Dear IAFoST Fellows and Colleagues,
We are writing to invite your active participation in advancing IUFoST’s new Framework on Food Classification Systems - Towards Evidence-Based, Inclusive, and Science-Driven Food Classification Systems informing Policy Agendas.
This Framework responds to the growing global attention on “ultra-processed foods (UPFs)” and aims to bring scientific clarity and balance to this debate. It reinforces IUFoST’s role as the global scientific voice for responsible food processing, emphasizing that processing is an enabler — not a detractor — of nutrition, safety, and sustainability.
We need your expertise and engagement across three key pillars:
1. Advancing Evidence-Based and Inclusive Food Classification Systems
Help us strengthen and apply IUFoST’s Formulation and Processing Classification (IF&PC) model through case studies, regional workshops, and expert consultations. Your scientific input will demonstrate that multi-attribute, evidence-based approaches can better reflect a food’s health and sustainability profile than the oversimplified “ultra-processed” label.
2. Global Advocacy and Policy Engagement
Join us in ensuring that global policy deliberations on food classification occur within the legitimate, science-based platform of Codex Alimentarius. We seek your participation in relevant Codex committees and your advocacy within national and regional networks to encourage evidence-driven dialogue through FAO, WHO, and Codex channels.
3. Strategic Communication and Public Engagement
Support our efforts to reshape public understanding of food processing by sharing examples, data, and case studies that highlight the benefits of responsible processing — from safety and fortification to sustainability and circularity. We also invite collaboration on materials (briefs, infographics, videos) that communicate these messages effectively to diverse audiences.
Through these coordinated actions, IUFoST — together with its United Nations and other global partners and national adhering bodies — seeks to strengthen the scientific foundation for fair, inclusive, and evidence-based food classification.
Your contribution — whether through research, advocacy, or communication — is vital to ensuring this framework takes root globally and influences the policy landscape constructively.
Please confirm your interest and areas where you can contribute, so we can align efforts and plan joint initiatives in the coming months. Write to us at academy@iufost.org.
With thanks and appreciation,
International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST) Council
Professor Fereidoon Shahidi (IAFoST President)
Professor Charles Aworh (IAFoST Past President
Professor Pingfan Rao (IAFoST President Elect)
Councillors: Professor Cesarettin Alasalvar and Professor Cristina Silva
