Advancing Food Systems for Human Health: A Focus on Safety, Innovation, and Sustainability
Primarily online and in Washington, D.C., USA | 8-9 April 2025
ILSI U.S. and Canada will host its inaugural, hybrid Annual Meeting and Science Symposium on April 8th and 9th, 2025, online and at ILSI's offices in Washington, D.C. This event will gather leading experts, decision-makers, and researchers to discuss groundbreaking developments and trends shaping the future of food. With the next presidential administration recently taking office in the U.S., ILSI U.S. and Canada's event will provide a vital, neutral forum to explore new strategies from both American and Canadian agencies impacting national nutrition, food safety, and food security activities. We're excited to host engaging speakers and insightful presentations! Join us in Washington, D.C. as the beautiful cherry blossoms are expected to be in bloom.
ILSI is an international, nonprofit organization that fosters cooperation and collaboration among government, academia, and industry researchers. Since its inception 46 years ago, ILSI has convened crucial public-private partnerships to improve global public health.
To preview the high caliber of scientific presentations you will see at an ILSI Symposium, you can view recordings from ILSI Global's 2024 Annual Meeting and Science Symposium.
Stay tuned! Information about accommodations will be available soon.
Symposium Co-Chairs
Symposium Schedule
Opening of the Symposium
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 | 8:00 – 9:40 a.m.
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Registration/Breakfast
9:00 – 9:10 a.m.
Welcome and Introduction;
- Stephane Vidry, PhD, ILSI U.S and Canada/ILSI Global, USA
Opening of the Symposium by the Symposium Co-Chairs:
- Connie Weaver, PhD, San Diego State University, USA
- Roger Clemens, DrPh, USC School of Pharmacy, USA
9:10 – 9:40 a.m.
Keynote Presentation: The Ongoing Evolution of the FDA Human Foods Program
- Mark Hartman, Director of Office of Food Chemical Safety, Dietary Supplements and Innovation, FDA, USA
Session 1 – Accuracy and Credibility on the Use of Chemicals in International Food Markets
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 | 9:40 – 11:10 a.m.
Session Co-Chairs:
- Steve Hermansky, PhD, FDA, USA
- Kerr Dow, PhD, Cargill, Incorporated (Retired), USA
Featuring the following speakers and presentations:
- Summary of the Differences in Food Chemical Regulation Between the U.S. and Other International Markets – Kristi L. Muldoon Jacobs, PhD, FDA, USA
- Current Communication Challenges for the U.S. Food System: Why is Reality so Hard to Pin Down? – Elizabeth Anderson, PhD, Center for Research on Ingredient Safety, Michigan State University, USA
- The Reality for Consumers of the Concerns Over Chemical Food Safety – Scott Faber, JD, EWG - Environmental Working Group, USA
- The Front Lines of Communication in Today’s Social Media Environment – Jessica Steier, DrPH, Unbiased Science, USA
11:10 – 11:40 a.m. Coffee break
Session 2 – New Approach Methodologies (NAMs): What is Being Left Out?
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 | 11:40 a.m. – 1:10 p.m.
Session Co-Chair:
- Omari Bandele, PhD, FDA, USA
- Craig Llewellyn, PhD, Exponent, USA
Featuring the following speakers and presentations:
Benefits:
- Advancing Regulatory Decision-Making through New Approach Methods (NAMs) – Omari Bandele, PhD, FDA, USA
- The Importance of Partnerships for Developing Confidence in NAMs – Suzanne Fitzpatrick, PhD, FDA, USA
Hazards: (Missing Whole-Body Metabolism, Organ Crosstalk, Matrix Effects, etc.)
