Sharon Natoli: Speaking with Confidence

A Short Course for Aspiring Female Leaders in Food Science

3 x 90 minute online sessions for female food scientists. Sessions will be held fortnightly over a period from 3rd February - 3rd March 2026. Registrations are limited so be quick!

Course outline-

Session 1: Identity (3rd Feb)

• Why confidence matters
• Barriers to confidence
• Intention setting
• Self-talk diagnostic exercise

Session 2: Clarity (17th Feb)

• Shifting from confusion to clarity
• Prototyping your message vs perfecting it
• Identifying your point – cutting through the clutter
• The PEA structure
• Expansion and contraction of the PEA structure to achieve different outcomes
• Speaking clearly and confidently off the cuff

Session 3: Agency (3rd March)

• Reducing nervousness
• Using body language to develop confidence
• Tone – avoiding upspeak
• Speaking exercise

ABOUT YOUR PRESENTER:

Sharon Natoli helps individuals, teams and leaders find their voice, grow their presence and ignite their influence by speaking up with confidence.

Sharon has 30 years experience in one on one counselling, communication, media and spokesperson roles, and as an advisor to organisations in the food sector assisting brands find their voice through key message development. Her professional experience is complimented by her personal understanding and empathy about the internal barriers that hold people back from speaking up and sharing their thoughts, ideas and opinions with confidence.

Sharon’s philosophy is that speaking up is a critical ingredient for demonstrating leadership readiness and making the career contribution you'd like to make.

20th NZOZ Sensory and Consumer Science Symposium

10–12 February 2026 - Batman's Hill on Collins, Melbourne

The vision of the NZOZ Sensory Symposium is to provide a vibrant, welcoming, and collaborative platform that unites the Sensory & Consumer Science communities across Australia, New Zealand and the wider South Asian region. Our goal is to foster networking, exchange ideas, and keep the community up to date with the latest developments, supporting both students and professionals.

The theme for the 20th Symposium, “Exploring the Experience,” is designed to inspire discussion, broaden perspectives, and uncover new angles in sensory and consumer science. Our keynote speaker, Professor Liesbeth Zandstra, brings unique expertise from both academia and industry, working to understand food reward behaviour and how multisensory product experiences can shape healthier choices. The workshop series complements this by offering perspectives from different lenses including historians, coffee specialists, and dietitians, expanding how we think about sensory science in practice.

Our discipline thrives on collaboration: uniting cross-disciplinary perspectives, connecting research with practice, and building partnerships between universities and industry. Whether it is partnering with chefs to understand consumer responses, aligning sensory measures with roasters’ quality attributes in coffee, or learning from food historians and industrial engineers about how eating practices have evolved, collaboration drives innovation and impact.

This milestone 20th anniversary highlights not only the strength of the Australian and New Zealand community but also a growing number of international participants from neighbouring Asian regions.

The Symposium provides an excellent platform to:

• Interact with international leaders in sensory and consumer science

• Learn about the latest developments in research methods and applications

• Network, share ideas, and strengthen professional connections

Keynote speaker:

Professor Liesbeth Zandstra, is the Consumer Science Capability Lead at Unilever Foods Innovation Centre Wageningen and Professor of Food Reward and Behaviour at Wageningen University and Research (The Netherlands). Her research focuses on scientific challenges to find new ways to make the healthy and sustainable choice the preferred choice. 

• From perception to behaviour: Designing multisensory product experiences to drive healthy choices.
• From lab to real-life: Understanding product experience and choice across time and contexts

Workshops:

Elizabeth Anya-Petrivna, National Trust of Australia

Sensory through an Australian Senior Curator Lens

Exploring how cultural perspectives shape our experience of dining in multisensory environments. Understanding dining as a cultural and sensory experience through history and curation.

Allan Yeh, Code Black Coffee Roasters

Sensory through a Coffee Specialist Lens

Demonstrating practical ways in which Code Black Coffee maintains consistency, upholds quality and pushes quality standards higher than our competitors.

