Gourmet News

F&B@Sea Sets 2024 Conference Program in Miami

Published February 13, 2024

F&B@Sea, the one-of-a-kind experience for the cruise food and beverage ecosystem, has unveiled details of its 2024 conference program. The conference beckons industry pioneers and cruise lines to converge at the Mana Wynwood Convention Center in Miami from April 10-11 to explore the latest trends and innovations shaping the future of cruise F&B.

The conference sessions promise a deep dive into evolving consumer trends, the burgeoning demand for local sourcing, and the profound impact on F&B preferences aboard cruise ships, all while addressing the growing necessity for sustainable practices within the industry.

Kicking off with the State of the Industry Keynote: Navigating the Cruise F&B Supply Chain, on 10 April from noon to 1 p.m., attendees will delve into the intricate dynamics of cruise F&B supply chains. The keynote will spotlight discussions on sustainable sourcing, F&B supply/demand dynamics, and the evolving landscape of local procurement in global destinations.

Following the keynote, attendees can expect enlightening sessions on Local Flavors, Global Appeal and The Evolution of Specialty Restaurants on Board. These sessions will explore authentic cultural food experiences, immersive dining concepts, and the rise of local culinary options—three of the top trends forecast to dominate the period of 2024/25, as outlined in the latest Cruise F&B Trends Report.

A highlight of the program includes a groundbreaking cruise Supplier Workshop: Conscious Trends Shaping Cruise F&B Supply & Demand, curated in partnership with the Plant Based Food Association. Scheduled for April 11 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., this workshop is designed to empower current suppliers, and new entrants to the cruise sector alike, in meeting the escalating demand for sustainable practices, products, and supply within cruise F&B operations.

“We are thrilled to unveil our 2024 conference program, which promises to be a transformative event for the cruise industry,” said Chiara Giorgi, Global Brand and Event Director for Seatrade Cruise. “This conference represents a unique opportunity for industry leaders to come together, share insights, and chart the course for a more sustainable and innovative future in cruise F&B.”

View the full program here.

After successfully launching in March 2023, F&B@Sea returns with more vendors, more produce, and more variety with over 100 F&B suppliers taking part at the live marketplace. Attendees can also expect a host of new features and immersive brand activations alongside the inaugural F&B@Sea Awards on April 11. F&B@Sea will run alongside the world’s largest cruise conference & exhibition, Seatrade Cruise Global (April 10-11, Miami Beach Convention Center) with shuttle buses running regularly between the two events.

For more information on F&B@Sea or to register, visit www.seatradecruiseevents.com/fnbsea

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Bell Flavors & Fragrances Announces Promotions

Published February 13, 2024

Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. announced strategic promotions within the company’s Flavor and Fragrance divisions as well as Consumer & Sensory Science and Customer Service departments at its global headquarters in Northbrook, Ill.

“Bell Flavors & Fragrances continues to grow thanks to the strategic leadership of these individuals and the impact their teams are having on employee engagement and the customer experience,” said Ron Stark, president & CEO.

Benjamin Stanley, CRC has been promoted to director of sweet applications at Northbrook. In his new role, Stanley will continue to grow Bell’s sweet dairy business and serve as lead technical support. He will also co-lead a cross-functional team leveraging Bell’s more than 110-year-long intellectual property legacy by curating internal technology capabilities and expanding them to new applications.

Stanley holds a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts from Kendall College and a master’s degree in Innovation through Northeastern University’s D’Amore McKim School of Business. He is certified as a research chef by the Research Chef’s Association.

Vuk Levakov has been promoted to senior director of beverage applications at Northbrook.

Levakov will continue to manage Bell’s beverage applications team and collaborate with cross-functional partners to develop and execute strategic plans. His additional responsibilities involve creating efficient processes and procedures for the team and improving the customer experience for Bell’s beverage clients.

Vuk holds a master of science degree in food science and human nutrition from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Andrew Petrouhas been promoted to flavorist, Savory Lab manager at Northbrook.

Petrouhas will lead day-to-day operations of Bell Flavors & Fragrances’s Savory Lab and spearhead the development of savory innovations and commercial projects to deliver best-in-class results to Bell’s customers. He will also continue training and educating a new generation of future flavorists.

Petrouhas holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and in 2023 became certified member of the American Society of Flavor Chemists.

Melissa Scharoff has been promoted to junior perfumer and fragrance evaluation manager at Northbrook.

In her new role, Scharoff will begin working as a Junior Perfumer, creating fragrances under the guidance of the Perfumery Team while continuing to work as a Fragrance Evaluator within the Fragrance Development Team.

Scharoff holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Rochester and was recently accepted as a member of the American Society of Perfumers.

