New Zealand’s most prestigious conference for food scientists will this year feature impressive world-renowned speakers and a brand new workshop series when it opens in Rotorua on July 5.
Hundreds of people involved in the food and beverage industry in New Zealand will attend the three-day conference, run by the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology, with the Awards Dinner held at the Bay Trust Forum on the first day.
Along with Walmart’s Frank Yiannas, the conference will feature a leaders’ forum including input from Air New Zealand’s Captain David Morgan, NZ Food and Grocery Council CEO Katherine Rich, Tatua general manager John Powell, Deloitte’s Rebecca Wright, Manuka Health director Kerry Paul and Taranaki Bio Extracts CEO Rob Archibald. The topic will be ‘How Food Science and Technology is enabling our Business Success’.
A special Young Technologists’ Function on July 6 will offer junior participants in the conference the chance to network and socialise with their peers, and the Institute’s annual meeting will be held on July 5.
Conference chairman Tanya Reid says the theme this year is ‘Setting Direction – Journey from a Position of Strength’, and the five main themes are:
- Navigate the Challenges…good manufacturing practice topics such as risk, food safety, traceability, ingredient sourcing and hygiene;
- Inspired Food – the business of food…technology, market or future-driven NPD, new food trends (3D food printing, insects, meat analogue development, tailored diets, over 60s), GMO and lean NPD;
- Improving the Journey…continuous improvement topics such as six-sigma, lean NPD, change management, leadership, sourcing strategies and sensory;
- Bright Ideas Showcase…research and development, science papers;
- Sustainable Career…career development, students, wellness, leadership.
Other topics to be covered during the three days include managing the journey of today’s food supply; meat, health and the media; the food safety road code; fast-tracking NPD; product ideas for the booming baby-boomers; partnering for innovation; novel technological toolbox for food innovation; dairy directions; navigating the listeria challenge; integrating compliance to build value; IP learnings; ways to improve R&D outcomes; and GMO – Rumble in the Scientifically-Enhanced Jungle.
Speakers will include Jason Lewthwaite (BNZ), Fabian Yukich (Villa Maria Estate), Andrew McCallum (MBIE), Emily Parkes (Beef and Lamb NZ), Kate McKinlay (F&P Appliances), Dominik Alexander (EpidStat Institute), Andrew Browne (Massey University), Delphine Rapp and Adrian Cookson (AgResearch), Ian Ferguson (Ministry for Primary Industries), Gary Acuff (Texas A&M University), Brent Gilpin (ESR), Lou Sherman (Scion), Peter Stevens (GS1), Ralf Greiner (Max Rubner Institute), Miel Meyer (NZ Speciality Cheesemakers Association) and Mike Boland (Riddet Institute).
For more information on the conference, go to: http://www.nzifst.org.nz/conference
