Omnivore

In this “Best of 2025” episode of Omnivore, Food Technology revisits the top food science and thought leader interviews of the year. The AI era is unquestionably here, and it’s advancing at lightning speed. In this episode, AI “futurist” and IFT FIRST keynote speaker Steve Brown discusses the unprecedented opportunities that AI offers, its benefits for the global food system, and why it’s important to embrace its new technologies w...

In this “Best of 2025” episode of Omnivore Presents: SciDish, Food Technology revisits the top food science and thought leader interviews of the year. In 2025, the industry experienced a sharp uptick in food recalls—affecting everything from leafy greens to frozen meals. And it was not just one culprit—Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, and even viruses like norovirus and parasites like cyclospora flooded the headlines. Is this a coinc...

In this “Best of 2025” episode of Omnivore, Food Technology revisits the top food science and thought leader interviews of the year. June Jo Lee explains how food ethnography works and how it can help food companies anticipate the kinds of culture shifts that will shape the marketplace in the years ahead. We chat with ‘Yemisi Awosan, founder and CEO of Egunsi Foods, a Harlem, New York-based food company focused on producing ready-t...

What happens when every menu and grocery aisle starts to look the same? Menu Matters’ Maeve Webster and Mike Kostyo discuss the push for simplicity, the pitfalls of trend chasing, and where real innovation will come from next. Blake Harris, managing director of IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center, talks about how the new Traceability Driver came to life, what makes it different, and why open-source solutions like this could be a ...

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Rohit Karnik, Director of Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS) at MIT—a pioneering research hub that tackles global challenges in water and food systems, and since 2014, has invested more than $25 million in transformative solutions that address food security, water scarcity, and climate resilience. One of J-WAFS’ standout collaborations is with CoolVeg. Led by Dr. Eric Verploege...

Consumer insights guru Liz Sloan unpacks the latest consumer demographic trends and how they will shape food and beverage market opportunities. Tom Adams, CEO of Pairwise, discusses the potential of the gene-editing technology CRISPR to advance agriculture and deliver bet...

Flavor trend expert Melanie Zanoza Bartelme of Mintel shares how social media, Gen Z curiosity, and a craving for comfort are redefining the tastes of 2026 and beyond. Food scientist Abbey Thiel breaks down the concept of biodiversity, drilling into why it matters in terms of sustainability, nutrition, and food security.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT Membership. It’s where you belong. As a member, you’ll e...

Scientific misinformation has become a defining challenge of our time—fueling consumer confusion, eroding public trust, and influencing policy in ways that can undermine health outcomes and industry credibility. From nutrition myths and food additive fearmongering to unscientific claims from influential voices, food professionals now face an imperative to engage with science denial—not just ignore it. In this special live podcast r...

Purdue University’s Richard Mattes chats with consulting nutrition scientist Lisa Sanders about the concept of hyper-palatability—foods designed with specific combinations of fat, sugar, and salt that may override natural satiety signals—and discuss what makes a food hyperpalatable, how researchers identify and test for it, and whether evidence exists linking hyperpalatable foods to increased consumption and poor health outcomes. P...