NAFFS Technical Meeting Addresses Hot Topics for the Flavor & Food-Ingredient Industry

The National Association of Flavors and Food-Ingredient Systems is holding its annual Technical Meeting from 9 A.M. to noon on Tuesday, April 17 at the New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center in Edison, NJjust prior to IFT Suppliers Day.

Registration and refreshments are offered at 8:30 A.M. The technical program follows at 9 A.M. and concludes with a networking lunch at noon. At 1 P.M., the New York Institute of Food Technologists will open its exhibits.

Steve Herman, Director of New Technology at Mastertaste, will present Chemoreception: The Science of Smell and Taste. This information-packed presentation will explore the genetics of olfaction and the organization of the olfactory system from the cilia to the limbic system of the brain.

Otis Curtis, Business Development Manager of DSM Savoury Ingredients, will explore the interaction of taste and flavor with an emphasis on how umami has been a part of food for thousands of years, how it impacts consumers desire for food products, and how to incorporate umami contributing ingredients such as yeast extracts into products. Samples will be provided to help demonstrate various concepts presented on umami, including: flavor building, increased mouthfeel and impact, overall flavor enhancement, and salt reduction.

Jeanette Quinn of GNT USA will discuss fruit- and vegetable-based natural colors, covering topics such as sources, regulatory classification, managing the supply and demand, comparison among colors and considerations for product optimization.

Linking product and consumer understanding is critical to product success in todays crowded marketplace. Jean Bakk, Senior Manager of Consumer Insights at Sensory Spectrum, will discuss the tools and techniques needed to get to a deeper understanding of consumer response. This presentation is sure to deliver the insights for true consumer and product understanding.

Meeting registration is $80 for members of NAFFS ($99 for non-members) which includes morning refreshments, a networking lunch, attendance at the program, and all handouts provided by the speakers.

For more information on NAFFS or the April 17 meeting, call Bob Bauer at 732/922-3218 or visit http://www.naffs.org. NAFFS is a broad-based trade association of manufacturers, processors and suppliers of fruits, flavors, syrups, stabilizers, emulsifiers, colors, sweeteners and related food ingredients.