From the President and IFST News

Abstract

The food and beverage industry landscape is undergoing seismic changes driven by the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and it looks like AI will play an increasingly pivotal role in its future. The adoption of generative AI is set to transform the nature of work in the food sector, with tools replacing certain tasks and transforming work profiles in the food industry.

We are all still coming to terms with the potential impact of Artificial Intelligence; we are seeing the start of the fourth industrial revolution. On the positive side, AI will enable us to deliver an even higher level of food safety, as exemplified by using AI and optical imaging. We will be able to identify pathogens quickly and accurately in food, helping to prevent food-borne outbreaks and illnesses. The adoption of AI and machine learning will also enable us to become more aware of food safety risks in our manufacturing environments and be able to pinpoint and take corrective actions. We will see intelligent (smart) factories that can deal with large data sets generated by sensors, factory equipment or CCTV. AI will also enable us to analyse these data sets and present results in easily understandable formats. It will also help to provide greater insight, transparency and understanding of the increasingly complex global food system.

It will no doubt assist in improving crop yields, quality, nutrition, and traceability while decreasing resource consumption while hopefully helping to reduce food waste. One of its greatest applications could be its role in helping to reduce world hunger and the impact of food systems on anthropogenic climate change. I personally also look forward to how AI can be deployed on an individual level to provide personalised nutrition and improve our own diets. There is no area of the food and beverage industry it will not touch.

Conversely, AI will undoubtedly replace many traditional scientific and technical jobs in the food sector, much in the same way mechanisation impacted agricultural and artisan workers. Certainly, the job opportunities available in the sector will be dramatically different in the future, with estimates that 40% of jobs will be affected.

The Artificial Intelligence revolution is about so much more than clever algorithms making sense of billions of data points. AI is likely to have a form of ‘sentience;’ it could demonstrate creativity, innovation and thought. One of our sector's most creative areas is new product development, which requires a high degree of innovative thought. Could a thinking computer take different data points and create a brand-new product or recipe from scratch without any human intervention at all? We are already seeing this happening in different fields such as in the creation of new types of lithium batteries.

We will increasingly see this type of application to the development of new products, new flavours and the shortening of development time. AI could also become a standard method of enhancing the sensory and consumer science process by predicting results without human involvement. Food science fiction will turn into food science fact.

One major risk of Artificial Intelligence is that it presents a threat of misinformation and disinformation. As AI grows more sophisticated and widespread, so does its potential for misuse. It has the potential to be misused by food fraudsters, bad actors and to assist in spreading false food narratives.

The great evolutionist Charles Darwin is often misquoted - he never said, ‘survival of the fittest.’ Darwin said in On the Origin of the Species ‘it's not the strongest or most intelligent of the species that survives but the one that's most adaptable to change.’ A lesson for our profession is that we have an urgent need to adapt and change as we celebrate our Institution's first 60 years and look forward to a vastly different future. Perhaps one day, the President's Post in this magazine will be written by Artificial Intelligence!

Article by Sterling Crew and Robert Edge-Partington

The Binsted Lecture was held on the evening of February 1 at the offices of the Food and Drink Federation in London. The impressive and thought-provoking lecture, ‘Future-Proofing the Food System: Four Trends for 2024,’ was given by IFT President Sean Leighton.

The lecture is named in honour of IFT founder Raymond Binsted. Several years prior to his passing in 2001, Raymond Binsted established a living bequest designated for the British Section. This fund was intended to cover travel and accommodation expenses for distinguished American scientists visiting the UK to speak at various meetings. In honour of Binsted's contributions and generosity, his legacy lives on through the ‘Binsted Lectures’, a significant initiative of the British Section. These lectures encompass various activities, notably the annual visits by current IFT Presidents. Commencing in 1998, these presidential visits not only entail delivering a Binsted Lecture but also presenting papers at symposiums. Historically, these events were jointly organised with IFST South Eastern Branch and SCI London Section.

