From the President and IFST News

Abstract

Springtime always sees plenty of activity in the IFST calendar. This year the AGM was at the end of March, where we take necessary and important decisions that support the governance of the Institute, but also where we have the opportunity of acknowledging the changes to our Board. We say thanks to those members who are outgoing and have done so much for IFST and also confirm the appointment and welcome those who are incoming. We have four new trustees joining the Board this year including President Elect Sterling Crew. Much of our engagement is now ‘remote/electronic’ procedures, which included, for the first time this year, the President-Elect ballot and, indeed, the AGM itself. It is good to see the numbers of members who can engage in such important processes increasing as a result – good democratic governance in action! It was also very gratifying to see the strength of the field putting themselves forward for President Elect and I hope this is a sign of the ambition many members have for IFST. Whilst online engagement has many benefits, by the time this volume of the Journal is in print, many of us will have met in Birmingham for the SC22 Conference Lunch and Lecture. Our Spring Conference (SC22) is a much-welcomed staple of our calendar. We took the difficult decision many months ago that holding SC22 itself in person was probably still not a viable proposition, but the opportunity to have a face to face ‘companion’ event seemed like a good option. We hope that accommodating the needs of everyone is something we can continue to do, whilst adapting to the changing environment. The theme of this issue is ‘Future Foods’. Whilst IFST has a major role to play in ensuring the safety and so much more, of today's food, the opportunities to ‘invent our future’ is what gets many of our members out of bed in the morning! I think it is safe to say, that there will be something for everyone in this edition. In talking to members, we know that this publication is one of most valued benefits of IFST membership. So, as we head into summer I wonder if we might indulge in a little fun! Where do you like to read your Journal? If you would like to share, why not join me in posting on the community pages: community.ifst.org/ IFST has elected Sterling Crew as its new President-Elect. Sterling's election was formally noted during IFST's Annual General Meeting on 31 March 2022. Of his appointment, Sterling said: ‘It is a great pleasure and privilege to be elected to be the next President of the Institute of Food Science and Technology, especially as the selection was by my professional peers. The IFST is a fantastic organisation with a marvellous membership at its very heart. I pledge to play my part in adding further value to membership and promoting the organisation's worthy charitable aims. This is an exciting time for IFST as we approach our 60th Diamond Jubilee and with chartership potentially on the horizon. Food science and technology has a major part to play in our country's future in these very challenging times. The food sector has responded by developing innovative solutions and creative products. The role our members play has never been more important.’ Sterling Crew Honorary Fellow and FIFST is an experienced food sector director who currently holds a portfolio of positions including Chair of the Food Authenticity Network. Find out more about Sterling here: ifst.org/president-elect22 Sterling will serve as President- Elect for one year before being automatically elected as President and Chair of the Board of Trustees in 2023 for a term of three years. Meet our Board of Trustees here: ifst.org/meet-board IFST has reviewed its Code of Professional Conduct and its accompanying Disciplinary Procedures that apply to all its members. The Code of Professional Conduct – which members are bound by – remains unchanged but IFST's Board approved minor changes to the Disciplinary Procedures to clarify the use of electronic communications, confidentiality requirements and ensure any member against whom a complaint was upheld had adequate time to lodge an appeal. The updated procedures which came into force on 7 April 2022 are available on our website: ifst.org/about-ifst/professional-conduct In March 2022, IFST was invited to attend and exhibit at IFE Manufacturing at ExCeL London. We were given a stand in the ‘Ask the expert’ zone. IFE Manufacturing is a gigantic exhibition, it's an international food and drink event, which brought together ingredients, packaging, processing and food technology companies to showcase their solutions to manufacturers from all over the UK. The event was an opportunity for the food and drink manufacturing industry to discover, learn and source the latest products from the best suppliers in the market. At IFST we're always looking at new ways to expand our membership and provide a benefit to the whole of the food sector, no matter how big or small the business. We