Megatrends Shaping Tomorrow’s Food
30 Apr 2026 | Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute
The health and nutrition landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by scientific advances and changing consumer expectations. In collaboration with KHNI’s extensive network of scientific experts, we identified five health and nutrition megatrends that are reshaping the food and beverage industry. These trends are influencing innovation in product design, formulation, and reformulation as companies respond to the shifting needs and priorities of consumers. To explore some of the most pressing topics, the KHNI’s upcoming webinar will focus on three transformative trends:
- Food for Health and Longevity
- Regulations and Reformulation
- Emerging and New Technologies
The session will provide insights to help shape the future of food and nutrition while supporting you in navigating evolving consumer expectations, scientific developments, and regulatory landscapes.
Hello everyone and welcome to our Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute panel discussion on our 2026 health and nutrition mega trends.
I'm Doctor Aisling Ahern, today's host, and the senior nutrition scientist for the Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute.
I am delighted to be joined by a distinguished panel of experts who each bring a unique lens to the future of food and where it's heading.
So I would like them to introduce themselves one by one.
So Imed, please introduce yourself.
Emed Galozzi, I'm a professor of bioscience and director of Chaos Smart Health Center of Excellence.
I joined Kos, which is King Abdullah University for Science and Technology north of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, 5 years and a half years ago.
I'm a biologist by training and involved in developing the usage of technologies, applications in health and nutrition.
Thank you, Lisa.
Thanks very much, Aisling.
Delighted to be here.
My name is Doctor Lisa Ryan.
I'm head of School of Health, Sports Science and Nutrition at Atlantic Technological University, which is one of the newer universities in Ireland encompassing campuses in Donegal, Sligo and Galway.
My background is across sports science and nutrition.
I particularly focus on functional ingredients and bioactives throughout the lifespan and how they can be applied to both sport and public health applications with a particular interest in sex-based differences across disease states and also recovery from injury.
Thank you.
And Martin.
Yeah, so I'm a professor at Johns Hopkins, for the past 8 years before I was working for the United Nations as head of health and nutrition.
At the World Food Program and before that I worked for an American NGO in Asia.
So I'm a medical doctor and a PhD by training and my focus always has been on the health issues, food systems, nutrition, and I would say sustainability.
Thank you.
We're at a time of extraordinary change.
Nutrition science, consumer expectations, technology, regulations, and global health pressures are converging in ways that are reshaping the future of food.
I'd like to ask you all a question.
What do you see as the biggest forces reshaping global nutrition and food right now?
So I'll start with you, Martin.
Yeah, so I think it's, it's, it's very interesting because I think that the, you know.
I will take something from somebody else.
I think we're in the perfect storm because there are many different elements of the food system which are going on.
We have climate change, of course, and it will influence enormously the production of food over the next decades, positively and negatively, but more negatively than positive.
I think at the same time we have overnutrition and we have undernutrition, which is also because the treatment for those different.
Form of malnutrition is actually different.
So that's the tension.
Then we see, of course, a world which is diverse.
I have low, middle, high income countries, and their problems are different in the field of nutrition.
At the same time you see a lot of overlap.
So how do you deal with that?
So it's a complex world.
The solutions are in principle also not simple.
And I think the biggest problem we are facing is that in a complex world we still need to be practical, have simple solutions which fit into a holistic point of view.
Thank you.
Lisa.
Yeah, I agree with, everything that Martin has said.
I suppose some of the challenges that I would say is that in, in some countries we have aging populations and it's fantastic that we're all going to live longer lives, but those lives need to be healthier, longer lives.
And that's a challenge because advances in medicine have meant that we're keeping people alive longer and they're not necessarily healthier individuals.
Some are, but not all.
And if the only thing that's keeping people alive longer are medicines, we're actually going to have a lot of older people that, you know, are possibly in an unhealthy state.
And that brings a challenge both from, you know, a physical activity and exercise point of view and then obviously from our perspective, from a nutrition point of view.
Something else I think, which is a real game changer, of course, is what we'll probably discuss later on, the whole genesis of GLP-1 drugs and what that means.
It's one of the most revolutionary changes, certainly in my time as a nutritionist.
What it means, it's a, you know, they've absolutely changed how we're going to be able to support and manage people living with obesity.
City, but they are also not without their challenges, and that is going to require a lot from us as nutritionists to support individuals that are on these new drugs.
Thank you.
So, of course what Lisa and Martin said is totally right on the ball.
What I add also one of the biggest drivers drivers lately in the last two decades is technology.
Technology first of all from the obvious one which transportation and communication made the world shrink, the world smaller, we can move from one place to another fast so we can move goods and nutrition are accessible, produced on one side of the earth to the other side very fast, so people have access, meaning we have access to those nutrients.
