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BY JOHN DE LA PARRA
Periodic Table of Food Initiative: Mapping Food Quality to Improve Human and Planetary Health
Imagine a world where farmers cultivate foods to combat diet-related chronic diseases in their local communities using practices that are nourishing for the environment. A world where people everywhere have access to sustainable and safe diets that support their cultural preferences and vitality. This future harnesses the power of food not only as a solution to hunger, but as an essential resource to support the wellbeing of people and the planet.
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) is accelerating this future by providing foundational resources to map food quality on the basis of robust food composition data and associated environmental, agricultural, and cultural variables. Our ultimate translational goal is to empower stakeholders to develop data-driven solutions to society’s most pressing food system challenges: biodiversity loss, climate change, and malnutrition.
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
Food System Challenges. Diet-related diseases account for 1 in 5 deaths around the world, while dominant farming practices compromise the health of ecosystems and our planet. These challenges disproportionately impact the world’s most vulnerable populations and are exacerbated by climate change.
We need to transform food systems for healthier people and a healthier planet in a changing world. By better knowing our food, we can each make better decisions for people and the planet.
What is in Food? Food is diverse and dynamic. The planet has over 30,000 edible species. These species are composed of thousands of components, also known as biomolecules, including macronutrients, micronutrients, and specialized metabolites. Additional components enter food through agricultural production and processing. These components serve diverse functions in ecosystems and in our bodies. The quantity of these components varies during food’s journey from farm to table.
The science of characterizing food components has evolved from consideration of food as an energy source to understanding the role of essential nutrients for public health. In addition to the known macro- and micronutrients, lesser-known specialized metabolites are increasingly recognized for their potential role in supporting health. Some food components may also be deleterious to health in specific dosages. While science has made major strides in cataloging food composition, we still don’t have a complete picture of what is in the food we grow and eat. Discovery data indicates there are thousands of unknown components in food, still yet to be named and explored.
For the first time in history, with advanced analytics and global coordination, we can imagine knowing the complete composition
of food, and how it varies across the food system. The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is catalyzing this future through the innovation of standardized multi-omics tools and global capacity strengthening efforts to characterize food components of the world’s food supply. This knowledge will complement existing standardized measurements of essential nutrients, allowing us to better understand the role of food in both human and planetary health.
- Bruce German, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor and Chemist,University of California, Davis
MISSION
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is providing standardized tools, data, and training to map food quality of the world's edible biodiversity. We are mapping food quality based on diverse components and their variation across the food system.
VISION
We envision a world where each stakeholder involved in food and health systems is empowered to develop data-driven solutions for enhanced human and planetary health.
OFFERINGS + CURRENT STATE
We are building a global ecosystem of partners to map food components to better know our food and diets through the following offerings:
Tools. We are developing and distributing standardized analytical methods based on omics technology to catalog the diversity of components in food to complement traditional food composition methods. Our current toolbox includes standardized methods to quantify minerals and metals (Ionomics), fats (Lipidomics), and specialized metabolites and other small molecules (Metabolomics), as well as a platform to facilitate the discovery of novel food biomolecules. We are currently developing a Glycomics method to measure the wide variety of fibers in food. Data. We have developed standardized methods and centralized data pipelines to harmonize food composition data generated from labs around the world. This technology harnesses computational science innovation to confidently annotate components in food using automated data processing. We are simultaneously collecting meta-data to link food composition data with diverse drivers of environmental, geographic, agricultural, and cultural variation. To date, we have populated the Periodic Table of Food database with an initial 200 foods analyzed across our suite of analytical platforms. Our team is taking a transparent approach to Access and Benefit Sharing related to food procurement and data use based on international regulatory frameworks and ethical considerations. We will make food composition data and supporting meta-data available in an open-access data platform as a global public resource.
Training. Through our capacity strengthening arm, Food EDU, we are providing innovative education based on a unique model that integrates cutting-edge research, training, and data applications to educate and inspire the next generation of food, agriculture, health, and nutrition leaders. We are currently developing our first Food EDU course module: Foodomics + Society. Further, we are providing training to a cohort of Good Food Fellows who will implement PTFI tools to carry out community-engaged research projects.
Global Ecosystem. We have built an ecosystem of partners, including Centers of Excellence on each continent, to utilize PTFI tools and data to address locally-relevant research questions. We have further identified initial National Lab Hubs and Partner Labs that are adopting PTFI tools to profile their local edible biodiversity. Additionally, our ecosystem entails research partners that contribute to methodological innovation and lead demonstration projects.
Research and Translation. We are supporting a range of transdisciplinary demonstration projects that apply PTFI tools and data in the following priority areas: (1) regenerative agriculture and agroecology; (2) climate change solutions and; (3) diet-related chronic disease.
The PTFI is facilitating the collection of food composition data using standardized tools as a key resource to inform solutions for planetary health through three pathways:
(1) Climate Effects on Food Quality. Food composition data collected over time and space can serve as an indicator and predictor of the impact of climate change on food quality.
(2) Regenerative Agriculture and Agroecology. Food composition data can provide quantitative evidence for scaling farming practices that support people and the planet.
(3) Planetary Health Diets. Food composition data can inform the design of diets for mitigating diet-related chronic disease, as well as climate change, that are place-based and accessible.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Tools. We seek to continue to develop standardized tools to better know our food. In addition, we seek to develop decision-making tools for diverse food system stakeholders fueled by PTFI data to design solutions to urgent societal challenges.
Data. With our global partners, we seek to populate the PTFI database with food composition data of the planet’s edible biodiversity. We further plan for PTFI tools to be used to generate data from research studies to elucidate how environmental, agricultural, and cultural factors impact food composition and implications for human and planetary health.
Training. Through Food EDU, we aim to train and empower learners globally to apply PTFI data to design food system solutions.
