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IFT Webinar to Explore AI Applications in Food Innovation, Food Safety
Image credit: IFT
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) will host a free webinar on August 26 exploring practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI) across the food innovation lifecycle, including considerations for implementing AI in food product development and production workflows.
The webinar, Optimizing Food Innovation in the Age of AI, will take place from 1:00–2:00 P.M. CT and will address high-value AI use cases, lessons learned from implementation efforts, and organizational, technical, and workforce considerations that can influence successful adoption.
Panelists include:
- Jay Gilbert, Ph.D., Director of CoDeveloper and Digital Products at IFT, where he leads the strategy, development, and execution of IFT's digital product portfolio. He led the launch of CoDeveloper, an AI-enabled research and development platform intended to support food and beverage innovation.
- Jeffrey Varcoe, Ph.D., Vice President of Quality Assurance and Food Safety at The J.M. Smucker Company, where he is responsible for developing and executing quality assurance and food safety strategies, policies, and procedures across approximately 20 Smucker-owned manufacturing facilities, as well as the company's broader supply chain network of copackers and suppliers. Dr. Vacroe has served on the IFT Board of Directors since 2023 and will become IFT President-elect on September 1, 2026.
- Traci Curran, Director of Product Marketing at Datacor, where she works with process manufacturers, including food, beverage, and ingredient producers, on technology applications addressing operational, regulatory, and traceability challenges.
Registration is available here.
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