However, What also is adding to that is our capacity to collect data and also understand the impact of nutrients on our healthy or day to day activity as a human being, and that is really putting us in a place where we can understand.
The nutrients that are produced in certain places in the globe, their impact on the population health, and immediately we can measure the health and also disease onset and their connection to nutrients.
So with technology, AI and computer science and the supercomputer, we have the means.
We are at a space where no longer.
One size fits all and nutrients can have the same impact as we understand it one nutrient can have the same impact on all populations.
Now we know we can tailor nutrient to the needs of a given population, whether sick or healthier population, to promote health and prevent disease or tackle disease when they are there.
They are very good and interesting perspectives.
Now, as you know, every year, the Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute conducts surveys with their extensive network of experts on forthcoming health and nutrition trends.
So for 2026, we identified five mega trends that are redefining food and beverage industry in terms of product development, innovation, and the five do include health and longevity, as you referred to earlier.
Regulatory shifts and reformulation, the processing paradox, , emerging technologies, and finally it will be nature, biodiversity and resilience.
So I'd like to get started with longevity because it has really upsurged so fast in the last few months.
I'm hearing a lot about, summits and conferences on longevity.
So Lisa, let's start with you.
There is a surge around longevity, as I mentioned, but what's the most realistic snapshot of where the science is for longevity?
Yeah, I, I think it's interesting that longevity seems to be taking off as a buzz now because we've had different terms for the same concept that, you know, and it's really about supporting us through a healthier, longer life.
But I think the difference is nowadays is people are not willing to Settle for less than a healthy, active, you know, lifestyle.
And we would often say, what are the things that make it, you know, make somebody compatible with a happy older life.
And that is being cognitively sound and also being able to move, i.e., live independently.
They're some of the key aspects that somebody would like.
So to support those in nutrition, the evidence hasn't really changed all that much, but we are seeing ingredients that of course we can complement what we've known for years.
So for instance, we know that as we age, protein and protein quality become very important.
Through science, we're now understanding a lot more about the gut and how the gut talks to our brain and like, you know, and that whole gut brain access might influence our cognitive capacities as we age and therefore some of the nutrients and non-nutrients and their impact on the gut and then likewise the impact of the gut on the brain is a really interesting area of science.
So I, I think also Because I work in a sports science place space as , it would be unfair of me not to highlight that when I talk about nutrition, I always am talking about it coming from the perspective that it's not in isolation.
You have to move your body as.
And if we're thinking about longevity, it becomes even more important.
We're not talking about the fact that everybody needs to do prescriptive exercise and go to the gym, but if you're just going to focus on your, your nutrition, you're not going to end up Having a long and healthy life.
You have to have supportive nutrition, but also you have to be active.
Yes, yes.
And Martin, do you have anything to add to that?
It's very difficult to add something to this because I think you know you said it all, Lisa, but let me, it's difficult from a nutrition perspective.
I also feel that It depends from which socioeconomic group your background is.
So for people who actually can afford, I would say the right nutrition problems of products or food and possible access to the gym, for example, I think it's still an issue because you still need to be motivated.
You still need to have knowledge, but at least it's affordable.
But I think the problem a bit.
Whether you go to Europe or the US or whether you go to low middle income countries, affordability will be a big issue, despite the fact that the baby boomers, of course, have relatively more funding than for example the younger generation.
But I can see that that's why I think the public sector is very important to facilitate some of the recommendations actually Lisa was talking about.
So what's available for The older generations from products, and I think we have ignored to a certain extent, and I'm not saying, but As a public health sector, but as as I think maybe from an industrial perspective that we need more support for elderly.
You have this long term trend and you are thinking very hard about what, how we can solve.
And I also know that other companies are also thinking about it.
So I think it's an important trend to see that even when you Even when you have theoretically the solutions from a scientific perspective, you still have to do it.
And the last comment I would like to make is that quite often we underestimate in fact that people need to be in control.
So you have to help people to actually be able to have access, to be able actually to, for example, do the exercises and make it easy for them.
So the concept of having communities.
Where in fact the elderly are not only on their own, but actually are integrated in the whole society is actually very critical for longevity.
And Emed coming to you, how is AI reshaping our ability to identify aging mechanisms or predict biological age?
So that's a great question, but if you'll allow me, I want just to make a comment on what Lisa and Martin said, because that's really an important topic.
First of all, longevity is now the concept, I hope we all agree, is healthier aging better or more important than adding?
Years in our life.
So of course both will be great if we live longer but healthier, but that comes with also another side where I heard discussion about it from a regulatory and societal side.
