Why Trust Matters for the Future of Food

There are many promising advancements taking place across food science today. New ingredient technologies, fermentation approaches, and advancing sustainability efforts hold real potential to improve nutrition and access to food around the world.

And yet, we’re operating in a challenging environment for innovation.

Even as some of these technologies remain years away from large-scale production or grocery store shelves, we’re seeing growing skepticism. Several states have passed bans on the sale of cell-cultured meat, and there’s pushback around ultra-processed foods—from lawsuits against food companies to new dietary guidelines aimed at minimizing their consumption. These conversations are happening quickly, loudly, and often without a full understanding of the science or the intent.

So, I find myself asking a simple question: Why?

Much of the answer comes down to trust. After all, food is personal.

Years ago, a neighbor approached me one morning at the bus stop. Her young daughter had a severe peanut allergy, and she was understandably anxious. She knew where I worked at the time and asked me a direct question: Was it safe for her child to eat a specific ice cream product my company produced? I looked her in the eye and told her, without hesitation, that I was confident her daughter would be safe every single time she bought that product.

That moment has stayed with me because it captures what so many of today’s conversations about food really come down to. People want to do what’s best for themselves and their families. They want to know that the food they’re eating is safe, nourishing, and made with care.

And that’s true for all of us, whether we work in food science or simply enjoy the food we share with the people we love.

When new technologies enter the food system, they don’t just bring scientific questions. They bring human ones. And if trust isn’t there, even the most promising innovations can struggle to move forward. Without trust, good science struggles to scale. Without trust, decisions get made without evidence.

Meeting this moment requires understanding, empathy, and facts, and it requires working together.

That’s where organizations like IFT play an important role—not as advocates for any one product or technology, but as stewards of the science and representatives of the people behind it. Our goal is to create space for informed, constructive dialogue, helping ensure that science has a seat at the table and that decisions about food are grounded in evidence and context.

IFT brings together scientists across disciplines to create opportunities to share research, challenge assumptions, and engage openly on complex issues. By elevating credible science and fostering thoughtful discussion, we help build understanding at a time when clarity and trust are more important than ever.

I know it can be difficult to have your work or your motives questioned. I feel that too. But don’t give up when you know the work you’re doing is right. Be a voice for science in your community. Be willing to listen, to engage, and to explain. When we lead with transparency and care, trust will grow.

I believe in what this profession can do and in the role IFT plays in helping earn and protect public confidence in food science. The challenges are real. But so is the opportunity. And together, we are well equipped to meet it.