This report was convened by the Foundation for Innovation in Healthy Food, as a first step towards systematically identifying the most promising concepts for continuous improvement of commodity foods. The focus of this process is to identify ‘mainstreamable’ traits. These traits or processing changes lead to no material cost increase to the farmer or others across the supply chain; and they maintain consumers’ enjoyment of their foods without food reformulation or major processing changes. At scale, the most attractive options provide material public health benefits for people of all socioeconomic groups globally.
Special thank you to Daniel Gallaher, Stanley O. Samonte, and P. Stephen Baenziger for playing key roles in drafting the report. Also thank you to the team developing the concepts and their reporting, including: Katie Brown, Brett Carver, Kirsty Crews, David Douches, Mike Gore, Aymeric Goyer, Mary Guttieri, David Holding, Alison Lovegrove, Seth Murray, Roy Navarre, Shannon Pinson, Peter Shewry, Brad Seabourn, Sunish Sehgal, Endang Septiningsih, Ed Souza, Tadesse Teferra, Isabel Vales, Rod Wallace, Jennifer Yates, Xiaofei Zhang
https://fihf.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Coalitions-Summary260827-2.pdf
An emerging paradigm in public health focuses on enhancing nutrition in existing food staples to reduce chronic disease at the population scale.
Wallace, R.; Frels, K.; Ibba, M.I.; Lyford, C.; Rose, D.; Baltensperger, D.; Delcour, J.A.; Greenspan, S.; Lovegrove, A.; Schneeman, B.; et al. Toward an Emerging Public Health Paradigm: Agriculture and Food Production for Health. Foods 2026, 15, 527.
Average dietary fibre intakes have increased little in the past twenty years in many countries, including the USA…
Baenziger, P.S., Frels, K., Greenspan, S. et al. A stealth health approach to dietary fibre. Nat Food 4, 5–6 (2023).
The impact of high-fiber wheat varieties on the gut microbiota, showing that both insoluble and soluble wheat fibers are strongly propiogenic, but impart different effects on the gut microbiota depending on source.
Liu, Sujun. High fiber wheat alters gut microbiota composition and function in a dose-dependent manner. Professor, Food Science & Technology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2025).
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1242&context=dissunl
Klarquist E. (2025). Arabinoxylan fiber variation in elite US germplasm. Postdoctoral Research Associate, Washington State University.
04-Jun-2025 by Augustus Bambridge-Sutton
A new online trend focuses on high-fibre meals.
To read the article, please visit: FoodNavigator Europe, News & Analysis on Food & Beverage Development & Technology
Americans Want Healthcare that Includes Food as Medicine…
The Rockefeller Foundation. (2025, May). Public perception of food is medicine in healthcare. https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/reports/public-perception-of-food-is-medicine-in-healthcare/
This NPR feature reveals a surprising fact: when cooked and then chilled, white rice, pasta, and even potatoes transform into a powerful nutrient called resistant starch…
There’s a Secret Superfood Hidden in White Rice and Pasta — and You Can Unlock It at Home
Based on: Michaeleen Doucleff. (May 12, 2025). “There’s a secret superfood in white rice and pasta: Here’s how to unlock it.” NPR Morning Edition.
Scientists call for targeted fiber diets to boost health…
RMIT University. “Scientists call for targeted fiber diets to boost health.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 March 2025. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250319143417.htm
The views expressed in some of the resources shared on this page do not necessarily reflect those of the Foundation for Innovation in Healthy Food (FIHF) or participants in its initiatives. While certain materials are created by FIHF, others are curated from external sources for informational purposes, to highlight relevant developments, research, and perspectives in the field.
