IFT Shares Report on How to Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change for Food and Nutrition Security

CHICAGO — The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has released a white paper, “Food Science & Technology Solutions for Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change,” that identifies food science and technology opportunities and solutions that can address the dual challenge of adapting to and mitigating climate change to improve food and nutrition security.

IFT said the white paper examines solutions that address resource inefficiency; enhance resilience in food production, supply chains and safety; reduce food waste and loss across the supply chain; overcome barriers to adopt sustainable solutions; bridge workforce development and education gaps; and strengthen resilience amid political and economic uncertainty.

“Climate concerns are posing unprecedented challenges to food security, resource availability and supply chain stability. The middle segment of the food chain, such as food processing, packaging, distribution and storage, plays a critical but often overlooked role in shaping a sustainable future,” said Brendan Niemira, Ph.D., IFT chief science and technology officer. “With a commitment to innovation, collaboration and evidence-based action, the food science and technology community can drive real, scalable solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change… but we have to act now.”

Download the white paper here.

The white paper is the result of a virtual roundtable discussion organized by IFT’s Food & Nutrition Security Steering Committee (FNSSC). This is the fourth virtual roundtable discussion organized by FNSSC since its establishment in 2021. Previous roundtables focused on biofortified crops, food loss, and processing technologies.