Food Products

Importance of Food Products

Post-harvest losses, global competition, climate issues, and rising consumer demand for better food quality require scientists to understand the biological, physical, and chemical properties of food and food ingredients.  Advancements in new or enhanced food production, storage, and quality have contributed towards food products that are safe, nutritious, abundant, diverse, high-quality, convenient, affordable, and have an extended shelf-life. 

NIFA’s Impact 

NIFA’s investments in research, education, Extension, and innovation in this area are directed at improving the production, storage, and quality of foods. These efforts also aim to advance The President’s Make America Healthy Again initiative. Specifically, NIFA investments focus on four broad areas.

• Developing innovative processing technologies to improve food quality and reduce post-harvest losses
• Conducting research to understand the molecular structure and functionality of foods and food ingredients to assess safety, quality, and nutritional value of foods
• Improving production efficiency and resource conservation in the food industry
• Advancing packaging science and engineering to improve food packaging materials and systems

Key NIFA Programs

• Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) competitive grants program
  • A1364 Innovations in Food Manufacturing Technologies
  • A9201 Strengthening Agriculture Systems
• Small Business Innovation Research - Food Science and Nutrition (SBIR 8.5)

Relevant NIFA Programs

• Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)
  • Foundational and Applied Science Program <
    • Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health (FSNH) program area
      • A1364 Innovations in Food Manufacturing Technologies
  • Education and Workforce Development
    • A7101 Predoctoral Fellowships
    • A7201 Postdoctoral Fellowships
    • A7401 Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates
    • A7501 Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy
    • A7601 Agricultural Workforce Training Grants
    • A7801 Food and Agricultural Non-formal Education
  • A9201 Strengthening Agricultural Systems (SAS)
  • Non-AFRI Programs
    • Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer Programs (SBIR/STTR)
    • WIC Workforce Development Initiative (WICWD)

Other Relevant NIFA Programs

• 4-H Youth Development Program
• 1890 Institution Teaching, Research and Extension Capacity Building Grants (CBG) Program
• Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (ANNH) Competitive Education Grants Program
• Agriculture and Food Research Initiative competitive grant program; selected other relevant programs include but are not limited to:
  • A1531 Biorefining and Bioengineering
  • A1641 Economics, Markets and Trade
  • A1642 Social Implications of Food and Agricultural Technologies
  • A1712 Rapid Response to Weather Events Across the Food and Agricultural Systems 
  • A7401 Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates
• Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program
• Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)
• Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program
• Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program (HSI)
• Tribal Colleges Extension Grant Program
• Federally-Recognized Tribes Extension Program
• Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP)
• Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR)
• CYFAR 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development & Technical Assistance (CMPC-PDTA)
• Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans (AgVets)
• Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program
• Higher Education Challenge Grants Program
• Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program
• Master Food Preserver Programs
• National Center for Home Food Preservation
• New Technologies for Ag Extension (NTAE)
• Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative
• Regional Rural Development Centers
• Resident Instruction Grants (RIIA) and Distance Education Grants (DEG) for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas
• Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program
• SPECA Grant Program
• Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program
• Women and Minorities in STEM (WAMS)

Relevant Collaborations 

Closer to Zero 

NIFA collaborates with the Food and Drug Administration on their Closer to Zero initiative  to reduce dietary exposure to contaminants to as low as possible, while maintaining access to nutritious foods. 

Relevant Topic Pages 

• Advancing Food Manufacturing
• Community Nutrition
• Food Loss and Waste
• Food Safety
• Food and Nutrition Security
• Local and Regional Food Systems
• Nutrition and Food Systems
• Nutrition Education
• Prevention of Diet-Related Diseases and Disparities
• The Science of Food 

Consumer Resources 

• Food Safety Topics USDA National Agricultural Library
• USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning
• Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
• USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Recalls and Public Health Alerts

Food Science Research Resources

• USDA ERS - Food Safety
• Food Safety Research Priorities & Studies Food Safety and Inspection Service
• NAREEE Advisory Board
• Food Safety Research Information Office