Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health Program Area

The Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health (FSNH) program area of the AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program was established to provide the scientific foundation for addressing public demands for safe and nutritious foods, using a transdisciplinary approach, and to define previously unrealized opportunities for improving food safety, quality and nutrition along the value chain.

Safe, high quality, and nutritious foods are essential for human health and well-being, and their production is critical to the domestic and global competitiveness of American agricultural products, fostering consumer trust and the long-term sustainability of the U.S. agricultural industries. Our nation’s population is more diverse than ever, and consumers continue to demand foods that are nutritious and safe, including those that have not been common in the typical American diet. Consumer interest in novel foods has risen, and to address this need, industry is responding with novel technologies for engineering, manufacturing, packaging, and delivery of foods and food ingredients. Implementation strategies to address obesity and related chronic diseases include increasing physical activity, improving fruit and vegetable consumption, and strengthening communities with behaviors and policies that encourage healthy lifestyles. As the nation’s food systems become more global, vertically integrated, and specialized, the use of data science approaches and advanced analytics will be critical to safeguard foods from intentional or accidental contamination.

Applications in the FSNH program area must address at least one of these priorities: