What are sustainable food systems, and why do they matter? This toolkit explores the science and strategies behind sustainable food systems, offering expert insights and practical resources that show how nutrition, agriculture and environmental health work together to support a more resilient food future.
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Can you imagine your favorite savory snack without a dash of salt or a smoothie that isn’t smooth? I’m sure it’s difficult for you, just as it is for me. We buy our favorite foods because of the way they taste, look, feel and cost. Food additives and ingredients are responsible for some of the attributes of food that we’ve grown to love over the years. Food additive and ingredients in the U.S. are deemed safe by the U.S. FDA and other global authoritative bodies such as EFSA. These resources have been collected to help everyone understand the role and function of food additives and ingredients and what they do in our food. Food Ingredients and Colors Brochure For centuries, ingredients have served useful functions in a variety of foods. Our ancestors used salt to preserve meats and fish, added herbs and spices to improve the flavor of foods, preserved fruit with sugar, and pickled cucumbers in a vinegar solution. Today, consumers demand and enjoy a food supply that is flavorful, nutritious, safe, convenient, colorful and affordable. Food additives and advances in technology help make that possible. This brochure in partnership with the U.S. FDA is your guide to understand the role of ingredients, colors and flavors in food. Color Me Red: New Studies on Food Coloring Safety Did you know food coloring can be made using natural and artificial ingredients? Both of which are safe and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These colorings are used in a variety of foods, not just baked goods, but they are also safely used in ice cream, yogurt, soft drinks, cereals, sausage casings, cheeses and the list goes on. Three recent publications supported by the International Association of Color Manufacturers (IACM) explored and reaffirmed the safety of food colors that have been at the […]
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The dialogue around processed food is noisier than ever, and the constant barrage of media headlines about the purported harms of all processed foods has no end in sight. The International Food Information Council (IFIC) educational webinar, “The Processed Paradox: Consumer Insights Into Today’s Most Controversial Foods,” explores today’s processed foods landscape utilizing IFIC consumer research and insights to highlight what consumers are thinking and doing about today’s most controversial subject in nutrition: processed foods. Here are IFIC’s five top takeaways: 1. Americans care about what they eat, yet how that translates into their eating pattern varies. The vast majority (84%) of Americans say that eating healthy is important to them. Those who make $80,000+ annually and those with a college degree are more likely to say that eating healthy is “Very Important.” One of the ways this priority is expressed is through following an overall eating pattern. Slightly more than half of participants in the 2023 IFIC Food & Health Survey (52%) reported following a specific diet or eating pattern in the last year. High protein (18%) and mindful eating (17%) led the way as the two most popular diets. These were followed by calorie counting, clean eating, and intermittent fasting (each at 12%). An uptick in those who selected mindful eating in 2023 may signal a desire for a more holistic yet realistic approach to eating. Still, almost half (48%) report not following the structure of a specific diet or eating pattern. 2. The Nova food classification system serves as the current, yet incomplete, methodology cited in the scientific literature as well as media stories regarding processed foods, likely impacting consumers’ perceptions. The Nova classification system is the most utilized food classification approach documented in the scientific literature and has recently crossed over into mainstream media, with possibly […]
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Many of us enjoy a variety of food products each day and are accustomed to our go-to foods being in stores whenever we want to check them off our shopping lists. In order for grocers all over the country to keep shelves stocked with our favorite items, they must import a variety of fruits, vegetables, animal products and shelf-stable goods that are reliably available from producers. But what you may not know is that many of these staple foods are imported into the U.S. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the United States imports about 15 percent of its overall food supply. The FDA notes that “more than 200 countries or territories and roughly 125,000 food facilities plus farms supply approximately 32 percent of the fresh vegetables, 55 percent of the fresh fruit, and 94 percent of the seafood that Americans consume annually.” These numbers may surprise you. Why are so many foods imported, and how does the FDA regulate the safety of these imports in order to maintain a unified food system that renders imported foods just as safe as those produced within the U.S.? Why do we have imports? Many of our foods are imported due to the fact that they cannot be grown or manufactured in the U.S. at a rate that would meet our population’s productivity demands. Factors that impact productivity include the type of farming terrain, seasonal weather, and ecological and climatic considerations. These limitations call for many types of fruits that we encounter daily (think bananas, tomatoes, berries, pineapples, grapes and avocados), common vegetables (think bell peppers, squash, cucumbers and onions) as well as tropical products, such as cocoa and coffee, to all be imported. How is imported food regulated for safety? The cornerstone for the FDA’s best practices in food safety […]
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Food with genetically modified organisms, otherwise known as GMO foods, have been around for decades. However, while they have been proven to be just as safe as conventionally grown foods, and in some cases are more nutritious, there remains some unknown facts about GMO foods and several myths relating to them. IFIC has discussed how GMOs help farmer productivity and aid in environmental sustainability, but more questions have come to consumer’s minds when it comes to GMOs and grocery hauls. Here is a list of FAQ’s that may come in handy for your next shopping trip: Are GMOs Labeled in Stores? Currently, you may find some food products with labels that inform shoppers of foods containing bioengineered ingredients–these would include GMOs. This type of notice is not meant to indicate safety, lack in quality or nutritional value—it is simply there to keep consumers informed about what is in our food. In 2018, the US Department of Agriculture announced plans to finalize the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard’s List of Bioengineered (BE) Foods. This list has since been published in the Federal Register and the regulation became effective December 29, 2023. Mandatory compliance for all food companies will begin on July 21, 2025. The regulation requires companies to place language or a symbol on all products that contain bioengineered ingredients. However, many companies already voluntarily place this label language on their products. Keep in mind that this regulatory action to disclose GMO information is not meant to signal a safety or quality concern. What Does a Non-GMO Label Mean? Now that you know that many foods carry bioengineered food language on its packaging signaling GMO ingredients, you may ask yourself ’What does a “Non-GMO” label really mean?’ These labels generally indicate that GMO biotechnology was not used to produce a food product. There […]
