Aug 17, 2023

Flavor focus of UF International Flavor Summit

Industry professionals and leading researchers in flavor science are planning to discuss how to make foods more flavorful during the International Flavor Summit in Orlando, Florida.

Scheduled for March 4-5, the summit is designed to offer those interested in learning more about the latest science and industry trends in flavor science from experts and practitioners leading the industry, according to a news release.

The University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) and the UF Center for Smell and Taste are co-hosting the three-day conference, which is scheduled to assemble global leaders in industry and science to teach and learn the latest about what makes food and drink taste great, according to the release.

In its third year, the meetings will feature topics such as flavor generation and flavor precursors, chemosensory perception and psychophysics, consumer preferences and using Artificial Intelligence to learn more about consumer trends, and natural products as sources of novel flavor compounds.

Speakers for the 2024 summit include representatives from Coca-Cola, Symrise and ADM, and other flavor experts have been invited. Speakers at past summits included representatives from ADM, IFF, Givaudan, the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Firmenich and the University of Vienna.

In addition to experts from industry, government and academic institutions speaking on topics, the conference will also include many informal opportunities to network with colleagues, a tour and special event at blueberry grower Southern Hill Farms, posters and tabletop demonstrations.

“We will pass this new knowledge along to our stakeholders, who include food and beverage companies, growers and other scientists so we can give consumers the tastiest and most aromatic foods and drinks on the market,” Yu Wang, a UF/IFAS associate professor of food science and human nutrition and Center for Smell and Taste nenber, said in the release.

Additional information for the conference, at the Holiday Inn Lake Buena Vista, Florida, can be found here.