IFT Comments on the Proposed Illinois Food Safety Act Banning Food Additives.
IFT Comments
IFT shares its thoughts on FFAR’s research strategy refresh, including key areas to focus on to address the biggest challenges impacting the food and agriculture sector today.
IFT Comments
IFT encourages investing in ongoing updates to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), which are the standard for nutrient recommendations and essential to nutrition policy.
IFT Comments
IFT weighs in on the proposed quantitative research on front of package labeling meant to help consumers identify healthy foods and make nutritious choices.
IFT Comments
IFT provides input on FDA Closer to Zero initiative “Action Levels for Food Intended for Babies and Young Children” to further protect infants and young children from contaminants such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.
IFT Comments
IFT shares its thoughts on the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) expanding to enhance recordkeeping and traceability for imported seafoods linked to Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
IFT Comments
IFT shares its thoughts on revisions to food packages for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in alignment with federal dietary guidelines and the NASEM 2017 report.
IFT Comments
IFT examines the FDA's new nutrient content claim proposal for "healthy" foods and identifies potential challenges that could lead to consumer confusion.
IFT Comments
IFT weighs in on the challenges food scientists have encountered in helping inform policy to ensure more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.
IFT Comments
The High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) is evaluating how to reduce inequalities within the agrifood system. IFT shares its recommendations in its latest comments.
IFT Comments
IFT provides input on NIFA's science priorities.
IFT Comments
According to the FDA and the Foundation the evaluation will “focus on structure/leadership, authorities, resources, and culture, expecting to provide recommendations that would equip FDA to carry out its regulatory responsibilities, strengthen its relationships with state and local governments, and secure the nation’s food supply for the future."
IFT Comments
IFT shares its partnership commitments with WHC organizers.
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) provides comments to the FDA regarding the proposed revocation of methods of analysis.
I’m Anna Rosales, Senior Director of Government Affairs & Nutrition at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). IFT is a global organization of over 12,000 individual members that brings together scientific professionals from academia, industry, and government to apply the science of food to help solve the world’s great food challenges. We appreciate the opportunity to provide input regarding the FFAR research program and strategies.
IFT shares a recap with WHC organizers on a recent panel discussion held during IFT FIRST: Annual Event and Expo on the role of food science and technology in food and nutrition security as well as comments about an online listening session that served to engage IFT members on WHC pillars and questions.
The Institute of Food Technologists provides input regarding scientific questions that will inform the development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), 2025 – 2030.
IFT urges Congress to give the NSF the specific responsibilities, as well as the tools necessary, to help promote food science & technology research projects, activities, and develop students in STEM disciplines.
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) provides input to USAID and USDA on the update of the Global Food Security Research Strategy (GFSRS)
IFT recently conducted an extensive review of the EFSA opinion document advising on the development of harmonized mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labeling (FOPNL) and the setting of nutrient profiles for restricting nutrition and health claims on food. In addition to providing comments, IFT has summarized the context for each section of the opinion draft.
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) appreciates the opportunity to provide input on the FDA Closer to Zero initiative and considers the Closer to Zero initiative on Baby Foods to be an important step for further protecting foods for infants and young children from contaminants such as arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury, which are all known to be harmful to healthy growth and development.
IFT Comments
We are encouraged by the request for input into the HHS Strategic Plan, as the health and wellness of the U.S. population is strongly connected to the foods and beverages that they consume.
IFT submitted comments to Christopher Lynch, PhD and the Office of Nutrition Research in response to NOT-OD-21-183: Request for Information (RFI): Research Opportunities to End Hunger, Food and Nutrition Insecurity.
Oral comments from IFT's Bryan Hitchcock at the New Era of Smarter Food Safety Summit on E-Commerce about the FDA's articulated goals of understanding possible food safety risks of Business to Consumer (B2C) e-commerce.
IFT provides input on the modernizing organic traceability discussion document prepared by the CACS subcommittee.
IFT provided input on USAID/RFS Request for Information (RFI) related to Scaling Up Fortification activity.
IFT commends the FDA on publishing the proposed rule and the steps the rule takes to enhance record keeping and traceability for the listed foods. Additionally, IFT provides feedback and recommendations for FDA to consider in enhancing the rule prior to finalization. End-to-end traceability leveraging digital technologies is achievable and this rule, once finalized, will be a critical element.
IFT, Chief Executive Officer, Christie Tarantino-Dean, FASAE, CAE, sent a letter to President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris on behalf of IFT regarding strengthening the food and agricultural systems. The letter outlines how our food and agriculture systems are a cornerstone to the four priorities (economic recovery, COVID-19, racial equity, and climate change) of the incoming Administration.
