By: Katie Burns   Date: 6/20/11

It’s been a week since I left the heat and humidity of Washington, D.C. and headed to the heat and humidity of New Orleans, LA for the 2011 Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting.  Perhaps you read my colleague’s blog, “The Latest Buzz about IFT 2011,” and are curious to hear how the various sessions went, or perhaps you were at the IFT meeting but didn’t get a chance to attend all of the sessions you wanted given the jam-packed schedule, or perhaps you weren’t there but have a curiosity nonetheless… Regardless, I’m going to let you in on some of the highlights and my key takeaways of this exciting meeting!

• Opening Session-- Michael Specter, author of Denialism: As we at the International Food Information Council Foundation do quite a bit of work on risk communications, I found it of particular interest when Mr. Specter questioned why America (in general) has become a society that accepts NO risk when it comes to food, yet continue to engage is such proven risky behavior as using a mobile device while driving.

• Health benefits of fruits and vegetables and weight control in the school lunch program: The most notable nugget I took away from this session was when Rui Hai Liu, Ph.D., M.D., of Cornell University reiterated that for children to meet to 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommendations for fruits and vegetables, it would be by consuming all varieties and forms of fruits and vegetables: fresh, frozen, canned, 100% fruit and vegetables juices, dried, etc…

• Beacon Lecture: Regina Benjamin, MD, MBA, 18th Surgeon General of the United States:  Dr. Benjamin shared some personal experiences with us at IFT, including the various ways in which we can make a difference.  She noted that the IFT meeting was a perfect example bringing together the food industry, scientific experts, academia, government, journalists and students, who are all working together to take care of our nation’s health.  I found it particularly moving when Dr. Benjamin noted that the government is focusing on the prevention of non-communicable diseases (such as obesity and Type II Diabetes).  She made a call to action for all sectors of the food chain and other stakeholders to  work together to provide America with healthful, safe and affordable food options, as well as easy to understand information to allow them to make informed decisions when it comes to health.

• The way we eat: Weaving cultural anthropology and consumer science into food product development: As an anthropologist, I really enjoyed this session.  The session explored the evolution of the American diet from the days of the Puritans through the acceptance of garlic during the early days of Italian immigration and ultimately to Ettore Boiardi packaging his Italian fare for Americans to prepare in the convenience of their own home in the late 1920s.  The key theme that was woven through all of the speakers, though, is that food is much more than simply nourishment—it is a way of defining who we are, remembering where we came from, showing love for another; it is a hobby, a sense of community and even a means of entertainment.  We experience our food as much as we taste it.

I greatly enjoyed my time at the IFT Annual Meeting, mixing with Dr. Regina Benjamin, spending quality time with my colleagues at our exhibit booth, and learning from experts in the field of food and health, from dietitians to food scientists to culinary anthropologists.  My experience made me thankful for the variety, safety and quality of the American food supply, and gave me hope that the great minds who gathered together in New Orleans will help to improve the safety of and access to food throughout the world.

It also made me confident that the IFIC Foundation will play a vital and important role in communicating the science around these issues to help Americans and the global population make informed decisions when it comes to food and health.

If you attended IFT, what was your favorite moment?