The International Union of Food Science and Technology Incorporated (IUFoST)

What The International Union of Food Science and Technology Incorporated (IUFoST) does

The International Union of Food Science and Technology Incorporated (IUFoST) is a private non-profit international scientific organization founded in 1962 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada. IUFoST serves as the global federation representing food science and technology professionals, with one national adhering body per country or territory and additional public/private association memberships for global institutes, corporations, government bodies, and NGOs. The organization holds official relations with the FAO, WHO, and Codex Alimentarius Commission, giving it formal standing in international food policy and standards development.

IUFoST's core offerings comprise three revenue-generating pillars: (1) recurring membership dues from adhering bodies and associations; (2) the biennial World Food Congress, the next edition of which is scheduled for 25-29 October 2026 in Hong Kong with Informa Markets, generating registration, sponsorship, and exhibitor revenue; and (3) the Distance-Assisted Training Programme (DATP), which delivers 12 standardized food science courses via downloadable manuals and local instructor networks. Auxiliary products include the IUFoST-FAKT online knowledge forum (8,871 registered members), Scientific Roundtable Discussions (SRDs), and a portfolio of awards and competitions (Young Scientist Awards, Lifetime Achievement, Food Sustainability Awards, Global Almond Innovation Competition).

The organization distributes content and convenes its community through multiple channels: national adhering bodies in each country, regional bodies (FIFSTA for ASEAN, EFFoST for Europe, AAU partnerships for Africa), the biennial congress, recurring webinars and roundtables with partners such as IDF and UNIDO, social media across six platforms, email newsletters, and publications including Scientific Information Bulletins and Codex documents. Governance is volunteer-led through a Board of Directors with Prof. Samuel Godefroy serving as President.

Name

The International Union of Food Science and Technology Incorporated (IUFoST)

Legal name

International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST)

Website

https://iufost.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IUFoST is the international non-profit federation of food science and technology, founded in 1962 and headquartered in Toronto. It serves national scientific bodies worldwide through membership, the biennial World Food Congress, the DATP educational programme, and the IUFoST-FAKT knowledge forum.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Scientific Association Services

akta.pro primary industry

Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) & Food Safety Regulatory Cooperation (BPADANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Safety Training & Competency Programs (HACCP, Preventive Controls) (AFALAAAN), Food Testing, Laboratory Oversight & Method Standards (HLAJAEAF)

Keywords

• Food science federation
• Scientific membership association
• Food technology education
• International scientific congress
• Food safety curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: IUFoST operates as a membership-based organization open to national scientific bodies from each country. Membership is open to all nations on the basis of one representative scientific body from each country or territory. Public and private association is open to institutes, corporations, government bodies and NGOs that are global in scope and engaged in food or food related industries/research.
2. World Congress Registration and Sponsorship: Revenue generated from the biennial World Food Congress through registration fees, sponsorships, exhibitor opportunities, and special session fees. The 2026 Congress in Hong Kong features multiple sponsorship tiers and exhibitor opportunities.
3. Educational Programs: Distance-Assisted Training Programme provides education to food industry professionals. Course participation fees support program delivery with local instructor networks.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IUFoST is a global non-profit scientific federation that advances food science and technology through membership of national adhering bodies, biennial World Food Congresses, the Distance-Assisted Training Programme (12 courses), the IUFoST-FAKT online knowledge forum, scientific roundtable discussions, and awards recognizing excellence in food science. Its customers are national scientific bodies, food industry corporations, government agencies, academia, and individual food science professionals worldwide.

