In 1969, food scientists published a report, 101 Problems in Food Science and Technology. More than half a century later, much progress has been made—but the industry is still working to solve the challenges that remain.
As highlighted in the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit, cross-functional collaborations across global food systems will be necessary to achieve global food and nutrition security. In the Monday morning featured session, “The Role of Food Science in Global Food and Nutrition Security,” members of IFT’s Food & Nutrition Security Steering Committee highlight some of the challenges and solutions they are exploring in an effort to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially goals 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health & Well-being) and 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
The world is facing serious food-related challenges including obesity and food-related illnesses, as well as hunger and the sustainability of the food system, says Gulden Yilmaz, director of the Health and Safe Food Systems Programme at Wageningen University & Research. “These challenges are complex, and their solutions are not straightforward,” Yilmaz says. “We must collaborate to develop the best solutions.”
For example, replacing animal protein with plant protein is one solution that is finding wide acceptance. In addition to reducing carbon emissions, this solution also provides health benefits for individuals, Yilmaz says.
Another potential solution to current food challenges involves reducing food waste. Currently, hundreds of pounds of food per person is wasted each year in the food system, such as apple peels and grain hulls that are removed in food processing, says Lamin Kassama, professor of food engineering and processing at Alabama A&M University. Finding new ways to use this food waste can keep it out of landfills.
“Why can’t we aim for zero waste to be prepared for a future with limited resources?” Kassama says.
Improving the nutrient density of foods offers another potential solution for improving food and nutrition security around the world, says Juan Andrade Laborde, associate professor of global nutrition at the University of Florida. Fortifying foods with important nutrients is necessary to provide people around the world with the nutrition they need and to fight off diseases such as Rickets; over-processing foods can diminish nutritional value, he says.
“We must process foods, but the world needs us to find ways to bring those foods to them in a way that is safe and healthy,” Laborde says. “A nutrient isn’t a nutrient unless it’s consumed and absorbed; the body must process it and use it. So, we have to balance nutrient density with desirability, health, and security of food.”
In order to improve the processing of foods for accurate nutrient density, the food science world needs new technologies and new ways of looking at how the body takes in food and uses it, adds Hongda Chen, national program leader at Bioprocess Engineering and Nanotechnology at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
The editors at Food Technology magazine, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), have announced their predictions for the hottest food trends for 2022.
While canning is commonplace today, for that generation of food technologists it was a paradigmatic example of the power of science to change food for the better.
In October 2021, the FDA released new voluntary guidance on sodium reduction with the overarching goal of reducing consumption by 12% over the next two-and-a-half years.
What changes have occurred in the way Canadians perceive cannabis since it was legalized there in 2018? How do Canadian and U.S. consumers of cannabis and edibles compare?
Kenyan entrepreneur Yvonne Otieno developed a successful fruit exporting business and introduced mobile drying operations.
Miranda Grizio relates the story of the creation of a low-cost moisture meter that is keeping grain safer in Ghana.
How Bread and Butter Ventures’ Brett Brohl went from startup CEO to VC investor in the future of food and ag-tech.
An update on cultured meat innovators in Israel
Toxic element exposure in early life and toxic metals in tainted baby foods are top of mind for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USDA) and FDA as they work to safeguard the food supply. Last year, the USDA announced a new action plan called Closer to Zero, which identifies steps the agency will take over the next three years to reduce exposure to toxic elements from foods eaten by babies and young children. Read more about how IFT’s is engaging with this initiative.
IFT responds to scientific questions to be examined to support the development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Specifically, “What is the relationship between consumption of dietary patterns with varying amounts of ultra-processed foods and growth, size, body composition, risk of overweight and obesity, and weight loss and maintenance?”
Discover what the team behind IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center is working on, including recent events, research projects, and advocacy efforts
In an effort to provide the science of food community with actionable information that can be used in their own DEI efforts, IFT shares a case study of its recent effort to increase accessibility and inclusivity in its scholarship program.
