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TO FOOD, NATIONAL, AND TECHNOLOGY EDITORS:
Institute of Food Technologists Launches FutureFood 2050 Program to
Highlight Solutions to Feed 9 Billion People by 2050
CHICAGO, April 17, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The world's largest
scientific society of individual food scientists and technologists
unveiled a sweeping new program today, FutureFood 2050, to create a
broad dialogue on how science will deliver solutions needed to feed
the world's nine billion people by the year 2050.
FutureFood 2050 is backed by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
whose 18,000 members are scientists, researchers, technologists and
food professionals from 100 countries working in academia, industry
and government. With the premise that the science of food is an
essential ingredient for feeding the world sustainably, FutureFood
2050 will highlight the people and stories leading the way toward a
healthier, safer and better nourished planet.
IFT has always been focused on publishing valuable content for its
members, food professionals and the media, including Food Technology
magazine, IFT Expert Reports, IFT Scientific Status Summaries, Journal
of Food Science, Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety
and the Journal of Food Science Education. With the launch of
FutureFood 2050, IFT has expanded its publishing mission to reach a
broader audience through its interview series and upcoming documentary
film. Under the direction of an independent editorial team, FutureFood
2050 will come to life over the coming months with 75 interviews
featuring independent-minded thought leaders around the globe. At the
same time, a documentary will be completed looking at how the science
of food will contribute solutions to feeding the world. The
documentary will provide the public with a closer, more intimate look
at the science, stories and personalities addressing this challenge.
"Many films have focused on food issues, but they often neglect or
misinterpret the role of science, sometimes relying on personal
beliefs more than facts," says Scott Hamilton Kennedy, the Academy
Award-nominated film director overseeing the FutureFood 2050
documentary, scheduled for release in mid to late 2015. "By looking
at this challenge through the unbiased lens of science, our goal is to
address critical questions surrounding food in a fair, transparent
manner that will hopefully surprise, and maybe even transform us along
the way."
From now until the film's 2015 release, the FutureFood 2050 interview
series will look more broadly at the ways that science is tackling the
world's most pressing food issues. A new website at
www.FutureFood2050.com will serve as a digital hub for the public to
follow the stories and connect science to the conversation about how
to feed the planet. An international team of editors and journalists,
including award-winning author of The Taste of Tomorrow: Dispatches
from the Future of Food,Josh Schonwald, will uncover the stories that
shape the interview series.
"Feeding nine billion people by 2050 simply can't happen without
science and technology playing a leading role," Schonwald said. "This
project will showcase leaders, thinkers, entrepreneurs and activists
who are shaping the future of food from a wide variety of perspectives
- some high tech, some not. And along the way, we hope to foster a
better dialogue about the options surrounding some of the world's most
complex, highly-charged issues."
The FutureFood 2050 interview series will tackle topics across the
food spectrum including global hunger, sustainability, health and
nutrition and food safety. Since complex issues like feeding nine
billion people by 2050 aren't just about food, the interview series
will also explore issues related to climate change, sustainability,
politics, economic factors and more. Scientists-along with cultural
influencers, policy makers, entrepreneurs, chefs, journalists and
more-will be featured.
The 75 articles will be bundled in monthly themes over this year and
next, and are available at www.FutureFood2050.com. Available
immediately are the first three articles covering the following:
-- Former Executive Director of the UN's World Food Programme,
Catherine Bertini,who is working to empower the world's women as the
missing link in global food aid programs.
-- Legendary geneticist, M.S. Swaminathan, heralded as the father of
India's "Green Revolution," saying it's time for the next step:
greater agricultural productivity without ecological damage.
-- Cutting-edge engineer, Anjan Contractor, who is bringing food
science to space travel by helping NASA feed astronauts on Mars and
beyond with 3-D food printing.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Institute of Food
Technologists-the inspiration for FutureFood 2050's interview series
with 75 global thought leaders. Since its founding in 1939, IFT has
been committed to advancing the science of food, both today and
tomorrow. In addition to IFT's peer-reviewed publishing programs, IFT
also leads a broad educational effort to educate food professionals
through its Scientific Program at the Annual Meeting & Food Expo.
Current IFT President, Janet E. Collins, PhD, RD, CFS has championed
the program along with the IFT Board of Directors who have been
guiding the organization to reach its mission of providing a safe and
abundant food supply contributing to healthier people everywhere. "We
know that now more than ever, there is a need to directly communicate
the facts about food science. By creating a compelling publishing and
communications program to deliver our message, we can make the
greatest impact for our membership and our community by showing the
great promise of the profession in the decades ahead," said Collins.
For more information, please visit ift.org or www.FutureFood2050.com .
From there you can subscribe to the monthly updates, learn more about
the project, and read the latest news on food science.
About IFT This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Institute of
Food Technologists. Since its founding in 1939, IFT has been committed
to advancing the science of food. Our non-profit scientific
society-more than 18,000 members from more than 100 countries-brings
together food scientists, technologists and related professionals from
academia, government and industry. For more information, please visit
ift.org .
SOURCE Institute of Food Technologists
-0- 04/17/2014
/CONTACT: Mindy Weinstein, 312.604.0231, mweinstein@ift.org; or Stephanie Callahan, 312.604.0273, scallahan@ift.org
/Web Site: http://www.ift.org
CO: Institute of Food Technologists
ST: Illinois
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