went to IFE to meet new food businesses and to introduce IFST to a new audience who may have not heard of us before. IFE provided IFST with a great opportunity to reconnect with current members, meet potential new industry-based members and understand some of the challenges facing the food sector through the thought-provoking presentations and seminars provided throughout the show. The geographical coverage, category span and quality of the exhibitors was impressive and provided interesting (and tasty!) insights into where food products are heading next. Each day, three or four members of the IFST executive team represented IFST at our stand, including Deborah Kendale, Andrew Gardner, Delia Mertoiu, Sarah Drumm, Mariam Zaki, Daiane Cazuza, Patricia Florit and Robin Leaper. Despite being at the back of the expo, we received a good number of visitors who all had interesting questions for us and lots of enquiries about IFST membership and what it comprises. We were also approached by a lot of new product developers and new businesses looking for support for their endeavours. It was interesting to see the breadth of producers and the strong focus on sustainability, using waste products, innovation and current trends in the food sector. We were delighted to meet our current members at the expo, who came over to our stand each day. The geographical coverage, category span and quality of the exhibitors was impressive and provided interesting (and tasty!) insights into where food products are heading next. I was delighted to be invited by IFE Manufacturing to chair one of the NPD sessions titled From kitchen table to factory floor. This took place on the Innovation Platform on the opening day. It was the first of two back to back sessions examining the NPD process and how to get products from the idea and concept stage through to a fully manufactured product. This session focused on the early development process and highlighted some of the common roadblocks and key considerations that need to be addressed during the initial stages of a development project. Andrew Gardner and Patricia Florit at the IFST stand We drew a large audience (including more IFST members), with every seat in the auditorium taken. There were some great questions from the audience – and we kept going even when the set behind us collapsed mid-session! The panel gave some sound advice about how to get started and how to protect your ideas. We discussed how to make sure products are legal and safe, how to find partners for co-manufacturing and signposted the audience to other resources available to help at this early stage of development. It was a great pleasure to chair this session, and to work with such an experienced and knowledgeable panel of IFST Fellows. One of the many great benefits of being a member of IFST is having access to a wide network of food industry experts. Thank you to IFE Manufacturing for inviting me to take part and for a great show. It was great to finally meet people face to face after two years! There was certainly a buzz about the place. Three big trends were very evident throughout the show: vegan, environment and health. Without a doubt vegan products and meat alternatives are starting to move into mainstream, with new products using mainstream flavours and targeting everyday eating occasions. Many of the companies were keen to talk about their environmental credentials. I saw a cereal carton made from agricultural waste rather than wood pulp, that had the same look and feel as carton. There were also a number of businesses advertising that they use no plastic bags for their snack products. From a hero ingredient perspective, I noticed that seaweed is entering the savoury snack market, highlighting its health benefits. Also, there were a lot of dried fruit snacks as alternatives to more traditional snack products. The panel discussion on The National Food Strategy between the Food Foundation, Compass Group, Guy's and St Thomas’ Foundation and Mission Ventures was notable. Apart from reiterating the importance of and need to take action, the panellists shared the fact that Tesco and JS have agreed to report on how much of the food they sell is ‘healthier’ products. If you missed the panel discussion From kitchen table to factory floor, there is a recording available on the IFE website to watch on demand: web ifemanufacturing.co.uk/seminar-programme Join IFST ifst.org/membership Prof Robin May delivering the SC22 lecture On 25 April, at University College Birmingham, Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Advisor to the Food Standards Agency, pictured above, gave his talk to a group of members, speakers and friends of IFST at our preconference lunch and lecture. He opened by stating that eating is one of the few universal human behaviours and that trust in food is critical and is underpinned by science. However, science is becoming more complicated and harder to explain, and becomes increasingly challenging especially