If we are going to live longer and healthier, there are things that need to adapt and set a regulatory for retirement.
Are we still really calling for retirement at age 60 or 65?
That should be, in my opinion, Immediately addressed because in fact now probably I'm one of them.
In our 60s we are probably top of our production.
60 is the new 40, like we say that's how I like saying it.
So basically I don't think of myself in a few years going to retirement.
So I'm and that also with the tours.
That we have AI to bring, we can have as we age, we can adapt our contribution to society, but not stop it because people, we accumulate experience in life.
So why do we stop the elderly from contributing to society just so it's not competing for jobs?
AI can solve that problem.
We can contribute to society without really Taking the job of the younger generation, so there is really a social pact that needs to be rethink that way because people in their 80s, I know many 80 senior people in their 80s and 85, very sharp, with a lot of experience, and so that's why now AI in AI and the new technology.
We know now, for example, we all have these wearables that collective glucose level in our body and continuously so we can have indicator almost minute by minute on our metabolism, how we respond to food, how we respond to stress.
What type of food, for example, that will bring our stress down or help us exercise longer, have a better or happiness.
There are also notions of the happiness index, that's something that is being studied in many societies, and happiness can be linked to food, to lifestyle, to social environment, all of the above that can be captured as data.
In AI through AI and bioinformatics, and that's what will help us first of all predict where the group of individuals given individual if they behave a certain way, eat a certain type of food, have a certain lifestyle.
For their longevity, specifically if we add to that biological information, metabolism, proteomics, genetic patterns, etc.
Etc.
In addition to the environment, so that's where really the tools we have that accessible.
The problem is the data.
And that we can discuss that later.
And do you foresee personalized longevity as being maybe implemented into the norm of clinical practice?
It would be beneficial by using technology and AI.
Absolutely.
It's like personalized medicine.
Is now AI can inform us because it's the same thing.
For example, if we take headaches, we all suffer from headaches, but not all of us respond to the same medicine, and this is how we can react to food, for example, and that's where the AI can be predictive and meet what we call Personalized or tailored nutrition and now there are apps and there are technology, cameras, etc.
That can capture what type of food you eat at a given time.
If we can allow access to that type of information and we put it in the data in a server where professional nutritionists and doctors have access to that, that can.
Be factored in their diagnosis and the treatment when you have health problems.
And that's where personalized nutrition really has a niche there.
Thanks Lisa, you want to add in?
So look, I think, I think there are huge opportunities with wearables with AI, but like a lot of these things, it all depends on the data that we're putting into them.
So Irrespective of what particular watch you might choose to use, not everybody has access to them.
Not everybody's inputting them.
And then we also have some individuals, who have addictive behaviors who find watches quite triggering.
So, you know, they, I think with anything, you know, AI provides a solution and it's very exciting to see how AI can help.
We've had large data in nutrition for years that we haven't been able to mine properly and we now have that opportunity.
But the data that we use to inform our decision making.
It is only useful if everybody's feeding into it.
And again, to Martin's point earlier on, we have a whole host of socioeconomic groups whose data we simply don't have or we don't have good quality data, and they're not feeding into the algorithms and the systems that we're now using to make decisions.
So I do think in this space we still need to always consider the data that's informing the policies, the choices, the recommendations that we make.
Is that reflective of everybody in society, or is it Reflective of a certain socioeconomic group that can actually afford to have technology to to do certain things that feed into the system, and if we don't have a full picture, how are we going about capturing that picture and making sure that AI is being trained on all of the information to suit all of the subgroups in society, you know, so that we're accurately using it to inform.
And Martin, I was just about to go to you because as Lisa just highlighted that there is a gap, and in addition to what you're going to add is how can we get the data from those other groups that are missing so we can actually have a full picture of what's happening across all the different types of societies.
Yeah, can I say something else before I realize it, yeah, because, because I think these are points is very, I think very important because you know what I think, if you talk about longevity, you have to start from birth or even before birth because you know it's, it's, it's about education like and that quite, I think one of the key issues is, is, is a tension between you know, being helped by the by the government or by the system.
And actually be able to be in control, and you need both, and I think the more we learn children actually to act on certain things or to have access, for example, to sports from an early age on.
And being able to actually do that independently of the society to push them, that also means that later in life they will be able to continue to do certain activities which will be more and more difficult when you get older because you get more stiff.
There's a lot of issues, so you have to learn that very early on and be able, so affordability is always an issue.
And I think when it comes to data that's actually connected with that because very often when we talk about deprived communities, these young children, they start off quite often already to poorer schools.
I'm not about Ireland because I don't know, but what I see in the US, the primary schools are not as good as for example the private schools, so they go on their whole career in effect depending on others actually to control their life.
