Tufts Launches Nutrition Intervention Program, Frozen Sales Up, Units Down

DIET & NUTRITION

Tufts launches nutrition intervention program

Tufts University announced the launch of the Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. The university-wide initiative aims to transform health care through food-based interventions.

According to research from Tufts, lack of proper nutrition is the leading cause of death in the United States, and Americans with lower incomes, those living in rural communities, and those from marginalized communities are most affected. Additionally, approximately 85% of all health-care spending is related to the management of diet-related diseases. In an interview with Food Technology, institute director Dariush Mozaffarian said the institute is meant to address some of the health disparities currently seen in the United States.

“As a physician, seeing this decimation happening to people every day in the clinic and the community and not enough happening about it, it’s my driving passion to kickflip these challenges,” Mozaffarian said.

The Food is Medicine Institute has four main focuses to achieve its goal of integrating food-based interventions: conducting leading-edge research, educating the next generation of health-care professionals, ensuring that diet-based innovations reach patients, and engaging with communities. Projects within the institute include medically-tailored meal interventions, produce prescriptions for pregnant patients, and informing a nutrition policy initiative.

Mozaffarian said that several areas within Tufts will work together, including the School of Nutrition Science and Policy, School of Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, and College of Civic Life. “To really achieve change, we need to bring together doctors, scientists, economists, policy experts, and law experts,” he explained. “Tufts has a relatively unique constellation of different schools, and we can bring together strengths across the schools.”

Many students and professionals have shown interest in the institute—from high school and college students to doctors in training, according to Mozaffarian. “Many of them have a personal story of people who have been hard-hit by this crisis,” he said. “We’re building that space for all students to be able to perform cutting-edge research and advance their careers while making a difference in the world.”

MARKET TRENDS

Frozen sales up, but units down

Retail frozen food sales increased to $74.2 billion in 2023, which represents an increase of more than $10 billion over the past three years, according to The Power of Frozen 2023 report commissioned by the American Frozen Food Institute in partnership with FMI, The Food Industry Association.

While dollar sales climbed, unit and volume sales decreased in the majority of categories. For example, while frozen fruits and vegetables saw a rise of 14.8% in dollar sales for the year ending July 2, 2023, the category also experienced a decrease of 5.5% in unit sales. As a whole, frozen food unit sales have been down for 25 consecutive months.

While frozen food price inflation was high in the first half of 2023, it began to moderate in the third quarter, the report’s authors note. Within the frozen food category, fruits and vegetables experienced the largest price increase at 21.5% versus the prior year, followed by processed meat and poultry at an 18.3% increase and snacks at 15%. The report adds that potatoes, in particular, have driven price increases in the frozen fruits and vegetables space. On average, the price of a frozen food unit was up 13.5% versus a year ago and up 29.6% compared with three years ago.

Nearly four in 10 frozen food purchasers (38%) say they consume frozen items every day or every few days. These “core” frozen food shoppers are more likely to live in urban and suburban areas, emphasize ingredient, health, and production claims, and like to try new items. The number of core shoppers has decreased by one percentage point from 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Light consumers, who consume frozen foods every few weeks or less frequently than once a month, made up 29% of the surveyed population, and average users, who consume frozen foods weekly, made up 31%.

Additionally, 30% of shoppers reported expanding their freezer capacity since the start of the pandemic, and 59% of shoppers stated they would purchase more frozen food if they had the freezer space.

The report surveyed over 1,700 consumers online in August of 2023. This survey is conducted every other year and includes sales data from Circana.

COMMUNITY

CFSF supports K-12 with giving foundation

Founded in 2015, the Chicagoland Food Science Foundation (CFSF) is a philanthropic arm of the Chicago Section of IFT. The foundation hosts several programs, including scholarships, outreach to students, and fundraisers. Together with the Chicago Section, the Chicagoland Food Science Foundation has made donations of hundreds of thousands of dollars.  There have been 67 scholarship recipients since the foundation’s inception.

