OUR 2026
SEMINAR PRESENTERS
SEMINAR A1
1:30 - 2:30pm
"The World of Hydrocolloids: Types, functionality and benefits to create amazing food and beverage products."
by IMCD
Embark on a hydrocolloid journey with us, exploring their diverse applications in various foods. From pectin to gellan and more, we unlock the secrets behind their versatility in beverages, yogurts, gummies, frozen treats, savory and baked goods. Discover best practices and strategies to overcome challenges, empowering you to craft innovative food products that surpass consumer expectations. We'll discuss the impact of innovation on hydrocolloids, offering a vast array of functional options to elevate your creations to the next level. Join us in unraveling the chemistry of hydrocolloids and revolutionize your approach to crafting extraordinary food products.
Speaker: Wanda Jurlina
Technical Business Development Manager, IMCD US Food, Inc.
Wanda has over 30 years of experience in hydrocolloids and is an incredible resource for our customers in developing food and beverage products. Based in California, she has worked with a wide segment of the food and beverage industry unsurpassed solutions and hands-on support.
SEMINAR A2
1:30 - 2:30pm
"The Art of the Match: Plant-Based Proteins for Innovative Applications"
by Ingredion
Consumers, especially younger generations, are increasingly choosing plant-based proteins for health and sustainability reasons. However, meeting these evolving demands and creating successful products can be challenging due to the complexity of selecting the right protein for the right application. This seminar will explore strategies for protein selection to ensure application success, focusing on real-world examples such as tortillas, cold-pressed bars, and high-moisture beverages. We will discuss how different types of pea protein and their processing methods impact functionality, texture, and overall product performance, providing insights to help developers design innovative, consumer-driven plant-based solutions..
Speaker
Canan Ozer
Associate Scientist - Global Applications​
Canan Ozer is an Associate Scientist on Ingredion’s Protein Fortification Team. Since joining in 2016, she has developed plant protein solutions for bakery, snack, alternative dairy, beverage, and confectionery applications. Earlier in her career, she gained extensive experience working with plant based flours and protein concentrates, applying them across various food systems to enhance nutritional value and functionality. Currently, she supports new product launches with specialized pea protein ingredients and plays an active role in post launch qualification processes. Canan also focuses on evaluating emerging protein technologies and developing customized plant protein solutions tailored to specific application needs. In addition, she serves as a technical lead, providing strong, hands on customer support to deliver customer centric ingredient and formulation solutions.
SEMINAR B1
2:45 - 3:45pm
"Sweet Science: Understanding the Roles of Sugars in Baking"
by Quadra
This presentation delves into the science behind sugars in baking, highlighting their roles in sweetness, browning, moisture retention, and structural integrity. Emerging trends in sugar reduction, alternative sweeteners, and polyols are explored alongside their metabolic and functional impacts. Shelf-life considerations and preservation strategies are also addressed, equipping R&D teams with practical knowledge for optimizing formulations while meeting evolving health and market demands.
Speakers: Swethashri Vijayakumar
R&D Specialist - Bakery Bars
​
Driven by a passion for healthier, smarter food, Swetha combines over five years of industry experience with a Master’s degree in Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry from McGill University. She specializes in developing and adapting functional ingredients for bakery and bar products, tackling technical challenges, changing market trends, and customer product issues with practical, science-led solutions. Her expertise ensures that products are not only innovative and functional but also scalable, reliable, and aligned with consumer needs.​
​
​
SEMINAR B2
2:45 - 3:45pm
"From Pea to Plate: Understanding Pea Starch Functionality and Formulating for Success"
by Ingredion
Pea starch is a sustainable, clean-label ingredient that delivers exceptional functionality and cost efficiency across a diverse range of food applications. With its high amylose content, pea starch provides superior gel strength and film-forming properties, enabling firm textures in processed cheese and crisp coatings for coated chicken and fries. It also offers excellent water-binding capacity for improved yield and stability for meat products, while supporting allergen-free and plant-based trends. Compared to corn, potato, and tapioca starches, pea starch stands out as a locally sourced, non-GMO, tariff-free solution that combines performance with affordability—making it an ideal choice for manufacturers seeking to optimize texture, enhance product quality, and meet consumer demand for clean-label products.
Speaker
Katelyn Meyler
Principal Technologist - Protein Fortification Applications
​
Katelyn Meyler is a Principal Technologist within the Global Product Development and Food Design team at Ingredion, where she leads innovation initiatives focused on the development of new starch-based functional ingredients. With over ten years of experience in ingredient characterization and new product development, Katelyn specializes in linking ingredient structure to application performance across a range of food systems. In her current role, she serves as a technical expert for pea starch and protein functionality in food applications, translating performance insights into customer-ready solutions.