From the President and IFST News

At a Glance

Metadata	Details
Publication Date	2023-09-01
Journal	Food Science and Technology
Authors	Sterling Crew

Abstract

There is a growing lack of trust in science, with some people denying Covid, or the need for vaccinations, or climate change. In order to address this, it is very important to show how we as scientists do our work. Food consumed in the UK, is amongst the safest, most authentic and nutritious in the world. Technological advances based on food, science have enabled the cultivation and distribution of an enormous variety of nutritious, safe food. Food scientists and technologists work with facts and a trusted evidence base, yet many in the general public remain unconvinced of the benefits that food science can deliver. There is a clash between culture and political ideology and science, which is fuelled by food scares. All journalists know that food scares make popular stories. Part of the problem is that good positive food science is not as newsworthy. The sensational coverage is bringing about a climate of apprehension, where consumers believe that they are being put at risk by food science developments, which carry the threat of negative, unintended and often unanticipated consequences. They often see experts with conflicting views. This is further exacerbated by scientists using a complex impenetrable nomenclature. Consumers can become suspicious that they are somehow being manipulated by the scientific process. Food scientists must endeavour to present information in a way that helps the public make informed decisions. Trying to describe what is often complex and sophisticated food science takes real effort. But as Albert Einstein said ‘If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.’ This involves balancing the weight of evidence, which can lead to information being presented to the public as credible, even when it has been widely discounted by scientific experts. Too much weight has been given to unqualified skeptics in the pursuit of balance. The desire to ensure balanced reporting has resulted in unqualified critics been given an undeserved prominence and unwarranted credibility, creating a climate of doubt where there is none. I think an important role of the IFST and its membership is to communicate to the public where the weight of agreement on food science lies. An example of which is health concerns about excessive consumption of salt and its relationship to high blood pressure. The scientific case has been made and the majority of scientific opinion is minded for salt reduction in our diet. The current high profile issue of Ultra Processed Food is less clear and a common consensus is still in development. A key role of the food scientist is to assess and communicate risk, to separate the facts from the fiction. So that we may play our part in helping the public make informed choices. Uncertainty is used to express confidence in results or to describe the boundaries of what is known and unknown. However, uncertainty can be used to undermine evidence. The public can interpret it as meaning that data is unreliable unclear or untrustworthy. The layperson can feel that even the experts cannot be confident. While the public perceive uncertainty as a bad thing, the food scientist sees it as a mark of sound science. If we as food scientists want to influence the public, we need to understand what drives trust and builds confidence. Consumers potential doubt and distrust of food science could have serious negative consequences on future progress. The aim of the new Presidents Commitment is to communicate to the membership the areas that the President will be personally be supporting, along with the normal roles and responsibilities of the position, during their term of office. Sterling says ‘The issues that I would like to offer my personal support on are the areas that I am most passionate about. They were part of my manifesto when I was elected. So I am very committed to delivering them by supporting the IFST team and the relevant special interest groups and committees. Leaning in and adding my weight where it can be of assistance.’ They include: 1.0. Ensuring that we have a fabulous diamond 60th anniversary. But more than that to leave a legacy for the future. Celebrating our past 60 years and looking forward to the future. 2.0. Continuing to support the potential Chartership of the Institute. 3.0. Enhancing our engagement and communication with both the membership and key stakeholders. 4.0. Exploring areas where we can add further value to membership. As part of his commitment a new IFST president’s email address has been established - [email protected]. Sterling says ‘I would like to thank people who have used the new presidents address. Your thoughts have been most appreciated and I’m doing my very best to listen to as many members as I can.’ Sophie Dumville joined IFST at the end of June 2023. She has worked in professional associations for over ten years and her experience includes coordinating and improving members’ experience of their organisation, overseeing registrations and Chartership, CRM implementation and development, events management, and marketing and communications. Sophie, right, has worked with a wide range of membership organisations based both within the UK and internationally, and she has experience of dealing with members as individuals and organisations. Crystal Kerr joined IFST at the end of June 2023. She has worked for the NHS, local authorities and charities and is passionate about building better connected communities, co-production and utilising data insights to better understand the needs of members and stakeholders. Crystal, right, has experience of CRM administration, implementation and development, information provision, project management and facilitating groups and events. She has an undergraduate degree in International Politics and Sociology from London South Bank University and a strong interest in community development. As an engagement and insights lead, Crystal facilitated networks of peer support, the creation of co-authored resources for autistic adults and young people and established steering groups. She continues to develop co-authored research and resources to support the autistic community. Crystal is excited to bring this experience to IFST as the first point of contact for members and branch liaison, supporting branch activities, meetings, and events. IFST President Sterling Crew and Chief Executive Tim McLachlan travelled stateside in July 2023 to attend the IFT FIRST Food Technology Expo in Chicago. The overarching theme of the conference was Innovation in A Time of Crisis: Can We Future-Proof the Food System? Thousands of members of the science food community from around the world gathered to learn, connect, and explore innovative products, solutions, and ideas to future-proof the food system. Delegates had the opportunity to come together at the Scientific and Technical Forums and Business FIRST stage which provided a wide array of international networking opportunities. Sterling shared ‘With so many fabulous sessions to attend and people to talk to, there was a lot to take in, and the three days flew by.’ Central to the event programme was a strong scientific focus, with varied sessions from across the world of food science. Each session at IFT FIRST was an extension of the five focus areas: Novel Technology and Innovation, Sustainability and Climate, Health and Nutrition, Food Safety along with Consumer Insights and Education. This was supplemented by a series of interactive Fireside Chats. These 20-minute discussions were an opportunity to discuss current trends and opportunities within the food science community. A unique feature of the conference were the courses available to equip both novice and experienced product development professionals with the knowledge and skills to excel in a dynamic and competitive field. This focus on developing professional skills was particularly impressive and drew wide attention as a feature of IFT FIRST. There were over 800 exhibitors in the Expo Hall who showcased ingredient technologies with some amazing samples. Plant-based products and alternatives to egg and dairy were prominent at the exhibition. Another major trend was the number of exhibitors who were keen to showcase their sustainability and upcycling credentials. Also of note was the large number of raw ingredient suppliers from China. The Innovation Lab was an engaging, interactive experience focused on real-world product development scenarios which challenged participants to think bigger and bolder. There was also an exciting Start Up area where delegates had the opportunity to engage with companies at the very early stages of their development. If this account has inspired you to attend the conference next year, we recommend that you block out your diary for July 14 - July 17, 2024 in Chicago. The University of Nottingham once again demonstrated the entrepreneurial prowess of their students, as one of their teams won Ecotrophelia UK for the third year in a row. Team PlanEat took home the gold medal for the 2023 competition for their unique and innovative mealworm-based protein snack. 2023 was the 11th year of Ecotrophelia UK, a Dragons Den style competition which challenges teams of UK students to develop an innovative, eco-friendly food and drink product. Teams must go through the full experience of generating ideas to eventually developing packaged products, gaining a hands-on experience of bringing food products to market. Judges highlighted that Ecotrophelia is more important than ever in 2023, as a perfect storm of factors continue to affect food markets around the world. The competition aims to shine a light on young food innovators in the UK and highlight the power and potential of UK-led food innovation by younger generations. PlanEat will go on to represent the UK at the European Final in Germany in October 2023, where they will compete against twenty other national winners for the grand prize of €6,000. They will document their journey to the final with the support of IFST and Food Manufacture, creating a ‘Road to Europe’ piece to inspire future generations of Ecotrophelia entrants. The gold prize for Ecotrophelia UK is an award of £2,000, a year’s free IFST membership, an invitation to become an IFST ambassadors, and the opportunity to spend a mentorship day with the dragons who judged the competition. Team Hey Pesto, also from the University of Nottingham, claimed the silver prize, while Eco-Co from Nottingham Trent University took home the bronze. The silver and bronze winning teams take home £1,000 and £500 respectively, with both teams also receiving a year’s free IFST membership. ‘This year’s Ecotrophelia has once again shown us the breadth of exceptionally talented young food scientists and technologists in UK universities,’ said IFST Chief Executive Tim McLachlan. ‘We have been blown away by the quality of entries this year, and the commitment of the teams to