At the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences research serves as the foundation for our actions. See our current grant opportunities below.
Current Opportunities:
Scientific integrity is a core value of IAFNS. Learn how we embed scientific integrity into every step of our research process.
Projects Funded by IAFNS:
IAFNS's mission is to advance food safety and nutrition science for the benefit of public health. View projects funded by IAFNS below, and learn how we embed scientific integrity into every step of our research process.
Guidance for reporting of test parameters in nutrition and cognition research
In many publications focused on the effects of nutrition on cognitive performance, reporting on both the intervention, and the cognitive performance test (including administration of the test) lacks the required detail to truly understand how the study was conducted, making replication and interpretation difficult. Psychologists commonly develop new tests, but in such cases, there is […]
Co-Designed Platform to Aid in Cognitive Test Selection for Research Studies: Understanding Stakeholder Needs
From cross-sector discussions and dietary guidance deliberations globally, it is evident that industry, government, and academic scientists find it challenging to navigate the scientific literature to identify valid and sensitive cognitive performance tests to address nutrition research questions. There is a clear opportunity to facilitate decision-making concerning cognitive test selection – for nutrition studies and […]
Food Safety Extension Workshop | McGill University & IAFNS
Recorded November 28, 2023 Description: The webinar is part of an extension program aimed at understanding and addressing multiple hazards and controls in food safety environments. The program featured scientists from two Canadian universities and three U.S. universities. This video is the presentation and discussion on “Process preventive controls for food products” by Prof. Cangliang Shen at […]
State of the Science in Sodium Reduction to Improve Public Health – Webinar Series and Expert Dialogue
The objective of this project is to provide public health stakeholders and health professionals with an update on the state-of-the-science of sodium reduction. Begining with a 7-part webinar series (see below), the IAFNS Expert Dialogue on Sodium Reduction and Public Health Strategies brought together diverse stakeholders from various sectors. The results of the project were […]
The Scientific Basis of the NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery
The NIH Toolbox for the Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function (NIH Toolbox) is a publicly available set of tests covering cognitive, sensory, motor, and emotional functions in human study participants. The tests are specifically designed for use in large cohort studies and clinical trials, for the assessment of the entire spectrum of functioning from […]
Investigation of the Relationship Between Live Dietary Microbe Intake and Health Outcomes, Using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES)
Research has shown that the consumption of live microbes, including and beyond probiotics, is associated with health benefits. Fermented foods, such as yogurt and kimchi, are rich in live bacteria and may help to promote a healthy gut microbiome and support overall health. Consuming fermented foods may be associated with a range of health benefits, […]
Review of EU Novel Food submissions and US GRAS Petitions to identify opportunities for use of New Approach Methodologies for safety determinations of food substances
The risk assessment of some food substances have been shifting to adoption of a high-throughput, non-animal method strategy for demonstrating safety. These methods, along with new in vitro, in silico and powerful computer modeling tools, are collectively referred to as New Approach Methodologies or NAMs. This project seeks to review available safety assessments of food […]
Development of Nonpolar Liquid Antimicrobial Delivery Systems for Dry Sanitation
A sanitation program is a key component of a food processing facility’s food safety program and is a regulatory requirement for both FDA and USDA regulated products. Many sanitation programs utilize water and aqueous based sanitizers to control environmental pathogens. However, the introduction of water into facilities that manufacture low water activity, ready-to-eat foods could […]
Health and Functional Effects of Dietary Protein Beyond Protein Turnover
As food systems and consumer food preferences evolve toward replacing animal protein with alternative protein sources, it is imperative to understand the long-term health consequences. This project aims to prioritize research approaches and ultimately food decisions that take into consideration evidence linking the impact of dietary protein and amino acid intakes on meaningful functional outcomes […]
Focus Groups Provide Insight into Food Sector’s Sodium Reduction Efforts
Focus Groups Provide Insight into Food Sector’s Sodium Reduction Efforts While providing valuable functions like preserving and leavening to the foods that make up the diet, overconsumption of sodium carries some health risks along with it. Levels of consumption have led to its designation as a nutrient of public health concern. But the limited impact […]
Reconciling Personalized Nutrition and the DGA: Should and Could Dietary Guidelines be Personalized?
Recorded June 22, 2022 IAFNS is a Continuing Professional Education (CPE) provider with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). CDR Credentialed Practitioners will receive 1.0 Continuing Professional Education Units (CPEUs) for completion of this recorded webinar until June 22, 2025. Description: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) are intended for the US population, which includes […]
Understanding and Advancing Best Practices for Human Nutrition & Gut Microbiome Research
In 2017, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) collaborated with the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) to develop and document “Considerations for Best Practices in Studies of Fiber or Other Dietary Components and the Intestinal Microbiome” (Klurfeld et al. 2018). The primary recommendation resulting from this exchange was to “describe dietary […]