Food Security and Sustainability

In 2016, one in nine people in the world were hungry or malnourished and the global population of 7.5 billion in 2017 will

reach 9 billion by 2050. Climate change, population density, reduction in agricultural land and political chaos increasingly disrupt food production and distribution. In the United States, hunger, inadequate nutrition and over-nutrition are growing with significant health consequences. What can we change? Humans are omnivores. Sufficient calories, protein, fats, carbohydrates,vitamins, minerals and water are available from diverse balanced diets (from vegan to near carnivorous). However, food production and consumption patterns are changing. We are all at risk from food borne diseases due to contamination with certain bacteria, viruses and fungi. Appropriate sanitation, food preparation and storage reduce those risks, yet approximately 3,000 people will die from bacterial food poisoning in 2017 and thousands will become sick from Norovirus and a few bacterial species. Food allergy prevalence is between 2% and 10% in the US. Approximately 200 people die each year from IgE mediated food allergies to peanuts or tree nuts and a few to other foods. Celiac disease (CD) is a genetically restricted, T-cell mediated response to glutens from wheat that affects nearly 1.3% of the population. Allergic individuals and those with CD must restrict dietary intake. Yet withholding peanut from diets of infants may be responsible for a three-fold increase in allergy to peanut over 30 years. More than 10% of US consumers avoid gluten, many without CD. Foods made using genetically modified crops will be labeled in 2018 and then avoided by many consumers without evidence of harm. The overall impact of aggressive marketing, false claims by activists and precautious regulations are restricting food availability and raising prices. Food security is tenuous without discussion, understanding and change.