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(Washington, D.C.) — As the food landscape continues to evolve—reflecting technological advancements, cultural and economic shifts—the International Food Information Council (IFIC) presents its annual food trends forecast. According to its team of food, nutrition and health experts and its consumer research insights, 2024 will see more functional beverages, a boom in botanicals, rising demand for foods that support emotional well-being, a focus on food labels and a growing acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI). Mood on the Menu “The belief that the food we eat directly influences not only our physical but also our emotional and mental well-being continues to gain traction, prompting a paradigm shift in the way we’re eating and what we’re placing in our shopping carts,” explains Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, RD, MSN, Chief Executive Officer of IFIC. According to the IFIC 2023 Food & Health Survey, three in four Americans (74%) believe the food and beverages they consume have a significant or moderate impact on their overall mental and emotional well-being. Conversely, more than six in ten (61%) also believe their overall mental and emotional well-being has a significant or moderate impact on their food and beverage choices. In the next year, IFIC forecasts a greater emphasis on how nutrition can support mental and emotional health, including supplements focused on women’s health, as well as foods and beverages to assist with sleep, stress reduction and support mood (look for ingredients such as ashwagandha and turmeric). The demand for wellness-related products will also lean on the use of botanicals—a group of ingredients that include herbs, flowers, and roots—and will be incorporated into teas, seltzers, and certain foods. Function-Focused Hydration The bubble hasn’t burst for bubble water. “In 2023 we saw a boom in flavored sparkling water (#WaterTok garnered over 960 million mentions on TikTok!) and the premium hydration […]
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Farm to fork, field to plate, seed to shelf. … More and more we want to know where our food comes from. We want to know where it was grown (or produced), who grew it, and how. The same could be said for food ingredients. Where did they come from? How did they come to be? Why are they in our food? To gain perspective on the origins of food ingredients, let’s take a look at the history of food itself. We’ve come a long way from our hunter/gatherer days, to farming and processing food by hand, and ultimately to modern day farming and food production. This evolution of food acquisition and production means that food itself is technology. All foods (with a few exceptions) are processed. It’s simply not possible, convenient, or even healthy to avoid all processed foods. And you shouldn’t want to. We have never had food that is more safe, nutritious, and delicious than we have today. The Industrial Revolution is what allowed us to achieve these important qualities in our food system. Food ingredients, from ones that are centuries old to ones more recently developed, help make possible a safe, convenient, healthful, flavorful and affordable food supply. By processing food and incorporating different ingredients, we are able to enjoy safer food (through the use of preservatives, like ascorbic acid, i.e., vitamin C), higher-quality food (which stays fresh longer), more nutritious food (by enriching with various nutrients), and more delicious food (enhanced taste and texture through flavors, spices, emulsifiers, etc.) Take it from food historian and author, Rachel Laudan, who counters the claims that food is less safe, less nutritious and over-processed, as well as the yearning for a romanticized past that never actually existed. The real past was a division of classes – the wealthy and powerful enjoying […]
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If you have seen any 1970s-themed movie, or better yet grew up in the ’70s, you’ve seen them before: colorful, mesmerizing, some might even say soothing. We’re talking about lava lamps. Within these luminaries, the combinations of water and heated wax simply would not mix no matter how many times the psychedelic bubbles of wax floated to the top of the lamp and back down again. The reason? Oil and water do not naturally mix on their own. But what if something could help mix these traditionally repelling agents? Luckily, when it comes to food, that something exists, and our taste buds are forever thankful. Enter emulsifiers! What are emulsifiers? Emulsifiers are Food and Drug Administration–approved food additives that help products containing immiscible food ingredients, like oil and water, to combine. You can find emulsifiers in plenty of prepackaged and processed foods, including mayonnaise, margarine, meats, ice cream, salad dressings, chocolate, peanut butter and other nut butters, shelf-stable frostings, cookies, crackers, creamy sauces, breads, baked products and ice cream. Emulsifiers can be man-made or naturally occurring. Many emulsifiers used today are of a naturally derived variety called hydrocolloids. Hydrocolloids serve as thickening agents and support the structure, texture, flavor, and shelf life of various food products, and they are often referred to simply as gums because of the food texture and consistency they create. Hydrocolloids include emulsifiers made from plants, animals and aquatic sources. Plant-based hydrocolloids include locust bean gum, carrageenan, pectin, and starch, while animal-sourced varieties including chitosan made from crustacean shells. (Talk about reducing waste!) Hydrocolloids, like xanthan gum, can also come from microbial sources, and even food products themselves—mustard, oil, salt, egg yolk and vinegar—can serve as emulsifiers. Without emulsifiers like hydrocolloids, you could look forward to scooping into a layer of fat before getting to the […]
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