The first of Sean's four trends was ‘Food Systems Approaches,’ where he made reference to the idea that in order to shape the future of food, we must recognise that each component of the food system is connected. The second was The Food as Medicine movement, spurred by the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The movement sees a practical application, fostering collaboration among medical practitioners, advocates, and others. The third trend covered the crucial topic of food safety, raising issues around food safety concerns which persist. Leighton praised legislature such as California Assembly Bill 418 for addressing specific issues such as food chemical additives, while also looking to international harmonised standards enabled by Codex Alimentarius. During the fourth point on artificial intelligence, Sean explored the innovations taking place using artificial intelligence in Cargill factories to provide insights into data on a level never seen before. He drew on his experience as Global Vice President of Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory Affairs at Cargill, managing a team of over 5,000 spread around the world. This section of the talk was an echo of the 2023 IFST Lecture, during which Dr Wayne Martindale spoke about the importance of Smart Factories. He urged the food science and technology community to prepare for the impact on food systems which AI will bring.

Photo left to right Tim McLachlan: IFST Chief Executive, Sterling Crew: IFST President, Sean Leighton: IFT President, Christie Tarantino-Dean: IFT Chief Executive.

There was a fabulous turnout, with 75 attendees in the room, and more than a thousand tuning in from around the UK and internationally. Thanks must go to the IFST branches, who organised satellite events in the Eastern, North of England, Western, and Scotland Branches. The celebration ended with an exchange of gifts and congratulations to mark the event and the IFST Jubilee year. IFT awarded IFST with a commemorative glass sculpture, with a diamond structure at the top to represent this year being the IFST Diamond Jubilee, and an engraving recognising the longstanding relationship with the two Institutes.

IFST is deeply appreciative of the friends and colleagues who attended the event as we celebrate our Jubilee – we are looking forward to continuing to engage with our community at events this year. Our executive team and trustees particularly enjoyed the opportunity to connect and catch up with our members. On behalf of IFST, Thanks go to Kate Halliwell of the Food and Drink Federation and Bertrand Emond of Campden BRI for hosting and arranging the event.

After earning a Business and Marketing Management degree, she delved into the events industry, specialising in team building and event coordination. Transitioning to her passion for food, she started a baking business and conducted cookery classes for children. Later, she obtained a PGCE in Food Preparation and Nutrition, dedicating the last eight years to teaching in secondary schools.

Dee, having lived and worked in three countries, embraces change with flexibility. She brings a wealth of organisational, communication, and planning skills from diverse roles. Dee thrives on collaboration and consistently finds innovative ways to streamline processes.

Dee, beyond her professional pursuits, continuously seeks new skills. Holding an HND in Design, she passionately engages in creative activities like illustration, graphic design, and sculpting. As an enthusiastic musician, Dee plays the bass guitar. In her leisure, she enjoys reading, travel, learning about business strategy, and playing chess.

George specialises in effective and accessible science communication with a background in visual media production for climate and sustainability-focused organisations. He studied Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University, dedicating his final year to developing a print newspaper on community food systems.

He helped initiate projects like ‘Pass the Mic Climate’ and worked as a freelance environmental photographer and filmmaker. His podcast, ‘Coffee with Conservationists,’ shares key stories from the world of ecological science and storytelling, receiving high praise in BBC Wildlife Magazine.

In 2022 he delivered a successful talk at the Land Skills Fair, which has led to him working to publish a framework for accessible photography for small-scale food producers and land workers.

In his spare time, George is a book lover and nature writer. He enjoys fixing his very old bicycle, and drinks too much coffee.

For some years I’ve been travelling to the United Arab Emirates annually as a judge for the food category of the Zayed Sustainability Prize. The prize has always had a focus on sustainability and so it was a natural fit to time the event with this most recent edition of COP being held in Dubai. I suppose COP really came onto my radar in a big way in 2021 when Glasgow hosted COP26, but for many people this is now a much more headlining grabbing event than was previously the case. Pages and pages could be written about the event but here is my take on COP28.

An important starting point is to clarify what exactly is COP? COP is a conference of the parties - the supreme governing body of an international convention where treaties can be written by agreement into international law. It is composed of representatives of the member states of the convention i.e. the parties and accredited observers. The conference in this case is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), but there are many others. Countries assign representatives to attend and contribute to debates and negotiations but there are many observers in attendance such as those representing NGOs.