And that means in fact they don't have good access to many issues like the government to support all these different elements, and I think Europe is a much better example where in fact they don't have that big gaps what you see in other places or in low and middle income countries, but I feel that there is a trend sometimes among nutritionists like obesity, for example.
We first we blamed people who are obese, then we said no, they cannot be blamed because it's the food environment which is the cause.
But at the same time there's also a kind of responsibility to do something about it.
So that tension between both is to be not judgmental about both elements, but actually try to support tools to do that, and AI can help with these kinds of choices, but at the same time, I agree with Lisa when it comes to wearables.
I think they have a lot of potential.
At the same time they are still extremely expensive.
So and and and and and I think it's interesting.
I didn't know, but anxiety actually can also be an issue.
So you need multiple systems that you know like none.
You know, not one solution will actually help.
It's really important.
So I totally agree about accessibility and affordability.
However, if let's say we think about technology that evolved in the last 50, 60 years, computers.
When we started in the 60s and the 50s, actually, when let's say Bill Gates and all these young scientists who put computers and they were saying in the 70s that every household within 30 years will have a computer.
People said they are crazy, it's expensive.
Now that's true.
Cars, would you tell me that cars, for example, are not worldwide accessible?
It is.
So this is where AI is heading.
So therefore it's our responsibility to this technology which probably we foresee it will be more popular, more affordable within the next 5 to 10 years because technology evolves, cheaper, and many countries can afford it over and over.
It becomes like computers like cars.
This is an example.
So it's on us now to start for those who are using them on a daily basis to have a proof of concept for personalized nutrition, for personalized medicine, etc.
Martin, I'd like to reinforce what you're saying.
For example, in the UN we were working with female farmers.
The majority of farmers in Africa are female farmers.
And it was difficult for them to grow food because of course there are many issues, particularly looking at the soil, and you know, but the incredible increase of access to phones helped them enormously, so they could actually use phones and And other technology to identify what was needed, for example, to make the soil better and those kinds of things.
So I agree that in principle the technology will be more affordable in the next decades.
At the same time, it's not a given always.
So, so yes, I'm also optimistic about this.
The other side to that as is the technology might become more affordable, but the solutions may not become more affordable, and that's the balance.
Like what you might actually say is we have the data, we're all inputting the data into the system.
People now know what they should be doing, but actually the divide between those who can and those who cannot might become even greater.
So they're just other things I think to balance it out.
And actually that's a very good point, because one example of that would be GLP1s, as we know they're there to treat diabetes, but also they're there to be used for weight loss for people who have obesity.
So Lisa, what are your thoughts on the GLP-1 medications and weight loss, and have you any concerns, as to, how they're being used for weight loss or any other effects they may have?
So GLP ones, I suppose to start off, I, I think they are amazing, you know, as I was saying earlier, I do think they are one of the greatest advances in medicine of our time, aside from some vaccination programs, for example, but , like anything, all of a sudden GLP-1s have come out and everybody is talking about them like they are the most fantastic thing and So I have concerns from a number of different perspectives.
From a health perspective, you know, I've worked previously in type 2 diabetes and in morbid obesity, so to see these drugs come out which are providing real world solutions, really life changing solutions for individuals in that space, is amazing.
And now we also know that these drugs have other effects because of their impacts on different parts of the body.
They're being used now to reduce cardiovascular disease risk, etc.
So there's huge potential.
However, how are being promoted at the moment, one concern I would have is we are seeing a real What I would consider a backward step.
So there now seems to be this real promotion of thinness as the ideal form of both beauty and health again.
So I think that has concerns, you know, from as a society we had begun to move away from that excessive thinness as a form of beauty, and that's normally put on women, I would say more than men, but we're already beginning to see magazines using very, very slim women on front of cover, many of whom have been taking GLP-1 and many who did not need to be taking it.
The other, the other concern is that there has, we know that there has been a black market for GLP-1, so a number of individuals have been accessing it, and as a result, there are people again using it for weight loss that may not, may not, and, and we would say definitely do not need to be taking it.
The other factor about GLP-1 is of course, like any drug, they don't work for everybody.
So for those that they do work for, great, and they have been life changing for those individuals.
But for those individuals for whom they don't work, I would say firstly, what is the support system for them?
Because some people, as soon as they heard that GLP ones came on the market and they might have been living with obesity for years, this was so much hope for those individuals.
And then that hope was shattered as soon as they started taking them, they didn't work.
And There's a huge psychological and mental health component to those individuals that have tried to lose weight and failed for years, and when this drug came about and then even this solution hasn't worked for them, what are we doing to psychologically support that, that disappointment, you know, as.