Jenn Farrell, chair of the foundation and director of R&D and quality at Columbus Vegetable Oils, spoke with Food Technology about her goals for the coming year and how the foundation is sparking enthusiasm for food science among young students.

What inspired the formation of the Chicagoland Food Science Foundation?

We wanted to create and focus on opportunities to give scholarships to students pursuing food science degrees in the Chicagoland area. Since the formation of the foundation, we have also found inspiration in our outreach efforts by educating the next generation of food scientists, from kindergarten through 12th grade. Our mission is to grow and support the next generation of food and beverage industry professionals.

How are you raising awareness of the science of food with students, particularly K-12?

Through our wonderful outreach program, we are able to go to schools, career days, museums, and even create virtual presentations to engage students. We have endless exciting experiments to demo, tailored to the age group we are working with.

What do these students know about food science? Is it all new to them, or do they have ideas about this field?

A lot of the students we spend time with have gone through STEM activities in the past, but not always focused on food science. Although the more of these events we do, the more students will know about it or recognize an experiment we are conducting. It’s really rewarding and inspiring to see the students’ eyes light up when they see a sodium alginate gummy worm form, or a color-changing anthocyanin solution. And we absolutely love answering their questions about how cereal is made and why sugar can turn into cotton candy. It gets them to think outside the box, to build on and expand beyond their standard science curriculum.

What are the foundation’s goals for the upcoming year?

I would really love to strengthen and expand on the current programs we have and work on building out our digital options in terms of creating tools we can share with schools—for example, creating food science–based labs for high school chemistry classes or creating fun experiments parents can do at home with their kids. I would also like to continue to build our volunteer base so we can expand our outreach efforts. We are always looking for new volunteers and new ideas to grow!

The foundation specifically serves the Chicago metropolitan area. Why do you think it’s important to keep initiatives like this local?

We think it’s important to focus on our local Chicagoland area because there are so many opportunities here to help, and so many students here! CFSF is also made up of all local Chicagoland volunteers (who are truly amazing and passionate people), so it really hits home when we can help in our communities and make a positive impact in our local schools. There are also so many wonderful, supportive food companies in the Chicagoland area.

What have you learned from the students who have received scholarships through CFSF?

We are fortunate to have some of our previous scholarship winners give back and volunteer with us. I enjoy hearing their stories about how college, and more specifically food science, has shaped their lives and their careers.

RESEARCH

Mindfulness can improve food choices

Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and yoga, coupled with mindful eating training, can help people make more heart-healthy choices, according to a new study from Brown University.

The study included 201 participants in a mindfulness-based blood pressure reduction program that spanned eight weeks. The program trained the participants in meditation, yoga, self-awareness, attention control, and emotional regulation. This included weekly group sessions, a one-day retreat, and recommended home practice.

The researchers compared two groups: One group received personalized feedback and education, training in mindful eating, and behavior change support, while the other group received generic educational brochures. Both groups were then scored on the DASH diet program, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.  This scoring system is divided into nine components: grains, vegetables, fruit, total dairy, low-fat dairy, protein, nuts and seeds, fats and oils, and sweets.

After six months, participants who received more personalized mindfulness training exhibited a 0.34-point improvement in the DASH diet score. This group also showed an improved score in interoceptive awareness, or the process of sensing and interpreting signals from one’s own body. The authors of the study hypothesized that the personalization of the program gives participants an improved awareness of how different foods can affect their health, and in turn help them make healthier choices.

The researchers concluded that this study provides evidence that a mindfulness training program can be beneficial in treating high blood pressure. The next step in the research will be developing different “doses” of the program, such as varied program lengths and number of sessions.

“The program gives participants the tools to make heart-healthy diet changes that can lower their blood pressure and decrease their risk of cardiovascular disease,” said lead author Eric B. Loucks in a press release.ft