You will probably be aware that upwards of 70,000 people attended COP28, and that was only those that were registered to be in the ‘Blue’ zone - the ‘inner circle’ of invited guests. Interestingly, the Blue Zone where all the official business takes place, is officially a UN territory (effectively its own country) for the period of COP, and all those going into the zone are required to have a COP passport as well as a security badge! Beyond the Blue Zone is the Green Zone where various organisations, countries, and may others have exhibits and information booths ranging from the vast and impressive (e.g. Saudi Arabia) to the tiny one-man booths which NGOs, universities and other not-for-profits can apply for. This area can be best likened to a World Expo site, but the Blue Zone also has a similar feel plus all the conference facilities and the biggest media city you can possibly imagine.

It is most fascinating and notable for those in the food sector that this is the first COP where the food system has been an agenda item. Early on at the conference it was announced that more than 130 countries including the UK had signed the COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action. This includes the aims to scale up climate adaptation to reduce the vulnerability of especially farm businesses, promote food security and nutrition, and maximise the climate and environmental benefits associated with agriculture and food systems.

The agenda calls out four pillars, covering national leadership, non-state actors (which could include institutes such as IFST), as well as scaling up of innovation and finance. Whist the declaration is most explicit about agriculture e.g. the transition to regenerative agriculture, the food system as a whole is the key focus. For the food sector this must be a much-needed focus for national policy to address and should therefore be something that all our sector and IFST has as a strong consideration. In that signatories committed to accelerate science and evidence-based innovation, this chimes well with the aims of IFST. It also reinforces that sustainability and climate change must be a key theme for us going forward.

Of course, the criticism of COPs is that they are ‘all talk and no action’. As Greta Thunberg famously said, ‘blah, blah, blah’! So, it is now for the signatories to plan their actions and I suspect this is when it will all get quite tricky for governments. A lack of action will result in dire consequences, and it is almost always a given that being part of a conversation is better than ‘being done to’. I am sure that many food businesses will be hotly debating where policy might go and look to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. It was also noticeable how many academics attended COP28, and it will surely be a fertile area for research over the next few years as well.

Although I was only present for a relatively short period of time, it gave me a much deeper understanding of how a COP works and the relevance of this COP to our sector. I would thoroughly recommend attending a future one! And in that vein, here are a few (lighter!) things to keep in mind: the event is on the grandest of scales, so take some very comfortable shoes. The queues to get your security badge are very long (several hours) so take a good book/phone charger/sunscreen/umbrella – select according to your preference and venue! It is an extremely colourful event as country representatives often wear national costumes and arrive with musical instruments and similar. On your badge it will state your affiliation – mine said ‘Guest of Host Country’. If you see one that says ‘Party’ it doesn’t mean they know where the best evening entertainment is, they are official representatives of their Nation!

Barbara Bray, MBE FIFST is a Registered Nutritionist and food safety consultant driving and delivering food safety and nutrition strategy for food businesses. Her leadership roles have included being Co-Chairman of the Oxford Farming Conference and representing the Private Sector Mechanism in interventions at the UN Committee for Food Security in Rome. She is also a Fellow and committee member of IFST and a trustee of the Nutrition Society. In 2017, Barbara was awarded a Nuffield Farming Scholarship and travelled to Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Israel, UK and USA to study international food and farming systems. In 2019, Barbara was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for her ‘Services to Food Nutrition’. Barbara is currently researching diets to protect health of older adults in a doctoral training programme at the Centre for Public Health at Queen's University Belfast. Her TEDx talk ‘What youth can teach us about ageing’.

Discover the Cutting Edge of Food Innovation on March 25th, 2024, at IFE Manufacturing, ExCeL Centre, London

IFST is thrilled to announce that registration for the Food Innovation Forum is now open! Set against the vibrant backdrop of IFE Manufacturing within London's ExCeL Centre, this forum promises to be a melting pot of insights and ideas on March 25 2024.

The food system is facing myriad interconnected challenges on a level never seen before. Innovation has become a buzzword; often seen as a catch-all solution, through the framing that we will ‘innovate’ our way out of any problems. Our conference explores innovation from different angles, bringing together experts from the realms of policy, industry, and academia. Our event will explore the landscape of food innovation with the guidance of three experts.