And then of course you have the individuals who have significant side effects from GLP1s and, and that is not an insignificant proportion of those that are put on GLP1s.
Obviously it's a rapidly advancing technology and science.
So, you know, we've had the injectables.
We now know that the pill form is coming.
So we're all learning on our feet as.
Some of the things that we do know about GLP ones is that if you are on them, you have to work with a nutritionist or dietitian.
It is one, you know, if there's any take home that I can say talking about GLP ones is that if you have been prescribed GLP ones, please contact a nutritionist or dietitian because you will need them.
We do know that certain individuals, if they don't engage with the nutritionist or dietitian because GLP ones, of course the nature of them is to reduce your appetite.
You eat smaller portions and if those smaller portions aren't nutrient dense, if they're not nutritionally adequate, We will begin to see micronutrient deficiencies.
And along with that, because there has been rapid weight loss in some of the dosings that have been given to individuals already, we've seen significant muscle mass loss, you know, and it has almost been a kind of a joke in some of the way people have spoken about GLP1 use, you know, that, you know, people have lost their bones.
They've lost, you know, their face has begun to sag and, but that's very concerning for those of us that are in a health space because if you see that rapid muscle mass loss, That may further complicate individuals or, you know, when we think about strength and being able to you know have a healthy long life.
Yes, Emmed Martin, do you want to add anything there?
If not, we can move on.
No, I don't.
I think it's really good, but yeah, I don't have to add anything.
So just to add one thing, the opportunity that opens to is that it's telling us that what Martin was mentioning earlier about people with overweight, it's not.
An individual laziness or an individual decision to become obese, it is a really biological problem that can be tackled with medicine, but also opens opportunity that we can add to the treatment that people who are responsive to it benefit, but also we have a responsibility to understand why.
Part of the population are not responsive and maybe have other programs through nutrition or other means so they can be tackled, but it is solvable whether the, the portion that respond to it, and even for those who do not respond, there is hope that is giving us the opportunity to understand what are the other issues that prevents somebody.
To respond to the, it is biological.
We don't understand it, but it's an opportunity to discover.
Good point, Martin.
I just one comment about low and middle income countries because what we are seeing there is a double burden.
We see both obesity as as still malnutrition, and that actually has potentially with all the caveats which I think Lisa already mentioned.
For those countries because it's relatively cheap so that you can deal with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, as as with other chronic diseases, so I can see that as a possibility for those countries.
So we don't know, of course, but I think when Lisa was mentioning that this is one of the, I would say, revolutionary drugs, but you're right, from a nutrition perspective, this is the biggest drug we are.
So we have to deal with it and I think for us as nutritionists as as I also feel for the private sector who are not for the farmer, but for the food industry, it's really important to take this very seriously and think about how can you actually create new products to support not only people on but also 1 at different age groups too, because it's more complicated than just one fits.
That is a great point because it leads me on to my next question, is that when it does come to products, be it foods and beverages, are there any particular nutrients that food industry should be considering for GLP-1 users?
And I know there's different types of GLP-1 consumers, we can't book them all into the same group, but, are there, what would be your advice, starting with you, Lisa, in terms of nutrients that should be considered for those on GLP-1?
To make sure that they're not having any nutrient deficiencies and they're actually getting adequate nutrition.
So I suppose one of the things that we do know about those that have been prescribed GLP-1 to date is that some of those individuals who may have been living with obesity for some time actually are already presenting with micronutrient deficiencies at the point of being prescribed GLP-1.
And that's often not being corrected.
So, so therefore you have somebody who's already presenting maybe with micronutrient deficiencies because they're often not picked up on people living with obesity.
You know, so, and as a result of that, then going on GLP-1, if it's not monitored may exacerbate that.
Of course, when you're on GLP one, you do have a smaller appetite.
We know that you can't tolerate a large, a large portion of food.
That's one of the purposes of the drug.
So it means that every piece of food has to, you know, kind of Really pack a punch and it has to be nutrient dense, but it also needs to contain fiber and fiber tends to be satiating.
It needs to contain protein.
Protein also tends to be satiating.
So some of the nutrients that we're recommending in the smaller portion are also nutrients that make you feel full.
In fact, they're the, yes, so that's where I suppose advances in food technology become really, really important.
We've had some GLP-1 users say that, you know, they've experienced excess thirst.
When we actually look at the mechanism around GLP-1, that doesn't seem to stand up with the sciences in, in fact, it looks like the opposite would be true, would be true, that you'd actually be, you know, that you'd actually be hydrated.
But why they think that they're, they're saying this is, is that they're actually driving towards beverages.
So one of the, with GLP one people talk about food noise is removed.
