Category Archives: Uncategorized

Episode 24:The Sweet Side of Toxicology: Exploring the Safety of Artificial Sweeteners



Low and no-calorie artificial sweeteners have a long and controversial history. Originally developed to reduce caloric intake, these sugar substitutes have become a hot topic for consumers. Join host Bruce Perkins and guest experts, Drs. Gavin Thompson, Ray Matula, and Jim Coughlin, as they unravel the intricacies of artificial sweetener safety.

Beginning with a look at what artificial sweeteners are, the experts provide a brief historical overview of key sweeteners, including saccharine, aspartame, sucralose, and stevia, among others, and their presence in our food. Then, they will review the regulatory approval process for artificial sweeteners as food additives/ingredients in the United States. The discussion will conclude with a conversation regarding the assessment of sweeteners for safety vs. studies evaluating their potential health benefits.

By the end of this podcast, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the nature of artificial sweeteners and the complexities of safety evaluation.


Episode 23: DEI’s Role in Supporting a Sustainable Food Ecosystem



Join host Matt Teegarden and guest speakers Erica Jenkins, Emma Topps, and Kurt Callaghan as they explore the interconnections between accessibility and the future of the food ecosystem. Discover how Ingredion leverages diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), supplier diversity and well-being, pipeline programs, and community-driven initiatives to drive innovative solutions within their organization, helping create a more accessible, safer, and sustainable global food system for everyone.


Episode 21: Sensory Science Series- “Fast & Early” – An approachable path to the valuable consumer voice- Part 2



This is the second podcast in a sensory sciences series in collaboration with the Sensory & Consumer Sciences Division. Host Bruce Perkin and guest speakers Becky Bleibaum and Anna Leachman will be discussing tools to get rapid and reliable consumer feedback on products. This conversation highlights the advantages of consumer research, what consumer acceptance is and why it is important, how tight timelines and budgets impact outcomes, and more. 


Episode 20: Sensory Science Series- “Culinary Quantitative Description Analysis QDA” – New data from an old tool- Part 1



This podcast is the first episode in a Sensory Sciences series in collaboration with the Sensory & Consumer Sciences Division. Join host Bruce Perkin and speakers Becky Bleibaum and Heather Thomas as they discuss Quantitative Description Analysis (QDA.) QDA is a sensory tool that was developed in the mid-1970s to correct perceived problems with flavor profile analysis. During this conversation, the speakers will be covering what QDA is and how it works, QDA strengths compared to other tools, taking QDA into a new space, making sure consumer voices are not lost when using culinary professionals and more. 


Episode 19: Bird Flu – Sorting Fact from Fiction



Bird Flu is a term that is used to describe the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The first instance of HPAI in 2022 was confirmed in a commercial turkey flock in Indiana on February 3 and since then, over 50 cases have been identified across 17 states, in both commercial and backyard flocks. The records indicate that the current avian influenza outbreak is the largest we have seen since 2014–2015.
Join host Bruce Perkin and guest speaker Yvonne Thaxton as they discuss what is avian influenza, can humans’ contract it, the biosecurity measures that are in place and more!


Episode 16: Starting Your Career in the Food Space



Are you looking to start a career in the food space? Join Bruce Perkin, Armetha Pihlstrom (Senior Director of U.S. and Canada Foodservice Sales at Future Farms) and Dr. Owen Carryl (Executive Recruiter/Head of the Food Industry Practice at Kaye/Bassman International) as they discuss tips and tricks on how to nurture your career! Learn tips and tricks on how to stand out in the job market, what companies are looking for in a candidate, the importance of internships, your digital footprint and more. During this episode discover how you go the extra mile during the recruitment process. In addition to tips and tricks join an important conversation about DEI in the work space.


Episode 15: Supplier Solutions: Virginia Dare



Wellness and personal health is on our minds now more than ever. That is why Virginia Dare has named Wellness Flavors the most influential taste trend of 2022, as physical and mental health takes priority and becomes the dominant driver behind new product launches and consumer goods. During this episode, host Bruce Perkins, Philip Caputo (Virginia Dare) who leads marketing and consumer insight development, and Robert Verdi (Virginia Dare) Vice President of Business Development discuss what we see as some of the most intriguing functionally-inspired taste profiles emerging, and the inherent therapeutic properties or associations they carry. To learn more about Virginia Dare please click here. ( https://www.virginiadare.com)


Episode 13: Hacking Food Waste: A follow-up with IFT Student Competition Winners



Join host Bruce Perkins to learn more about the student group who won the Don’t Spoil It! An International Digital Hackathon in March 2021. The students share their motivations for joining the competition, the benefits from the competition, how they overcame obstacles, what they are currently working on and more.

Marcela Silva: Zamorano Pan-American Agricultural School, Nigel Kang: University of Minnesota, Sofia Sierra Zamorano Pan-American Agricultural School, Fawaz Bagoudou: Shinshu University, Chandrima Shrivastava: Empa


Episode 12: A CRISPR Food Future



Did you know it has been over 30 years since genetically modified crops were introduced for consumption? In this episode, guest Dr. Haven Baker joins us to talk about a relatively new form of gene editing technology called Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, or CRISPR. Listen in to find out how CRISPR repairs faulty genes, benefits farmers, improves crop diversity, and more.

Haven Baker co-founded Pairwise and serves as Chief Business Officer. Haven is the former Senior Vice President / General Manager of Simplot Plant Sciences, where he led the team that launched the innovative, non-browning Innate® potato. He holds a PhD in chemistry from Northeastern University, an MBA from Harvard University, and a BS in biomedical engineering from Yale University.


Episode 11: The Challenge of Water



Water is a critical resource for growing and processing food. This episode discusses the challenges we face regarding water, and present and future solutions to resolve them. Host Bruce Perkin and guest speakers Danielle Gallet and John Robinson examine different aspects of water, and how to ensure water quality and safety. What would the current water shortages in the southwest U.S. look like if it spread to the rest of the country? Are water-related problems taken seriously? How willing are consumers to reuse water? Listen as the guest speakers answer these questions and more!

Speakers:
Danielle Gallet, Founding Principal, Waterwell, LLC
John Robinson, Partner, Mazarine