Evolution and Future Needs of Food Chemistry in a Changing World

The agriculture system is tasked with the responsibility to deliver adequate quantities of food, which meet national needs, provide health benefits, and deliver these in an environmentally sustainable system. Efforts by the food industry to deliver safe and nutritious foods, which also improve health and wellness, are complicated by a constantly changing landscape. As early as the 1950s, fat in diets was a concern, and in the 1980s and early 1990s, fat was an evil component in foods. In response, the industry developed zero/low fats and foods and low-fat foods. The evolution in dietary guidelines in the 2000s has evolved to greater concern over simple sugars and starches as negative sources of calories in an environment of increasing obesity. With the world population approaching 9 billion individuals by 2050, food production, which relies on large amounts of water and energy, must become more efficient. Food production and delivery also must find innovative ways to reduce food waste, environmental pollutants, and greenhouse gas production. The nexus of food, energy, and water is and will continue to be a major research and political and communication emphasis for the scientific community. We must find clear and consumer friendly communications to explain the utilization of modern technology in food production. Solutions to these issues must also include sustainably produced, safe, nutritious, satisfying, and wholesome foods.