Food Technology trend guru Dr. Liz Sloan shares her take on the defining consumer trends of 2026, which range from next-gen comfort food to snackable beverages. And John Ruff, retired senior vice president of R&D at Kraft Foods and a past president of IFT, draws on decades of product development experience to explain why alternative meat is a long game—one that will likely be defined by hybrids, mycoproteins, incremental improvements, and products consumers choose because they taste great, not because they’re told they should.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT FIRST – Food Improved by Research, Science, and Technology. Join the leading food science and innovation expo, IFT FIRST, at McCormick Place in Chicago, July 12th through the 15th, for the industry’s premier event connecting innovation, science, and business. Learn more at ift.org.

In this episode of SciDish, we sit down with Bruce Friedrich, founder and president of the Good Food Institute, to unpack his new book MEAT: How the Next Agricultural Revolution Will Transform Humanity’s Favorite Food—and Our Future, recently named one of Publishers Weekly’s Top Ten New Releases in Science. Rather than arguing against meat consumption, Friedrich explores a pragmatic question: if global demand for meat continues to rise, can science help us produce it more efficiently, safely, and sustainably? We dig into the food science and biotechnology behind plant-based and cultivated meat, the real-world bottlenecks to scaling these innovations, why conventional meat companies are investing in alternative proteins, and how policy decisions today could quietly shape the future of protein production.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT FIRST – Food Improved by Research, Science, and Technology. Join the leading food science and innovation expo, IFT FIRST, at McCormick Place in Chicago, July 12th through the 15th, for the industry’s premier event connecting innovation, science, and business. Learn more at ift.org.

With an insider’s view of how national guidance gets made, nutrition policy expert Robert Post breaks down the newly released U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, highlighting what’s truly new, what echoes past advice, and why the shifts matter. James Petrie, founder of Nourish Ingredients, explains how his company is creating animal-free fats that will allow product developers to formulate next-generation plant-based foods with better taste and mouthfeel.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by Almond Board of California.

As GLP-1 use reshapes appetite, taste perception, and eating patterns, food companies face new challenges—and opportunities—in how they design and deliver nutrition. In this episode of SciDish, experts explore what post-GLP-1 eating really looks like and how food can better support consumers across a changing nutritional journey.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by Almond Board of California.

Circana’s Sally Lyons Wyatt walks us through new research from the global consulting firm’s that reveals just how dramatically GLP-1 medications are shifting U.S. consumer eating and purchasing behavior—and how CPG brands and retailers can get ahead of increasing consumer demand. Nutrition and metabolism researcher Kevin Hall unpacks the latest science on ultra-processed foods, explaining why debates over definitions often miss the deeper mechanisms driving excess calorie intake, and explores how food scientists, nutrition researchers, and industry innovators can work together to develop healthier, evidence-based products for the future.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT Membership. It’s where you belong. As a member, you’ll enjoy a global community united by purpose and driven by science ready to make a lasting impact on the global food system. Visit ift.org/join.

Consumer trend trackers Jenny Zegler of Mintel and Michael Howard of Nichefire set the stage for the year ahead, sharing their takes on the trends that will have the greatest impact on product development and food innovation.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT Membership. It’s where you belong. As a member, you’ll enjoy a global community united by purpose and driven by science ready to make a lasting impact on the global food system. Visit ift.org/join.

In this “Best of 2025” episode of Omnivore, Food Technology revisits the top food science and thought leader interviews of the year. The AI era is unquestionably here, and it’s advancing at lightning speed. In this episode, AI “futurist” and IFT FIRST keynote speaker Steve Brown discusses the unprecedented opportunities that AI offers, its benefits for the global food system, and why it’s important to embrace its new technologies with a mindset of curiosity instead of fear. Circana’s Sally Lyons Wyatt explains why legacy food and beverage brands are under pressure to innovate, and how they’re stepping up to the challenge. Martin Hahn, a regulatory attorney and partner at Hogan Lovells, and Maha Tahiri, CEO of Nutrition Sustainability Strategies, explore how the MAHA agenda could reshape formulation, labeling, and ingredient safety strategies across the food industry in this live session recorded at IFT FIRST.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by CoDeveloper, from IFT. CoDeveloper is the first AI-powered co-scientist built BY food scientists FOR food scientists, and leverages IFT’s 85+ years of scientific excellence – accelerating your R&D processes and helping solve your toughest challenges. Learn more and book your free demo at CoDeveloper.IFT.org.

In this “Best of 2025” episode of Omnivore Presents: SciDish, Food Technology revisits the top food science and thought leader interviews of the year. In 2025, the industry experienced a sharp uptick in food recalls—affecting everything from leafy greens to frozen meals. And it was not just one culprit—Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, and even viruses like norovirus and parasites like cyclospora flooded the headlines. Is this a coincidence, or are we facing a deeper shift in our food safety landscape? With fewer federal food inspectors, rising supply chain pressures, and emerging microbial threats, the question isn’t just “what’s happening?”—it’s “what can be done?” In this episode, we’re joined by three leading food safety experts who explore why these recalls are happening, what risks might be looming, and what businesses can do to strengthen resilience—even in a time of regulatory gaps and economic volatility.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by CoDeveloper, from IFT. CoDeveloper is the first AI-powered co-scientist built BY food scientists FOR food scientists, and leverages IFT’s 85+ years of scientific excellence – accelerating your R&D processes and helping solve your toughest challenges. Learn more and book your free demo at CoDeveloper.IFT.org.