Emma Stirling, Australia Catholic University

Sensory through a culinary nutrition lens.

Explore how sensory and consumer science can inform culinary nutrition interventions across diverse populations. Drawing on global learnings and case studies, this session bridges food science with culinary nutrition.

The program will feature keynote speakers, presentations, and interactive workshops. We strongly encourage participation from students, who form the next generation of our field.

Registration includes: full symposium access, meals during the event, and two dinners (10th & 11th February).

For further details including the NZOZ Program please visit our website HERE 

Food Science Fundamentals

Virtual Short Course

The aim of this course is to familiarise food industry staff on the basic principles of food science.

Understanding the language used to assist communication with other staff and customers. Identify how food science impacts and supports their non-science role. 

This course will be delivered virtually, and the content includes:

• What is Food Science?
• Food Policy & Regulations
• Food Chemistry – the building blocks
• The Future of Food
• Food Microbiology
• Nutrition – food and the human body
• Food Processing
• Innovation
• Sensory & Consumer Science
• Food Safety
• Food Safety Culture

The course is held over four (4) afternoons:

• Thursday, 12th February 2025 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (AEDT)
• Thursday, 26th February 2025 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (AEDT)  
• Thursday, 12th March 2025 2025 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (AEDT)
• Thursday, 26th March 2025 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (AEDT)

Only 30 places available.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the interactive nature and long hours these sessions will NOT BE RECORDED and you are expected to be in attendance to gain the most from this course.

AIFST Member Update: Year in Review & What’s Ahead for 2026

Join the AIFST Board and Team for our upcoming Member Update — a one-hour online session designed to keep members informed, connected and involved.

This interactive update will reflect on key achievements from the past year, outline priorities for 2026, and show how our work aligns with the 2025–2027 Strategic Plan.

Members will also have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the Board and AIFST team.

What to expect:

• A snapshot of the year in review
• Key initiatives and priorities for 2026
• Live Q&A with the AIFST Board and Team

Whether you’re a long-standing member or newly joined, this is your chance to stay across what’s happening at AIFST and what’s coming next — all in under an hour.

Webinar: Food safety 2026 – What’s ahead

Ensuring that Australian consumers have access to a safe food supply is a complex and multifaceted task. As professionals in food science and technology, we recognise and understand the numerous challenges facing the food processing sector – including managing food hygiene and safety, compliance with food labelling requirements, avoidance of food fraud, and securing timely access to data along the food supply chain.

In contrast, consumers are inundated with often contradictory messages about ultra-processed foods, GMOs, novel food items, food additives, and the influence of artificial intelligence in food design.

This webinar will explore some of the challenges ahead in 2026, with a focus on food safety, food fraud, and allergens. Our four expert speakers will present key issues that will test our industry in the coming year, followed by a question-and-answer session where attendees can voice their concerns and engage in discussion.

Join us for an insightful exploration of the future of food safety!

Format:

4 speakers addressing food safety – trends, challenges, solutions, etc (10 minutes each) – Jasmine Lacis-Lee, Clare Winkel, Craig Shadbolt, and Deon Mahoney

Topics – Allergens, food fraud, regulations, and food safety

Webinar: A day in the life of a Food Scientist

What does a food scientist actually do each day?

From product development and food safety to regulation, quality, sustainability, and innovation, food science offers a diverse and dynamic range of career pathways across industry, government, and research.

In this interactive virtual careers webinar, Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) brings together food science professionals to share an authentic, behind-the-scenes look at their working lives. Speakers will walk participants through a “day in the life” of their role, highlighting real-world tasks, challenges, decision-making, and the skills required to succeed.

