Fruit and Veggie Safety: Making the Most of Your Fresh Produce

June 7 marks World Food Safety Day and IFIC celebrates each year by considering how our food-supply chain can improve its safety—a critical part of our everyday nutrition and wellness. Consumers can play an active role in keeping themselves safe by practicing safe food handling— especially with fruit and vegetable consumption. This time of year, many of us are enjoying the variety of fruits and vegetables warm weather brings and being sure to consume plentiful fruits and vegetables every day helps promote good health throughout our entire lifespan. The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage increased consumption of fruits and vegetables due to the fact that “almost 90 percent of the U.S. population does not meet the recommendation for vegetables” and “about 80 percent of the U.S. population does not meet fruit recommendations.” Even if you’re not surprised that so many of us are not “making half of [our] plates fruits and vegetables” (as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines), there are many easy tips for incorporating more of these healthy foods into your daily routine. As you begin your fruit and veggie consumption crusade, it’s important to know how to safely handle fresh produce. While many of us may opt for frozen or canned fruits and veggies (which are conveniently shelf-stable and still pack a punch nutritionally), the warmer temperatures of spring and summer may warrant a nice stroll down your local produce section or a trip to your neighborhood farmers’ market. Let’s walk through some reminders about how to safely handle fresh produce. Filling your shopping cart The current Dietary Guidelines stress that their “recommendations can ‘meet people where they are,’ from personal preferences to cultural foodways, and include budgetary considerations.” Among the guidelines’ efforts to reflect the cultural, geographical, and economic diversity of the U.S. is its belief […]

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Cadmium Fast Facts

Putting Cadmium In Food Into Perspective: What You Need To Know  The presence of heavy metals in food is not new. Cadmium, like most heavy metals, is naturally occurring and can be detected at trace levels in food. Heavy metals are found in soil, water, and air; they are not added to food. While cadmium may be detected in some plant-based foods, exposure remains extremely low. Still, overexposure to cadmium can cause adverse health effects.    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the lead U.S. Agency for protecting the public from overexposure to cadmium in food. Initiatives like FDA’s Closer To Zero program are actively working to reduce exposure to cadmium and other heavy metals for all ages.  To reduce exposure to cadmium and other heavy metals through food as well as promote good health and nutrition, consumers should continue to eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods across and within the main food groups of vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and proteins.   What Is Cadmium?  Cadmium is a naturally occurring element found in low concentrations in soil and rocks, air, water, and food. It can also be released into the environment through industrial activities like mining and manufacturing. How Are Consumers Exposed To Cadmium?  Cadmium exposure primarily occurs in workplaces producing cadmium products. People can be exposed to cadmium in occupational settings, such as smelting and demolition, and in factories that manufacture batteries and electronic plating. For smokers, smoking is the primary source of exposure to cadmium.  Cadmium can accumulate in plants grown in contaminated soil or animals exposed to cadmium in water. This is true whether foods are grown in a backyard garden, grown organically, or purchased at a grocery store. Foods most commonly containing cadmium in the U.S. include leafy greens, cereal grains (e.g., wheat, rice, oats), potatoes, nuts, […]

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How Food Ingredients Get The Green Light  

If you’ve ever stood in front of the grocery store shelf wondering how so many different ingredients make it into our food supply, you’re not alone. Every ingredient in the U.S. food supply goes through a regulatory framework designed to evaluate its safety before it reaches your home.  One part of this regulatory system is GRAS, short for Generally Recognized as Safe. If you teach, talk or write about food, nutrition, or food safety, knowing how GRAS works is key to understanding how ingredients are evaluated for safety. It can help you clear up myths with science-based information and make sense of the ongoing debates around transparency in our food system.  Let’s dig into what GRAS is, how it came to be, and how experts can bolster trust in the safety of the U.S. food supply.  A Quick Trip Back In Time: From “Anything Goes” To “Prove It’s Safe”  In the early 1900s, adulteration and contamination of food were not uncommon as testing was limited and resources for enforcing food safety were scarce. The situation began to change with the passage of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and, later, the Food Additives Amendment of 1958. The FD&C Act is a cornerstone of U.S. consumer protection law, designed to protect public health and ensure the quality and integrity of many everyday products. The purpose of the Food Additives Amendment of 1958 was to ensure the safety of ingredients and food additives used in foods in the United States.  Before 1958, ingredients were considered safe until proven otherwise. The Food Additives Amendment flipped that assumption, requiring that most new additives be proven safe before they could be used. It created two main paths for ingredient approval:  The amendment also assigned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the role […]