Periodic Table of Food Initiative: Mapping Food Quality to Improve Human and Planetary Health
Imagine a world where farmers cultivate foods to combat diet-related chronic diseases in their local communities using practices that are nourishing for the environment. A world where people everywhere have access to sustainable and safe diets that support their cultural preferences and vitality. This future harnesses the power of food not only as a solution to hunger, but as an essential resource to support the wellbeing of people and the planet.
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) is accelerating this future by providing foundational resources to map food quality on the basis of robust food composition data and associated environmental, agricultural, and cultural variables. Our ultimate translational goal is to empower stakeholders to develop data-driven solutions to society’s most pressing food system challenges: biodiversity loss, climate change, and malnutrition.
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
Food System Challenges. Diet-related diseases account for 1 in 5 deaths around the world, while dominant farming practices compromise the health of ecosystems and our planet. These challenges disproportionately impact the world’s most vulnerable populations and are exacerbated by climate change.
We need to transform food systems for healthier people and a healthier planet in a changing world. By better knowing our food, we can each make better decisions for people and the planet.
What is in Food? Food is diverse and dynamic. The planet has over 30,000 edible species. These species are composed of thousands of components, also known as biomolecules, including macronutrients, micronutrients, and specialized metabolites. Additional components enter food through agricultural production and processing. These components serve diverse functions in ecosystems and in our bodies. The quantity of these components varies during food’s journey from farm to table.
The science of characterizing food components has evolved from consideration of food as an energy source to understanding the role of essential nutrients for public health. In addition to the known macro- and micronutrients, lesser-known specialized metabolites are increasingly recognized for their potential role in supporting health. Some food components may also be deleterious to health in specific dosages. While science has made major strides in cataloging food composition, we still don’t have a complete picture of what is in the food we grow and eat. Discovery data indicates there are thousands of unknown components in food, still yet to be named and explored.
For the first time in history, with advanced analytics and global coordination, we can imagine knowing the complete composition
of food, and how it varies across the food system. The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is catalyzing this future through the innovation of standardized multi-omics tools and global capacity strengthening efforts to characterize food components of the world’s food supply. This knowledge will complement existing standardized measurements of essential nutrients, allowing us to better understand the role of food in both human and planetary health.
- Bruce German, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor and Chemist,University of California, Davis
MISSION
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is providing standardized tools, data, and training to map food quality of the world's edible biodiversity. We are mapping food quality based on diverse components and their variation across the food system.
VISION
We envision a world where each stakeholder involved in food and health systems is empowered to develop data-driven solutions for enhanced human and planetary health.
OFFERINGS + CURRENT STATE
We are building a global ecosystem of partners to map food components to better know our food and diets through the following offerings:
Tools. We are developing and distributing standardized analytical methods based on omics technology to catalog the diversity of components in food to complement traditional food composition methods. Our current toolbox includes standardized methods to quantify minerals and metals (Ionomics), fats (Lipidomics), and specialized metabolites and other small molecules (Metabolomics), as well as a platform to facilitate the discovery of novel food biomolecules. We are currently developing a Glycomics method to measure the wide variety of fibers in food. Data. We have developed standardized methods and centralized data pipelines to harmonize food composition data generated from labs around the world. This technology harnesses computational science innovation to confidently annotate components in food using automated data processing. We are simultaneously collecting meta-data to link food composition data with diverse drivers of environmental, geographic, agricultural, and cultural variation. To date, we have populated the Periodic Table of Food database with an initial 200 foods analyzed across our suite of analytical platforms. Our team is taking a transparent approach to Access and Benefit Sharing related to food procurement and data use based on international regulatory frameworks and ethical considerations. We will make food composition data and supporting meta-data available in an open-access data platform as a global public resource.
Training. Through our capacity strengthening arm, Food EDU, we are providing innovative education based on a unique model that integrates cutting-edge research, training, and data applications to educate and inspire the next generation of food, agriculture, health, and nutrition leaders. We are currently developing our first Food EDU course module: Foodomics + Society. Further, we are providing training to a cohort of Good Food Fellows who will implement PTFI tools to carry out community-engaged research projects.
Global Ecosystem. We have built an ecosystem of partners, including Centers of Excellence on each continent, to utilize PTFI tools and data to address locally-relevant research questions. We have further identified initial National Lab Hubs and Partner Labs that are adopting PTFI tools to profile their local edible biodiversity. Additionally, our ecosystem entails research partners that contribute to methodological innovation and lead demonstration projects.
Research and Translation. We are supporting a range of transdisciplinary demonstration projects that apply PTFI tools and data in the following priority areas: (1) regenerative agriculture and agroecology; (2) climate change solutions and; (3) diet-related chronic disease.
The PTFI is facilitating the collection of food composition data using standardized tools as a key resource to inform solutions for planetary health through three pathways:
(1) Climate Effects on Food Quality. Food composition data collected over time and space can serve as an indicator and predictor of the impact of climate change on food quality.
(2) Regenerative Agriculture and Agroecology. Food composition data can provide quantitative evidence for scaling farming practices that support people and the planet.
(3) Planetary Health Diets. Food composition data can inform the design of diets for mitigating diet-related chronic disease, as well as climate change, that are place-based and accessible.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Tools. We seek to continue to develop standardized tools to better know our food. In addition, we seek to develop decision-making tools for diverse food system stakeholders fueled by PTFI data to design solutions to urgent societal challenges.
Data. With our global partners, we seek to populate the PTFI database with food composition data of the planet’s edible biodiversity. We further plan for PTFI tools to be used to generate data from research studies to elucidate how environmental, agricultural, and cultural factors impact food composition and implications for human and planetary health.
Training. Through Food EDU, we aim to train and empower learners globally to apply PTFI data to design food system solutions.
Dr. John de la Parra is an ethnobotanist and the Director of the Food Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation. He leads efforts to advance a more nourishing, regenerative, and just food system, including the creation of The Periodic Table of Food Initiative. With over 20 years of experience and a PhD in ethnobotany and plant chemistry, John focuses on how food crops and medicinal plants affect human health, culture, and the environment.
