Know Your Food: Tools to Revolutionize Food Composition and why this Matters for People and the Planet

At the heart of the Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) lies a simple yet profound concept: applying the principles of the periodic table – the cornerstone of chemistry – to the realm of food. Just as the periodic table organizes chemical elements based on their properties and interactions, the PTFI seeks to categorize and understand the biochemical components of nutritionally and culturally diverse foods in a systematic manner. From essential nutrients to bioactive compounds, every element of food plays a vital role in human health.

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, together with the American Heart Association, form the co-Secretariat for PTFI that leads this work, together with the Rockefeller Foundation. PTFI held a celebratory event of Food Diversity, Scientific Advances and Community Innovation where tools, data from 500 foods and training resources were made publicly available, last April 23-24 in New York.