The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific association committed to advancing the science of food and its application across the global food system, has released a white paper on Building a Future-Ready Science Workforce to Address Food and Nutrition Security Challenges that explores four key competency areas: artificial intelligence, regulatory and policy literacy, systems thinking and leadership, and science communications. Among the key needs identified across all competencies were faculty training, interdisciplinary collaboration, applied learning with real-world case studies and projects, and accessible continuing education for professionals.

The white paper is the result of a virtual roundtable discussion organized by IFT’s Food & Nutrition Security Steering Committee (FNSSC). The roundtable included more than 30 food leaders across industry, government, academia, and non-governmental organizations. This is the fifth virtual roundtable discussion organized by FNSSC since its establishment in 2021—previous roundtables focused on climate change, biofortified crops, food loss, and processing technologies.

“A skilled and adaptable workforce is essential for achieving global food and nutrition security, but preparing the scientific workforce for the future has become increasingly challenging due to a variety of factors, including rapid technological advancement and social change,” said Brendan Niemira, PhD, IFT Chief Science and Technology Officer. “This white paper provides a practical roadmap for preparing a workforce that can successfully navigate emerging technologies like AI, understand the increasingly complex policy landscape, communicate science effectively, and solve challenges through systems thinking.”

Download the white paper.

Earlier this year, IFT released the 2026 Compensation and Career Path Report examining career trends in the science of food including compensation, job satisfaction, and workplace challenges. The free resource—featuring exclusive data, detailed breakouts, and actionable insights—is an invaluable tool for veteran and novice science of food professionals, HR managers in food and beverage organizations, as well as food science academia and students.

The report is based on more than 5,000 survey responses from the global food science community with the first survey IFT compensation survey dating back to 1966. The latest survey includes data on compensation and career trends across various job titles and functions in the food industry, academia, government, and nonprofits. It also covers salary breakdowns by geographic region, job function, gender, race, and more.

Download the Compensation and Career Path Report.

To learn more about IFT, go to www.ift.org.

About Institute of Food Technologists

Since 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has served as the voice of the global food science community. IFT advocates for science, technology, and research to address the world’s greatest food challenges, guiding our community of more than 200,000. IFT convenes professionals from around the world – from producers and product developers to innovators and researchers across food, nutrition, and public health – with a shared mission to help create a global food supply that is sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible to all. IFT provides its growing community spanning academia, industry, and government with the resources, connections, and opportunities necessary to stay ahead of a rapidly evolving food system as IFT helps feed the minds that feed the world. For more information, please visit ift.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260824327182/en/

"A skilled and adaptable workforce is essential for achieving global food and nutrition security, but preparing the scientific workforce for the future has become increasingly challenging." - Brendan Niemira, PhD, Institute of Food Technologists