Science Innovation Showcase Agenda
We are pleased to share our Showcase agenda - featuring invited presenters and innovation session speakers.
- EVERYONE is invited to participate in this exchange of science related to innovative ingredients and products in the food and beverage ecosystem.
- ALL attendees will have the opportunity to engage in dialogue and discussion on the data, the technology and science being applied across the food and beverage ecosystem.
INVITED SESSIONS and SPEAKERS
The US Food & Drug Administration (US FDA) works to help empower consumers to build nutritious diets that support health and wellness. The U.S. faces an ever-growing epidemic of preventable diet-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. As food can be a vehicle for wellness, the FDA helps to support nutritious eating patterns by providing information that helps consumers make informed food choices and by encouraging industry to make foods healthier. The FDA’s approach to nutrition supports a National Strategy to end hunger and increase healthy eating and physical activity by 2030, so that fewer consumers experience diet-related diseases like diabetes, obesity and hypertension. The FDA’s Nutrition initiatives encompass the following categories: Providing Information and Labeling; Promoting a Healthier Food Supply; and Communicating, Educating and Engaging. Priority initiatives include: sodium reduction; finalizing and updating the definition of the nutrient content claim “healthy” to help consumers identify foundational foods for building healthy dietary patterns; and developing a standardized front-of-package nutrition labeling system.
- Robin McKinnon (US FDA)
The US Food & Drug Administration (US FDA) ensures exposure to chemicals in food is safe. This includes chemicals authorized for use in and with foods during food packaging, processing, or other handling. It also applies to contaminants that enter the food supply through the growing or processing environment. The new Office of Food Chemical Safety, Dietary Supplements & Innovation houses US FDA’s programs for food chemical safety, dietary supplements and foods made using innovative technologies. Under the Human Foods Program, US FDA is leveraging scientific expertise across these product areas and developing a more nimble and systematic approach to evaluating chemicals in the food supply.
- Kristi Muldoon Jacobs (US FDA)
Health Canada is in the process of seeking feedback on its proposal for compositional requirements for infant foods and foods currently regulated as foods for special dietary use. These foods are regulated under Divisions 24 and 25 of the Food and Drug Regulations. In particular, Health Canada is seeking input on the proposed compositional requirements for: infant formula, medical foods for ages one or more, medical foods represented as a total diet replacement for weight reduction, conventional infant foods—for example, infant cereals and fruit purees—gluten-free foods and formulated nutritional foods (currently regulated as meal replacements and nutritional supplements). This session will focus on current thinking and updates as Health Canada develops draft regulations which are anticipated to be published in the Canada Gazette, Part I for comment, in spring 2026.
- Dino Covone (Health Canada)
Why do people selectively reject science? Even those who "believe in science" fall prey to echo chambers shaped by feelings, biases, and community groups, which often override evidence. Fear-mongering is not a substitute for science. It only serves to erode the ability of scientists and health professionals to do their jobs. Supporting evidence-based science communication is critical. With outbreaks of preventable diseases, refusal of evidence-based medical interventions, propagation of pseudoscience by prominent “personalities,” it’s needed now more than ever.
- Andrea Love (Immunologic)
The USDA Global Branded Food Products Database (GBFPD) was created by a Public-Private Partnership. Information in the GBFPD is received from a number of food industry data providers, and these organizations are therefore responsible for the data. USDA supports the GBFPD by standardizing the presentation of the data and making it publicly accessible. This presentation will highlight the work of the partnership on multi-column data validation and other branded attribution efforts.
- Kyle McKillop (USDA ARS)
The Government of Canada’s Food Regulatory Innovation Agenda includes a commitment to create more modern and agile food regulations to better keep pace with advances in science and technology, while maintaining the health and safety of Canadians. As part of this commitment Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are taking incremental steps to re-design food regulations, including modernizing the regulatory framework for official food methods. Proposed amendments as part of this work include changes to the protein quality method and acceptance of the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score.
This presentation will provide an overview of the food regulatory modernization initiative, a summary of the proposed changes to the protein quality method, and an update on the status and next steps for the project.
- Dino Covone (Health Canada)
Many of today’s food labeling laws and regulations were established before anyone imagined we would be ordering food from computers and phones. As a result, the same nutrition, ingredient and allergen information that is required on food packages is not always required to be made available to online shoppers. This session will describe the current state of information access for online shoppers and opportunities to address gaps through regulatory action or new legislation.
- Eva Greenthal (Center for Science in the Public Interest)
The UK Eatwell Guide (UK EWG) provides public guidance for a healthy balanced diet, but offers no ultra-processed food (UPF) advice. Whether a healthy diet can largely consist of UPF is unclear, as no study has assessed whether the health impact of adhering to dietary guidelines depends on food processing. UPDATE is a 2×2 cross-over, randomized controlled trial. Fifty-five adults with overweight/obesity will receive an 8-week UPF diet and an 8-week minimally processed food (MPF) diet delivered to their home—both following UK EWG recommendations—in a random order. All food and drink will be provided. The primary outcome is the difference in percent weight change between UPF and MPF diets from baseline to week 8. Secondary outcomes include changes in body composition, cardiometabolic risk factors, appetite regulation, brain MRI functional resting-state connectivity, sleep quality, physical activity, physical function/strength, well-being and other aspects of behavior change/eating behavior at 8 weeks between UPF/MPF diets.
- Samuel Dicken (University College London)
SCIENCE INNOVATION SESSIONS