Rooms 48, 50-51
"A Holistic, Data-Driven Approach to Emerging Food Risks"
Rooms 48, 50-51
"Flavor Strategies for Functional Beverages"
Rooms 52-53
"Exploring Consumer Trends & Growth Opportunities in the Biotics Space"
Rooms 48, 50-51
"Beyond Olive and Avocado: Why Macadamia Oil Is the Next Frontier in Culinary and Functional Fats"
Rooms 52-53
"The Circular Economy in Food: Waste to Resource Innovations"
Rooms 48, 52-53
"Behind the Label: Irreverent Insights from the Food Frontlines"
8:30-9:30 AM
The food industry faces a constant barrage of new threats. Are you prepared? This keynote unveils a powerful, holistic framework - built on risk mapping, proactive strategies, and robust mitigation - to defend your business.
Discover how a structured data-driven approach can anticipate and neutralize emerging risks before they impact your bottom line. We'll explore cutting-edge techniques in risk mapping and predictive analysis, turning real-time market data, regulatory foresight, and scientific insights into your strategic advantage.
Learn to identify unregulated threats and navigate the complexities of evolving global supply chains influenced by climate, consumer shifts, and geopolitical factors. Equip yourself with actionable strategies to build a resilient food safety future. Don't just react - proactively defend your business.
Director - Scientific Affairs, North America Global Key Accounts, Mérieux NutriSciences
Dr. Erdogan Ceylan, PhD, is the Director - Scientific Affairs, North America Global Key Accounts at Mérieux NutriSciences. A seasoned food scientist with 30 years of experience, Dr. Ceylan is an expert in process validation, challenge and shelf-life studies, foodborne pathogen detection, and microbiological risk assessment.
He consults on FSMA, HACCP, and sanitation, and oversees Mérieux NutriSciences' select programs. A recognized authority, Dr. Ceylan has presented globally, contributed to the "Compendium of Methods for the Microbiological Examination of Foods," and published extensively. He is an active member of IAFP and IFT, and a recipient of the 2015 Frozen Food Foundation Research Award. Dr. Ceylan is dedicated to providing expert insights to the global food and beverage industry.
9:40-10:30 AM
We will focus on how flavor formulation drives innovation in functional beverages like nootropic, adaptogenic, and prebiotic drinks. We start with a market overview to highlight consumer expectations, flavor trends, and growth categories.
From there, we'll explore how flavor houses like Aromatech develop solutions that work with challenging ingredients. Instead of simply masking, we'll look at how smart pairing and trending profiles (botanical, citrus, spice, fermented, etc.) can enhance the sensory experience while aligning with wellness positioning.
The presentation will close with a look at the regulatory context that influences how these flavors are described and marketed. Designed for R&D and marketing teams, this session connects flavor strategy with technical formulation and go-to-market execution.
Marketing Project Specialist, Aromatech USA
With a diverse background in sales and marketing, Nicolas has had the opportunity to make a difference through his internships, where he refined his skills through various hands-on experiences and has built a strong foundation in marketing, digital marketing, sales, and management.
Flavor Applications Technologist, Aromatech USA
Eleni Sullivan is a graduate from the University of Florida with her degree in Food Science. She has a background in product development and is currently the Flavor Applications Technologist at Aromatech. Eleni demonstrates their flavors as mock final products in applications like bakery and craft beverages and also helps innovate and develop new flavors for food and beverage companies.
Whether it be inside or outside of the lab, Eleni enjoys flavor chemistry as a passion and profession.
10:35-11:20 AM
Discover the latest consumer trends shaping innovation in the biotics space and the emerging opportunities for food, beverage, and supplement manufacturers. Gain access to real-time, proprietary research that reveals where consumer interest is headed, and learn strategies to stay ahead of the curve.