around foods that are not yet on the market, but will be, in the future. For context, May indicated that food shopping is habitual and purchasing takes on average six to nine seconds. Reading a product label fully would take many minutes and therefore messaging on labels is often not the best way to communicate information. The challenge is to combine a high level of science and communication about risk with a digestible, easy to compute output. He commented that the FSA has a very strong science and evidence based position. Good science communication is critical and risk must be communicated effectively for people to understand this. He highlighted the FSA has a very high trust rating of 75% of people trusting the FSA and nine out of 10 consumers in the UK are confident in the safety of the food they eat. This is partly due to a strong emphasis on clear communication, such as the food hygiene rating system, which 87% of the population are aware of and over 50% state they have used within the last year. In terms of behaviours, people underestimate long term risks, such as those around smoking and obesity, and act accordingly. Using percentages to communicate risks is effective but even more effective is the use of real-world frequencies e.g. ‘one-in-20 people’. Translating these into graphics is attractive but the danger is that nuance and detail can be lost with the example of using just green and red traffic light symbols. We need to change the food system to cope with sustainability and health impacts, for the planet and a healthy population. Part of this is the need to advise people on new foods that are coming to market. Prof May stated that his passion is being ready to communicate these necessary changes to the public and the implications they will have on peoples’ diets and food choices. Examples of new foods were insects, lab grown meat, novel crops e.g. chia seeds and, finally, genetically modified (GM) and genetically edited (GE) crops that are being, or will be introduced, to tackle challenges in agriculture, such as drought tolerance and vitamin yield. We need to be able to communicate the benefits of these foods if they are to be accepted by the general public. May also mentioned changes to packaging types and systems. Both these developments are innovations which the public welcome. However, innovators are viewed with greater suspicion, as they are often perceived as being driven by commercial gain. In terms of opinions and behaviours – people state they are driven by ethical choices, such as animal welfare and sustainability, but are, in reality, driven by price, when it comes to choices and shopping habits. To be effective communicators, we need to work with human behaviour and develop a balance between ethical choices and real world drivers that determine food choice behaviours. Attendees at the lecture Day 1 on The Gap in Consumer Understanding began with Jon Alexander's presentation on The Power of Citizenship. He poignantly began with some food for thought that overuse of the word ‘consumer’ is fundamentally flawed. To reshape the way in which we collectively interact as humans, we must focus on the concept of ‘citizens’. Next, Tom Sheldon at the Science Media Centre delivered a selection of case studies. He advocates for businesses to support senior scientists in engaging with the press, believing this connection is the way forward to help the public separate fact from fiction. The day ended with a panel discussion exploring how we can build trust in consumers. Michelle Patel (FSA) remarked that as scientists we need a ‘shift in how we communicate’. The emerging themes were consistency, courage, honesty and humility. Day 2 on The Gap in Skills and Professional Development began with another panel discussion on new and future skills, with Jacinta George succinctly explaining, ‘the skills we'll need in 20 years need to be developed now’. The group discussed key future skills crucial to the food industry including AI, robotics and green skills, as well as soft skills like resilience, flexibility and compassion. Attendees saw Andras Sebok present a Digital Skills case study using an EIT Food competency framework on Campden BRI Hungary. He discussed ‘Industry 4.0’, which refers to a new phase in the industrial revolution focusing on interconnectivity, automation, machine learning and real-time data. Finally, speakers from CAFRE and Linden Foods presented the positive impacts that apprenticeship schemes have had in Northern Ireland. We heard a personal account from Lewis Connelly, a NPD Technologist at Linden Foods, who started a High Level Apprenticeship (HLA) with CAFRE. Day 3 began with an inspiring presentation on early stage NPD with Sarah Gaunt. The concept of ‘front-end innovation’ was introduced and the developmental stages in the early-product pipeline covering ideation, identification, application, selection and incubation were explored. Following this, Lucia Capogna spoke about