IFT provided input on the Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods, known informally as the Food Traceability Rule, and encourages FDA to create capacity building initiatives for enabling data collection capabilities for these stakeholders, in the US and globally. IFT, though its Global Food Traceability Center, looks forward to working with the FDA and the private sector to advance food traceability across the entire supply chain.
IFT Comments (PDF)
IFT urges FFAR to invest in research priorities across the food supply chain, including research in the science of food and technology, which plays a crucial role in providing solutions for challenges in food systems and to make these food systems more agile, resilient to crises, equitable, and provide healthier and more nutritious foods.
View PDF Comments
IFT believes that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) should help maintain or improve nutrition, health, and food safety, while fostering behavioral change through clear, practical, affordable, and science-based recommendations.
IFT provided written comments to the FDA during the reopened comment period for the proposed rule published on May 20, 2005 entitled "Food Standards; General Principles and Food Standards Modernization." The comments follow more extensive comments submitted to the Agency on October 11, 2018 to Docket No. FDA --2018--N--2381: "The Food and Drug Administration's Comprehensive, Multi-Year Nutrition Innovation Strategy."
IFT provided written comments to the United States Department of Agriculture on NIFA Service Delivery Input. IFT provides suggestions on how NIFA may capitalize on its previous success and continue to further the research and innovation in food and agricultural sciences by improving outreach and scientific communication, enabling interdisciplinary collaboration, including with other agencies, and training the next generation of food and agriculture scientists.
IFT provided input to United States Department of Agriculture on the “Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program: 2019-2020 Foundational and Applied Science Program RFA.” IFT is very concerned about the continuous sharp decline in funding opportunities in areas considered highly important among food scientists and technologists to address the challenges faced by the food system.
IFT provided oral comments during the public meeting of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, emphasizing the role and importance of food scientist(s) and technologist(s) in the deliberation process.
IFT provided written comments to the Division of Dockets Management Food and Drug Administration on the New Era of Smarter Food Safety, focused on building effective traceability systems while digital and physical technologies are leveraged to enhance food supply safety and efficacy of the food system.
IFT provided written comments to the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee and the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, emphasizing the need to engage food scientists and technologists in the deliberation process for the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
IFT commented on the Food and Drug Administration’s Comprehensive, Multi-Year Nutrition Innovation Strategy. The initiative intends to empower the public to make informed food choices and to improve their diets and allow food scientists and engineers to design ingredients and food and beverage products, that meet individual and family needs, with diverse age groups and lifestyles, in a holistic way.
IFT provided written comments to the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services on the Topics and Scientific Questions for the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, emphasizing the role and importance of food scientist(s) and technologist(s) on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
IFT met with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Senior Policy staff, from the Office of Secretary Perdue, to discuss IFT’s policy recommendations for the 2018 Farm Bill Reauthorization and to emphasize the need for food scientist(s) and technologist(s) on the future Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
IFT provided oral testimony at the United States Department of Agriculture’s listening session on the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, urging the agency to include at least one food scientist and technologist in the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
IFT provided comments to the Food and Drug Administration, outlining IFT resources on biotechnology, which may be of value, as the agency develops a comprehensive framework for consumer education on agricultural biotechnology.
IFT commented on the specific questions posed by the Food and Drug Administration on the “Use of the term 'Healthy' in the Labeling of Human Food Products.”
IFT provided testimony on the review of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, held by the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine.
IFT commented on the Food and Drug Administration’s “Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals: Target Mean and Upper Bound Concentrations for Sodium in Commercially Processed, Packaged, and Prepared Foods; Draft Guidance for Industry.”
IFT commented on the specific questions posed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the “Use of the term “natural” in the labeling of human food products.” IFT suggested that to reduce or prevent consumer confusion and misinterpretation of the term “natural” on food packages, the FDA should consider either clearly defining or prohibiting the use of the term “natural” on food labels.
IFT urged the Department of Health and Human Services, (DHHS), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to seek input from food scientist(s) and technologist(s) in the development of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and its implementation in various federal, state and local food and nutrition policies and programs, to ensure that the guidelines are practical, realistic, and achievable. Further, IFT also urged DHHS and USDA to engage food scientist(s) and technologist(s) in the development of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines and the guidance planned for the birth to 24 months age cohort.
IFT urged the Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) to invite food scientist(s) and food technologist(s) to the discussions during the 2015 Dietary Guidelines deliberations and directed the DGAC’s attention to the scientific statement on “Processed foods: Contributions to Nutrition,” published by the American Society for Nutrition.
The presentation to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee focused on the role of food science and technology to reduce sodium, sugar, and saturated fats in food products.
IFT urged the Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee to seek guidance and invite a food scientist(s) and/or technologist(s) to provide “testimony” during the public meetings as the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are developed.
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