IFT FIRST 2025 to Tackle Food Safety Challenges

May 21, 2025
By Farms.com

IFT FIRST 2025 - Food Safety and Innovation Event in Chicago

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit dedicated to advancing food science and its global applications, will spotlight critical food safety challenges at IFT FIRST: Annual Event and Expo, taking place July 13-16, 2025, at McCormick Place in Chicago.  

This premier event will explore pressing issues such as food additives, GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) regulations, recalls, and evolving regulatory landscapes. 

A major keynote titled “Food Additives: Reformulation and Regulatory Challenges” will examine the shift toward clean labels and natural alternatives. With increasing pressure on manufacturers to replace synthetic additives like colors and preservatives, five leading experts from legal, regulatory, and consumer advocacy sectors will discuss the financial, technical, and scalability hurdles companies face in reformulating products. 

Additional sessions will delve into GRAS regulations, the introduction of new ingredients, and the FDA’s evolving food safety framework. Scientific panels will explore how technology can enhance food safety, the public health impact of food safety challenges, the persistence of food recalls, and the influence of global regulations on product development. Consumer trust in food safety will also be a key focus. 

Ahead of the main event, IFT’s Food Microbiology Division will host a pre-event workshop, “NextGen Food Safety: Bridging Farm to Table with Smart Tech Solutions,” on July 12-13. This training, aimed at agri-food professionals, will cover HACCP, Good Agricultural Practices, and the Food Safety Modernization Act. 

“Consumer expectations around food safety, transparency, and ingredient integrity are evolving, and the food system must rise to meet that demand,” said IFT CEO Christie Tarantino-Dean.  

“At IFT FIRST, we bring together experts from across academia, industry, and government to tackle complex challenges head-on and ensure that we’re not just keeping up with change but driving it.” 

The expo floor will showcase cutting-edge innovations, including Sensient’s FDA-approved butterfly pea flower extract and Datacor’s software for real-time monitoring and compliance. IFT members receive special pricing. For membership details, email membershipinfo@ift.org Or visit, https://www.iftevent.org/

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