So all of the cues that any of us use to drive our eating behavior no longer exists.
You're no longer stimulated by the smell of baking, cooking, you buy, you're walking past a bakery and those lovely, you know, senses in your nostrils do nothing for you.
It completely evaporates it.
So it's really, really amazing from a scientific perspective.
So all traditional marketing cues that we would use to encourage people to eat evaporates.
And when that goes, normally when people are hungry, they say, I'll eat food because I get a certain satisfaction from food.
However, when that evaporates, people are seem to be opting more for beverages and that makes the functional beverage market a really significant opportunity because those beverages can incorporate different types of fibers.
They can Incorporate phytochemicals, we can actually ensure that there are a whole host of different micronutrients being delivered in those beverages.
And it also might mean we would need to innovate in the size of the beverages that we're, you know, that we're actually putting on the shelves.
They may, you know, there may need to be a whole variety of different sizes to be compatible with what people want.
First of all, of course, for GP1 you need, and Lisa already explained that the fluids, but I think in general I think the The next decades are very interesting from many different perspectives.
I think we have more attention where we already discussed longevity, 1, and actually there's a great need in fact for specialized food products for all these different age groups as as for 1, sometimes combined, sometimes for people who are actually malnourished.
They need special food.
So I can see and Lisa was mentioning micronu deficiencies.
Obese people, which is actually underestimated.
It's quite known, for example, and so you could see that there is an enormous task at the same time we have this trend of thinking that you have to eat natural foods.
Which is almost contradicting.
So people will say, you know, all these new products that's artificial, it's not good for your health, it will lead in principle to diseases.
We know in fact it's also extremely protective and supportive.
So what is the truth?
What's the middle?
How do you deal with that?
And I think that's the enormous important question for the I would say the next decade.
How do you balance between you know products which are in principle, you know, has all the natural ingredients, particularly when you talk about texture, when you you know like and also cultural aspects and how do you deal with deficiencies and I think the It's a big challenge for the next decade.
It certainly is, and I suppose one of the other mega trends on the health and nutrition mega trends is the processing paradox.
Would you have any comment on that?
No, I think first of all the question is already very important because, but I can see we know that we have enormous discussion about the Nova classification, which is a classification actually based on processing, so.
And the scientists who are responsible for this NA classifications are saying that classification 4, which they call ultra processed food, is responsible for many of the diseases we have now in Europe and in the US and also even coming up in low and middle income countries.
There's a lot of debate about this and you know we don't have enough time to discuss that in this in the next couple of minutes, but what is interesting is that from a scientific perspective, it's still unclear how much of this in fact is based on certain food groups within the classification of the fourth classification, the ultra processed food.
And that certain food items actually are related to these diseases, but that other food items which belong to that group, like for example, fortified cereals, actually are beneficial.
So the discussion is very politicized, which is a pity because what we need, of course, is to understand what are the elements, what are the nutrients, what are the non-nutrients or what are the components of food which are actually not beneficial, because at the same time, if you, for example, for vegans, it's very important that there are alternative forms of products like alternative meat, and those are always processed products.
And so are they unhealthy.
So that discussion is so I would say politicized, which is a pity because what we need from a scientific perspective, but also from an industrial perspective as as from a public health perspective, is that we be honest about what the benefits are and the non-benefits are.
You know, in, in almost everything we do in life has positive and negative effects.
Even if you talk about the GLP-1, you know, there are a lot of positive effects, but we also know the potential side effects beyond the official side effects, you know, the, the, you know, what Lisa was mentioning, for example.
So and I think this is a discussion we need to have, like it's a real discussion about and instead of.
Informing the public that you should not eat ultra processed food and they're completely confused because they don't even know what ultra processed food is and I think it's doing a lot of more damage by being ideological than in fact to be scientific and for governments it's very difficult too because.
Now they have to advise their population what to consume and what to do in a world which is divided.
Yeah, I, I absolutely agree with everything that Martin has said, and I think a lot of the discussion around processing that has occurred over the last few years has not been helpful.
The fact that we are able to process food in certain ways and the advances in food technology over the last number of decades have been amazing.
And there are plenty of individuals for whom a certain type of processed food is a substantial portion of their diet, and it needs to be, and I don't think people should be demonized for that or made to feel bad about that when everybody is trying to do their best, and we're also living in a climate where food prices are changing, you know, we're living in a period of significant flux, and now on top of this, we're adding this pressure to individuals about a classification of foods which many of us would argue against.
So again, I spoke about nutrient density.
Earlier from a GLP1 point of view, but for years in a health perspective we spoke about nutrient density, that that was one of the more important components.