BY JOHN DE LA PARRA
Periodic Table of Food Initiative: Mapping Food Quality to Improve Human and Planetary Health
Imagine a world where farmers cultivate foods to combat diet-related chronic diseases in their local communities using practices that are nourishing for the environment. A world where people everywhere have access to sustainable and safe diets that support their cultural preferences and vitality. This future harnesses the power of food not only as a solution to hunger, but as an essential resource to support the wellbeing of people and the planet.
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) is accelerating this future by providing foundational resources to map food quality on the basis of robust food composition data and associated environmental, agricultural, and cultural variables. Our ultimate translational goal is to empower stakeholders to develop data-driven solutions to society’s most pressing food system challenges: biodiversity loss, climate change, and malnutrition.
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
Food System Challenges. Diet-related diseases account for 1 in 5 deaths around the world, while dominant farming practices compromise the health of ecosystems and our planet. These challenges disproportionately impact the world’s most vulnerable populations and are exacerbated by climate change.
We need to transform food systems for healthier people and a healthier planet in a changing world. By better knowing our food, we can each make better decisions for people and the planet.
What is in Food? Food is diverse and dynamic. The planet has over 30,000 edible species. These species are composed of thousands of components, also known as biomolecules, including macronutrients, micronutrients, and specialized metabolites. Additional components enter food through agricultural production and processing. These components serve diverse functions in ecosystems and in our bodies. The quantity of these components varies during food’s journey from farm to table.
The science of characterizing food components has evolved from consideration of food as an energy source to understanding the role of essential nutrients for public health. In addition to the known macro- and micronutrients, lesser-known specialized metabolites are increasingly recognized for their potential role in supporting health. Some food components may also be deleterious to health in specific dosages. While science has made major strides in cataloging food composition, we still don’t have a complete picture of what is in the food we grow and eat. Discovery data indicates there are thousands of unknown components in food, still yet to be named and explored.
For the first time in history, with advanced analytics and global coordination, we can imagine knowing the complete composition
of food, and how it varies across the food system. The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is catalyzing this future through the innovation of standardized multi-omics tools and global capacity strengthening efforts to characterize food components of the world’s food supply. This knowledge will complement existing standardized measurements of essential nutrients, allowing us to better understand the role of food in both human and planetary health.
- Bruce German, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor and Chemist,University of California, Davis
MISSION
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is providing standardized tools, data, and training to map food quality of the world's edible biodiversity. We are mapping food quality based on diverse components and their variation across the food system.
VISION
We envision a world where each stakeholder involved in food and health systems is empowered to develop data-driven solutions for enhanced human and planetary health.
OFFERINGS + CURRENT STATE
We are building a global ecosystem of partners to map food components to better know our food and diets through the following offerings:
Tools. We are developing and distributing standardized analytical methods based on omics technology to catalog the diversity of components in food to complement traditional food composition methods. Our current toolbox includes standardized methods to quantify minerals and metals (Ionomics), fats (Lipidomics), and specialized metabolites and other small molecules (Metabolomics), as well as a platform to facilitate the discovery of novel food biomolecules. We are currently developing a Glycomics method to measure the wide variety of fibers in food. Data. We have developed standardized methods and centralized data pipelines to harmonize food composition data generated from labs around the world. This technology harnesses computational science innovation to confidently annotate components in food using automated data processing. We are simultaneously collecting meta-data to link food composition data with diverse drivers of environmental, geographic, agricultural, and cultural variation. To date, we have populated the Periodic Table of Food database with an initial 200 foods analyzed across our suite of analytical platforms. Our team is taking a transparent approach to Access and Benefit Sharing related to food procurement and data use based on international regulatory frameworks and ethical considerations. We will make food composition data and supporting meta-data available in an open-access data platform as a global public resource.
Training. Through our capacity strengthening arm, Food EDU, we are providing innovative education based on a unique model that integrates cutting-edge research, training, and data applications to educate and inspire the next generation of food, agriculture, health, and nutrition leaders. We are currently developing our first Food EDU course module: Foodomics + Society. Further, we are providing training to a cohort of Good Food Fellows who will implement PTFI tools to carry out community-engaged research projects.
Global Ecosystem. We have built an ecosystem of partners, including Centers of Excellence on each continent, to utilize PTFI tools and data to address locally-relevant research questions. We have further identified initial National Lab Hubs and Partner Labs that are adopting PTFI tools to profile their local edible biodiversity. Additionally, our ecosystem entails research partners that contribute to methodological innovation and lead demonstration projects.
Research and Translation. We are supporting a range of transdisciplinary demonstration projects that apply PTFI tools and data in the following priority areas: (1) regenerative agriculture and agroecology; (2) climate change solutions and; (3) diet-related chronic disease.
The PTFI is facilitating the collection of food composition data using standardized tools as a key resource to inform solutions for planetary health through three pathways:
(1) Climate Effects on Food Quality. Food composition data collected over time and space can serve as an indicator and predictor of the impact of climate change on food quality.
(2) Regenerative Agriculture and Agroecology. Food composition data can provide quantitative evidence for scaling farming practices that support people and the planet.
(3) Planetary Health Diets. Food composition data can inform the design of diets for mitigating diet-related chronic disease, as well as climate change, that are place-based and accessible.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Tools. We seek to continue to develop standardized tools to better know our food. In addition, we seek to develop decision-making tools for diverse food system stakeholders fueled by PTFI data to design solutions to urgent societal challenges.
Data. With our global partners, we seek to populate the PTFI database with food composition data of the planet’s edible biodiversity. We further plan for PTFI tools to be used to generate data from research studies to elucidate how environmental, agricultural, and cultural factors impact food composition and implications for human and planetary health.
Training. Through Food EDU, we aim to train and empower learners globally to apply PTFI data to design food system solutions.
