The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific organization committed to advancing the science of food and its application across the global food system, is hosting a free webinar that will address how AI is transforming product development workflows and enhancing speed-to-result and production efficiencies at the R&D and formulation stages. Leveraging AI for Faster Product Development Cycles will also help attendees tap into the benefits of using AI in product development cycles to discover new opportunities in early-stage development as well as ways to optimize AI-driven insights to overcome technical challenges and customized formulations based on consumer data.

The webinar, which is being held from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CDT on August 26, 2025, is sponsored by CoDeveloper, IFT’s proprietary AI-powered R&D platform. CoDeveloper delivers science into the product development process, accelerating formula development and overcoming technical roadblocks. Built by IFT’s team of food scientists for food scientists, it harnesses the computing speed of AI to connect users to IFT’s 85-plus years of peer-reviewed research and published content while they’re developing market-competitive products.

“Providing this cutting-edge education to the food system community is essential as we look to the future,” said Christie Tarantino-Dean, CEO of IFT. “AI is quickly becoming a necessary tool to operate efficiently and accelerate innovation. IFT is proud to be at the forefront of this transformation, and we are excited to help the community leverage AI tools, like CoDeveloper, to create a safer, smarter, and more sustainable food future.”

Webinar panelists will include Mohamed Badaoui Najjar, PhD, R&D Senior Director of Digital Transformation & Global Specifications at PepsiCo; Michael Slater, Technical Director of Consulting at Improving; and Jay Gilbert, PhD, Director of Scientific Programs & Product Development at IFT.

Mohamed Badaoui Najjar partners across PepsiCo beverages R&D, supply chain, operations, and IT organizations to guide the design and delivery of the R&D tools of the future. He has 15 years of global industry experience, starting his career as a product developer. Michael Slater, meanwhile, leads consulting teams at Improving, a technology management and consulting services firm. Over his career, he has held a variety of software development positions in business intelligence, video game development, and coding bootcamps.

A former IFT Student Association (IFTSA) member, Jay Gilbert joined IFT in 2017 where he supported Divisions, IFT’s topical, interest-based groups. Gilbert now leads IFT’s new product development program and is the product lead for CoDeveloper, which was unveiled to the world last month at IFT FIRST, IFT’s annual food science, research, and technology event. To learn more about this revolutionary new R&D tool, go to https://codeveloper.ift.org.

Also at IFT FIRST, keynoter (and futurist) Steve Brown addressed how AI acceleration will redefine the next five years, a topic and session that he previewed in this exclusive IFT Brain Food Blog.

To learn more about the impact of AI on food and product development, register for the webinar here.

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.

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"IFT is proud to be at the forefront of the AI transformation, and we are excited to help the community leverage AI tools like CoDeveloper to create a safer, smarter, and more sustainable food future." - IFT CEO Christie Tarantino-Dean