The Mexico Section of Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is welcoming IFT CEO Christie Tarantino-Dean and IFT President Christopher Daubert, PhD, for a three-day celebration of food science. The festivities kick off on Monday, May 12, with Daubert, vice chancellor and dean of the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri, participating in the panel “Mexico-U.S. Perspectives: The Route of Change in the Food Industry,” which will be moderated by IFT Mexico Section President Juan Vilches. The session, which will be held at the MIND Building at Board of Industrial Chambers of Jalisco, will also feature Ernesto Sanchez Proal, PhD, president of the American Chamber Guadalajara and Fernando Acosta, president of Food Industrial Chamber of Jalisco.

The following day, Daubert, Tarantino-Dean, Vilches, and IFT Mexico Section Vice President Katya De La Fuente, PhD, will serve as part of an eight-person jury for the second edition of Innovation Contest IFT 2025. Thirty-two projects were submitted by students from universities throughout Mexico, with the winner receiving an industrial prototype of their project.

“We are so excited to receive so many different concepts of new products that might be the ‘Next Big Thing’ in the food industry,” says Vilches. “Our commitment as the IFT Mexico Section is to connect the future leaders and innovators with the food industry ecosystems and also to support young talents to use food science as a driver of change in the world.”

As part of the Welcome Ceremony, Daubert will discuss “The Future of Food Science” with attendees. Earlier this year, Daubert delivered the Binsted Lecture in London at an event that was a collaboration between IFT’s British Section, the Food and Drink Federation, the Institute of Food Science and Technology, and Campden BRI, researcher of food and drink science.

“I can’t think of a more important moment to be discussing the future of food science,” says Daubert. “From breakthroughs in technology to evolving regulatory frameworks and shifts in how we educate the next generation, we’re witnessing transformation across every part of the food system. In times like these, bringing our global IFT community together is essential to driving innovation and creating a more resilient, sustainable future.”

The week then wraps up on May 14 at the IFT Mexico Section Women in Science Forum, which is being held at Panamerican University in Guadalajara. Tarantino-Dean will discuss “Women in Leadership in the Food Industry.” As IFT CEO for the last 11 years, Tarantino-Dean is reportedly widely regarded as one of the most respected leaders in the food association space. Last year, she was named the Samuel B. Shapiro Award winner for Chief Staff Executive Achievement—the highest honor bestowed on an association professional by Association Forum.  

“I’m honored to visit IFT’s Mexico Section and connect with the vibrant and dedicated members. This group embodies the passion that defines the IFT community,” says Tarantino-Dean. “I’m especially excited to shine a light on the extraordinary contributions of women in food science—past and present—who are driving meaningful change all around the world and impacting the global food system for the better.”

Originally formed in 1956, the Mexico Section of IFT is one of 46 IFT Sections that includes four non-U.S. Sections—Japan, England, and Canada. IFT Sections allow food science professionals to network with their local peers through a variety of events and opportunities.

Related: IFT FIRST to address consumer insights