AC25 (Autumn Conference) Boxset and Review

On the evening of 6 October, the IFST Autumn Conference 2025 began with a Pre-Conference Dinner and Networking event at the East Midlands Conference Centre, University Park, Nottingham. IFST President Chris Gilbert-Wood warmly welcomed attendees, setting an engaging and collegiate tone ahead of the main conference. A highlight of the evening was a pre-dinner talk from Anthony Warner, development chef and award-winning author of the Angry Chef trilogy, who shared his insights on innovation in plant-based and sustainable foods, blending expertise with wit and practical examples from his 25-year career in professional kitchens and recipe development.

The seated dinner that followed provided an excellent opportunity for delegates to connect, discuss emerging themes, and forge new professional relationships. The evening offered a relaxed but stimulating start to the conference, setting the stage for the thought-provoking sessions and discussions that would follow the next day.

The IFST Autumn Conference 2025 opened on an unmistakably high note. IFST President Chris Gilbert-Wood began the day by welcoming delegates to a landmark event, defined by both its theme, “Feeding the Future: Resilience Across the Food System,” and by a historic announcement that marked a defining moment in the Institute’s 60-year journey.

Chris announced that the Institute of Food Science and Technology has been granted a Royal Charter by His Majesty King Charles III, with the seal being attached to the vellum as of 1 October 2025. The Charter, he explained, is reserved for organisations that demonstrate excellence, integrity, and public benefit, a reflection of the Institute’s legacy, and the professional standing of every IFST member.

While the transition to full Chartered status will unfold over the coming year, the moment represented far more than a legal formality. It symbolised recognition of food science and technology as a profession vital to public trust and national wellbeing, a validation decades in the making. Chris extended thanks to past leaders and members who had worked tirelessly toward this achievement, emphasising that the honour “reflects on all of you.”

From this milestone, the day moved to an equally compelling call to purpose from Judith Batchelar OBE, who took the stage to open proceedings and chair the conference. Judith invited delegates to look beyond the day’s agenda and consider how the insights shared could translate into action and change.

Reflecting on the turbulence of modern times, political uncertainty, food insecurity, and global disruptions, she reminded the audience that “food is politics and politics is about food.” Yet her message was one of optimism and agency. With advances in science, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and growing public engagement in citizen science, Judith argued that the profession has never been better equipped to drive structural change rather than simply react to crises.

Gesturing toward the IFST history display set up in the room, she encouraged delegates to pause and consider how far the Institute had come in driving meaningful progress. The timeline, she said, was proof that structural change is possible and a reminder that the next chapter is ours to write.

With that, she welcomed the conference’s keynote speaker, Professor Tim Lang, Professor Emeritus of Food Policy at City St George’s, University of London. His address posed a stark question: Is Britain prepared for food shocks? Drawing on his recent report for the National Preparedness Commission, Lang’s answer was clear: not yet. His message, however, was one of urgency and responsibility rather than despair.

He traced how the idea of a “food system” has grown from a narrow focus on farming and nutrition to a complex web shaped by ecology, economics, and politics. Lang warned that the UK’s food supply depends on just 131 distribution hubs, efficient but fragile points of failure in a globalised network. Modern efficiency, he said, has created a system optimised for profit and speed rather than security.

His proposed framework, RSSDR (Resilience, Sustainability, Security, Defence, and Risk), outlined what true preparedness should mean: systems that can absorb, react, recover, and learn, ensuring everyone is fed well even in crisis.

Lang closed by urging a shift from self-sufficiency to food democracy. “It’s not about closing borders or feeding ourselves alone,” he said. “It’s about feeding everyone well.” In an age of intersecting crises, his call to treat food resilience as a shared civic duty aligned squarely with IFST’s mission to put science at the heart of the public good.

 

Theme 1: Education & Skill Gaps

The first themed session explored the power of education to inspire the next generation of food scientists. Robin Leaper (IFST) and Jessica Gray (University of Nottingham) launched IFST’s new Outreach Toolkit, a resource designed to empower educators, students, and professionals to promote careers in food science. Their session highlighted real-world examples of outreach success stories, from hands-on classroom activities to industry engagement events. The enthusiasm in the room reflected a shared recognition: investing in people is the foundation of a resilient food future.