Jack Bobo will deliver a keynote outlining a food systems overview of why we need innovation in food production. The talk will highlight positive trends in the environmental and societal trends we see around us as well as the critical areas where we need to innovate to deal with global population growth and associated demands in nutrition.

In the second session, we examine the practical techniques vital to transfer innovative ideas into practical solutions and innovative products. We will hear from Tom Hollands from Raynor Foods, who will speak on how to carry out food innovation. Finally, Geraldine Gilbert will be joining on behalf of Forum for the Future on solutions and sustainability for food innovation.

After these three experts share their perspectives, we will be holding a network session, giving attendees the opportunity to discuss the morning's content, while making new connections within the IFST community.

Our third session is an interactive panel where you can learn from experienced practitioners in food innovation about practical aspects like technical advice, funding, marketing, branding, and legal issues. Feel free to ask questions and participate in polls.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional, aspiring entrepreneur, or enthusiastic about food innovation, this forum welcomes all. Engage in meaningful networking, exchange ideas, and collaborate with peers to shape the future of food innovation.

In a move to foster fresh talent and innovation in the food science and technology sector, IFST has unveiled a cuttingedge apprenticeships portal, which launched in February 2024, supported by EIT Food. Celebrating its 60th anniversary since its inception in 1964, IFST marks this milestone by empowering young individuals aged 16-24 to embark on dynamic career paths within the realm of food science and technology.

As the UK's largest manufacturing sector, the food and drink industry contributes a staggering L30 billion to the economy and employs over 430,000 individuals. In response to the evolving demands of this pivotal sector, IFST has developed a pioneering platform aimed at connecting aspiring young minds with leading organisations seeking apprenticeships.

The launch of the IFST Apprenticeships Portal comes at a critical juncture, as the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic has witnessed a gradual decline in apprenticeship enrolments. However, recent statistics reveal a promising upturn, with apprentice starts increasing by 7.0% to 130,830 between August and October 2023 compared to the previous year (ONS).

Aligned with ‘Love Food, Love Science’, the portal not only streamlines employer recruitment but also inspires the next generation of food scientists. Offering an interface for posting, sharing, and importing apprenticeships, IFST aims to cultivate a collaborative community for mutual growth.

The IFST Apprenticeships Portal innovates talent nurturing in the food science landscape, aligning with IFST's call for youth to ‘study science, work in food.’ This portal signifies endless opportunities for science and food enthusiasts, paving the way for a healthier, sustainable food ecosystem.

This year, not only is it the Institute's 60^th anniversary, it is also the 4^th anniversary of the Food Innovation Special Interest Group. We have several events and activities planned for this special year, all linked to one of the 4 key pillars within the recently launched Food Innovation Toolkit.

Our first two events look at the Innovation Process / Implementation pillar and will be start in January with a webinar on ‘How third-party manufacturers can be great partners to the small businesses they work with’. Ruth Dolby and Ian Meadows from How Many Beans? And Alice Jones from The Food Innovation Centre, University of Nottingham, shared their insights and top tips. You can watch them on IFST's YouTube channel and website.

In March we explore the ‘Art of Possible’ during a visit to the National Centre for Food Manufacture at University of Lincoln. Dr Wayne Martindale from NCFM and Jake Norman of Olympus Automation Ltd talk about their collaborations and areas of research, and the challenges of innovation and discuss the ‘art of possible’ - how robotics can be used to make innovative products that cannot be manufactured with traditional methods.

We then move onto explore the Creative Tools and Techniques pillar and delve into Understanding Creativity.

In April we are delighted to be joined by Hanne Kristiansen founder of Creative ID^™ for an online event titled ‘Innovation & Creativity are NOT the same… and you’re capable of both!’

Hanne's mission is to put creative intelligence within reach of everyone (not just the lucky few!) so the world of work becomes a more human, agile and inclusive place to be.

On April 12^th, she will host a members-only webinar designed specifically for food scientists, technologists and engineers interested in understanding the future-focused role they can play in driving and delivering a transformational innovation agenda.

