Speakers

Ultra-Processed Foods
Matt Teegarden, PhD | The Ohio State University

For decades scientists, policymakers, and consumers alike have been debating the healthfulness of processed foods. This debate recently evolved with the appearance of the Nova food classification, which places foods into four categories ranging from un-processed to ultra-processed. Researchers have found correlations between ultra-processed food consumption and health outcomes such as obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Limited clinical data exist, but one trial suggests that diets rich in ultra-processed foods may lead to over-eating and weight gain. Just how strong is this evidence, and what does it all mean for the food system and future dietary recommendations? This presentation will explore the current state of the scientific data on ultra-processed foods and discuss areas where more research is needed, including perspectives relevant to the food industry. Attendees will walk away with an understanding of the complexities of ultra-processed food research and whether processing classifications, such as Nova, are productive in untangling the relationship between food and health.

Matt Teegarden, PhD is a food scientist and chemist with expertise at the intersection of food, nutrition, and human health. He currently works at the Ohio State University, leading research strategy and development in the university-wide Foods for Health Research Initiative. As part of this work, Matt manages a research portfolio that spans food and crop improvement, precision nutrition, and ingestive behaviors.

Functional Ingredients in Snacks and Beverages
Jessica Maniscalco | SPINS LLC

SPINS codes every UPC scanned at our retail partners for 583 different types of attributes, including functional ingredients. According to point-of-sale data, there has been an uptick in snacks and beverages that include health claims on the package, powered by vitamins, minerals, botanicals and more. This session will answer which health conditions and specific ingredients are growing.

Jessica Maniscalco is an accomplished Senior Retail Insights Manager at SPINS on the retail team, where she has excelled for the past six years. With a sharp focus on Natural & Organic strategies, she has forged fruitful partnerships with numerous retailers. She also leads developing custom trends content for the retail & marketing teams at SPINS. With over 10 years of experience in the natural industry she possesses extensive expertise, having worked on both the brand and data side. Driven by her passion for sharing insights and educating others about the latest industry advancements, she also enjoys fostering a culture of continuous learning.

Fireside Chat: The State of Food and Beverage Manufacturing in Ohio
Matt Inninger, Stacy Vernon, Kareem Hammuda, and Jason Shininger | Center for Innovative Food Technology

Join the team from the Center for Innovative Food Technology as they discuss the state of the food and beverage manufacturing industry in the state of Ohio, based on their time working in dozens of facilities each year. CIFT is a non-profit food science technical support and economic development organization, supporting food and beverage manufacturers in the region with food safety, engineering, and product development services as a part of the national Manufacturing Extension Partnership network.

Matt Inniger: As a process engineer who specializes in food manufacturing, Matt has over 5 years of experience in a variety of specialties, such as advanced technology commercialization, facility commissioning, process development, equipment design, robotics, and automation.

Stacy Vernon: With over fifteen years of experience in the food industry, Stacy’s background includes developing and managing food safety systems for mid to large size food manufacturing operations. She delivers business solutions and technical expertise to her clients as they work towards achieving, maintaining and improving their regulatory and third party food safety certification compliance, as well as delivering PCQI courses as a lead instructor. Stacy has over 15 years of experience in the food and beverages industry as prior to joining CIFT in 2016, she worked in food safety and quality assurance management roles.

Kareem Hammuda: Kareem is a dedicated Small Business Development Specialist at CIFT with over a decade of experience in the food industry. At CIFT, Kareem focuses on delivering targeted solutions for small businesses such as steps to production, Food brokerage services, CPG brand development, and Shopify Support services. He also works with retailers and distributors to promote Ohio brands and enhance their market presence. His work is aimed at driving growth and supporting local entrepreneurs. Kareem’s professional credentials include HACCP and PCQI certifications, and he is an alumnus of the Leadership Toledo Class of 2023. He is passionate about advancing entrepreneurial success and community development, and Kareem is committed to making a meaningful impact both professionally and locally.

Jason Shininger: Jason comes to CIFT from a 20-year career at Conagra Brands, where he improved Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and led major plant expansions, including high-speed soup and Vienna sausage lines. He implemented organizational changes, introducing standardized processes to support operational goals and plant growth. Shininger also championed Autonomous Maintenance (AM) as part of the Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) strategy, enhancing plant efficiency and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

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