Periodic Table of Food Initiative: Mapping Food Quality to Improve Human and Planetary Health
Imagine a world where farmers cultivate foods to combat diet-related chronic diseases in their local communities using practices that are nourishing for the environment. A world where people everywhere have access to sustainable and safe diets that support their cultural preferences and vitality. This future harnesses the power of food not only as a solution to hunger, but as an essential resource to support the wellbeing of people and the planet.
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) is accelerating this future by providing foundational resources to map food quality on the basis of robust food composition data and associated environmental, agricultural, and cultural variables. Our ultimate translational goal is to empower stakeholders to develop data-driven solutions to society’s most pressing food system challenges: biodiversity loss, climate change, and malnutrition.
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
Food System Challenges. Diet-related diseases account for 1 in 5 deaths around the world, while dominant farming practices compromise the health of ecosystems and our planet. These challenges disproportionately impact the world’s most vulnerable populations and are exacerbated by climate change.
We need to transform food systems for healthier people and a healthier planet in a changing world. By better knowing our food, we can each make better decisions for people and the planet.
What is in Food? Food is diverse and dynamic. The planet has over 30,000 edible species. These species are composed of thousands of components, also known as biomolecules, including macronutrients, micronutrients, and specialized metabolites. Additional components enter food through agricultural production and processing. These components serve diverse functions in ecosystems and in our bodies. The quantity of these components varies during food’s journey from farm to table.
The science of characterizing food components has evolved from consideration of food as an energy source to understanding the role of essential nutrients for public health. In addition to the known macro- and micronutrients, lesser-known specialized metabolites are increasingly recognized for their potential role in supporting health. Some food components may also be deleterious to health in specific dosages. While science has made major strides in cataloging food composition, we still don’t have a complete picture of what is in the food we grow and eat. Discovery data indicates there are thousands of unknown components in food, still yet to be named and explored.
For the first time in history, with advanced analytics and global coordination, we can imagine knowing the complete composition
of food, and how it varies across the food system. The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is catalyzing this future through the innovation of standardized multi-omics tools and global capacity strengthening efforts to characterize food components of the world’s food supply. This knowledge will complement existing standardized measurements of essential nutrients, allowing us to better understand the role of food in both human and planetary health.
- Bruce German, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor and Chemist,University of California, Davis
MISSION
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is providing standardized tools, data, and training to map food quality of the world's edible biodiversity. We are mapping food quality based on diverse components and their variation across the food system.
VISION
We envision a world where each stakeholder involved in food and health systems is empowered to develop data-driven solutions for enhanced human and planetary health.
OFFERINGS + CURRENT STATE
We are building a global ecosystem of partners to map food components to better know our food and diets through the following offerings:
Tools. We are developing and distributing standardized analytical methods based on omics technology to catalog the diversity of components in food to complement traditional food composition methods. Our current toolbox includes standardized methods to quantify minerals and metals (Ionomics), fats (Lipidomics), and specialized metabolites and other small molecules (Metabolomics), as well as a platform to facilitate the discovery of novel food biomolecules. We are currently developing a Glycomics method to measure the wide variety of fibers in food. Data. We have developed standardized methods and centralized data pipelines to harmonize food composition data generated from labs around the world. This technology harnesses computational science innovation to confidently annotate components in food using automated data processing. We are simultaneously collecting meta-data to link food composition data with diverse drivers of environmental, geographic, agricultural, and cultural variation. To date, we have populated the Periodic Table of Food database with an initial 200 foods analyzed across our suite of analytical platforms. Our team is taking a transparent approach to Access and Benefit Sharing related to food procurement and data use based on international regulatory frameworks and ethical considerations. We will make food composition data and supporting meta-data available in an open-access data platform as a global public resource.
Training. Through our capacity strengthening arm, Food EDU, we are providing innovative education based on a unique model that integrates cutting-edge research, training, and data applications to educate and inspire the next generation of food, agriculture, health, and nutrition leaders. We are currently developing our first Food EDU course module: Foodomics + Society. Further, we are providing training to a cohort of Good Food Fellows who will implement PTFI tools to carry out community-engaged research projects.
Global Ecosystem. We have built an ecosystem of partners, including Centers of Excellence on each continent, to utilize PTFI tools and data to address locally-relevant research questions. We have further identified initial National Lab Hubs and Partner Labs that are adopting PTFI tools to profile their local edible biodiversity. Additionally, our ecosystem entails research partners that contribute to methodological innovation and lead demonstration projects.
Research and Translation. We are supporting a range of transdisciplinary demonstration projects that apply PTFI tools and data in the following priority areas: (1) regenerative agriculture and agroecology; (2) climate change solutions and; (3) diet-related chronic disease.
The PTFI is facilitating the collection of food composition data using standardized tools as a key resource to inform solutions for planetary health through three pathways:
(1) Climate Effects on Food Quality. Food composition data collected over time and space can serve as an indicator and predictor of the impact of climate change on food quality.
(2) Regenerative Agriculture and Agroecology. Food composition data can provide quantitative evidence for scaling farming practices that support people and the planet.
(3) Planetary Health Diets. Food composition data can inform the design of diets for mitigating diet-related chronic disease, as well as climate change, that are place-based and accessible.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Tools. We seek to continue to develop standardized tools to better know our food. In addition, we seek to develop decision-making tools for diverse food system stakeholders fueled by PTFI data to design solutions to urgent societal challenges.
Data. With our global partners, we seek to populate the PTFI database with food composition data of the planet’s edible biodiversity. We further plan for PTFI tools to be used to generate data from research studies to elucidate how environmental, agricultural, and cultural factors impact food composition and implications for human and planetary health.
Training. Through Food EDU, we aim to train and empower learners globally to apply PTFI data to design food system solutions.
Dr. John de la Parra is an ethnobotanist and the Director of the Food Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation. He leads efforts to advance a more nourishing, regenerative, and just food system, including the creation of The Periodic Table of Food Initiative. With over 20 years of experience and a PhD in ethnobotany and plant chemistry, John focuses on how food crops and medicinal plants affect human health, culture, and the environment.