VP of Marketing & Nutrition Affairs, COMET
Hannah has over a decade of experience working within the intersection of nutrition and business. As a Registered Dietitian and a Monash Low FODMAP Certified RD, Hannah uses her expertise in nutrition to direct COMET's clinical trial strategy, educate customers on Arrabina's health claims, and tell its ingredient story.
Before joining COMET, Hannah worked at global market research and public relations firms, providing nutrition consulting for the leading food, beverage, and food service brands.
9:40-10:30 AM
As consumer demand for clean-label, sustainable, and health-forward ingredients accelerates, the limitations of traditional oils are coming into focus. Macadamia oil offers a compelling solution for formulators and culinary professionals seeking better performance, nutrition, and environmental alignment.
With up to 85% monounsaturated fats, an exceptionally high smoke point, and a naturally neutral flavor, macadamia oil delivers superior oxidative stability and clean sensory profiles ideal for dressings, snacks, and cooking oils.
This presentation, led by the CEO of Jindilli Farms, will explore macadamia oil's commercial and nutritional advantages versus olive, avocado, and seed oils, while highlighting its regenerative agriculture story. Attendees will learn how this underutilized oil can enhance product functionality, meet evolving consumer values, and unlock new opportunities in both packaged foods and foodservice innovation. Join us for an inside look at the next-generation oil poised to reshape the premium fats landscape across categories.
CEO, Jindilli Farms
Morgan Roy is the CEO of Jindilli, a family-owned company specializing in regeneratively farmed macadamia oil products. With a background in sustainable agriculture and product innovation, Morgan leads Jindilli's mission to deliver high-quality, eco-friendly skincare and culinary oils, bridging Australian farming traditions with global wellness markets.
10:35-11:20 AM
This session explores how circular economy principles are being applied to the global food industry - transforming food waste into valuable resources, redesigning supply chains, and rethinking consumption.
Participants will learn about the latest innovations, business models, and policies that are helping to close the loop in food production and consumption.
Technical Development Director, SGS North America
As the Food Technical Development Director at SGS, Jennifer has over 25 years of industry experience and is passionate about helping companies grow and succeed.
She specializes in Food and Product Safety Management Systems with particular expertise in all things associated with certification, including training and project management. Jennifer has a commitment to excellence, a positive can-do attitude and is always looking for opportunities to develop solutions to meet the needs of clients.
Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys hiking, volunteering, creating new recipes from leftovers, and spending time with her family
11:30 AM-12:30 PM
Also known as "Truth, Tea, and Transformation"! Join us for a refreshingly unscripted finale where three seasoned food industry insiders pull back the curtain on the food industry's "messy middle."
This isn't your typical closing panel - there's no moderators, no slides, and absolutely no sugarcoating. Just three women in leadership sharing what most only dare to think: the contradictions we navigate, the norms we quietly rewrite, and the behind-the-scenes stories that rarely make it into keynote talks.
With candor and a touch of irreverence (and tea), we'll challenge one another - and our audience - to reimagine how food science leadership can look and feel. This is truth-telling with purpose, storytelling with punch, and a call to action wrapped in camaraderie. A fitting and spirited close for those ready to lead food science forward - with clarity, courage, and just the right amount of disruption.
An accomplished food safety expert who serves as CEO of Alliance for Advanced Sanitation, combining 20+ years of industry experience with academic expertise in food microbiology and a passion for both sustainable food systems and gifted education advocacy.
A renowned food scientist, Candy Hall of Famer, and founder of Victus Ars & Institute of Confectionery Excellence who brings creative expertise to candy development while balancing serious technical knowledge with a playful approach to confectionery innovation.
A reformed food scientist and founder of Corvus Blue LLC who serves as a senior lecturer at Johns Hopkins University, specializing in food safety regulation and product development, while influencing how food scientists think and serving as a trusted advisor to scientific and industry organizations around the world.
Chicago Section IFT
P.O. Box 926
Lombard, IL 60148
630-916-4960
info@chicagoift.org
© Institute of Food Technologists
Chicago Section IFT | Privacy Policy