Product overview

IUFoST operates as a global professional organization offering a portfolio of educational programmes, events, and knowledge-sharing platforms. The core offerings include the Distance-Assisted Training Programme (DATP) with 12 food science courses, the biennial World Food Congress (next in Hong Kong 2026), the IUFoST-FAKT Forum for online discussions, various awards and competitions, Scientific Roundtable Discussions on food science topics, publications including journals and e-books, and education initiatives such as the Global Food Safety Curricula Initiative and Visiting Professors Programme. These offerings work together to advance food science and technology education and collaboration worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Distance-Assisted Training Programme (DATP) A distance education programme providing 12 courses in food science and technology topics including Food Safety, Food Sanitation, Quality Assurance, Food Laws, Human Nutrition, Food Processing Overview, Shelf Life, Thermal Processing, Food Dehydration, Food Chilling, Food Freezing, and Food Packaging. Delivered through downloadable manuals, local course instructors, and email mentor support, with introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels per course.
• IUFoST World Food Congress Major international congress held biennially, bringing together food science professionals globally. The 23rd edition is scheduled for 25–29 October 2026 in Hong Kong, featuring scientific sessions, exhibitions, competitions, and networking activities, with multiple sponsorship tiers and exhibitor opportunities.
• IUFoST-FAKT Forum A knowledge exchange and collaboration platform facilitating discussion on food science, technology and engineering education worldwide. Features forums covering Food Processing, Food Engineering, Food Microbiology, Nutrition, and regional education groups, with 8,871+ registered members.
• IUFoST Awards and Competitions A portfolio of competitive programs recognizing excellence in food science, including Young Scientist Awards (eight nominees annually under age 35), Lifetime Achievement Excellence Award, Global Almond Innovation Competition (USD 1,000 first prize, USD 500 second, USD 300 third, plus travel awards up to USD 3,500), Food Sustainability Awards, Food Safety Without Borders Awards, Distinguished Lecturer honor, Quiz Bowl, Video Competition, and TikTok Competition.
• Scientific Roundtable Discussions (SRDs) Expert virtual and in-person roundtable sessions addressing current food science topics, including the ultra-processed foods debate, food processing in Africa, food processing impact on nutrition, and multi-continental dialogues. Sessions bring together global experts and registered participants.
• IUFoST Publications Portfolio of scientific publications covering food science and technology, including the Board of Directors Interim Report, Food 101 – Stories About Food, scientific journals, E-books (Introduction to Dehydration and Drying), and Codex Alimentarius documents.
• Global Food Safety Curricula Initiative (GFSCI) Education initiative focused on developing and promoting global food safety curricula standards across countries and institutions.
• Visiting Professors Programme Programme facilitating international knowledge exchange through visiting academic appointments in food science and technology between member institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 800+ abstract submissions received for 2026 World Food Congress
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Informa MarketscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Strategic partnership to deliver the IUFoST World Food Congress 2026 in Hong Kong. Informa Markets, a leading global events and exhibitions company, brings expertise in congress organization, connecting global food science, innovation, and industry across Asia and beyond.
• Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Co-hosting the 15th International Food Safety Forum in Beijing (23-25 April). CIFST serves as a supporting organization for the IUFoST 2026 World Food Congress and is the national scientific representative for China in IUFoST.
• International Dairy Federation (IDF)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Joint webinar on Food Processing & Sustainability addressing misconceptions about food processing's role in sustainable food systems. The webinar brought together leading experts to explore common misconceptions and the science behind food processing.
• EFFoST (European Federation of Food Science and Technology)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Joint Open Dialogue Series Scientific Roundtable on 'The Recipe for Health: How Food Processing and Formulation Shape Nutritional Value.' EFFoST and IUFoST bring together global experts to explore food processing's impact on nutrition, taste, safety, and sustainability.
• FIFSTA (Federation of Institutes of Food Science and Technology of ASEAN)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Joint Scientific Roundtable Discussion on 'Navigating the ultra-processed food debate: Scientific insights and ASEAN perspectives.' The event brought nearly 500 registrants to discuss food processing's role in food safety, nutrition, and sustainability while challenging misconceptions about ultra-processed foods.
• Association of African Universities (AAU)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Joint Scientific Roundtable Discussion on 'Advancing Food Processing in Africa: Challenges, Innovations and Opportunities.' The webinar attracted nearly 500 registrants and addressed post-harvest losses, infrastructure challenges, and scaling traditional food processing methods across Africa.
• ALACCTAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Collaboration on Webinar Between Two Continents addressing the controversy on ultra-processed foods, bringing together experts from Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Spain for a multidisciplinary perspective.
• Triptolemos FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Co-organizer of the ultra-processed foods webinar with IUFoST, providing platform for evidence-based discussion among scientists, health professionals, and administrators.
• IICA (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2024Collaboration partner for the ultra-processed foods webinar bringing agricultural perspective to the discussion.
• ACTA (Association of Food Technologies)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2024Partner in the ultra-processed foods webinar collaboration addressing the topic from multiple country perspectives.
• United Nations International Development Organization (UNIDO)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Co-organizer of the 1st Vienna Sustainable Food Packaging ConFex (VSFP) at the Vienna International Centre, 9-11 October 2024. Objective was to accelerate sustainable food packaging agenda ahead of COP30.
• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Co-organizer of the Vienna Sustainable Food Packaging ConFex focused on accelerating sustainable food packaging practices globally.
• World Packaging Organization (WPO)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Co-organizer of the Vienna Sustainable Food Packaging ConFex bringing together packaging expertise to address sustainable food packaging challenges.
• IUFoST-FAKT ForumcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024IUFoST launched IUFoST-FAKT, an exciting new knowledge platform to facilitate and recognize the crucial role of knowledge exchange, education and collaboration in advancing Food Science, Technology and Engineering worldwide.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI): Global non-profit that convenes science on food, nutrition, and sustainability with industry, government, and academic stakeholders; comparable federation-style model and policy influence ambitions.
• AOAC International: International scientific association that develops and publishes food safety and analytical method standards; overlapping scope with IUFoST on food safety curricula and method standardization.
• Institute of Food Technologists (IFT): The largest U.S.-based non-profit scientific society for food professionals, offering membership, conferences (IFT FIRST), journals, and educational content directly comparable to IUFoST's mandate.
• International Dairy Federation (IDF): Global non-profit federation of national dairy committees with a similar membership, standards-advocacy, and joint-webinar model; partnered with IUFoST on food processing and sustainability webinars.
• European Federation of Food Science and Technology (EFFoST): The European regional counterpart federating national food science societies; co-hosts Scientific Roundtables with IUFoST and competes for the same European member mind-share.

Emerging players

• Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI): Industry-led coalition that benchmarks food safety certification schemes globally; overlaps with IUFoST's training/curricula work (e.g., GFSCI) but is more industry-sponsored and certification-focused.

Broad incumbents

• Codex Alimentarius Commission: Joint FAO/WHO international food standards body with which IUFoST holds official relations; not a membership organization but the standards-setting entity IUFoST's scientific input ultimately feeds.

Regional players

• Federation of Institutes of Food Science and Technology of ASEAN (FIFSTA): ASEAN regional federation of food science institutes that co-hosts Scientific Roundtable Discussions with IUFoST; comparable federation structure serving a specific geography.
• Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST): National food science society representing Canada within IUFoST as an adhering body; co-hosts the International Food Safety Forum with IUFoST and competes for Canadian member attention.
• Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST, UK): UK-based professional body for food scientists; similar membership, publication, and continuing-education model to IUFoST at a national scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IUFoST
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@IUFoST-Official
• Facebookfacebook.com/iufost
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iufost
• Instagraminstagram.com/iufost_official
• TikToktiktok.com/@iufost

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The International Union of Food Science and Technology Incorporated (IUFoST)