From 1–3 September 2025, FAO hosted the 14th International Food Data Conference (IFDC) in Rome. Led and organized by FAO’s Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) in collaboration with global partners, the three-day event brought together around 180 experts from over 40 countries to explore the latest developments in food composition data – the detailed information about the nutrients and components in the foods we eat.

Why food composition data matters

Food composition data helps us understand what’s in our food – macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, as well as vitamins, minerals, and other components. This data is essential for promoting healthy diets, informing nutrition policies, and guiding the transformation of agrifood systems.

During the opening ceremony, Lynnette Neufeld (Director, ESN) emphasized that “food composition data is fundamental to understanding and promoting healthy diets.” José Rosero Moncayo (Chief Statistician and Director of the FAO Statistics Division (ESS)) and Valerie Bizier (Deputy Director, ESS) echoed this, highlighting the need for harmonized, high-quality, and accessible data to inform better decision-making for food security and nutrition.

Celebrating collaboration and innovation

Bridget Holmes (Nutrition and Food Systems Officer, ESN) spotlighted the critical role of INFOODS, the International Network of Food Data Systems, a voluntary network established in 1984 and led by FAO since 1999, which brings together experts from around the world to improve food composition data quality, availability, reliability and use globally. Many INFOODS coordinators, past and present, together with members of the network from around the world, joined the conference, underscoring the value of long-standing collaboration.

The scientific programme featured nearly 50 oral presentations across 10 sessions covering topics such as analytical methods and innovations, and an exhibition of around 100 digital posters displayed in the Atrium; 14 presentations were led or co-authored by FAO, showcasing FAO’s broad work on food composition and its cross-sector relevance, while also increasing its visibility.

Keynote highlights

• Fernanda Grande (Nutrition and Food Systems Officer, ESN) presented a global overview of the current state of food composition tables and databases, highlighting key gaps and opportunities. She emphasized the critical role of up-to-date data in informing nutrition policies, dietary guidelines, food labelling, and programme design.
• Kunchit Judprasong (Regional INFOODS Coordinator for Asia, Mahidol University, Thailand) shared a regional success story on the development of a novel analytical Asian food composition table, created through collaboration among 12 countries to help preserve food culture and biodiversity.
• Thingnganing Longvah (INFOODS Vice-Global Coordinator, Indigenous Peoples’ Food System, India) demonstrated the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems, highlighting the rich diversity of foods, from cultivated crops and wild-foraged plants to neglected and underutilized species, that contribute to healthy diets.

Focus on aquatic foods data

Aquatic foods data received significant attention during the Conference, with presentations highlighting their importance from different research perspectives. Manuel Barange (FAO Assistant Director General and Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division) highlighted the importance of food composition data in demonstrating the full nutritional value of aquatic foods and emphasized the need for more high-quality data to fully unlock their potential.

Doris Rittenschober (Food Composition Specialist, ESN) presented on the Update and Expansion of the FAO/INFOODS Global Food Composition Database for Fish and Shellfish and revealed that reliable data is still missing for several important species. The updated database, which will include more information on the nutritional value of aquatic foods, is expected to be released in 2026.

Awards and recognition

The conference honoured outstanding contributors:

• Paul Finglas (Regional INFOODS coordinator for Europe, EuroFIR AISBL, Belgium/Quadram Institute Bioscience, UK) received the INFOODS Nevin Scrimshaw Award for career-long global contributions to food composition data, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
• Kunchit Judprasong (Regional INFOODS coordinator for Asia, Mahidol University, Thailand) was awarded the INFOODS Greenfield-Southgate Lecture Award, recognizing a researcher with a strong publication record and innovative work in food composition data research and application.
• Additional awards recognized outstanding posters and success stories across the community, celebrating the contributions of both established and emerging experts in food composition data.

A truly global event

For the first time, the IFDC was fully webcast, attracting over 700 live viewers from around the world on Day 1 alone, demonstrating strong demand for access to technical discussions in this field.

All recordings are now available online, and presenters have been invited to submit their work for a special issue of the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis.

Looking ahead

As Nancy Aburto (Deputy Director, ESN) said during the closing ceremony, “FAO recognizes how critical food composition data is, and we are committed to working with you in this field moving forward.”

The 14th IFDC reaffirmed FAO’s leadership and the global momentum to improve the quality, availability, and use of food composition data for healthy diets and sustainable agrifood system transformation.