More than 15,000 food professionals found themselves in New Orleans for the 2011 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo, held June 11–14, when 900 exhibitors gathered to show their latest products and innovations. In a city famous for its flavor and foods such as jambalaya, etouffee, gumbo and red beans & rice, it was no surprise to see exhibitors incorporate those influences into their featured products, many of which were only modified to improve healthy traits. Grits made with a functional starch, a whole-grain Cajun pot pie and a reduced-fat Cajun-style vegetable soup were just the start, as some suppliers even experimented with such protein options as turtle and alligator, each of which were presented (along with lamb) in a pulled pork-like sandwich application.
While the flavors may have reflected the city of New Orleans, many of the formulations had health concerns front and center, be it in fat, calorie or salt reduction, or added benefits from whole grains, fiber and functional ingredients. Kicking off the show was a provocative keynote session which saw New Yorker writer Michael Specter and panelists representing the food industry examine how to change the image of food science in the marketplace.