BY JOHN DE LA PARRA
Periodic Table of Food Initiative: Mapping Food Quality to Improve Human and Planetary Health
Imagine a world where farmers cultivate foods to combat diet-related chronic diseases in their local communities using practices that are nourishing for the environment. A world where people everywhere have access to sustainable and safe diets that support their cultural preferences and vitality. This future harnesses the power of food not only as a solution to hunger, but as an essential resource to support the wellbeing of people and the planet.
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) is accelerating this future by providing foundational resources to map food quality on the basis of robust food composition data and associated environmental, agricultural, and cultural variables. Our ultimate translational goal is to empower stakeholders to develop data-driven solutions to society’s most pressing food system challenges: biodiversity loss, climate change, and malnutrition.
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
Food System Challenges. Diet-related diseases account for 1 in 5 deaths around the world, while dominant farming practices compromise the health of ecosystems and our planet. These challenges disproportionately impact the world’s most vulnerable populations and are exacerbated by climate change.
We need to transform food systems for healthier people and a healthier planet in a changing world. By better knowing our food, we can each make better decisions for people and the planet.
What is in Food? Food is diverse and dynamic. The planet has over 30,000 edible species. These species are composed of thousands of components, also known as biomolecules, including macronutrients, micronutrients, and specialized metabolites. Additional components enter food through agricultural production and processing. These components serve diverse functions in ecosystems and in our bodies. The quantity of these components varies during food’s journey from farm to table.
The science of characterizing food components has evolved from consideration of food as an energy source to understanding the role of essential nutrients for public health. In addition to the known macro- and micronutrients, lesser-known specialized metabolites are increasingly recognized for their potential role in supporting health. Some food components may also be deleterious to health in specific dosages. While science has made major strides in cataloging food composition, we still don’t have a complete picture of what is in the food we grow and eat. Discovery data indicates there are thousands of unknown components in food, still yet to be named and explored.
For the first time in history, with advanced analytics and global coordination, we can imagine knowing the complete composition
of food, and how it varies across the food system. The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is catalyzing this future through the innovation of standardized multi-omics tools and global capacity strengthening efforts to characterize food components of the world’s food supply. This knowledge will complement existing standardized measurements of essential nutrients, allowing us to better understand the role of food in both human and planetary health.
- Bruce German, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor and Chemist,University of California, Davis
MISSION
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is providing standardized tools, data, and training to map food quality of the world's edible biodiversity. We are mapping food quality based on diverse components and their variation across the food system.
VISION
We envision a world where each stakeholder involved in food and health systems is empowered to develop data-driven solutions for enhanced human and planetary health.
OFFERINGS + CURRENT STATE
We are building a global ecosystem of partners to map food components to better know our food and diets through the following offerings:
Tools. We are developing and distributing standardized analytical methods based on omics technology to catalog the diversity of components in food to complement traditional food composition methods. Our current toolbox includes standardized methods to quantify minerals and metals (Ionomics), fats (Lipidomics), and specialized metabolites and other small molecules (Metabolomics), as well as a platform to facilitate the discovery of novel food biomolecules. We are currently developing a Glycomics method to measure the wide variety of fibers in food. Data. We have developed standardized methods and centralized data pipelines to harmonize food composition data generated from labs around the world. This technology harnesses computational science innovation to confidently annotate components in food using automated data processing. We are simultaneously collecting meta-data to link food composition data with diverse drivers of environmental, geographic, agricultural, and cultural variation. To date, we have populated the Periodic Table of Food database with an initial 200 foods analyzed across our suite of analytical platforms. Our team is taking a transparent approach to Access and Benefit Sharing related to food procurement and data use based on international regulatory frameworks and ethical considerations. We will make food composition data and supporting meta-data available in an open-access data platform as a global public resource.
Training. Through our capacity strengthening arm, Food EDU, we are providing innovative education based on a unique model that integrates cutting-edge research, training, and data applications to educate and inspire the next generation of food, agriculture, health, and nutrition leaders. We are currently developing our first Food EDU course module: Foodomics + Society. Further, we are providing training to a cohort of Good Food Fellows who will implement PTFI tools to carry out community-engaged research projects.
Global Ecosystem. We have built an ecosystem of partners, including Centers of Excellence on each continent, to utilize PTFI tools and data to address locally-relevant research questions. We have further identified initial National Lab Hubs and Partner Labs that are adopting PTFI tools to profile their local edible biodiversity. Additionally, our ecosystem entails research partners that contribute to methodological innovation and lead demonstration projects.
Research and Translation. We are supporting a range of transdisciplinary demonstration projects that apply PTFI tools and data in the following priority areas: (1) regenerative agriculture and agroecology; (2) climate change solutions and; (3) diet-related chronic disease.
The PTFI is facilitating the collection of food composition data using standardized tools as a key resource to inform solutions for planetary health through three pathways:
(1) Climate Effects on Food Quality. Food composition data collected over time and space can serve as an indicator and predictor of the impact of climate change on food quality.
(2) Regenerative Agriculture and Agroecology. Food composition data can provide quantitative evidence for scaling farming practices that support people and the planet.
(3) Planetary Health Diets. Food composition data can inform the design of diets for mitigating diet-related chronic disease, as well as climate change, that are place-based and accessible.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Tools. We seek to continue to develop standardized tools to better know our food. In addition, we seek to develop decision-making tools for diverse food system stakeholders fueled by PTFI data to design solutions to urgent societal challenges.
Data. With our global partners, we seek to populate the PTFI database with food composition data of the planet’s edible biodiversity. We further plan for PTFI tools to be used to generate data from research studies to elucidate how environmental, agricultural, and cultural factors impact food composition and implications for human and planetary health.
Training. Through Food EDU, we aim to train and empower learners globally to apply PTFI data to design food system solutions.
