's IFT FIRST, bringing together researchers, product developers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and students from across the global food system.
More than 3,000 international attendees representing 78 countries came together at IFT FIRST, reflecting IFT's role as a global convener for the science of food.
Scientific programming featured 82 sessions, 178 speakers, and 435 research posters, highlighting research spanning artificial intelligence, consumer trust, health, food safety, ingredients, and emerging technologies.
Nearly 1,000 exhibitors and 103 startup companies showcased new technologies, ingredients, and solutions across the Expo Hall.
More than 150 students participated in 6 IFT Student Association competitions, reflecting IFT FIRST's commitment to developing the next generation of food scientists and innovators.
From bakery to meat applications, get market insights and performance guidance on pea, faba bean, chickpea, and lentil ingredients. Watch the free 15-minute sessions or download the takeaways.
More than 15 recorded sessions—including keynotes, Hot Topics Studio, Solutions Showcase presentations, and other featured programming—are available on demand through September 15.
Artificial intelligence was one of the defining conversations at this year’s IFT FIRST, but the biggest takeaway wasn’t that AI is coming—it was that implementation has begun. Across keynote presentations and Hot Topics Studio discussions, speakers challenged food professionals to move beyond experimentation and start applying AI in practical, strategic ways.
Adapt or Fall Behind: The Agentic Imperative for Food Companies
One of the event’s most compelling keynote presentations challenged attendees to rethink AI—not as a future possibility, but as an immediate business imperative. Discover why experts say agentic AI is poised to transform food innovation—and how organizations can begin preparing today.
Separating Signals From Noise to Understand Food’s Future A Hot Topics Studio discussion explored how food professionals can distinguish meaningful advances in artificial intelligence from short-lived hype. Learn where industry leaders believe AI can deliver the greatest value.
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Consumer trust emerged as one of the defining challenges discussed at IFT FIRST. Speakers made one point clear: earning consumer confidence is no longer just a communications challenge—it’s essential to innovation.
Communicating Science in a Skeptical World A keynote discussion examined how food scientists and communicators can build credibility in an era of growing skepticism. Discover practical strategies for making science more accessible, transparent, and meaningful.
Consumers Search for Nutrition Truth A Hot Topics Studio session brought consumers into the conversation, revealing how they think about nutrition, food labels, health claims, and GLP-1 medications.
A Multi-Pronged Approach Can Earn Consumer Trust in Food Safety A scientific session explored why confidence in the food supply doesn’t always match the science behind it. Learn how experts said transparency, collaboration, and public engagement can help strengthen consumer trust.
Health Priorities and Regulation Drive Reformulation
Changing health priorities, evolving regulations, and increased ingredient scrutiny are reshaping how food companies develop products. These stories examine three of the forces driving that transformation.
The GLP-1 Effect: Smaller Portions, Bigger Expectations
A Hot Topics Studio discussion explored how GLP-1 medications are changing consumer expectations around portion size, protein, fiber, and nutrient density. Learn how these shifts are influencing food formulation and product innovation.
Deputy Commissioner Details FDA’s Food Safety Priorities, Initiatives
FDA leadership outlined priorities ranging from ingredient oversight and nutrition labeling to AI-enabled food safety. Explore how the agency’s evolving agenda could shape the future regulatory landscape.
Experts Debate How MAHA Is Reshaping Food Science and Regulation A Scientific & Technical Forum panel examined how the MAHA movement is influencing conversations around ingredients, regulation, and consumer expectations. Read how experts assessed the opportunities and challenges facing food manufacturers.
The conversations at IFT FIRST extended well beyond keynote presentations and scientific sessions. Across the Expo Hall, attendees explored emerging technologies, discovered new ingredients, connected with exhibitors, and met promising startups bringing new ideas to market. These highlights capture where ideas became tangible.
The Pitch! Perfect: Allergen-Free Nut Company Wins Startup Competition The Pitch! competition showcased six emerging companies tackling food system challenges through science and entrepreneurship. Meet this year’s winner and discover how one startup is reimagining allergen-free peanuts.
Views From the Expo Hall From breakthrough ingredients and clean-label solutions to AI-powered product development and globally inspired prototypes, these photo stories capture the products, technologies, and conversations shaping the future of food. Explore highlights from across the Expo Hall.
“Each time I come, I gain new insights. I see new trends in food science. I see new innovations… You engage with partners. It makes the work so real. You can’t do all that by Zoom. You have to be here.”
— Bolanle Otegbayo, professor of food science at Bowen University in Nigeria
“I’ve always loved IFT for discovering new ingredients and new ideas. When I became a founder, I knew I wanted to come back—not only to reconnect with people, but also to present our innovation to a larger audience. Whenever you talk to anybody about IFT, it’s the connections.”
— Bryant Williams, founder and CEO, Nurtured Nuts
Continue the Conversation
The conversations at IFT FIRST don't end when the event does—and neither does our coverage. Visit the IFT FIRST News Hub for continuing coverage from the Food Technology editorial team, including exclusive articles, photo galleries, interviews, and new content published in the months ahead.
Beginning in August, our monthly IFT FIRST special editions of Food News Now will revisit some of the event's biggest themes with new editorial coverage, fresh perspectives, and additional reporting from IFT FIRST. The series begins with how how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of food.