cyber-security. Examples of food industry cyber-attacks in recent years were presented and Lucia closed with the final thought that ‘no system is 100% secure’, but with the right knowledge 90% of cyber-attacks can be prevented (see p46). Next, Tom Hollands presented the digital sandwich, a technology that digitises food production processes and creates a ‘golden thread’ from farm to fork, tracing ingredients back to the source. Tom used a fictional example of grey ham identified in a shop sandwich to track an ingredient's journey. Missed SC22? As a paid attendee, you have access to our Conference platform, Whova, for three months where you can watch all of the conference sessions and the lecture recording. Starting from mid-June, as a member of IFST, you can watch all the recordings in our IFST Webinar hub via ifst.org/webinars Across the world 90% of people are meat eaters and global consumption of meat is rising. Meat production is already contributing to potentially catastrophic climate change and if nothing changes, future demands will require impossible amounts of land and water. The ‘Meat the Future’ exhibition considered some of the key findings of the LEAP (Livestock, Environment and People) project, which studied the health, environmental, social and economic impacts of meat and dairy production and consumption. The project was a collaboration between the University of Oxford, the Food Policy Research Institute, Sainsbury's and The Nature Conservancy; it was supported by the Wellcome Trust's Our Planet Our Health Programme and ran between 2017 and 2021. The exhibition was targeted at the general public and presented in a very visual, non-judgemental and accessible way. IFST members at the exhibition The Butchers Shop – exploring the public's understanding of the issues surrounding meat production and consumption and its cultural significance The display had trays of meat in between rows of fake grass and joints of meat hanging on hooks. There were also quotes from museum volunteers and visitors who had been asked to complete the sentence: Meat is… … best as beef in a Sunday lunch … delicious and best enjoyed in moderation … too morally fraught to be consumed if other options are available … bad for my health, bad for the planet, bad for the animals. The answers showed a wide spectrum of perspectives. From highlighting how entrenched meat consumption is in our daily lives to signs that the public are beginning to question its environmental, nutritional and ethical credentials. Prompted by this exhibit our group discussed the cultural importance of meat in the diet as another key factor. Changing meat consumption across the world The second window showed a café front – stacks of burgers were used to show how meat consumption had changed in the US, Brazil, UK, China and India between 1961 and 2013. It was a very good, visually impactful way of showing how meat consumption is linked to prosperity and growth. Most notable was the manyfold increase in meat consumption in Brazil (75g per person per day in 1961 to 267g in 2013) and China (10g in 1961 to 69g in 2013) that followed the increase in the population's wealth, with the consumption of meat, culturally representing ‘proof’ of personal wealth. Meat consumption in India has remained the same at 10g, 22 times lower than in the UK, due to religious dietary requirements and a less wealthy population. As for the US, it remains top of the meat consumption chart, at a staggering 243g per person per day in 1961 and 316g in 2013. Living off the land – agricultural practices and how they have changed over the years This exhibit was presented as a set of shelves, with various toys, pictures and items on display. Forty percent of the world's total land area is currently dedicated to agriculture, providing livelihoods to millions. But how did farming develop from a traditional local enterprise to the global industry it is today? And how has science enabled farmers to satisfy the world's increasing appetite for meat? In the Middle Ages people farmed strips of land leased from the Lord of the Manor. By rotating the crops, they kept the soil fertile and grazed animals on the areas left fallow. During the 20th Century, farmers used scientific breeding methods to improve their livestock. There are 34 native cattle breeds in the UK, each selectively bred to thrive in different conditions and produce milk, beef or both. Today 14 of the cattle breeds are classed as rare. During WW2, Britain was forced to produce more food when imports nearly stopped, but this came at a heavy cost to biodiversity as woods were cut down and ancient grasslands dug up to plant crops. High stakes – explaining the environmental impact of meat production Farmers now raise more animals than ever to slaughter for meat. Vast areas of forest are cleared for grazing, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing widespread biodiversity loss and changing ecosystems irreversibly. Crops grown for animal feed require