Omnivore

Leading food science recruiter Moira McGrath gets real about what it takes to land your dream job. Food scientist Micaela Cox unpacks the science behind sugar reduction, the challenges and potential benefits of sugar alternatives, and what the future holds for food and beverage companies looking to capitalize on the zero-sugar trend. IFT’s Anna Rosales offers an update on her advocacy work in Washington and what she’s seeing and hearing about the GRAS rule, ultra-processed foods, research funding reductions, and more.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT FIRST – Food Improved by Research, Science, and Technology. Join food system professionals at McCormick Place in Chicago, July 13-16, for the industry’s premier event connecting innovation, science, and business. Learn more at iftevent.org.

Dr. Liz Sloan, who has kept a close eye on functional food and beverage trends for decades, shares her take on what’s ahead for this market in the year ahead. Dr. Lara Ramdin, widely known as the Upcycling Queen, talks to Omnivore about how upcycling not only reduces food waste but also offers a chance to enhance nutrition accessibility, support circular economies, and provide sustainable solutions to food insecurity. Huy Nguyen, chief education and career development advisor at Intelligent.com, discusses what Generation Z brings to the workforce and how mentorship can help build strong bridges between the generations. 

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT FIRST–Food Improved by Research, Science, and Technology. Join food system professionals at McCormick Place in Chicago, July 13-16, 2025, for the industry’s premier event connecting innovation, science, and business. Learn more at iftevent.org. 

Award-winning sensory scientist Henriette de Kock discusses her efforts to adapt sensory science practices to effectively address the food preferences and cultural traditions of African consumers. Michigan State University’s Dr. John Spink, the world’s leading expert on food fraud prevention, sheds some light on why food fraud remains a significant but unseen problem and suggests next steps in preventing this activity. Consultant Arlin Wasserman explains why he’s skeptical about the long-term impact of GLP-1 drugs on the food industry.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT Virtual Workshops, where you stay “in the know” instead of “on the go.” Learn more about all four exciting new virtual workshops on the Career Development page at ift.org.

Obesity policy expert Ted Kyle shares his thoughts on how the food industry should respond to consumers’ need for more healthful food options, and why he’s not a fan of the food as medicine concept. Process engineer Shalima Sreenath, whose previous work with Beyond Meat focused on scaling up transformative alt-meat technologies, shares the exciting new possibilities of precision fermentation technology in the food and ag space. With anti-obesity drugs on the rise, Barb Stuckey, chief new product strategy officer at Mattson, talks about the abundant innovation opportunities for companies.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT Virtual Workshops, where you stay “in the know” instead of “on the go.” Learn more about all four exciting new virtual workshops on the Career Development page at ift.org

Food Technology’s deputy managing editor Kelly Hensel spoke with assistant professor and lead researcher Emily Mayhew about the mechanics of honey’s sweetness, how aroma impacts perceived sweetness, and what product developers can take away from the research. Food Technology’s Julie Larson Bricher talks with Dr. Susanne Bügel about leading a unique two-year international consensus-building project at University of Copenhagen that aims to develop the next generation of the Nova classification system.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT Membership. Connect with our diverse community and discover a world of new opportunities. Explore the benefits of membership at ift.org/membership.

Food scientist Matt Teegarden offers a thoughtful take on the high-profile food classification system Nova and its characterization of ultra-processed foods. IFT’s Renee Leber delves into food color additive bans, why color reformulations can be challenging, and what manufacturers need to keep top of mind when adjusting colors in various applications. Dr. Joanne Slavin, a former member of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Advisory Committee, chats with Omnivore about what to expect in the latest iteration of the DGAs for 2025-2030.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT Membership. Connect with our diverse community and discover a world of new opportunities. Explore the benefits of membership at ift.org/membership.

Get the latest insights from the food science and technology community in the January 2025 episodes of the Omnivore podcast.

 Jeff Grogg, a seasoned R&D professional who is founder and managing director of JPG Resources, shares his perspective on the 2025 food industry merger & acquisition market. Dr. Willette Crawford, principal consultant and owner of Katalyst Consulting, provides her forecast on whether the food safety challenges of 2024 will continue to be top problems for the food industry in this New Year, and what advancements in food science are trending to help the food system overcome them. Matthew Moore, an associate professor in the Department of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, discusses the dire state of agrifood research funding in the United States and tips on how to find and secure funding.

Jenny Zegler, director, Mintel Food & Drink, shares insights from the research firm’s 2025 consumer trends forecast. Hilary Thesmar, chief science officer and senior vice president of food safety at FMI, The Food Industry Association, discusses the challenges to implement the FDA Traceability Final Rule. Circana’s Sally Lyons Wyatt explains why legacy food and beverage brands are under pressure to innovate, and how they’re stepping up to the challenge.

In this “Best of 2024” episode of Omnivore, Food Technology revisits the top food science and thought leader interview segments of the year. Charlie Arnot explains why facts are not enough to build trust in food science. Instacart’s Beatrice Abiero talks about her company’s efforts to turbocharge the food as medicine movement. Process authority Larry Keener talks about three game-changing food safety technologies—UV and other light-based systems, atmospheric cold plasma, and hydroxyl radicals—and how they are helping the food industry beat back foodborne pathogens.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT Membership. Connect with our diverse community and discover a world of new opportunities. Explore the benefits of membership at ift.org/membership.

In this “Best of 2024” episode of Omnivore, Food Technology revisits the top food science and thought leader interviews of the year. Renowned agrologist Robert Saik discusses the ways that science and technology are critical if food production is to meet the needs of a fast-growing global population. Brittany Towers Lewis, aka The Black Food Scientist, talks about how and why she got into making her popular Instagram and TikTok video series, Science in Sixty Seconds. Amazon’s Justin Honaman discusses the potential impact of generative AI, the challenges in adoption, and use cases for the industry.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT Membership. Connect with our diverse community and discover a world of new opportunities. Explore the benefits of membership at ift.org/membership.