Participants will gain insight into:

• What a typical working day looks like in different food science roles
• How technical knowledge is applied in real workplaces
• Career pathways, progression opportunities, and transferable skills
• The diversity of sectors employing food scientists, including manufacturing, regulation, consulting, research, and auditing
• Practical advice for students and early-career professionals considering a career in food science

Our Speakers:

• Greg Hill – Product Development
• Louise Macan (Goodman Fielder) – Regulatory
• Roz Clarke (Goodman Fielder) – Sensory
• Alison Wright (Aryzta) – Food Safety and Quality
• Belel Rathborne - IT / Data science

The session will include short presentations followed by a live Q&A, providing attendees with the opportunity to ask questions and gain practical career advice directly from experienced professionals.

This webinar is ideal for students, graduates, early-career professionals, educators, and anyone curious about careers in food science and technology.

WA Branch Social Sundowner

The WA Branch warmly invites members and non-members of the AIFST to join in for a casual night of networking and connections.  All formalities can be left behind as this is a night to connect (or re-connect) with others in the Food Science and Technology community.  Come for a little, or stay for a while, it’s totally up to you.

When:  Thursday, February 26th 2026.  From 5.30 pm till 7.30 pm

Where: The Station, South Perth.

Cost: No cost to rock up and connect, but if you get thirsty or hungry there are many options to purchase your own food and beverages.   

RSVP:  Please show your interest by registering (no charge) via the register button so we have an idea of how many to expect in attendance. 

Engage 2026: A hybrid education program for tertiary

food science students

Engage 2026 is an opportunity for tertiary food science students to come together to connect and learn from industry and academic leaders from across the agrifood industry. The program is delivered in a hybrid format across 10 x 2hr sessions hosted by a different university each time. Students will have the opportunity to attend in person or virtually.

The aim is to enhance your current academic program and networks, building on your current skills and challenging your knowledge through critical and reflective thinking to better prepare you for the practical, real-world need for food science and your potential place within the agrifood industry. This program is intended to ‘jump start’ your industry readiness.

The course will be run over 10 x 2hr sessions. Nine of these sessions will be held face to face at university campuses around Australia and recorded for all registered participants. The final session, Careers, will be a Zoom session. These sessions will be delivered from March 2026 to October 2026.

Engage 2026 Program:

5 March 2026 – Session 1 University of Queensland
Topic: Indigenous Food

27 March 2026 – Session 2 Deakin University
Topic: Food Safety

April 2026 – Session 3 University of New South Wales
Topic: AI, Data and Digital Transformation

14 May 2026 – Session 4 Monash University
Topic: Innovation

16 June 2026 – Session 5 RMIT University
Topic: New Product Development

August 2026 – Session 6 University of Melbourne
Topic: Sustainability

Early September 2026 – Session 7 University of Sydney
Topic: Health and Nutrition

Mid-September 2026 – Session 8 University host to be confirmed
Topic: Food Processing & Manufacturing Futures

28 September 2026 – Session 9 QAAFI, Queensland
Topic: Sensory & Consumer Science

Mid-October 2026 – Session 10 Online
AIFST Career Event Online - Engage 2025 Wrap Up

This program is designed to help tertiary food science students grow their confidence, expand their networks and build practical, real-world skills alongside their academic studies. 

AIFST and FaBA - Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator are looking forward to delivering this program for our student and graduate members.

This interactive AIFST virtual workshop is designed to help participants confidently navigate the food regulatory landscape and understand the practical steps required to support regulatory compliance. The session will guide attendees through the key regulatory frameworks that govern food products, from ingredient approvals and labelling requirements to marketing claims and the interface between foods and complementary medicines.

The workshop will cover:

•  An overview of the food regulation system in Australia and New Zealand
• Australian Consumer Law (ACL)
• The food–medicine interface, including complementary medicines
• Mandatory labelling requirements under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
• Uniform Trade Measurement Legislation
• A practical, hands-on exercise assessing a food label

Whether you are new to the food industry, trialing new products, or seeking to strengthen your regulatory knowledge, this workshop provides practical insights to help manage compliance risk, support innovation, and ensure products meet regulatory and consumer expectations.