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Protein As A Pathway: Turning Consumer Interest Into Better Nutrition 

Two consistent realities underpin today’s nutrition landscape. First, U.S. diet quality remains low, with most Americans falling short of dietary guidance recommendations. Second, initiating meaningful change is most achievable when we meet people where they are. In practice, this means prioritizing realistic, incremental shifts over wholesale dietary reinvention.   Progress is most likely when dietary guidance aligns with consumer knowledge, perceptions, and interests – as is the case with protein. The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) capitalize on this, recommending that consumers prioritize eating protein foods at every meal. Additionally, the New Pyramid highlights meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and nuts as protein foods to eat more of. And, for the first time in history, the DGA use the term “high-quality” protein. The latest IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans’ Perceptions of Protein Quality & Labeling, helps clarify what consumers understand about protein quality – and where opportunities remain to educate them and build on their interest.   Putting The “Pro” In Protein  Across IFIC studies, consumers consistently express strong enthusiasm for protein and its healthfulness. Interestingly, one of the most surprising findings from our latest Spotlight Survey is this: four in 10 Americans say high-quality protein tastes good – challenging the long-held perception that healthy foods lack flavor. Given that taste remains the leading driver of food choice, this alignment represents a clear opportunity for public health.   At the same time, gaps in understanding persist. For example, just 27% of respondents correctly identified that higher-quality proteins provide essential amino acids in the right amounts for human needs. Further, most consumers believe that the body uses protein differently depending on the type. And, they have preconceived notions about individual protein foods. For instance, only four in 10 identify soy as a high-quality protein.   The survey also explored how consumers use labeling – an area receiving increased policy and media attention. Survey respondents expressed the greatest interest in identifying the protein source and amount, both on the front-of-pack and on the Nutrition Facts label, as well as in understanding protein in the context of their individual needs. In contrast, more detailed information – such as amino acid content – does not yet appear ready for widespread consumer use.   Navigating The Label Landscape   Consumer understanding of protein largely remains at a foundational level at this time: identifying food sources and checking grams on labels. This presents an opportunity to build knowledge without adding complexity. When asked which on-pack phrases would be most meaningful, consumers responded most […]

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What We Do

Established in 1985, the International Food Information Council (IFIC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to effectively communicate science-based information about food safety, nutrition and sustainable food systems, serving the public good. Our work is grounded in peer-reviewed research and informed by the work of recognized scientific and public health authorities. Our team includes experts in science, health and communications who turn research into practical insights to help stakeholders communicate with credibility and impact. IFIC primarily engages healthcare professionals, communicators, and others who influence consumer food and beverage choices, as well as informed consumers seeking credible information. Research & Consumer Insights IFIC research focuses on consumer beliefs, behaviors and attitudes around food – spanning food safety issues, ingredients, nutrition and more. IFIC Food & Health Survey Our flagship annual survey on Americans’ perceptions, beliefs and behaviors related to food and food-purchasing decisions. IFIC Spotlight Surveys Monthly quantitative studies on timely food and nutrition topics. Commissioned Research Comprehensive consumer research projects utilizing mixed methods. Peer-Reviewed Publications Studies in which IFIC research is cited. Science Communication Resources IFIC resources focus on consumer trends, scientific research and evidence-based communication strategies. Articles Deep dives into timely topics to strengthen understanding and translate ideas for key audiences. Continuing Education CPE opportunities and free webinars featuring IFIC research and expert perspectives. Toolkits Curated content collections on timely food safety and nutrition topics. Covening & Collaboration IFIC brings together thought leaders to advance the food systems dialogue and science-based decision-making through various events and platforms.

