The Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS) launched two years ago in February 2021 and has grown in membership and increased science productivity. In 2022 IAFNS supported 23 peer-reviewed scientific papers and hosted over 150 speakers at 37 events. IAFNS webinars reached over 11,000 nutritionists and food safety professionals in government, industry, academia and other stakeholder groups. And, IAFNS science has impacted the decision making of thousands more who read the peer-reviewed publications, attend events where the research is presented, and viewed our freely available recordings.
In 2022 IAFNS expanded public and private sector membership, embraced the next generation of scientists with Summer Research Opportunity Fellowships, and was cited in over 270 media outlets including the San Francisco Chronicle, Yahoo!, The PBS News Hour and Forbes. IAFNS published 10 Op-Eds on topics as diverse as leadership and core values, the Bioeconomy, data access, climate and corn pathogens, and heavy metals. This media coverage and thought leadership demonstrates IAFNS ongoing relevance and agility in the always dynamic food and beverage ecosystem.
IAFNS created new ways to meet future opportunities by hosting its second Science Innovation Showcase highlighting plant-based proteins, the FDA’s new “healthy” food definition and a session on Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) criteria. It featured timely presentations from start-up leaders and scientific experts and included dialogue sessions on Canadian front of pack labels and lively input from NGO stakeholder groups.
In 2022 IAFNS leaders doubled down on their core values of scientific integrity centered on transparency, collaboration and public benefit. The organization’s leadership in these areas has been recognized by securing a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar at Candid – a recognition achieved by fewer than 1 percent of nonprofits. IAFNS-supported scientists also adhere to the TOP guidelines as a signatory to the Center for Open Science – demonstrating our active shepherding of this commitment.
According to IAFNS’ Dr. Wendelyn Jones, “This has been another banner year for actionable science that advances public health as evidenced by our output and recognition by external stakeholders. We’re pleased to report that 2022 brought a 20% increase in new supporting members to IAFNS as we continue to build our science-driven programs to support evidence-based decision-making by all sectors.”
Mark your calendars as we will be hosting the IAFNS Annual Summer Science Symposium on June 13 and 14 in Washington, D.C. The event is proving to be a unique gathering of scientific and regulatory experts where connections are made and collaborations are formed to drive positive change. More details to come here.
For more on how you can engage with IAFNS, follow us on LinkedIn, sign-up for our Science Briefs, and visit our events page to learn about upcoming nutrition and food safety presentations. Learn more about joining IAFNS here.
The Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS) is committed to leading positive change across the food and beverage ecosystem. IAFNS is a 501(c)(3) science-focused nonprofit uniquely positioned to mobilize government, industry and academia to drive, fund and lead actionable research.