creating unique, innovative products. On behalf of IFST, it has been a real pleasure to host seven excellent finalists; the judges have been really impressed, and we offer our congratulations to Team PlanEat! We hope that the success of this year’s competition will inspire students across the UK to apply to Ecotrophelia next year’. June 2023 brought the launch of an exciting new IFST initiative: National Food Science and Technology Week (NFSTW). Taking place between June 5 and 12 June, the landmark event takes place in the first full week of June each year. National Food Science and Technology Week involves a series of digital and in-person events to showcase the best of the UK’s thriving food science and technology landscape. The food and beverage industry is the largest manufacturing industry in the UK, employing over 468,000 people, and contributing £30bn to the economy annually, according to the Food and Drink Federation. Despite the industry employing more people than the automotive and aerospace industries combined, fewer and fewer young people are entering jobs in the food sector. As the leading professional body for food sector professionals in the UK, IFST views it as a top priority to engage young and early-career individuals in food sector careers, mobilising new and diverse audiences with the overarching goal of advancing food science and technology. National Food Science and Technology Week received over 100,000 impressions across LinkedIn, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), which shows the depth of engagement and appetite for resources on the breadth of opportunities available in the food sector. Around 200 external pieces of content were generated using the National Food Science and Technology Week hashtag. Planning is already underway to ensure that National Food Science and Technology week 2024 will be bigger and better, especially given that it will take place during IFST’s 60th jubilee year. More information about Jubilee 60 will be revealed over the coming months, as we continue to finalise our exciting programme of events for 2024! We are delighted to be able to bring you news of several new cutting-edge resources which have been kindly produced by IFST members and coordinated by the IFST Executive Team. The New Resources Area is a brand-new section of IFST News in Food Science and Technology, dedicated to updating readers on new scientific resources, in recognition of their popularity amongst IFST members, and to show gratitude to our members who work so hard to produce them. The IFST Food Innovation Toolkit is launching in September 2023, and is a brand-new resource type. It can be found on the IFST website under Resources & Policy - Science and Technology Resources. This resource was developed by the Food Innovation Special Interest Group. Similar to IFST Knowledge Hubs, the Food Innovation Toolkit will have different themes and links to direct users to the best resources available. IFST’s Food Science Fact Sheets are put together to provide clear, concise, and scientifically reliable information on key food science topics. Whether reading as a specialist or an interesting member of the public, fact sheets give an accessible insight into the scientific principles underlying the topic in question. This year has seen significant additional focus on food processing, which has led to the development of a Food Processing Fact Sheet. This fact sheet can also be found in the Food Processing Knowledge Hub, which was launched in Spring 2023 and gives interested parties all the relevant information necessary to develop an understanding of food processing. IFST Information Statements are developed and peer-reviewed through our member-led Scientific Committee. They outline the latest scientific developments, regulations, and relevant subject matter within food science and technology, packaged into a single document. This information statement lays out the requirements for food contact material compliance legislation in different areas, including UK national regulations, the EU framework, and guidance for the USA. In total, IFST has produced over 45 Information Statements on a wide range of topics - why not use this opportunity to read through them? We are looking for students and early career scientists to help shape the future of this group! Whether you’re in academia, or in industry (up to five years post your last university degree), if you’re studying or working in a sensory/consumer science-based role we’d love to hear from you. There will be opportunities to: meet-up in person and virtually, share ideas and ask questions, get accreditation tips, find out about relevant sensory jobs and much more! To get involved, please contact Vic, [email protected] or Hannah [email protected] for more information. Hannah Ford is a sensory and consumer science PhD student at the University of Nottingham; research interests include sensory perception, consumer behaviour, sustainability, and protein alternatives. Both are part of the IFST’s Sensory Science Group. The primary objective of the study was to explore the bioprocessing techniques of germination, fermentation, and dual processing applied to various nutri-cereals, including red sorghum, white sorghum, foxtail millet, proso millet, and barnyard millet. These processed cereals were then utilized to create fabricated grains in equal proportions, both with and without the steaming process. The fabricated grains were subjected to an extensive analysis, including examination of their