If you're going to have foods that last long on the shelf, we'll make sure that you're getting plenty of nutrients from that food rather than what we previously would have called empty calories, for instance, that you've got plenty of energy but nothing else.
And I think that that still holds true, and I think it is a much more valuable mechanism for somebody who's trying to Either feed themselves or their family or whatever the case may be for that individual to understand rather than now adding a classification that is not based on accepted science.
And I think that that is something.
You know, as Martin said, needs more debate.
You know, that there are a whole wave of scientists that are, are speaking about the processing discussion and, and where we are in it.
And certain foods actually processing can be beneficial to the bioavailability of some of the ingredients in there, in those foods.
So processing itself is not a dirty word.
And, when we think about foods, the important things are that for every gram of food that you're getting a certain amount of nutrients is relevant to your particular needs.
If all that you're getting from that are calories and there are other things in there like very high salt or very high sugar that may not be compatible with your particular requirements, then you need to maybe reevaluate your diet.
Yeah, very good points.
And Emed, can you see opportunities where technology can really help when it comes to not just the GLP1 discussion and the processing discussion, but even about just food innovation.
So absolutely, in my opinion, technology can be very, very helpful.
Of course technology has still its limitations with everything we have in spite of the advances.
Now the technology what it can do is collect again.
We talk about data.
It is really data driven, for example, If we understand what is the impact of GLP-1, also for example, on our gut, what happens in our stomach and the impact on the gut, and I'm sure there are many studies linking that, how can we design nutrients that will mimic that when people get off of GLP1.
Can we tailor nutrients in a personalized manner where individuals can be prescribed certain nutrients to really benefit more from or stay healthy and don't regain weight when they are after.
That's all the opportunity that this open net technology can do that.
Thank you very much.
So I'm going to actually Come towards an end with a lightning question for you.
And in one sentence, what's the most important message from everything we've discussed today that you would like people to leave with, and maybe implement or think more about.
So I'll start with you, Martin.
Yeah, I haven't thought about it, but I think I, I would say embrace complexity in all, you know, whether it's politics or whether it's nutrition or whether it's health, and find simple solutions to actually, you know, to be able to follow and actually stay healthy, but yeah, that's, that's it.
Thank you, Lisa.
I would.
Slightly different, I guess.
I would say nutrition is relatively simple at its core.
The solutions are often hard.
And if you're only focusing on nutrition, you're only looking at one half of the equation.
So no matter what you do, simply by moving more and reducing the amount of time you spend sedentary will also help you achieve a lot.
My two cents is to say we have a lot of opportunity to use the technology around us.
All of us, we have phones, smartphones.
All of us, we have smart computers.
We have smart devices.
Those can help us eat better.
Have better habits and really jump on, change our lifestyle.
Nutrition alone absolutely is important, but it's not everything.
It's also on us to make those decisions, life changing decisions, and the help is around us, really.
It's in our watches, in our phones and computers.
Just use it.
Thank you.
So I think we'll go to some questions that are coming through and I'm actually going to look, look up here at the screen to see what's come through.
So there is one here from Bey.
And he says, it doesn't say who it's to, but it says, where do you see the biggest opportunity for innovation in the food and beverage sector?
So that's a very wide question that could be an entire another webinar, but what I'm going to say is the opportunity for innovation in longevity, Lisa.
Oh, I, I suppose it, it does depend on what aspect of, longevity you're, you're looking at, but I'm going to take it from a gut brain approach.
So I think some of the biggest innovations are maybe, in the probiotic space and Really, I think a lot of people for years have underestimated how important our, our gut is.
There's an old wives' tale of listening to your, listen to your gut, but we're now beginning to understand how true that really is.
And if we, if our gut is not healthy, it's actually very hard for, for medicines to work effectively, for our brains to function properly, or for a lot of the things that we're trying to do, to be compatible with a long, healthy, life.
So that, I suppose.
The biggest innovation will be, I suppose, also then probiotics and some of the other ingredients around longevity.
So how probiotics and omega-thres work together because we know that the gut can change, you know, the metabolites from omega 3, for example.
So some of those kind of innovations around probiotics and other therapies for longevity.
Great.
Thank you.
How do we ensure longevity doesn't widen health disparities from Christina?
I'd say that's for you, Martin.
Yeah, we have discussed it already.
I think, a lot of these issues.
I think the, the key issue is that I, I think even when we know, that people are living longer now.
In general, like, the, it's also that not many people are used, like, you know, I think you, that you after 65, you still potentially have 20 years or maybe even longer.
Some people, I hope so, yeah, you never know, but the, the, the, but I'm hoping for that.
I'm hoping that for that too, but, but I think, so what are the tools actually to.