Hanne has worked in innovation for various food & drink companies including United Biscuits, Diageo and latterly Kellogg's, where she was Head of Innovation for Europe. She set up Flexiblebrains, an innovation consultancy in 2007 and is now dedicating her time to Creative ID^™ - a psychometric growth tool developed in partnership with the University of Sheffield. Through proprietary research led by Prof. Kamal Birdi and PhD-researcher Lee Rabbetts, Creative ID^™ seeks to understand how (not if!) we are creative by mapping people's behavioural preferences across 5 unique yet complementary creative styles.

Hanne is a passionate advocate that everyone has a role to play in innovation and the ability to be creative and that Scientists and Technologists can be the driving force behind sustainable innovation.

In preparing for the webinar, we asked Hanne about her own innovation experience derived from more than three decades in the food and drinks industry. This is what she told us:

‘When I joined McVitie's as a graduate trainee in 1995, innovation was something we did to attract consumers, win against the competition, so we could keep growing our brands and profits.

Now 30 years later, it's no longer as simple as that!’

Key text used for the following article: JD Mounfield (1966) The early history of the Institute of Food Science and Technology, Journal of Food Science and Technology Vol 1, pp 1-8.

In 2018, we laid the groundwork with our pioneering report on Sustainable Food Systems, setting the stage for collaborative action and partnerships in a vast and crucial domain. As we step into 2024, we’re thrilled to unveil the latest update to our sustainability roadmap, reflecting our ongoing commitment to driving change in the food system and beyond.

Sustainable food systems are a global imperative, given climate challenges. Despite monumental obstacles, they present opportunities for innovation and progress affecting everyone on Earth.

At IFST, we recognise our pivotal role in shaping the future of healthy and sustainable food which will be available to everyone. With a diverse membership spanning the entire food supply chain and a steadfast dedication to public welfare, we’re primed to lead the charge towards a more sustainable future.

To steer our endeavours, our team has been working on an updated Sustainable Food System framework, now available for download. The update to the framework would not have been possible without the tireless work of a group of volunteer members, who have kindly given their time and expertise to feed into the next stage of the report, working alongside our Executive Team. This framework serves as a compass, outlining our focus areas and signalling our intent to catalyse tangible outcomes. Our intention is for this report to be a living document, intended to evolve alongside our collective efforts, guiding the way for impactful initiatives and collaborations.

Our mission extends beyond mere guidance; we’re committed to providing hands-on support for sustainable practices and advocating for evidence-based policies, using our position as a leading independent scientific body. By fostering partnerships and fostering dialogue, we aim to accelerate progress across the entire farm-to-fork continuum.

We’re fully aware that we’re not alone in this journey. There's a multitude of stakeholders, each contributing their part to the greater cause. That's why we’re inviting interested parties to join forces with us, amplifying our impact and driving change where it's needed most. Together, we can turn the tide towards a more healthy and sustainable future.

As we release our update to the Food System Framework: A Focus On Food Sustainability framework, we invite your feedback and collaboration as we do with all of our resources. IFST recognises that the climate crisis and sustainability are central to the future of the food system; it is our intention that this report reach as wide an audience as possible to maximise its impact to the food sector.

■ Effects of dietary fibre source and content and extrusion conditions on the physicochemical composition and physical quality of fibre-enriched lentil snacks

The increasing recognition of the health benefits associated with dietary fibre and the deficiency in its daily consumption are prompting the food industry to develop diverse fibre-enriched products, including puffed snacks. To tackle the insufficient daily intake of dietary fibre, various fibre sources, such as carrot powder (CP), wheat bran (WB), and red lentil hulls (LH), were incorporated into red lentil (RL) flour at levels of 0%, 10%, and 20% (w/w). Creating fibre-enriched puffed pulse snacks and ready-to-eat breakfast cereals involved extrusion at three moisture content levels - 18%, 20%, and 22% (db).

The addition of all three fibres to RL flour significantly (P ≤ 0.05) augmented the total and insoluble dietary fibre contents, while simultaneously increasing hardness and decreasing the expansion index, brightness, and crispiness of the extrudates.

