PUBLIC HEALTH PROJECTS

Major challenges for public health

Food safety and nutrition are major public health concerns. In many countries, these topics now form an integral part of health policies. By 2050, nine billion people throughout the world will need access to healthy food, magnifying the importance of this prevalent issue.

At the same time, companies involved at the various stages of the food supply chain are adapting to the challenges of globalization and the increasing complexity of their activities within a constantly evolving regulatory framework.

Pathogenic bacteria must be identified swiftly and reliably, while residual quantities of pesticides and antibiotics must be kept to a minimum. A number of scientific studies have established links between nutrition and health, fostering the development of "nutraceuticals." Finally, at the crossroads of nutrition and health, recent work on the human metagenome is paving the way for new avenues of exploration in research and medicine. For example, by sequencing the intestinal metagenome, it may be possible to identify biomarkers indicating a person's state of health. Functional foods may allow altering microbiota in order to prevent disease, improve medical treatment and offer health benefits.