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IFIC Spotlight Survey: Survey Of Birth To 24 Months Parents

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) commissioned an online research survey with consumers based in the US to measure knowledge, attitudes, and feeding beliefs of parents of children ages birth to 24 months. about birth to 24 months feeding of children by parents. One thousand adults aged 18+ years completed the survey from June 4-15, 2018. The survey was funded by the National Yogurt Association. Key findings include:

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For Medicaid Recipients, Food Insecurity Goes Hand-in-Hand with Stress, Depression, Overweight/Obesity

October 9, 2018 While Medicaid recipients express similar desires for their health as non-recipients, they are having a more difficult time achieving those outcomes, reporting far higher food insecurity, more health problems and greater stress about their food decisions than the general population. For the first time in the 13-year history of the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation’s Food and Health Survey, an oversample of Medicaid beneficiaries was conducted in partnership with The Root Cause Coalition to explore the unique health and nutrition issues facing over 66 million Americans covered by the program. According to the survey, Medicaid recipients experience far greater rates of food insecurity across many indicators compared to the general population. About one-third (32 percent) often purchase less-healthy food options than they otherwise would because of lack of money, more than twice the rate (13 percent) of non-recipients. Similarly, nearly one-third often purchase less food overall (28 percent) because of money, nearly three times the rate (10 percent) of non-recipients. A similar number (27 percent) worry that their food will run out before they get money to buy more, compared to just 7 percent of non-recipients. And 43 percent of Medicaid recipients say they often skip at least one meal a day, compared with 28 percent of non-recipients. But even though their means may be lacking, Medicaid recipients have similar aspirations for good health as the general population. Among the top health-related benefits Medicaid beneficiaries seek from food and nutrients, 17 percent cite cardiovascular health (compared to 21 percent of non-recipients), 15 percent cite weight loss or management (compared to 21 percent of non-recipients), and 12 percent desire greater energy (compared to 13 percent of non-recipients). Also on the positive side of the ledger, 59 percent of Medicaid recipients report getting information on foods to eat or avoid from their personal healthcare professional—79 percent of whom said they made changes in their eating habits as a result. But the inability to […]

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2019 IFIC Food & Health Survey: Spotlight On Gen X Consumers

Generation X got its name because it was considered to be harder to describe or understand—think “planet X” or “the X factor”—than their much-studied Baby Boomer predecessors. With Gen Xers (ages 40 to 55) now in middle age, the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation, in partnership with the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), released a new survey that examines their food and health attitudes, with a particular focus on their behaviors and perceptions related to diet and cancer risk Among the findings: American Gen-X consumers are much more focused on weight loss than other age groups, a strong majority believes that lifestyle factors have at least some impact on the risk of developing cancer, and nearly half say their food and beverage purchases are impacted by whether they might reduce the risk of developing cancer. “With middle age comes more attention to our health and what we eat,” said Joseph Clayton, CEO of the IFIC Foundation. “Our research suggests that Gen Xers have distinct ideas about the relationships between our diets and diseases that are manifested in their food choices and behaviors.” The results supplement the IFIC Foundation’s 2019 Food and Health Survey—released in May—of the broader adult population (ages 18 to 80). It follows earlier in-depth looks at Baby Boomers and Millennials. “From our extensive scientific research, we know that around 40% of cancers are preventable and that being at a healthy weight is the single biggest lifestyle step to protect against cancer,” says AICR Director of Nutrition Programs Sheena Patel Swanner. “It’s great to see that the 2019 Food and Health Survey indicates that nearly half of all Gen X consumers say their purchases are impacted by whether a food/beverage might reduce their risk of developing cancer. Now is a better time than ever to continue […]

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