Please note that this workshop will not be recorded due to its interactive format and extended duration. Participants must be available to attend the full session live on the day.

Presenters:

Fiona Fleming is CEO of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) and an experienced food regulation professional with expertise across the Australian and New Zealand food regulatory system. She has led regulatory strategy, compliance, and policy engagement across ingredient approvals, food standards, labelling, and marketing claims, and regularly supports industry to interpret and apply food regulatory requirements in practical, business-focused ways.

Jim Moshovelis has over 30 years’ experience across the pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries, with a strong background in regulatory and government affairs, stakeholder engagement, product development, and quality assurance. He advises and assists companies seeking to register or list products with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), with particular expertise in navigating the food–medicine interface.

Charles Fisher is Principal Solicitor (Food and Beverage) at KHQ Lawyers and one of Australia’s leading advisers on food marketing, compliance, labelling, classification, licensing, food safety, and crisis management. He has extensive experience working with Australian and New Zealand regulators and supporting products through to market.

Registration Cost (includes GST)

AIFST Members: $125.00

Non-Members: $220.00

Student/Graduate Members: $65.00

Student/Graduate Non - Members: $90.00

NZIFST Members: $125.00 with code

Not a member? Join online today!

AIFST QLD FOOD SCIENCE MASTERCLASS for Food & Nutrition Teachers

Join us for an exclusive full day face-to-face Masterclass designed to enhance your teaching and inspire your students! This is an exciting opportunity to enrich classroom content with cutting-edge insights.

• Discover career pathways in the food industry
• Food Waste
• Innovation and Food Trends
• Food regulation including Nutrition Information Panels (NIPs)
• Food Safety including HACCP
• Understand sensory evaluation
• Tour state of the art food science labs

* Registrations for this event are only open to QLD Teachers 

WEBINAR: The Invisible Hazard: How Air Impacts Food Safety

Overview:

• What is compressed air?
• Risks associated with compressed air in production systems, and
• Requirements from various GFSI schemes such as Codex HACCP, BRC, and SQF, along with the specific expectations from Woolworths and Coles.

Presenters:

• Jonathon Sauseda, Tri Air Testing 
• Gary Kennedy, Correct Food Systems 

Jonathon Sauseda Bio

Jonathon Sauseda serves as the Vice President of TRI Air Testing, a nationally recognized leader in compressed air and gas analysis for critical industries. With extensive experience supporting food manufacturing, pharmaceutical production, quality breathing air, and other high‑compliance environments, Jonathon helps organizations identify and manage the often-overlooked risks associated with compressed air systems.

Throughout his career, Jonathon has supported facilities across the United States in developing and implementing compressed air testing programs aligned with major GFSI schemes and industry standards, including Codex HACCP, BRCGS, SQF, ISO, NFPA, and CGA requirements. He has also worked directly with organizations such as the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy, Coca‑Cola USA, Tito’s Vodka, and Tesla. Jonathon is recognized for translating complex regulatory and auditing expectations into clear, actionable steps that strengthen product safety and operational reliability.

Jonathon is known for his ability to break down technical concepts into clear, engaging insights for both technical teams and executive stakeholders. In today’s session, he will share best practices for identifying contamination risks, meeting compliance requirements, and designing an effective compressed air monitoring strategy that stands up to auditor scrutiny.

Gary Kennedy Bio

Gary Kennedy has worked in quality assurance and product development roles in the meat, transport and cook chill industries, within the healthcare sector, and as a food safety trainer, consultant and lead food safety auditor.

He has written over 30 papers, and has written or co-written guidelines and codes for the Cook-Chill, Smallgoods, Hospital, Child Care and Refrigerated Transport Industries.

In Sydney, he manages a food safety consultancy business, Correct Food Systems, providing food safety advice, primarily to small and medium businesses.

He is a Fellow of AIFST and a Life Member of the Institute of Hospitality in HealthCare.

He appears regularly on ABC 702 in Sydney and makes appearances on Channel 7 and 9 current affairs programs.