Periodic Table of Food Initiative: Mapping Food Quality to Improve Human and Planetary Health
Imagine a world where farmers cultivate foods to combat diet-related chronic diseases in their local communities using practices that are nourishing for the environment. A world where people everywhere have access to sustainable and safe diets that support their cultural preferences and vitality. This future harnesses the power of food not only as a solution to hunger, but as an essential resource to support the wellbeing of people and the planet.
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) is accelerating this future by providing foundational resources to map food quality on the basis of robust food composition data and associated environmental, agricultural, and cultural variables. Our ultimate translational goal is to empower stakeholders to develop data-driven solutions to society’s most pressing food system challenges: biodiversity loss, climate change, and malnutrition.
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
Food System Challenges. Diet-related diseases account for 1 in 5 deaths around the world, while dominant farming practices compromise the health of ecosystems and our planet. These challenges disproportionately impact the world’s most vulnerable populations and are exacerbated by climate change.
We need to transform food systems for healthier people and a healthier planet in a changing world. By better knowing our food, we can each make better decisions for people and the planet.
What is in Food? Food is diverse and dynamic. The planet has over 30,000 edible species. These species are composed of thousands of components, also known as biomolecules, including macronutrients, micronutrients, and specialized metabolites. Additional components enter food through agricultural production and processing. These components serve diverse functions in ecosystems and in our bodies. The quantity of these components varies during food’s journey from farm to table.
The science of characterizing food components has evolved from consideration of food as an energy source to understanding the role of essential nutrients for public health. In addition to the known macro- and micronutrients, lesser-known specialized metabolites are increasingly recognized for their potential role in supporting health. Some food components may also be deleterious to health in specific dosages. While science has made major strides in cataloging food composition, we still don’t have a complete picture of what is in the food we grow and eat. Discovery data indicates there are thousands of unknown components in food, still yet to be named and explored.
For the first time in history, with advanced analytics and global coordination, we can imagine knowing the complete composition
of food, and how it varies across the food system. The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is catalyzing this future through the innovation of standardized multi-omics tools and global capacity strengthening efforts to characterize food components of the world’s food supply. This knowledge will complement existing standardized measurements of essential nutrients, allowing us to better understand the role of food in both human and planetary health.
- Bruce German, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor and Chemist,University of California, Davis
MISSION
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is providing standardized tools, data, and training to map food quality of the world's edible biodiversity. We are mapping food quality based on diverse components and their variation across the food system.
VISION
We envision a world where each stakeholder involved in food and health systems is empowered to develop data-driven solutions for enhanced human and planetary health.
OFFERINGS + CURRENT STATE
We are building a global ecosystem of partners to map food components to better know our food and diets through the following offerings:
Tools. We are developing and distributing standardized analytical methods based on omics technology to catalog the diversity of components in food to complement traditional food composition methods. Our current toolbox includes standardized methods to quantify minerals and metals (Ionomics), fats (Lipidomics), and specialized metabolites and other small molecules (Metabolomics), as well as a platform to facilitate the discovery of novel food biomolecules. We are currently developing a Glycomics method to measure the wide variety of fibers in food. Data. We have developed standardized methods and centralized data pipelines to harmonize food composition data generated from labs around the world. This technology harnesses computational science innovation to confidently annotate components in food using automated data processing. We are simultaneously collecting meta-data to link food composition data with diverse drivers of environmental, geographic, agricultural, and cultural variation. To date, we have populated the Periodic Table of Food database with an initial 200 foods analyzed across our suite of analytical platforms. Our team is taking a transparent approach to Access and Benefit Sharing related to food procurement and data use based on international regulatory frameworks and ethical considerations. We will make food composition data and supporting meta-data available in an open-access data platform as a global public resource.
Training. Through our capacity strengthening arm, Food EDU, we are providing innovative education based on a unique model that integrates cutting-edge research, training, and data applications to educate and inspire the next generation of food, agriculture, health, and nutrition leaders. We are currently developing our first Food EDU course module: Foodomics + Society. Further, we are providing training to a cohort of Good Food Fellows who will implement PTFI tools to carry out community-engaged research projects.
Global Ecosystem. We have built an ecosystem of partners, including Centers of Excellence on each continent, to utilize PTFI tools and data to address locally-relevant research questions. We have further identified initial National Lab Hubs and Partner Labs that are adopting PTFI tools to profile their local edible biodiversity. Additionally, our ecosystem entails research partners that contribute to methodological innovation and lead demonstration projects.
Research and Translation. We are supporting a range of transdisciplinary demonstration projects that apply PTFI tools and data in the following priority areas: (1) regenerative agriculture and agroecology; (2) climate change solutions and; (3) diet-related chronic disease.
The PTFI is facilitating the collection of food composition data using standardized tools as a key resource to inform solutions for planetary health through three pathways:
(1) Climate Effects on Food Quality. Food composition data collected over time and space can serve as an indicator and predictor of the impact of climate change on food quality.
(2) Regenerative Agriculture and Agroecology. Food composition data can provide quantitative evidence for scaling farming practices that support people and the planet.
(3) Planetary Health Diets. Food composition data can inform the design of diets for mitigating diet-related chronic disease, as well as climate change, that are place-based and accessible.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Tools. We seek to continue to develop standardized tools to better know our food. In addition, we seek to develop decision-making tools for diverse food system stakeholders fueled by PTFI data to design solutions to urgent societal challenges.
Data. With our global partners, we seek to populate the PTFI database with food composition data of the planet’s edible biodiversity. We further plan for PTFI tools to be used to generate data from research studies to elucidate how environmental, agricultural, and cultural factors impact food composition and implications for human and planetary health.
Training. Through Food EDU, we aim to train and empower learners globally to apply PTFI data to design food system solutions.
Dr. John de la Parra is an ethnobotanist and the Director of the Food Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation. He leads efforts to advance a more nourishing, regenerative, and just food system, including the creation of The Periodic Table of Food Initiative. With over 20 years of experience and a PhD in ethnobotany and plant chemistry, John focuses on how food crops and medicinal plants affect human health, culture, and the environment.
