Celebrating Women Food Scientists During Women’s History Month

It should come as no surprise that women have been shaping food science for centuries. From food-product packaging to animal handling to plant genetics, women have had a hand in many innovations that have helped make today’s food system vast, safe, and healthy. March is Women’s History Month, and this year we’re highlighting two spectacular women in food science—one who revolutionized frozen food safety and another who harnessed plant science to impact the health of millions. Dr. Mary Engle Pennington Sometimes referred to as the “Ice Woman,” Dr. Mary Engle Pennington played a pivotal role in refrigerated and frozen food safety in the early 20th century. Born in 1872, Dr. Pennington was refused a bachelor’s degree by the University of Pennsylvania in 1892 because of her gender. However, she persisted and received a certificate of proficiency in chemistry and then continued her studies to garner her doctorate in chemistry at the university in 1895. Following the passage of the 1906 Pure Food and Drugs Act, Dr. Pennington became the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) first woman lab chief, heading up the Bureau of Chemistry’s Food Research Lab. During her time at the FDA, Pennington revolutionized cold food storage, discovering that fresh foods that are consistently kept at a low temperature last longer than those that go through multiple temperature fluctuations. This finding was particularly important for the transportation of food products like cheese, milk, and eggs; if these foods were kept at a consistent temperature from starting location to their final destination, their bacteria levels stayed low and they were less likely to spoil. Pennington’s discovery led to the development of refrigerated transport as a means to maintain low temperatures over long distances, as well as an upgrade to home refrigeration, which began to use technology similar to that […]

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It’s Not You, It’s Me: Navigating Americans’ Food & Nutrition Trust Issues

We have trust issues. One of the starkest findings from the latest IFIC Spotlight Survey, “Americans’ Trust In Food & Nutrition Science,” is that less than four in 10 Americans say they strongly trust science about food, nutrition, and/or diet. Trust is everything. In the actions of daily living. In relationships. And yes…in science. And it is also paramount in effective communication. Because communication is a two-way street, communicating effectively is not just about how information is translated and delivered but also how it is received. If food and nutrition information is not trusted, it is unlikely to be considered or acted upon. Fortunately, our recent survey provides some important insights on how to rebuild consumer trust. Cracks In Consumer Confidence Three themes emerged as potential factors in diminishing consumer trust in food and nutrition science. Junk Communication Consumers grapple with a confusing and often untrustworthy messaging environment. Some food and nutrition communications convey their displeasure with “junk food,” yet “junk communication” inundates consumers daily. From anecdotal evidence to the overpromotion of single studies to outright misinformation, the nutrition landscape is rife with misleading messages. What topics generate more outrageous headlines than those about food and nutrition? Science is a process or a journey—not an outcome or a destination. It is crucial to remember that evidence is always evolving. As expert food and nutrition communicators, we must emotionally connect with our audience, provide context and facts, and share action-oriented recommendations, inspiring confidence. Still, trust does not require blind faith. Americans should be discerning consumers and understand there is room for skepticism and open dialogue. What we do not want is for distrust to feed a lack of motivation to act in ways inconsistent with personal and public health. Some Good News The good news is that, despite the confusion and negative […]

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Heavy Metals

Hearing more about heavy metals and want to get up to speed? Explore the IFIC Heavy Metals Toolkit, where you’ll find insights, continuing education and evidence-based resources to help improve understanding about heavy metals in food, their potential health impact and the steps being taken to monitor and reduce their presence in the food supply.

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Are Consumers Food Safety Savvy in 2018?

Food safety is often top-of-mind for consumers when making food purchases in stores and restaurants. Some of us are even proactive in our safety efforts by following news of food recalls and diligently using safe food-handling practices. But beyond those basics, our IFIC Foundation research team wanted to drill down into what people really think about the safety of our food supply. Our food safety insights can be found in the 2018 Food and Health Survey and in our new video. You can read more about how, while the majority of consumers are confident in our food supply, there are still potential safety hazards that impact their choices. On a positive note, this year’s survey showed that consumer confidence in the U.S. food supply grew. In 2018, 68 percent of consumers said they were confident in the food supply, up from 61 percent in 2017. When asked about their most important food safety issue, 24 percent of consumers chose “foodborne illness from bacteria.” When ranking their top three food safety concerns, 54 percent chose “foodborne illness from bacteria,“ the same number who chose “carcinogens or cancer-causing chemicals” and “chemicals in food.” Close behind, 47 percent of consumers ranked “pesticides and pesticide residues” in their top three food safety issues. It turns out that food safety concerns can directly impact eating habits as well, with 43 percent of consumers saying they altered their actions based on one of their concerns. Of those respondents, their top reason for changing behaviors was “carcinogens or cancer-causing chemicals in food.” We also asked people what sources they consult for food-safety information: 25 percent said “a news article or headline,” 14 percent said “a friend/family member” and 13 percent said “a Government Agency (EPA, FDA and USDA).” In addition, people from different generations tended to prefer […]

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Your Complete Guide to Food Safety

