The Institute

Mission Statement

Secure access to a balanced diet of safe and enjoyable food are essential for maintaining health and improving quality of life. The Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health (IFNH) focuses on critical issues emerging along the entire food value chain, from the primary raw materials and processing, to metabolic, nutritional, pathogenic and toxicity aspects, to consumer preference and acceptance, to food waste, byproduct minimization and upcycling. Worldwide, food and nutrition-related diseases, together with microbial or chemical contamination, generate enormous health care costs. The mission of the IFNH is to promote sustainable solutions founded on knowledge of the structure of foods and their components, elucidation of mechanisms (systemic and molecular) that dictate the physiological impact of diet, food, and components thereof, as well as to develop innovative technologies and approaches that are fully integrated within a circular and sustainable economy of raw materials and resources. This framework addresses the societal need for healthy and high-quality food, maintaining the highest standards with regard to sustainability, quality, safety and efficiency in production. In its research and teaching activities, IFNH is recognized as a model for food science institutes.