IFT Headed for Vegas

IFT Headed for Vegas

LAS VEGASThe Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) 2004 Annual Meeting + Food Expo will take place in Las Vegas July 12 to 16 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. As the largest annual scientific forum and food technology expo in the world, the event will attract thousands of food scientists, technologists, suppliers, marketers and other business professionals, and will host more than 800 exhibitors.

The expo will also include an extensive technical program with upwards of 2,000 presentations, which include symposia, forums, technical sessions, poster sessions, continuing education and Hot Topics.

Hot Topics for 2004 will focus on Keeping the Food Industry Competitive and include Expanding Margins, Not Waistlines, in which the obesity epidemic will be approached from the perspectives of Wall Street, the consumer and the marketplace, and examine the role each is having on the rising overweight epidemic; Changing the Odds, which will focus on how the industry is evolving, how consumer trends influence and drive product innovation and how to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving marketplace; and When Mad Cow Comes Home, which will focus on the status of Mad Cow disease and inform attendees on the latest approaches being used to resolve the problem. Additional technical presentations will cover everything from advancements in food nanotechnology, food packaging, international food regulation, quality assurance and challenges in food development with various functional ingredients, such as omega-3 fatty acids.

Presentations will also touch on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food products, qualified health claims, and the quality and potential health benefits of organic versus conventional produce. And for the first time, a comprehensive review of global new product trends and product tasting will be presented by Mintel International, focusing on its Global New Products Database. For more information on the IFT Annual Meeting + Expo, visit www.am-fe.ift.org.