The United States has one of the safest food systems in the world. However, there are still safety issues that can arise or you still may just want to know more about where your food comes from. Take a look at our resources that highlight the ways our food is grown, raised, regulated and also ways consumers can use food handling practices to help ensure safety as well. Pesticide Residues Pesticides & Food: What You Need to Know In order to provide a plentiful and diverse food supply, conventional and organic farmers have multiple options to protect crops from weeds and pests—including pesticides. Even with strict safety standards in place to help ensure the safety of our food, you may have questions about the use of pesticides in food production, as well as potential pesticide residues on food. Pesticides: Myths vs. Reality [INFOGRAPHIC] When it comes to pesticides, there is a lot of debate in the media about what is true and what is false. Once and for all, let’s debunk some of the most common myths about pesticides—their regulation, safety, and their use on both organic and conventional produce. Meat Production Five Ways Farmers Love Their Animals Animal welfare best practices have evolved in the past 50 years, but the foundation of these practices are the “five freedoms.” The five freedoms are internationally recognized as providing animal welfare guidance to farmers and those who deal with livestock to ensure high ethical standards and low instances of mistreatment.   “Meat-ing” Consumer Expectations of Ethical Animal Welfare The animal agriculture community, made up of farmers and ranchers, veterinarians, nutritionists, meat processing companies and more, recognizes that animal welfare is a subject of interest – and possibly even concern – for many consumers. The animal agriculture community has worked to become more and […]

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Building Trust In Food & Ingredient Safety In An All Or Nothing World

IFIC has long been an engaged leader and voice of reason in science, media, and stakeholder communications regarding food safety and nutrition. This point of view comes from our study of consumer knowledge and perceptions, as well as regulatory and policy actions, and how these factors, together, can potentially affect consumer behavior. Confidence In The Safety Of The Food Supply Continues To Erode The 2024 IFIC Food & Health Survey brought a disturbing finding to the forefront. Between 2023 and 2024, confidence in the safety of the U.S. food supply dropped significantly, with the percentage of people expressing strong or moderate confidence falling from 70% to 62%. This is despite the fact that the U.S. is widely regarded as having one of the safest food supplies in the world. We commissioned the IFIC Spotlight Survey: American Consumer Perceptions of Food Ingredient Safety to gain greater insight into how consumers consider both the risks and benefits of the foods and beverages they consume. Specifically, we sought to comprehend consumers’ thought processes around particular ingredients, and reported food choices, within our noisy communications environment. Top takeaways and key insights include: Americans are oriented toward food and beverage benefits over risks alone. Almost one in four Americans (23%) say they don’t think about the health risks or benefits of their food and drink choices. Meanwhile, nearly four in ten (39%) consider both factors equally. However, when looking at individual responses, a greater percentage of consumers (30%) report thinking about health benefits more often than health risks (8%). Widely covered food safety subjects are top-of-mind for consumers. Americans express the highest levels of consternation about E.coli and heavy metals, with 32% of consumers expressing concern over E. coli in beef, 29% concerned with lead, cadmium, and/or arsenic in baby food, and 27% concerned about […]

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Food Trends to Watch in 2020

Intuitive Eating and the “Un-Diet”; Sustainability (Finally!) Takes Shape; New Food Tech Gathers Momentum (Washington, D.C.)—As a new year and new decade offer opportunities to take stock of where we’ve come and to anticipate the changes ahead, the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation is forecasting five broad trends for food and nutrition in 2020.  “Each year, our team of registered dietitians, nutrition experts and consumer researchers takes a look at what we can expect in the coming year,” said Joseph Clayton, president and CEO. “In 2020, we predict that topics surrounding sustainability, alternative foods and healthy diets will move in some unexpected directions.”  Sustainability: From Buzzword to Specifics   Interest in sustainability has grown for the past few years, and while in 2020 the topic will mature and evolve, confusion still surrounds the exact definition of sustainability.  For several years, the IFIC Foundation’s annual Food and Health Survey asked whether sustainability was a factor in consumers’ food and beverage purchasing decisions. Between 2012 and 2018, that number ranged between 35% and 41% of consumers.  However, when the 2019 Survey asked whether “environmental sustainability” was a factor in purchase choices, that number dropped to 27%, indicating that consumers’ notions of sustainability extend beyond just the environment. When it comes to environmental sustainability, consumers are eager to know and do more. According to the 2019 Food and Health Survey, 63% said it is hard to know whether the food choices they make are environmentally sustainable. Among that group, nearly two-thirds (63%) say environmental sustainability would have a greater influence on their choices if it were easier to know.  Consumers also consider factors such as the labeling of various product ingredients and attributes, along with production methods and food packaging, to be under the sustainability umbrella. We can also expect concepts like soil health and regenerative agriculture—“giving back to the land” rather than just conserving resources—to gain traction in 2020.  A New Climate for What We Eat   On an almost daily basis, […]

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IFIC Spotlight Survey: COVID-19’s Impact On Food Purchasing, Eating Behaviors & Perceptions Of Food Safety

It’s been just over one month since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus, a global pandemic. And we continue to feel its impact in nearly every aspect of our lives. For many of us, our normal shopping routines – and certainly eating out – have been entirely upended. To capture what we know to be widespread changes in how we buy food, how we feel about food safety and ultimately what we eat, the International Food Information Council conducted a consumer research survey, which was fielded on April 6th and 7th. Here are some key takeaways: People are doing less shopping in-person and cooking more. When asked how their food shopping habits have changed over the past month (from early March to early April), half of all survey takers reported shopping in-person less, and nearly 4 in 10 said that they were buying more shelf-stable, pantry foods and buying more groceries each time they shopped. At the same time, nearly half (47%) of survey takers said that they were eating more home-cooked meals than one month ago. Nearly 1 in 3 reported that they were ordering less takeout or delivery than usual, while 16% say they were ordering in more often than they used to. Online grocery shopping sees the spotlight. As consumers shop in person less, 16% report that they’ve started shopping for groceries online; 13% report increasing the frequency of online deliveries. It makes sense, then, that 16% also highlighted online grocery shopping as a step they’re taking to feel comfortable with the safety of their food. While there were no statistically significant demographic differences seen in those who started online grocery ordering, college-educated people and those under the age of 45 were more likely to increase the frequency of their existing […]

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