cooking quality, bioactive composition, associated antioxidant activity, molecular interactions, structural characterization, and organoleptic evaluation. The findings indicated that the bioprocessed fabricated grains exhibited significantly reduced cooking time, water absorption, and volume expansion compared to the control group. However, they displayed an increased gruel solid loss, whereas pre-gelatinization mitigated these losses. Moreover, the bioprocessed fabricated grains demonstrated an enhanced bioactive profile compared to the pre-gelatinized and control grains. The pre-gelatinization process was found to modify the starch-protein matrix, thereby preventing the leaching of compounds into the water. This study highlights the advantages of bioprocessing techniques in the production of fabricated grains using different nutri-cereals. The bioprocessed grains exhibited favourable cooking qualities, improved bioactive profiles, and reduced losses during processing. These findings contribute to the potential utilization of bioprocessed grains as key ingredients in the development of pre-gelatinized fabricated grains, offering a promising avenue for the creation of nutritious and high-quality food products. https://ifst.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ijfs.16367 Honey, with its extensive history as both a food and a medicinal substance, has been utilized since prehistoric times. Its multifaceted applications encompass the treatment of various ailments, including wounds, cuts, burns, coughs, and colds. The medicinal properties of honey are commonly attributed to its inherent antioxidant and antibacterial characteristics. Nevertheless, prior to consumption, honey usually undergoes a processing phase, which can detrimentally impact its overall quality. The findings reveal that thermal processing and microwave treatment of honey yield unfavourable consequences, leading to a decrease in its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Conversely, high-pressure processing and gamma irradiation exhibit no discernible effect on the antibacterial activity or antioxidant properties of honey. Furthermore, ultrasound processing has been shown to enhance the antioxidant activity of honey. While honey has long served as a valuable food and medicinal resource, its processing methods play a crucial role in determining its overall quality and efficacy. The detrimental effects of thermal processing and microwave treatment on honey’s antioxidant and antibacterial properties emphasize the importance of exploring non-thermal alternatives, such as high-pressure processing and ultrasound techniques. These findings contribute to our understanding of how different processing methods impact the medicinal potential of honey, allowing for informed decisions regarding its utilization in various applications. https://ifst.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ijfs.16460 ■ Recent advances in ultrasound application in fermented and non-fermented dairy products: antibacterial and bioactive properties This comprehensive review delves into the multifaceted role of ultrasound in producing both fermented and non-fermented dairy goods. It thoroughly explores how ultrasound influences the bioactive aspects of these products, elucidating the connections between health benefits such as anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects, and the levels of bioactive peptides, exopolysaccharides, and enzyme activity. Through ultrasound pre-treatment, a process that involves subjecting the dairy products to ultrasound before further processing, protein breakdown and the formation of bioactive substances like peptides and exopolysaccharides occur. These compounds are pivotal in conferring antibacterial properties and health advantages to the products, including but not limited to antioxidants, anti-cancer properties, blood pressure regulation, and anti-diabetic effects. Employing ultrasound under optimal conditions emerges as a promising avenue for crafting functional dairy items—both fermented and nonfermented—that offer a range of health-promoting activities. https://ifst.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijfs.16457 Dr Melanie Brown Food Science & Technology Editor 2017-2022 IFST is very saddened to report the death of Food Science and Technology’s former editor Dr Melanie Brown. Melanie had a long and distinguished career as a food industry consultant. She held a BSc in from London University and a PhD in from early career was with a based at University of London helping to from the research and was a in a in the field. in management with skills in research and and she work for the European Food Safety innovative technologies in processing and and was an for the European She was part of a team reporting on food production for the of by the as The and presented to of for Food and in the of in She was the editor of a on technologies and was in delivering an for the industry in and over several She had over in conference and in the of and food technology and was editor of the Food Science & Technology, of the IFST, from where all her experience and skills to IFST President Sterling Crew was a person and it was a to work She a fabulous in the IFST and to it into the that it is I will Melanie with A professional who and to help to the her builds improved my A and to our Melanie was a keen and was a in her local She her and her three and

Tech Support

Original Source

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/fsat.3703_3.x