more land, fertiliser and irrigation – competing for water and other resources needed for human food. As ruminant animals digest food they release methane which is significantly more damaging to the environment than CO2, contributing to climate change. The IFST group noted that there was no mention of the ethics or legislation of meat production, animal welfare or animal husbandry in the exhibition. As scientists we were interested to understand more about current research into methane reduction. New eco labelling for food – providing consumers with information on the true environmental impact of their food choices ‘There is a strong public desire for free choice in what we eat, but in reality, our diet is already shaped by what businesses offer us to buy and how it is labelled and marketed.’ Dr Tara Garnett, LEAP project scientist. Based on the familiar Nutriscore nutrition labels (five levels of impact), the ecolabels being trialled rate food products according to their positive or negative impact on water scarcity, water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity. As well as giving consumers more choice, researchers hope that food producers will respond by developing new products with lower environmental impact. Tests to find the most effective design have been underway. Beef burgers have much higher environmental impacts of all kinds compared to poultry and plant-based burgers. Most plant-based products emit as much as 10-50 times less CO2 than most animal products. There is a strong public desire for free choice in what we eat, but in reality, our diet is already shaped by what businesses offer us to buy and how it is labelled and marketed. Sowing seeds of a new diet – debugging some of the myths around meat consumption and nutrition A diet including meat has been the norm for human beings across the world for hundreds of thousands of years. Genetic evidence shows some populations adapted to eating farmed dairy products 5,000 years ago. Our bodies rely on animal products such as meat, eggs or dairy for supplies of vitamin B12 that we require for survival. We have also evolved to absorb iron much more easily from meat than from plants. But are there any health risks involved in a meat-heavy diet? And if we reduce our meat-eating, or cut it out altogether, what are the best strategies to get all the vital nutrients we need? Planetary health diet – what would an environmentally friendly diet look like? Our planet has plenty of capacity to feed all of the 8bn people alive today. If we make sensible decisions in the coming year, it can even feed the population of 9-10bn predicted in 2050. But the demand for meat is already pushing the environment to its limits. In the UK, we eat 223g of meat per person per day (2013 figures). This is more than twice the global average. So how much meat can the planet sustainably produce? The EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet and Health tried to answer this and came up with an estimate of 43g per person each day, divided between red meat and poultry – similar to the amount we ate before industrialisation and factory farming. Other approaches have come up with different numbers, but all agree on less meat than we eat today in the UK. A number of studies including the EAT-Lancet planetary health report have recommended eating more than double our current amount of plant-based foods and less than half the amount of sugars and red meat. This report proposes that if we all did this, we could feed our growing population, live healthier, longer lives and reduce our impact on the environment. Meat tomorrow – how science and technology can help us follow a planet friendly diet Our bodies evolved to eat meat and benefit from the nutrients it provides. Now, our diets can evolve to give us the nutrition we need without adding to the climate crisis. Science and technology built the meat industry we thought we needed. But today, research is helping us see why and how we need to do things differently. In the UK, a quarter of evening meals are already vegan or vegetarian. So can more of us learn to love a less meaty menu? Future approaches to a more flexitarian diet proposed in the exhibition included increasing consumption of plant-based protein, insects and cultured meat. Biting the bullet – final thoughts A planet-friendly cafeteria counter Landuse: We would need 8% less agricultural land, largely because we would need less grain to feed livestock. This freed up land could be used to grow nutritious crops for humans or returned to forest to store more carbon and increase biodiversity. Water use quality and fertilisers: Agriculture would need 11% less water, allowing more to be used to maintain wetland, rivers and other biodiversity-rich freshwater habitats. We would use up to 24% less nitrogen and 18% less phosphorous in fertiliser applications so less would run off the land to damage drinking water quality and pollute our rivers, lakes and oceans. Emissions: We could more than halve (55%) the greenhouse gas emissions from the food system – about a 10% reduction in all emissions from human activity. Biodiversity: We could see up to 40% less species extinction, due to less land converted to agriculture and less pollution. Health: The number of premature deaths due to diet-related diseases, such as heart disease and some cancers could decrease by 20%; this is due to the benefits of a healthy diet leading to a healthy weight, the positive effects of high-fibre diets as well as reductions in the incidence of diabetes and some vascular diseases and some cancers. Susan Arkley FIFST is a Product Development and Innovation Specialist, Food Consultant and Lecturer, Chair of the IFST Food Innovation Special Interest Group and Secretary of IFST Midlands Branch Valia Christidou FIFST is a mentor and lecturer in New Product Development and an Innovation and Product Development Consultant to the food industry Thanks to the team at Oxford University Museum of Natural History for welcoming IFST. web https://oumnh.ox.ac.uk/learn-meat-the-future Further details about the LEAP project, which is supported by the Wellcome Trust's programme, can be found at: leap.ox.ac.uk We are delighted to announce that IFST has bestowed its Honorary Fellowship Award on Karin Goodburn MBE for her contribution to the profession of food science and technology. This was made by IFST President, Helen Munday, following the Institute's Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 31 March 2022. This highly prestigious award is made to recognise Members or Fellows who have made extensive personal contributions to the working and progress of the Institute and to the food science and technology profession. Karin Goodburn MBE CSci FIFST specialises in chilled food science, microbiology, technology, sustainability, educational outreach and regulatory affairs, from farm to fork. She is Director-General of the Chilled Food Association (CFA). Find out more about Karin, here: ifst.org/hon-fellowship22 On her award, Karin comments: ‘When I first encountered IFST in the early days of my career I had no idea that I would one day be joining IFST's illustrious list of Honorary Fellows, whose names I often encountered in journal papers and in my day-to-day work. To be recognised by colleagues, people I hold as mentors and akin to a second family, is really wonderful. I thank the IFST for this Fellowship and will carry this honour with pride. Food science is more than a single discipline, encompassing pure science, technology, nutrition, sustainability and food security. I maintain that any subject can be taught using food as the focus, and that food teaching should draw on food science in its broadest terms. No one can live without food, so its future has to be nurtured through inspirational teaching and communication at all levels by all of us in the profession, supporting IFST.’ This year marks the tenth anniversary of the UK Ecotrophelia competition. Our Dragons’ Den-style competition has seen many participants showing products that would later be sold in supermarkets by different companies showing the great initiative and ability of those participating to envisage the future of the food market. By the time this issue has been published, the finalists will have pitched their products to the ‘Dragons’ on 7 June, and the winner will be announced at the evening event held at Tesco Heart Building, where participants will be able to enjoy some socialising and meet other industry professionals and Ecotrophelia sponsors from across the industry including PepsiCo, Unilever, Mondelez, Coca Cola, Warburtons, Sainsbury's, Marks and Spencer, Food Manufacture, Institute of Food Science and Technology and Campden BRI. For more information, please visitecotrophelia-uk.org and eu.ecotrophelia.org. We have launched a new IFST Sustainability Knowledge Hub to consolidate advice, practical guidance and links to resources to support consumers, small and larger food businesses, educators and policy makers. Global food supply chains need to produce healthy and nutritious food, farmed and produced in an environmentally and socially sustainable way, to cope with the challenges of a growing population. Sustainability includes decreasing food waste, achieving Net Zero targets and lowering the ecological effect of food throughout the supply chain, from farm to fork. Access the hub: ifst.org/skh The consumption of insects (entomophagy) or insect-based foods is increasingly being recognised as an emerging solution to promote diet diversification and address the multiple burden of malnutrition. This review evaluated existing evidence on human interventions and the effects of processing methods on bioavailability and bioaccessibility of key nutrients since these directly influence food and nutrition security outcomes. Seven human efficacy studies have been conducted to date and these show limited observable effects on nutrition status therefore more r