Building Your Alt Protein Career: Shaping the Future of Food as a Plant Protein Scientist
Jordan Allen, MS
Senior Chemist
Ingredion
Event description
Join GFI’s Asia Sheehab in conversation with Jordan Allen, Senior Chemist at Ingredion, at our next Building Your Alt Protein Career webinar on December 18th.
Jordan will share how her path—from co-founding the Virginia Tech Alt Protein Project and researching sustainable protein extraction from brewer’s spent grain, to developing innovative plant-based protein solutions at Ingredion—has shaped her career in food science and sustainability. She’ll also discuss how her role as an Inclusion Lead and advocate for early-career talent has deepened her commitment to mentorship, collaboration, and inclusive leadership in the alternative protein space.
Whether you’re exploring careers in applied food research, interested in bridging science and product innovation, or passionate about building a more sustainable and equitable food system, Jordan’s journey offers inspiration and practical insights for advancing the future of food.
Meet the speaker
Jordan Allen, MS
SENIOR CHEMIST, INGREDION
Jordan Allen is a Senior Chemist at Ingredion in the Protein Fortification group of the Analytical Characterization and Texture Science team, where she develops plant-based protein solutions by studying the structure-function-application relationship of plant proteins and applying these insights to create innovative ingredient solutions. She also serves as an Inclusion Lead for Ingredion’s Network of Early Talent business resource group, championing diversity and professional development through mentorship and peer learning.
Jordan earned her M.S. in Food Science & Technology from Virginia Tech in 2023 and her B.S. in Food Science with a concentration in Culinary Arts and a minor in Food and Agribusiness Marketing and Management from the University of Delaware. During her graduate studies, she focused on developing a sustainable process to extract protein from brewer’s spent grain and co-founded the Virginia Tech Alt Protein Project, a global initiative advancing awareness, education, and research in alternative proteins. Jordan is active in the IFT Protein Division, serves on the NYIFT Executive Committee, and is passionate about plant-based protein innovation, sustainability, and developing strong leaders for the future of food.
With expertise in protein science and applied food research, as well as a commitment to inclusive leadership, Jordan drives innovation in plant-based solutions and helps shape a more sustainable future for food.
Upcoming events
View all events
Amino acid cost and supply chain analysis for cultivated meat: Pathways to more affordable, scalable, and sustainable protein production
Explore new findings from a first-of-its-kind analysis.
The Science of Alt Protein: Glycoengineering fungal cell factories — Implications for recombinant protein production
Join us to learn how using advanced gene-editing tools to reprogram fungi opens new possibilities for recombinant protein production.
Sensory evaluation of alternative proteins: A best practices guide
Learn how sensory science can drive the adoption of alternative proteins.
Building Your Alt Protein Career: Shaping the Future of Food as a Plant Protein Scientist
Explore the path from food science to product innovation in this conversation on building a purpose-driven career in alternative proteins.
Foods of the Future: Science and Engineering Approaches (Gordon Research Conference)
The focus of this conference is to bring the multi-disciplinary future food community under one roof with a singular focus: collaboratively advancing the science and engineering of safe and scalable…