Examination of scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the fibre-enriched extrudates exhibited thicker cell walls with smaller cells compared to RL extrudates without added fibre. Notably, CP-containing extrudates exhibited a significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher soluble dietary fibre (SDF) content than those containing WB and LH. Extrudates with WB were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) harder and less expanded than those with CP and LH at the same MC. While an increase in fibre incorporation level heightened the hardness of CP and WB-containing extrudates, it did not impact LH-containing extrudates. Additionally, the fibre incorporation level contributed to increased colour differences between RL extrudates with and without fibre enrichment.

Moreover, an increase in MC significantly (P ≤ 0.05) raised the SDF and hardness while decreasing the expansion index of the extrudates. These findings hold the potential to open avenues for the production of fibre-enriched pulse-based puffed products, including snacks and ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, that possess desirable textural and structural characteristics for consumers.

■ The texture factor: food product development for discrete populations including orally compromised elderly consumers and children with Down syndrome

Creating better and healthier food involves more than just focusing on nutrients; the texture of the food plays a crucial role too. This article highlights that when designing personalised foods, we should give importance not only to the formulation of nutritious foods but also to texture. To illustrate this point, the authors explore two case studies.

The first case study centres around older individuals, a heterogeneous demographic that frequently encounters a decrease in the range of textures in their meals. This limited variety of textures can result in adverse health consequences.

The second case study examines children with Down syndrome who must expand their preferences for food textures in order to promote a health. Nevertheless, they encounter difficulties in managing textures due to delays in the development of oral processing. The authors stress the importance of collaborating with the food industry, recognising the texture challenges faced by these groups. Together, it is possible to develop food products that not only have the right nutritional content but also the desired textures and appropriate food structure. This approach ensures that everyone, regardless of age or unique needs, can enjoy food that is both nutritious and satisfying.

■ Seaweed as a sustainable future food source

Seaweed, characterised by its high-quality resource status, widespread distribution, short growth period, and diversity, emerges as a valuable resource. It contains a variety of bioactive substances, including vitamins, proteins, polysaccharides, minerals, phenols, and terpenes. Seaweed serves as a source of a new class of high-quality protein, incorporating active ingredients not found in land plants. These bioactive substances confer powerful physiological functions to seaweed, leading to its utilisation in medical, food, cosmetics, and other industries. Presently, seaweed development remains relatively simple, yet its application potential exceeds current usage. With the support of rich active substances, seaweed is recognised as a healthy food for sustainable applications in the future. Building on this foundation, the paper proposes future applications, such as the development of plant-based meat, plant-based protein, and space food utilising seaweed, showcasing its versatility and promise in shaping the future of nutrition and technology.

■ Improving functional properties of lupin protein by physical modification: high pressure homogenisation

In this article, high-pressure homogenisation (HPH) was applied to aqueous dispersions of commercially produced lupin protein isolate at pH 5 and 9, employing pressures ranging from 25 to 200 MPa and one to ten homogenisation cycles. Various parameters, including particle size, zeta potential, solubility, molecular weight, and rheological properties, were assessed. At 25–100 MPa, HPH led to a reduction in particle size for lupin protein at pH 5 from 54 to 5 μm and at pH 9 from 14 to <2 μm. However, at 200 MPa, the reduction in particle size was less pronounced. Zeta potential remained relatively constant at −13 mV for pH 5 and −25 mV for pH 9, showing no significant impact from HPH. Following HPH treatment, solubility significantly increased for lupin protein samples at both pH 5 and 9. Nevertheless, extended homogenisation cycles resulted in reduced solubility. The viscosity of lupin protein at pH 5 and 9 was influenced by HPH, depending on pressure and homogenisation cycles. The highest viscosity (~10 Pa.s) was attained at 200 MPa with 10 passes. HPH induced an increase in the loss modulus, enhancing viscoelastic properties at 200 MPa for both pH 5 and 9. The storage modulus profile indicated improved gelling properties of lupin protein at both pH 5 and 9 at 200 MPa. Optimising the HPH process, taking into account factors such as pressure, number of passes, pH, temperature, and lupin concentration, is crucial for enhancing lupin protein functional properties.