Advances in food science and technology are key to solving one of the world’s greatest modern challenges: How to sustainably and safely feed and nourish a global population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050. Join the award-winning editors of Food Technology, the flagship magazine of the Institute of Food Technologists, every other Monday for Omnivore, the podcast that amplifies the voices of the international food science and technology community working to feed the world. Curated from the pages of Food Technology, each episode serves up a series of solutions-oriented content and expert viewpoints on the food industry’s most top-of-mind issues, fortified by sound, science-based analysis. Featuring lively discussion and interviews with leading food scientists and researchers, product innovators, policy makers and thought leaders from across the world of food, you’ll find the Omnivore podcast an audio smorgasbord where the business and science of food intersect.
Episodes
Artificial Intelligence in Food Science and Nutrition | EP 87 (SciDish)Aug 17, 202627:50In this special edition of SciDish, recorded live at the Hot Topics Studio stage at IFT FIRST, we’re exploring Artificial Intelligence in Food Science and Nutrition: Applications in Academia and Industry, sponsored by IFT Scientific Journals. Moderating the discussion is Richard Hartel, editor in chief of the Journal of Food Science and professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He
Marcia Walker On Food Innovation, Designing Better Ingredients at the Source | EP 86Jul 20, 202635:42Dr. Marcia Walker, director of Oregon State University’s Food Innovation Center, shares her perspective on what separates promising ideas from meaningful innovation, and what it takes to build not just better products, but stronger, more resilient food systems. Lyle DePauw, vice president of crop innovation at Cargill, discusses how advances in breeding, genomics, gene editing, and AI are helping
How Food Science Is Driving Innovation to Feed the World | EP 85 (SciDish)Jul 14, 202632:32What does it take to turn food science into a force for global good? In this episode, Food Science for Relief and Development leaders Donna Rosa and Randol Rodriguez share eye-opening examples of how simple, creative applications of food science—from small-scale equipment to culturally tailored products—are transforming food systems in some of the world’s most resource-constrained regions. It’s an
Science, AI, and Trust: Insights Ahead of IFT FIRST | EP 84Jun 22, 202635:21In this special episode of Omnivore, Anupama Joshi of the Center for Science in the Public Interest and Alon Chen, co-founder and CEO of Tastewise, join the podcast for a preview of the ideas shaping IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo, taking place July 12–15, 2026, in Chicago. Joshi, who will speak in the keynote panel Building Trust: Scientific Consensus and Policy for a Safer Food Future, explores
How AI Is Transforming Food Safety | EP 83 (SciDish)Jun 15, 202616:44In a recent cover story, Food Technology explored how artificial intelligence is helping food companies move from reacting to contamination events to predicting risk earlier—while raising urgent questions about validation, accountability, and human oversight. In this episode, we’re continuing that conversation with three of the experts featured in the story—Willette Crawford, Matt Henderson, and J
Rethinking Complete Nutrition in Frozen Foods, Plastic-Free Packaging | EP 82May 18, 202633:40Bob Little, CEO of Kanzen Meal, a subsidiary of Nissin Foods, gives the scoop on how the company is rethinking wellbeing in the frozen aisle with its line of single-serve meals designed to deliver all 27 essential nutrients the body needs each day. Packaging experts Claire Sand and Ogechukwu Tasie explore how bio-based materials, agricultural waste, and emerging coating technologies could reduce f
Winning Back Trust in Food Science | EP 81 (SciDish)May 11, 202634:02Food science has a trust problem. In this episode, we’ll explore some of the reasons why consumers are mistrustful and confused, discuss how misinformation spreads, and share thoughts on what food professionals can do to help rebuild trust in the food system. Science communication experts Linda Eatherton and Veronica Jarmillo break down some of the challenges of science communication and offer pra
Food Product Scale-Up Strategies, A New Path for Chocolate Production | EP 80Apr 20, 202638:07IFT’s Renee Leber explains how food companies successfully scale products from lab prototypes to commercial production while managing the process, equipment, and formulation challenges that emerge during plant trials. California Cultured CEO Alan Perlstein discusses how plant cell culture could transform cocoa production, offering a more sustainable, scalable, and consistent approach to meeting ri
Designing Climate-Resilient Food Systems | EP 79 (SciDish)Apr 13, 202634:08Circular food systems aim to reduce waste and retain value—but scaling them is complex. In this episode of SciDish, experts explore how upcycling, new technologies, and system-level thinking are reshaping how food is designed, produced, and brought to market.
Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by RTI International and Almond Board of California.
Trend Talking With Liz Sloan, Alt-Meat Is a Long Game | EP 78Mar 23, 202638:48Food 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 hybrid