BY JOHN DE LA PARRA
Periodic Table of Food Initiative: Mapping Food Quality to Improve Human and Planetary Health
Imagine a world where farmers cultivate foods to combat diet-related chronic diseases in their local communities using practices that are nourishing for the environment. A world where people everywhere have access to sustainable and safe diets that support their cultural preferences and vitality. This future harnesses the power of food not only as a solution to hunger, but as an essential resource to support the wellbeing of people and the planet.
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) is accelerating this future by providing foundational resources to map food quality on the basis of robust food composition data and associated environmental, agricultural, and cultural variables. Our ultimate translational goal is to empower stakeholders to develop data-driven solutions to society’s most pressing food system challenges: biodiversity loss, climate change, and malnutrition.
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
Food System Challenges. Diet-related diseases account for 1 in 5 deaths around the world, while dominant farming practices compromise the health of ecosystems and our planet. These challenges disproportionately impact the world’s most vulnerable populations and are exacerbated by climate change.
We need to transform food systems for healthier people and a healthier planet in a changing world. By better knowing our food, we can each make better decisions for people and the planet.
What is in Food? Food is diverse and dynamic. The planet has over 30,000 edible species. These species are composed of thousands of components, also known as biomolecules, including macronutrients, micronutrients, and specialized metabolites. Additional components enter food through agricultural production and processing. These components serve diverse functions in ecosystems and in our bodies. The quantity of these components varies during food’s journey from farm to table.
The science of characterizing food components has evolved from consideration of food as an energy source to understanding the role of essential nutrients for public health. In addition to the known macro- and micronutrients, lesser-known specialized metabolites are increasingly recognized for their potential role in supporting health. Some food components may also be deleterious to health in specific dosages. While science has made major strides in cataloging food composition, we still don’t have a complete picture of what is in the food we grow and eat. Discovery data indicates there are thousands of unknown components in food, still yet to be named and explored.
For the first time in history, with advanced analytics and global coordination, we can imagine knowing the complete composition
of food, and how it varies across the food system. The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is catalyzing this future through the innovation of standardized multi-omics tools and global capacity strengthening efforts to characterize food components of the world’s food supply. This knowledge will complement existing standardized measurements of essential nutrients, allowing us to better understand the role of food in both human and planetary health.
- Bruce German, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor and Chemist,University of California, Davis
MISSION
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is providing standardized tools, data, and training to map food quality of the world's edible biodiversity. We are mapping food quality based on diverse components and their variation across the food system.
VISION
We envision a world where each stakeholder involved in food and health systems is empowered to develop data-driven solutions for enhanced human and planetary health.
OFFERINGS + CURRENT STATE
We are building a global ecosystem of partners to map food components to better know our food and diets through the following offerings:
Tools. We are developing and distributing standardized analytical methods based on omics technology to catalog the diversity of components in food to complement traditional food composition methods. Our current toolbox includes standardized methods to quantify minerals and metals (Ionomics), fats (Lipidomics), and specialized metabolites and other small molecules (Metabolomics), as well as a platform to facilitate the discovery of novel food biomolecules. We are currently developing a Glycomics method to measure the wide variety of fibers in food. Data. We have developed standardized methods and centralized data pipelines to harmonize food composition data generated from labs around the world. This technology harnesses computational science innovation to confidently annotate components in food using automated data processing. We are simultaneously collecting meta-data to link food composition data with diverse drivers of environmental, geographic, agricultural, and cultural variation. To date, we have populated the Periodic Table of Food database with an initial 200 foods analyzed across our suite of analytical platforms. Our team is taking a transparent approach to Access and Benefit Sharing related to food procurement and data use based on international regulatory frameworks and ethical considerations. We will make food composition data and supporting meta-data available in an open-access data platform as a global public resource.
Training. Through our capacity strengthening arm, Food EDU, we are providing innovative education based on a unique model that integrates cutting-edge research, training, and data applications to educate and inspire the next generation of food, agriculture, health, and nutrition leaders. We are currently developing our first Food EDU course module: Foodomics + Society. Further, we are providing training to a cohort of Good Food Fellows who will implement PTFI tools to carry out community-engaged research projects.
Global Ecosystem. We have built an ecosystem of partners, including Centers of Excellence on each continent, to utilize PTFI tools and data to address locally-relevant research questions. We have further identified initial National Lab Hubs and Partner Labs that are adopting PTFI tools to profile their local edible biodiversity. Additionally, our ecosystem entails research partners that contribute to methodological innovation and lead demonstration projects.
Research and Translation. We are supporting a range of transdisciplinary demonstration projects that apply PTFI tools and data in the following priority areas: (1) regenerative agriculture and agroecology; (2) climate change solutions and; (3) diet-related chronic disease.
The PTFI is facilitating the collection of food composition data using standardized tools as a key resource to inform solutions for planetary health through three pathways:
(1) Climate Effects on Food Quality. Food composition data collected over time and space can serve as an indicator and predictor of the impact of climate change on food quality.
(2) Regenerative Agriculture and Agroecology. Food composition data can provide quantitative evidence for scaling farming practices that support people and the planet.
(3) Planetary Health Diets. Food composition data can inform the design of diets for mitigating diet-related chronic disease, as well as climate change, that are place-based and accessible.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Tools. We seek to continue to develop standardized tools to better know our food. In addition, we seek to develop decision-making tools for diverse food system stakeholders fueled by PTFI data to design solutions to urgent societal challenges.
Data. With our global partners, we seek to populate the PTFI database with food composition data of the planet’s edible biodiversity. We further plan for PTFI tools to be used to generate data from research studies to elucidate how environmental, agricultural, and cultural factors impact food composition and implications for human and planetary health.
Training. Through Food EDU, we aim to train and empower learners globally to apply PTFI data to design food system solutions.