 

Theme 2: Sustainability

After the networking break, the focus turned to sustainability. Sarah Wynn from ADAS delivered a deeply informative talk on Scope 3 emissions, the often-overlooked indirect impacts within supply chains. She unpacked the complexities of measurement and reporting, particularly around land use, water, and embedded carbon, offering practical insights for food businesses seeking to strengthen their sustainability strategies. Her message was clear: credible data and collaboration are key to credible action.

Next, Kate Reynolds, Senior Manager in IGD’s Resilience Programme, presented IGD’s strategic vision for a thriving UK food system. Her session connected sustainability with supply chain readiness, outlining how IGD is working with partners across retail, manufacturing, and logistics to build resilience into the fabric of the food sector. Kate’s examples from workforce resilience to environmental stewardship painted an optimistic but grounded picture of a future where industry, science, and policy can move forward together.

 

Theme 3: Novel Foods & Innovation

The discussion then turned to innovation, the beating heart of food system transformation. Simon Baty of Innovate UK explored how targeted innovation funding and cross-sector collaboration are enabling breakthrough solutions in food production, processing, and safety. His examples demonstrated that resilience and innovation are not opposing forces, but mutually reinforcing drivers of progress.

Following this, Sonalika Jain from RSSL introduced the Novel Foods Expert Network (NFX UK), a collaborative initiative designed to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape around novel foods. Sonalika emphasised the importance of clear communication and harmonised understanding between regulators, innovators, and consumers, ensuring that innovation remains both safe and trusted.

 

Sponsored Sessions

After lunch, delegates heard from industry leaders in the sponsored sessions. Ryan Rafferty of Centric Software explored digitalisation and traceability in “From Crop to Code: Resilient Food Innovation in a Digital Era,” demonstrating how data can be used to strengthen both sustainability and efficiency. James Brace from Daymer Ingredients then explored resilience in ingredient supply chains, highlighting how AI can improve demand planning and reduce costs, while emphasising that human expertise remains essential. 

 

Theme 4: Impact of Climate Change

The afternoon continued with Gareth Payne of Adamo Foods, who discussed how plant-based foods, particularly mycelium-based alternatives, can address environmental and consumer challenges in a changing climate. He highlighted the benefits of shifting from animal to plant-based proteins, including lower greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water requirements, while noting that plant-based production still faces climate-related risks. Adamo Foods uses fermentation and mycelium technology to produce scalable, nutrient-rich alternatives with realistic texture and flavour. Their Myofirm process offers significant environmental savings and potential circular economy integration, providing a sustainable, consumer-friendly pathway for next-generation plant-based meats.

 

Panel Discussion: Food Security & Resilience – Reflections and Actions

Chaired by Judith Batchelar OBE, the panel brought together Barbara Bray, Sarah Wynn, Kelly Vere MBE, and Elaine Hindal for a cross-sector conversation on resilience, skills and nutrition. The discussion underscored the shared responsibility between academia, industry and government to deliver a food system that can withstand future shocks.

Barbara Bray spoke about the importance of plant-based diets and the diversity of food and feed, while Elaine Hindal reflected on nutrition education and citizen trust. Kelly Vere shared insights into technical skills development and routes into science-based careers, while Sarah Wynn reinforced the need for sustainability frameworks that work in practice, not just theory.

The panel concluded that systems thinking and collaboration will determine whether the UK can meet its food security goals in the coming decades.

 

In the closing reflections, Judith Batchelar OBE captured the spirit of the day. She praised the scale and honesty of the discussion, remarking that if citizens had been in the room, they would have seen an industry that cares and is working to do the right thing despite immense challenges. Judith revisited several key threads: the need to focus on structural, not just tactical, change; the value of a systems approach to skills and education; and the idea that the food system must learn to self-organise rather than wait for government intervention. Her challenge to delegates was simple but personal: What will you take home and do differently?

Craig Leadley, IFST Chief Executive, closed the event by expressing pride in the institute’s recent Royal Charter status, a milestone that marks the next chapter in its history. He reflected on IFST’s heritage and its role as a bridge between science, technology and society. Craig reaffirmed IFST’s commitment to follow up on the discussions, to work with partners like the Environmental Change Institute and others, and to ensure that the next stages of the institute’s story live up to the legacy it inherits.

As the day drew to a close, one idea stood out across every session: collaboration is not a nice-to-have, but the only path forward. Whether in climate action, regulation, skills or trust, the people in the room, scientists, technologists, industry leaders and students share responsibility for shaping a food system that works for everyone.

 

See more photos from the event here:

 

Members can log in to access session recordings from AC25 below.