Karen Graves has been promoted to vice president of shared technical services at Northbrook.

Graves will lead the development and execution of the strategic vision and best-in-class service levels for Bell’s Technical teams. Graves will also co-lead a cross-functional team leveraging Bell’s over 110-year-long intellectual property legacy by curating internal technology capabilities and expanding them to new applications.

Graves earned her bachelor’s degree in food industry and business and master’s degree in food science, specializing in sensory science, from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I). She also holds a certificate in business administration from U of I.

Susan Payton has been promoted to vice president of customer service at Northbrook.

Payton will be at the forefront of elevating customer satisfaction in her new role, overseeing and guiding Bell’s customer service operations. Her responsibilities include devising and executing strategies to enrich the customer experience, efficiently addressing challenges and fostering ongoing enhancements in Bell’s customer service processes.

Payton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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IFT to Hold Webinars on Food Additives, GRAS Status

Published February 12, 2024

The Institute of Food Technologists, a nonprofit scientific organization with global members spanning academia, government and industry, is hosting a webinar on “Additives: State-Level Actions, National-Level Impacts” that will be held on Friday, Feb.16 from noon to 1 p.m. CT. The webinar will address the complex and confusing environment food scientists are currently facing as stakeholders increasingly focus on food additives safety.

Specifically, the webinar will focus on the recently passed California Food Safety Act and related legislation in Illinois (SB2637) and New York (S6055) banning brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben and red dye #3. Illinois is also expected to pursue banning titanium dioxide as part of the Illinois Food Safety Act.

Recently, IFT weighed in on the potential impact of the proposed Illinois Food Safety Act in public comments that can be found here.

“In a complex world where consumer groups, state-level legislations, and the FDA all seek to identify, review and prioritize food additive safety, it is essential for food scientists to understand the concerns, science and implications of the resulting actions,” said IFT Chief Science and Technology Officer Bryan Hitchcock. “This webinar will help attendees gain clarity on what they should be thinking about related to these proposed and active bills, which could have far-reaching impacts that will create a variety of challenges.”

Food toxicology experts Craig Llewellyn, PhD, and James R. Coughlin, PhD, will offer their perspectives on the history and widespread implications of the state-level actions on food products, supply chains, and businesses, as well as the significant challenges and opportunities for U.S. food scientists related to the state-level legislation.

To register for “Additives: State-Level Actions, National-Level Impacts,” go to https://info.ift.org/additives-lunch-and-learn.

The webinar is presented by IFT’s Concierge Service, which helps companies address the implications of the California Food Safety Act and similar bills, provides regulatory assistance with new and imported products, supports conquering product development hurdles, identifies and consolidates existing research, and assists with other time-sensitive tasks. IFT’s Concierge Service provides teams on-demand access to trained food scientists and other experts. To learn more, go to www.ift.org/concierge-service. To learn how IFT’s Concierge Service helped Eagle Foods and Daily Harvest save time and speed innovation, check out this Brain Food Blog.

GRAS Webinar

IFT will also host “Decoding GRAS: Regulatory Understanding in the New Product Development Process,” a free webinar that will explore the intricacies of GRAS determinations during the product development process. The webinar, which is open to the public, will be held Friday, March 1, from noon to 1 p.m. CT. GRAS, which stands for “Generally Recognized as Safe,” is a designation applied to ingredients that have been recognized as safe by qualified experts. The upcoming webinar will provide key insight to the regulatory journey of determining an ingredient as GRAS and will equip food and beverage professionals with the skills needed to efficiently navigate the process.

The webinar will feature former FDA official Stephen Gendel, PhD. An internationally recognized expert on food safety, assessing new food products, and food policy and regulation, Gendel brings with him over two decades of experience advancing science and policy in the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. As the first FDA Food Allergen Coordinator, he contributed to the creation of agency policies, guidance documents, and regulations.

“Understanding the complexities around GRAS ingredients is essential in the product development process,” added Hitchcock. “The GRAS webinar will provide indispensable knowledge that food and beverage professionals can use to strategically tackle this consequential step in the product development journey.”

To register for the “Decoding GRAS” webinar, go to https://www6.ift.org/Ecommerce/Meetings/MeetingDetail?productId=63618777.

The Institute of Food Technologists is a global organization of over 11,000 individual members from more than 100 countries committed to advancing the science of food. Since 1939, IFT has brought together the brightest minds in food science, technology and related professions from academia, government, and industry to solve the world’s greatest food challenges.

IFT works to ensure that its members have the resources they need to learn, grow, and innovate to advance the science of food as the population and the world evolve. IFT believes that science and innovation is essential to ensuring a global food supply that is sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible to all. For more information, visit ift.org.

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