Carbohydrate Science at IAFNS
The IAFNS Carbohydrates Committee mobilizes members from government, industry and academia to drive, fund and lead actionable science in support of public health.
Carbohydrates Research
Through its tripartite model—bringing together scientists from government, academia and industry—the Carbohydrates Committee addresses scientific issues through discovery, research tool development, and translational messaging on how carbohydrates in foods are associated with consumption, diet quality and health.
Why Is This Research Important?
Carbohydrates are an important source of energy and nutrients in the food supply. The committee focuses its work on understanding sugar, fiber, and carbohydrate quality as they relate to human health.
Research Focus Areas:
- How fiber relates to human health outcomes.
- Characterize nutrient intakes and overall diet quality of various diets.
- Examine relationships between energy and body composition.
- Promote informed decision-making on carbohydrate quality.
Committee Members
Industry
- Abbott Nutrition
- BENEO - Group
- Cargill, Incorporated
- General Mills, Inc.
- Haleon
- The Hershey Company
- Ingredion Incorporated
- Mondelēz International
Academia
- Nick Bellissimo, PhD
Toronto Metropolitan University - Bruce Hamaker, PhD
Purdue University - Hannah Holscher, PhD, RD
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - Joanne Slavin, PhD, RD (ex-officio)
University of Minnesota
Government
- David Baer, PhD
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service
FOCUS AREAS
Advance scientific evidence and research tools to further understanding of how fiber relates to human health outcomes.
IAFNS and the Institute of Food Technologists collaborated to explore how food product developers can formulate using fibers that deliver human health benefits.
Characterize nutrient intakes and overall diet quality of various carbohydrate restricted or modified diet patterns.
Clarify and communicate research tools examining causal relationships between energy containing food/ingredients and body composition.
Promote informed decision-making on food choices — focused on carbohydrate quality.
Fiber Database
Diet-Related Fibers & Human Health Outcomes Database
IAFNS is currently offering graduate student and post-doc stipends for research using the comprehensive fiber database (click here to apply).
Projects Supported by the Committee
Translating Carbohydrate Quality Into Evidence-Based, Consumer-Relevant Approaches
Reducing Carbohydrate Confusion At IAFNS, we advance food science through rigorous research, collaboration, and science-based guidance. Clarifying Carbohydrate Choices Consumer confusion about carbohydrates can lead […]
Read More about Translating Carbohydrate Quality Into Evidence-Based, Consumer-Relevant Approaches
Metabolic and Physiological Effects of Added Fibers for Children Across the Age Spectrum
Science for Growing Bodies At IAFNS, we advance food science through rigorous research, collaboration, and science-based guidance. Clarifying how added fibers support health during growth […]
Read More about Metabolic and Physiological Effects of Added Fibers for Children Across the Age Spectrum
Assess Macronutrient Intakes and Diet Quality for Contemporary Consumer Diets
Diet Quality Implications At IAFNS, we advance food science through rigorous research, collaboration, and science-based guidance. Understanding Restrictive Diets A wide range of self-selected contemporary […]
Read More about Assess Macronutrient Intakes and Diet Quality for Contemporary Consumer DietsSharing Our Science
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IAFNS at NUTRITION 2026
July 25, 2026 – July 28, 2026
National Harbor, Maryland
IAFNS-supported research on fiber and gut-related outcomes in children will be presented at Nutrition 2026, the American Society of Nutrition’s conference at National Harbor, Maryland.
Priorities to Improve Messages about the Healthfulness of Carbohydrate Food Sources
July 31, 2025
Virtual, Event
This webinar focused on how to improve messages about food sources of carbohydrates based on healthfulness.
Read more about Priorities to Improve Messages about the Healthfulness of Carbohydrate Food Sources
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What are the priorities when it comes to improving messages about food sources of carbohydrates based on healthfulness?
In this webinar series, participants gained insights from consumer research as well as from how food rating systems developed by health experts align both between systems and with consumer beliefs.
The presentations included a tool available for decision-makers who want to compare food rating systems.
Content was designed for decision-makers updating or utilizing food rating systems and dietary recommendations - and for health professionals communicating about carbohydrate foods.
View the recordings at the links below.
Carbohydrate Quality-Related Beliefs and Behaviors
Alyssa Ghirardelli, MPH, RD, NORC at the University of Chicago
If you are developing consumer messaging or a health professional working with patients, information presented here can help you understand how Americans make decisions about the healthfulness of carbohydrate foods. Through consumer focus groups, NORC at the University of Chicago, talked with Americans about perceived healthfulness as well as how they make tradeoffs when it comes to foods containing carbohydrates. You might be surprised to learn which carbohydrate foods consumers are confused about.
A Tool to Compare How Experts Rate Carbohydrate Foods
Josh Erndt-Marino, PhD, Bespoke Analytics
Have you ever wondered whether foods are rated similarly by different food healthfulness rating systems? This webinar introduces you to a tool that identifies which foods are rated by experts similarly compared to those rated inconsistently between a representative sampling of food rating systems. The inconsistently rated foods are priorities to be addressed in future food rating system updates. Examples focus on carbohydrate containing foods, but the tool can be applied to all foods. Contact Josh Erndt-Marino at josh.marino2@gmail.com if you wish to utilize this tool.
Insights from the Tool Comparing Expert Food Rating Systems
Josh Erndt-Marino, PhD, Bespoke Analytics
This presentation shares insights about how food rating systems rank commonly consumed carbohydrate foods. Examples presented are intended to provoke ideas for using a meta-food rating system as a means to address inconsistencies about the healthfulness of foods based on how experts rate them. For example, many grain foods are rated inconsistently between food systems. Experts updating and applying food rating systems can use this tool to identify inconsistencies, which are priorities to be addressed in the future as systems are updated. Contact Josh Erndt-Marino at josh.marino2@gmail.com if you wish to utilize this meta-food profiling tool.
Priorities to Improve Messages about the Healthfulness of Carbohydrate Food Sources
Research shows that among commonly consumed carbohydrate foods, 85% were misaligned between how consumers rate their healthfulness relative to expert ratings. And when comparing between food rating systems developed by experts, 75% of the carbohydrate foods were classified as uncertain. Based on these findings, this webinar describes the priorities for addressing consumer messaging and food rating systems developed by experts.
Adam Drewnowski, PhD, Nutriscore LLC
Josh Erndt-Marino, PhD, Bespoke Analytics
Alyssa Ghirardelli, MPH, RD, NORC at the University of Chicago
Barbara Lyle, PhD, IAFNS
Joanne Slavin, PhD, University of Minnesota
The program was supported by IAFNS Carbohydrates Committee
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