Food Network Host, Author Keynotes Major Food Conference

Newswise — A dash of spice, a pinch of perspective and a dollop of humor promise to enliven the keynote address at this year's Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPO® when personable television food star Alton Brown delivers his unique flair and insight here June 25.

Host of the Food Network's popular Good Eats and Iron Chef America cable television programs, Brown is also author of I'm Just Here For The Food, winner of the 2003 James Beard Foundation Award for culinary achievement in the Reference category, and other books.

Few others have proven capable of taking simple food items such as salt or barley and filling an informative, entertaining hour-long telecast on the topical origins of food equipment trends, food ingredients and the culinary customs involved in their consumption.

Brown's professional experience in broadcast production and his ever-expanding food culinary knowledge promises to make his presentation a dynamic display of pure entertainment.

Offering more than 1,000 scientific and technical presentations, this IFT Annual Meeting will feature in-depth analysis of the latest developments in food allergens, functional foods, globalization and bioterrorism, and address emerging women's health issues, obesity, foodborne illness and food safety, hot trends, and much more. Online, see ift.org/amfe for details.

Now in its 66th year, IFT Annual Meeting + FOOD EXPO® is the world's single largest annual scientific meeting and technical exposition of its kind, regularly registering up to 20,000 attendees and nearly 1,000 exhibiting companies. Rated among the largest shows in America*, the meeting and expo deliver comprehensive, cutting-edge research and opinion from food science-, technology-, marketing- and business-leaders.

* According to Tradeshow Week® magazine.

Founded in 1939, and with world headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, USA, the Institute of Food Technologists is a not-for-profit international scientific society with 22,000 members working in food science, technology and related professions in industry, academia and government. As the society for food science and technology, IFT brings sound science to the public discussion of food issues. For more on IFT, see http://www.ift.org.