Indeed, those possibilities were at the fore during the three-day conference. From the very outset, speakers strove to push the boundaries of R&D thinking, and such a mentality was at the very heart of the conference's keynote speech. Ruth DeBusk, principal with Interactive Training Media (Tallahassee, Fla.), certainly delivered with “Advancing Genomics: What it Means for New Food Product Development,” which addressed foods' potential as medicines of the future.
As consumers become more aware of their genetic makeup through genomics, they will seek foods more appropriate for their health, DeBusk believes. Genetic technology will enable self-directed healthcare of a sort, resulting in a demand for foods tailored to specific health risks identified by genetic testing. If and when this comes to pass, the mindset of consumers may well change: they now tend to contemplate negatives (cancer, high blood pressure, etc.); a genetics-influenced future could see them more concerned about the specific health positives of foods.