Transformative Initiatives
Research
Transformative Initiatives
Toward Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems: Diverse Perspectives on Contemporary Challenges
To better address the growing complexity of sustainable food-related challenges, interdisciplinarity lies at the heart of INAF’s research approach. The priority transformative initiatives are aligned with and complement the Institute’s scientific program. They represent priority topics for which INAF will strengthen its networking efforts and expand incentives for research collaboration.
These transformative initiatives are designed to foster greater intersectoral research by bringing together the diverse expertise of INAF members and strengthening synergies across disciplines. They also aim to ensure that research projects are grounded in the priorities of stakeholder communities, including government, community, economic, and scientific sectors. More specifically, these initiatives will contribute to achieving the objectives of the Quebec Biofood Policy of the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ), the Government Policy on Health Prevention (PGPS) of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), and are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the objectives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Why Add These Initiatives?
They aim to:
- To structure a coherent, integrated, and agile scientific response to major contemporary challenges
- To respond in an agile and coordinated manner to the scientific objectives of public policies (MAPAQ, PGPS), international commitments (FAO, SDGs), and the priorities of funding agencies;
- To strengthen the local, regional, national, and international impact of research outcomes.
To foster greater intersectoral collaboration, the transformative initiatives will leverage the following drivers:
- Multidisciplinary and intersectoral research as a catalyst for innovation;
- Optimal use of INAF’s infrastructures, platforms, incentive programs, as well as its affiliated entities and services;
- Stronger collaboration with community, industry, and institutional partners through major joint initiatives.
Initiative 1
Equitable Access to Healthy and Sustainable Food
This initiative aims to identify and address the systemic barriers that limit equitable access to healthy and sustainable food, including economic and geographic accessibility, nutritional quality, cultural acceptability, and other related factors. Territorialized food systems represent one of the key levers for achieving this goal. The initiative will also seek to reduce social inequalities, including those observed in institutional settings such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, and early childhood education centres, as well as within schools.
Examples of projects requiring an intersectoral research approach include the development of food distribution models for rural and northern communities, the evaluation of the impacts of food subsidy policies on low-income households, and the development of healthy, affordable food products through tailored formulations and appropriate technologies.
Initiative 2
Food Waste Reduction and Resource Valorization
Rooted in a circular economy approach, this initiative aims to reduce losses throughout the food supply chain, improve the management of inputs at their source, extend product shelf life, and enhance the valorization of food co-products. The development of high value-added ingredients and products derived from co-products requires the validation of their safety, health benefits, and consumer acceptability.
Other research opportunities within this theme include the development of artificial intelligence tools for inventory management and food loss forecasting, as well as behavioural studies aimed at reducing food waste in households and food service settings.
Initiative 3
Resilience and Adaptation of Food Systems to Climate Change and Crisis Situations
In a context of increasing disruptions caused by climate change, as well as health, economic, and geopolitical crises, this initiative seeks to enhance understanding of food system resilience and strengthen food security. It aims to examine the impacts of these changes and crises on the safety and quality of food inputs, as well as on food processing practices, including adaptation to emerging pathogens, new crop cultivars, shelf-life requirements, innovative packaging solutions, and optimized distribution systems.
The initiative will also explore strategies to strengthen adaptive capacity through territorialized approaches tailored to regional realities. Finally, it recognizes the importance of food and climate literacy, particularly regarding climate change impacts and adaptation measures, as a key area requiring further attention and research.
Initiative 4
Optimal Nutrition Throughout the Life Course
This initiative adopts both population-based and personalized approaches, integrating nutritional, sensory, cultural, environmental, psychological, and behavioural dimensions to promote optimal nutrition throughout all stages of life. It seeks to support healthy and sustainable dietary practices by considering the multiple factors that influence food choices and health outcomes across the lifespan.
The initiative also takes into account differences related to individual determinants, including sex, gender, socioeconomic status, and biological factors, as well as health contexts such as the progression of chronic diseases, living environments, and lifestyle conditions.
Initiative 5
Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence
This initiative encompasses all aspects of technology within food systems and food-health research, including the integration of artificial intelligence, traceability systems, data analytics, and digital tools supporting food production, consumption, and personalized nutrition. It is becoming an essential area for modernizing the food ecosystem, improving supply chain efficiency, and enabling more personalized approaches to health and nutrition.
Examples of promising projects within this theme include the development of mobile applications for personalized nutrition monitoring, the design of traceability systems to ensure food safety and sustainability, the use of digital twins to simulate more resilient supply chains, and the identification of novel predictive biomarkers for health outcomes. Research on communication challenges and public perceptions related to the use of artificial intelligence in food and health-related fields is also highly relevant to this initiative.
Initiative 6
Food Education and Literacy
In an era of information overload, where messages are often abundant and sometimes contradictory, this initiative seeks to promote healthy and sustainable food choices, provide consumers with clear and reliable information, and support evidence-informed decision-making among both policymakers and the general public. Achieving these objectives requires making information accessible, understandable, and relevant to a wide range of audiences.
The initiative also contributes to the development and monitoring of public policies that are better aligned with Québec’s social and nutritional realities, as well as to the creation of educational resources and knowledge-transfer tools tailored to different target audiences. Among the promising areas of research within this theme, the study and development of food labels, claims, and advertising strategies require a cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary approach.