Periodic Table of Food Initiative: Mapping Food Quality to Improve Human and Planetary Health
Imagine a world where farmers cultivate foods to combat diet-related chronic diseases in their local communities using practices that are nourishing for the environment. A world where people everywhere have access to sustainable and safe diets that support their cultural preferences and vitality. This future harnesses the power of food not only as a solution to hunger, but as an essential resource to support the wellbeing of people and the planet.
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) is accelerating this future by providing foundational resources to map food quality on the basis of robust food composition data and associated environmental, agricultural, and cultural variables. Our ultimate translational goal is to empower stakeholders to develop data-driven solutions to society’s most pressing food system challenges: biodiversity loss, climate change, and malnutrition.
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
Food System Challenges. Diet-related diseases account for 1 in 5 deaths around the world, while dominant farming practices compromise the health of ecosystems and our planet. These challenges disproportionately impact the world’s most vulnerable populations and are exacerbated by climate change.
We need to transform food systems for healthier people and a healthier planet in a changing world. By better knowing our food, we can each make better decisions for people and the planet.
What is in Food? Food is diverse and dynamic. The planet has over 30,000 edible species. These species are composed of thousands of components, also known as biomolecules, including macronutrients, micronutrients, and specialized metabolites. Additional components enter food through agricultural production and processing. These components serve diverse functions in ecosystems and in our bodies. The quantity of these components varies during food’s journey from farm to table.
The science of characterizing food components has evolved from consideration of food as an energy source to understanding the role of essential nutrients for public health. In addition to the known macro- and micronutrients, lesser-known specialized metabolites are increasingly recognized for their potential role in supporting health. Some food components may also be deleterious to health in specific dosages. While science has made major strides in cataloging food composition, we still don’t have a complete picture of what is in the food we grow and eat. Discovery data indicates there are thousands of unknown components in food, still yet to be named and explored.
For the first time in history, with advanced analytics and global coordination, we can imagine knowing the complete composition
of food, and how it varies across the food system. The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is catalyzing this future through the innovation of standardized multi-omics tools and global capacity strengthening efforts to characterize food components of the world’s food supply. This knowledge will complement existing standardized measurements of essential nutrients, allowing us to better understand the role of food in both human and planetary health.
- Bruce German, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor and Chemist,University of California, Davis
MISSION
The Periodic Table of Food Initiative is providing standardized tools, data, and training to map food quality of the world's edible biodiversity. We are mapping food quality based on diverse components and their variation across the food system.
VISION
We envision a world where each stakeholder involved in food and health systems is empowered to develop data-driven solutions for enhanced human and planetary health.
OFFERINGS + CURRENT STATE
We are building a global ecosystem of partners to map food components to better know our food and diets through the following offerings:
Tools. We are developing and distributing standardized analytical methods based on omics technology to catalog the diversity of components in food to complement traditional food composition methods. Our current toolbox includes standardized methods to quantify minerals and metals (Ionomics), fats (Lipidomics), and specialized metabolites and other small molecules (Metabolomics), as well as a platform to facilitate the discovery of novel food biomolecules. We are currently developing a Glycomics method to measure the wide variety of fibers in food. Data. We have developed standardized methods and centralized data pipelines to harmonize food composition data generated from labs around the world. This technology harnesses computational science innovation to confidently annotate components in food using automated data processing. We are simultaneously collecting meta-data to link food composition data with diverse drivers of environmental, geographic, agricultural, and cultural variation. To date, we have populated the Periodic Table of Food database with an initial 200 foods analyzed across our suite of analytical platforms. Our team is taking a transparent approach to Access and Benefit Sharing related to food procurement and data use based on international regulatory frameworks and ethical considerations. We will make food composition data and supporting meta-data available in an open-access data platform as a global public resource.
Training. Through our capacity strengthening arm, Food EDU, we are providing innovative education based on a unique model that integrates cutting-edge research, training, and data applications to educate and inspire the next generation of food, agriculture, health, and nutrition leaders. We are currently developing our first Food EDU course module: Foodomics + Society. Further, we are providing training to a cohort of Good Food Fellows who will implement PTFI tools to carry out community-engaged research projects.
Global Ecosystem. We have built an ecosystem of partners, including Centers of Excellence on each continent, to utilize PTFI tools and data to address locally-relevant research questions. We have further identified initial National Lab Hubs and Partner Labs that are adopting PTFI tools to profile their local edible biodiversity. Additionally, our ecosystem entails research partners that contribute to methodological innovation and lead demonstration projects.
Research and Translation. We are supporting a range of transdisciplinary demonstration projects that apply PTFI tools and data in the following priority areas: (1) regenerative agriculture and agroecology; (2) climate change solutions and; (3) diet-related chronic disease.
The PTFI is facilitating the collection of food composition data using standardized tools as a key resource to inform solutions for planetary health through three pathways:
(1) Climate Effects on Food Quality. Food composition data collected over time and space can serve as an indicator and predictor of the impact of climate change on food quality.
(2) Regenerative Agriculture and Agroecology. Food composition data can provide quantitative evidence for scaling farming practices that support people and the planet.
(3) Planetary Health Diets. Food composition data can inform the design of diets for mitigating diet-related chronic disease, as well as climate change, that are place-based and accessible.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Tools. We seek to continue to develop standardized tools to better know our food. In addition, we seek to develop decision-making tools for diverse food system stakeholders fueled by PTFI data to design solutions to urgent societal challenges.
Data. With our global partners, we seek to populate the PTFI database with food composition data of the planet’s edible biodiversity. We further plan for PTFI tools to be used to generate data from research studies to elucidate how environmental, agricultural, and cultural factors impact food composition and implications for human and planetary health.
Training. Through Food EDU, we aim to train and empower learners globally to apply PTFI data to design food system solutions.
Dr. John de la Parra is an ethnobotanist and the Director of the Food Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation. He leads efforts to advance a more nourishing, regenerative, and just food system, including the creation of The Periodic Table of Food Initiative. With over 20 years of experience and a PhD in ethnobotany and plant chemistry, John focuses on how food crops and medicinal plants affect human health, culture, and the environment.