Live longer in a healthy way is something we are just touching what are the elements are like you know like normally you could see that quite often people who are 65 who are retired men almost like they passed away very quickly because what would they do with their life and now of course you know so it's a form of education too, Education and of course like what Lisa was mentioning, of course.
The probiotics, for example, there's a lot of things potentially that they can help, but many, I think still it's a form of education.
So what's available and we discussed it a little bit.
It's about it's still, I think, having a role to play in a society and that comes back to my point earlier when you had like an apartment where people living with older and younger people because you don't have big large families anymore, so you don't have.
Your grandchildren or that's over.
So you need to find different forms of how communities can work together.
Certain countries, what I've learned is that Ireland is doing a really good job already.
They have these kind of, but other countries are doing worse.
But I feel that's something it's beyond in fact the nutrition itself.
It's about lifestyle.
It's about connection.
It's about.
You know, what, what they did in the South.
Find a place where you can sit at 4 o'clock in the afternoon and have a glass of wine and enjoy life.
No, I like your world.
I want to find a question for you because we have questions coming up and there's one here from Luca and, Luca's asking a lot of people are maybe afraid of technology, afraid of AI.
And I suppose there is a balance that should be approached with new and emerging technologies, but there is a positivity there.
But there should be caution as.
So what would your advice be to people when it comes to new and emerging technologies, especially in the food and beverage space?
So in new and emerging technology, of course, the big challenge of All these digital tools from phones to computers to other things, it's easy access to information, but the problem is within that storm of information there is a lot of misinformation.
What food you need to eat, like we use these gen AI Chad GPT and other tools to become as a doctor.
That to me is a big mistake, people, because if what AI said.
Contradict what you experience in life as a person.
That's also a conflict that right there.
So there are professionals you need to consult, etc.
So rather than only technology.
That's counting on, but the technology also open.
Opportunities where you give us a choice, give us access to information to make the right choice for ourselves and understand our physiology, our lifestyle.
Is it compatible with achieving our goals?
If I want to live healthier and longer, what should I do so I can have that access to that information.
But also for the food and beverage industry, it's an opportunity to tailor.
Nutrient to individuals and that data and communication and also technology.
There are emerging technologies probably we did not touch on them like using reengineering food like algae can produce really highly pure and effective nutrients.
Also, I will leave with 3D printing for food.
It's a reality now.
Is it adapted?
Is it good?
That's still debatable, but that in the future.
You can probably Have your own meal 3D printed while you are at work, etc.
Whether that's effective or not, I will leave people so and that's where tailored nutrition will go to the extreme within probably a decade or two.
So fantastic.
No, I'm not.
Yeah, go ahead, go ahead.
No, but it's, it's interesting.
So I have a romantic idea about the future and you have like a technology, a technology idea about the future.
That's fine.
Like.
No, I'm with yours.
I like this.
I know, but, but let's say people now will go to space.
We are exploring the moon now.
Probably one day we will explore Mars.
We go to Mars.
How do you think food will be?
Yes, we will grow food in microgravity, but also we need to 3D print the food and medicine, by the way, not only food, not only nutrients and medicine.
Now there is a lot of research.
Can we 3D prints that I disagree with you.
It's just I will not go to Mars.
No, me neither.
But that at least tells us because those technologies can apply for a remote areas, so is more a joke than people who never had access to steak, for example, with 3D printers that become affordable, they can have at least taste meat and meat-like food.
I think you can see it's really evident from here that the next decade will even bring more transformation and change and maybe even change to our mindset.
You asked me to.
The innovation, those are provocative ideas.
I'm not saying that.
But no, it does really show that in the what's happened in the last two decades has been such, there's been such evolution and change in the food and beverages that we consume, but also in how nutrition supports health that the next decade we're going to see an awful lot and an awful lot quicker as.
What I want to do is I want to give a sincere thank you to our panelists for such a rich and formative and engaging discussion, and I want to thank you for everyone who's joined us today.
The Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute, healthy nutrition mega trends are not predictions.
They are what is happening currently in the industry.
They show us where science, consumers, and the food system are heading, and they're to remember that the future of nutrition is not just about products, it's about people.
It's about trust, credibility, and impact.
And with that, I would like to say goodbye and once again thank you to our panelists.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Goodbye.
Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute
Atlantic Technological University
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Dr Aisling Aherne
Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute
Dr. Lisa Ryan
Atlantic Technological University
Professor Imed Gallouzi
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Professor Martin Bloem
John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Professor Martin Bloem
John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Dr Aisling Aherne
Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute
Dr. Lisa Ryan
Atlantic Technological University
Professor Imed Gallouzi
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Professor Martin Bloem
John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