- What's Missing/Needed? NAMs in Toxicology – A. Wallace Hayes, PhD, University of South Florida, Michigan State University, and special employee, FDA, USA
- Humans and Foods are Complex Biological Systems that may not be Fully Captured by New Approach Methodologies – Sharon M. Donovan, PhD, RD, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
1:10 – 2:00 p.m. Lunch
Session 3 – The Future of Food Preparation: New Technologies and New Perceptions
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Session Co-Chairs:
- David Prescott, PhD, Health Canada, Canada
- Chio Saeteurn, BlueNalu, USA
Featuring the following speakers and presentations:
- Military Perspectives on 3D-Printed Food – Jonathan Blutinger, U.S. Army DEVOM Soldier Center, Combat Feeding Division, USA
- System Design for Fresh-Cooked Food in Space – Jim Sears, SATED Space, USA
- Consumer Perceptions and Acceptance of 3D-Printed Foods and Other Novel Food Technologies – Wendy Wismer, PhD, University of Alberta, Canada
3:30 – 4:00 p.m. Coffee Break
Session 4 – Supporting Healthy Aging: Diverse Perspectives on Sarcopenia and Its Integration into Practice
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 | 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Session Chair:
- Roger Fielding, PhD, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, USA
Roundtable discussion featuring the following speakers:
- Roger Fielding, PhD, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, USA
- Rosaly Correa de Araujo, MD, MSc, PhD, NIH, USA
- Suzette Pereira, PhD, Abbott, USA
- Giulia Coletta, PhD, The University of British Columbia, Canada
5:30 p.m. Reception at ILSI's Offices
Session 5 – Using AI for Advancing Food Systems for Human Health
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 | 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Session Chair:
- Cindy Davis, PhD, USDA/ARS, USA
Featuring the following speakers and presentations:
- Nutrition:
- From Data to Diet: How AI is Personalizing Human Nutrition – Jose Ordovas, PhD, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, USA
- Under the Hood: Applications of AI in Human Nutrition – Danielle Lemay, PhD, USDA/ARS, USA
- Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Food Safety Regulation – Ernest Kwegyir-Afful, PhD, RAC, FDA, USA
- Using AI to Facilitate Evidence Synthesis in Food and Nutrition Science – Amanda MacFarlane, PhD, Health Canada, Canada
- Panel Discussion
10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Coffee Break
Session 6 – Circular Agriculture; Managing Food Waste and Upcycling in Food Systems
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Session Co-Chairs:
- Catherine Field, PhD, University of Alberta, Canada
- Christina Khoo, PhD, Ocean Spray Cranberries, USA
Featuring the following speakers and presentations:
- Recapturing Value from Waste Ice Cream – John Renye, PhD, USDA, USA
- Different Ways Agriculture is Addressing Carbon Accounting – Tyler McCann, Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI), Canada
- From Better Blackberries to More Corn: CRISPR is Bringing Innovation Across the Agricultural Landscape – Aaron Hummel, PhD, Pairwise, USA
12:30 - 2:00 p.m. Lunch (A Walk on the National Mall)
Session 7 – Predicting Bioavailability for Micronutrients and Bioactives
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Session Co-Chairs:
- Connie Weaver, PhD, San Diego State University, USA
- Eric Ciappio, PhD, RD, Balchem, USA
Featuring the following speakers and presentations:
- Framework for Developing Predictive Equations for Bioavailability – Connie Weaver, PhD, San Diego State University, USA
- Thoughts on Labeling of Foods and Supplements with Respect to Iron Bioavailability – Michael McBurney, PhD, University of Guelph, Canada and Tufts University, USA
- Designing a Food and Nutrient Database that Supports Consideration of Bioavailability for Micronutrients and other Bioactives – Lisa Harnack, DrPH, RD, MPH, University of Minnesota, USA
3:30 - 4:00 p.m. Coffee Break
Session 8 – Bioactive Compounds: Safety, Benefits, and Evidence-Based Guidance
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 | 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Session Co-Chairs:
- April Stull, PhD, RDN, FAND, Baylor University, USA
- Marissa Kuehn, MS, RDN, Amway, USA
Featuring the following speakers and presentations:
- Intake Guidance for Bioactives: Expanding the Food-Based Framework to Dietary Supplements – Janet Novotny, PhD, USDA, USA
- Case Study: Establishing Dietary Guidance for Lutein – Elizabeth Johnson, PhD, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, USA
- Bioactives in Dietary Supplements: An Industry Perspective – Andrew Shao, PhD, Niagen Bioscience, USA
5:30 p.m. Cocktails at ILSI's Offices
6:30 p.m. Dinner (For ILSI U.S. and Canada Governance Committee and Science Board members)
In-Person Venue: ILSI's Offices in Washington, D.C., USA
Why Attend
ILSI's mission is to generate and advance scientific research that improves human health and well-being and safeguards the environment. Each year, we join our scientific colleagues from academia, government, industry, and civil society for state-of-the-science symposia, keynote lectures, and networking events.
Attend ILSI U.S. and Canada's Annual Meeting and Science Symposium for:
ILSI's Annual Meetings provide "...a convivial atmosphere designed to share knowledge and understandings and expand our networks."
- Philip C. Calder, Professor of Nutritional Immunology at the University of Southampton
Join the conversation on social media: #ILSIUSCanada
Questions? Email annualsymposium@ilsi.org