A new initiative, called the Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI), is a scientific and educational resource being developed to map out food quality. It’s being done with a pioneering collaboration led by the American Heart, the Alliance of Biodiversity and CIAT, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation.
PTFI will provide standardized molecular data – more than 20,000 biomolecular compositions – of common globally consumed foods. PTFI is working to integrate different ways of knowing food quality by mapping biomolecular, ecological, cultural, economic, sensory, and health attributes. People across the globe can then use this information to deliver healthy and sustainable diets. Did you know that diet-related diseases account for one in five deaths worldwide, and there is widespread misunderstandings about the foods we consume?
PTFI is the first step towards understanding how food impacts health and helping us make informed decisions:
“(It’s) a database that captures and quantifies the molecular content of food will revolutionize the agriculture, food and health sectors. Once in place, this publicly accessible database will be the greatest single knowledge asset in the history of food.”, says Bruce German, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor and Chemist Director, Foods for Health Institute, University of California Davis Science Advisory Chair, Periodic Table of Food Initiative
Did you know that there are over 30,000 edible species on our planet? Each one is made up of thousands of types of biomolecules – many of which we don’t yet fully understand or know about. The PTFI will complement existing standardized measurements of essential nutrients and vitamins. In turn, the information will help us better understand the connections between food and health.
Comprehensive knowledge of food composition could revolutionize human health and agriculture in several ways. The Initiative’s database can enable: Rockefeller Foundation
- Personalized nutrition — Tailored dietary plans that address individuals’ needs and health goals and allow patients to track nutrient intake accurately, ensuring they meet recommended requirements and avoid deficiencies.
- Disease prevention and management — Identification of specific food components that may contribute to the development of serious diseases including heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, as well as compounds that can improve health.
- Food product development — Detailed food data that could help develop fortified and enriched foods to address nutritional gaps in specific populations.
- Agriculture and ecosystem management — Quantitative evidence that enables comparisons of agricultural systems to better understand the nutritional and health attributes of the products they produce.
- Improved public health policies — Creation of more precise and data-driven dietary guidelines. Also, identification of potential hazards or contaminants with greater precision could allow for more effective food safety regulations.
- Advancements in nutrition research — Greater understanding of the complex relationships between diet and overall health.
The Initiative is supported by The Rockefeller Foundation and its public charity, RF Catalytic Capital, Inc., the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research, Seerave Foundation, Fourfold Foundation, The Atria Health Collective, and is facilitated by the American Heart Association and the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture). foodperiodictable.org
photo and styling by Sarah Phillips copyright 2024
