Knowing Our Food: The Application of Foodomics for Societal Impact

Summary

Selena Ahmed, Global Director of the Periodic Table of Food Initiative, highlights the importance of using science and technology, such as foodomics, to understand food's multifaceted nature. She emphasizes the need for data-driven solutions that consider traditional ecological knowledge and cutting-edge scientific tools. By integrating diverse ways of knowing food—from its cultural value to its biomolecular composition—science can better address global challenges like climate change, food security, and health. Collaboration with communities and stakeholders is essential to advancing research that informs impactful, sustainable food policies and systems.

Takeaways

• 📊 Scientific efforts must generate evidence to inform data-driven solutions for societal goals.
• 🌱 There are multiple ways of knowing food, including ecological knowledge passed down through generations and cutting-edge technology.
• 🍽 Food quality and attributes are dynamic, affected by climate change, and understanding these changes requires comprehensive approaches.
• 📉 Increasing carbon dioxide levels reduce the concentration of essential nutrients like zinc and iron in staple crops.
• 🧪 Multiomics technology enables deep exploration of food's biomolecular composition, revolutionizing how we understand its health and environmental impacts.
• 🍃 Foodomics is an emerging field that applies multiomics technology to food, improving sustainability, crop health, and human well-being.
• 🔍 Barriers exist in translating advanced scientific research like foodomics into societal impact, requiring engagement beyond traditional lab-based science.
• 👥 Community needs and lived experiences should drive research questions and inform data collection to create meaningful, policy-relevant solutions.
• 🌍 A paradigm shift is needed in science, where research begins by identifying community and policy needs, then cocreating questions and solutions.
• 💡 Diverse ways of knowing food—whether from farmers, scientists, or communities—can coexist, and emerging technologies must connect these perspectives to advance holistic, data-driven solutions.

Q & A

What is the Periodic Table of Food Initiative?

The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is an effort aimed at generating comprehensive data about food composition and its impact on health and the environment. It seeks to inform data-driven solutions for societal and environmental challenges.

How does the speaker suggest we advance societal goals through scientific efforts?

The speaker suggests that scientific efforts must generate evidence to inform data-driven solutions. This requires examining the nature of scientific research, including data, experimental design, and methodologies that shape datasets.

What are some of the 'ways of knowing food' mentioned in the script?

The ways of knowing food include ecological knowledge passed down through generations, cutting-edge technology that reveals food's biomolecular composition, sustainability attributes, cultural values, flavor, and health attributes.

How is climate change affecting food composition?

Climate change is impacting food composition by reducing the concentrations of essential nutrients like zinc and iron in staple grains and legumes. It also affects specialized metabolites that influence flavor and health-related properties of plants.

What is foodomics, and how does it contribute to understanding food?

Foodomics is the application of multiomics technology to comprehensively study the molecules in food, such as nutrients and specialized metabolites. It helps improve well-being by driving a better understanding of food composition and its health impacts.

How can foodomics be applied to agriculture?

Foodomics can support agriculture by providing evidence on how ecological factors and regenerative practices impact crop health and nutrition. It can also inform the conservation of biological diversity to enhance health and well-being.

What barriers exist to using cutting-edge technology like foodomics for societal impact?

One major barrier is that traditional lab-based science pathways need to be reconceptualized with societal impact as the primary goal. Engaging diverse stakeholders along the data value chain is crucial to ensure these technologies have the desired impact.

How can we shift scientific research to be more community-engaged?

A paradigm shift in science is needed, focusing on community-engaged approaches. Research should be driven by the needs of communities and other stakeholders like policymakers and farmers. Collaboration is essential to co-create research questions and communicate findings back to them.

What does the speaker mean by saying that 'community needs are data'?

The speaker emphasizes that communities possess valuable knowledge and lived experiences, which should be considered as data. This knowledge, when combined with scientific data, can drive more comprehensive and impactful decision-making.

Why is it important to connect diverse communities and stakeholders in food research?

Connecting diverse communities and stakeholders is vital because it allows for strategic research questions that address different perspectives on food quality and sustainability. This collaboration can lead to more innovative and holistic data-driven solutions.