Science Innovation Showcase Agenda

In 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released guidance updating the 1998 document Dietary Supplements: An Advertising Guide for Industry. The FTC leveraged over two decades of changes in the marketplace and experience with over 200 cases of false or misleading claims to update and broaden this guidance to encompass not only supplements but foods, OTC drugs, homeopathic products, health equipment, diagnostic tests, and health-related apps. In this presentation, FTC will provide an overview of how this updated guidance is enhanced for clarity, including both broad principles and specific examples as illustrations.

Presenter: Michael Ostheimer

Alternative proteins are a powerful tool to mitigate the environmental impact of our food system, decrease the risk of zoonotic disease, and ultimately feed more people with fewer resources. With plant-based meat, cultivated meat, and fermentation, we can modernize meat production. In this session led by The Good Food Institute, two career scientists will discuss the alternative protein ecosystem, their career trajectories, current research, and opportunities for scientists to engage in alternative protein innovation.

Presenters: Simone Costa (GFI) and Chris Gregson (Paragon Pure)

Today’s consumers want to know more about the products they buy and the foods they eat, including details like country of origin, fair trade, sustainability, health benefits and more. Required labeling only goes so far – many want to dig deeper. In a drive to increase supply chain visibility and transparency, retailers are migrating to the use of newer, two-dimensional barcodes that can carry virtually unlimited amounts of data within a very small, digital footprint. The extra data capacity offers new opportunities for brands to provide enriched product information that consumers can access with a simple scan on their mobile devices. When that data is based on global standards, trading partners can use it to support next-level supply chain visibility and food safety as well. In this session, Ms. Sertl will address how leaders in the food industry are leveraging GS1 Standards to improve food safety, helping meet the stricter traceability requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Food Traceability Final Rule (FSMA 204) for high-risk foods listed on its Food Traceability List, as well as expanded product transparency enabled by advanced data carriers.

Presenter: Liz Sertl

Canada's current regulations for Foods for Special Dietary Purposes (FSDP) are set in Division 24 and 25 of the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR). These regulations are out of date and would benefit from better harmonization with other jurisdictions. In order to improve the regulatory framework for FSDP, Health Canada is taking a comprehensive approach that will modernize Divisions 24 and 25 of the FDR by updating compositional requirements to reflect latest nutritional science, and distinguishing FSDP from other foods through risk-based regulatory requirements. This session will focus on Divisions 24/25 and provide an overview of some of the regulatory barriers that exist and potential solutions that will help mitigate shortages of FSDPs by fostering innovation, improving accessibility, and strengthening consumer protection.

Presenter: Dino Covino

Health Canada has made significant progress in recent years on healthy eating initiatives by improving nutrition labelling, eliminating industrially produced trans fats in the food supply, releasing a new Canada’s Food Guide, publishing new sodium reduction targets for packaged processed foods and introducing front-of-package nutrition labelling. Health Canada continues to promote healthy eating through education and awareness activities, initiatives to support healthier food settings, and restrictions on food advertising to children. This presentation will provide an overview of our most recent initiative aimed at restricting some food advertising to children.

Join the session as we review the essence of storytelling in science including an exploration of some notable examples of storytelling in science.  We will also explore the challenges in scientific communication including the complexity and specialization of scientific information.  An understanding of the narrative arc in scientific contexts will assist in building storytelling techniques for scientists. Additionally, case studies will be presented with examples from both the public and private sector.

Presenter: Andi Robinson

The FDA is prioritizing its nutrition initiatives, and one goal is to help ensure that consumers in the U.S. have greater access to nutrition information they can use to identify healthier food choices.  Front-of-package labeling would complement the Nutrition Facts label that is required on food packages by displaying simplified, at-a-glance nutrition information that gives consumers additional context to help them quickly make more informed food selections. In this session, FDA will provide an overview of its work to date on front-of-package nutrition labeling, including an update in its ongoing consumer research.

Presenter: Robin McKinnon