What is the Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST)?

The Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST) is the leading qualifying body for food professionals in Europe and the only professional body in the UK concerned with all aspects of food science and technology. Our membership comprises individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, from students to experts, working across all aspects of food science and technology, and from academia through to enforcement.  It is a registered charity (no 1121681) and a company limited by guarantee (no 930776).  Read more.

How can I get involved in Love Food Love Science?

You can get involved in Love Food Love Science in many ways, perhaps by offering to write up a new food science topic, record a video demonstration, share a lesson plan, or become a mentor.  Whatever your interest and skill, just get in touch.

How can I make suggestions for new/improve Love Food Love Science teaching resources?

Drop us a line to make suggestions about how we can improve Love Food Love Science teaching resources or suggest new food science topics to cover.  Feel free to have a moan (but we hope you do not need to) if there is anything we need to improve.

What does being ‘mentored’ by an IFST mentor involve?

IFST mentors are food science and technology professionals.  They come from a wide range of backgrounds and might be working in new product development, manufacture, supply chain, retail, academia or any number of other areas but all of them are keen to support teaching of food science and technology.

There are many ways mentors can support you: how depends on the time you and your mentor have.  On occasion, mentoring may involve a school visit but, more often than not, it will take place over the telephone, Skype, or email.

Mentoring might involve a simple exchange of emails to clarify a particular issue or get an industry insight, or it might mean a series of calls and face-to-face meetings to support you and your class through a new subject area.  How you work with a mentor is up to you and the mentor concerned.

Of course, we hope your school wants to build a longer-term relationship with your mentor so you and your students can get a real understanding of the food sector, which employs 3.5m people in the UK and is worth £200bn to the UK economy.  All we ask is that you complete our short feedback surveys so we can monitor and improve Love Food Love Science.

What does being an IFST Love Food Love Science mentor involve?

Read our guidance document for IFST members who are interested in becoming Love Food Love Science mentors.