The Institute of Applied Sciences (IAS) at the University of the South Pacific (USP) has proudly inaugurated one of the nine global centres of excellence (COE) for the Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI).
The launch event took place on August 12 and marked a significant step towards addressing diet-related diseases and enhancing global food systems.
The COE for the PTFI has been established through collaborative efforts, with funding provided by the American Heart Association (AHA) in partnership with Seevare and The Rockefeller Foundation, USA(TRF).
The initial “seed grant” of $US150,000 ($F340,000) has been allocated for 12 months to support the centre’s activities.
During the launch, Dr Roy Steiner, senior vice-president (food initiative) of TRF, emphasised the global nature of the PTFI and the unity of scientists working together to tackle critical challenges related to food.
He noted that in a world marked by divisions; this initiative stands as a beacon of collaboration focused on addressing a fundamental human need: food.
The PTFI aims to revolutionise food systems by leveraging data-driven solutions to combat diet-related diseases, which contribute to one in five deaths globally.
The initiative focuses on developing standardised advanced analytical methods and centralised data processing tools to document the
biomolecular composition of the world’s food supply.
By joining this global network of laboratories, IAS will contribute valuable data generated through standardised mass spectrometry-based analytical techniques.
This data will contribute to the creation of a comprehensive public reference database of food compositions, which will serve researchers and
policymakers in the fields of food, agriculture, nutrition, and health.
The University of Adelaide (Australia), a partner in this project, is also one of the nine centres of excellence for the PTFI.
The University of Adelaide has played a crucial role by providing training and technical guidance on equipment and methodologies.
Dr Vincent Lal, manager of laboratory services at IAS, expressed the significance of the COE and the associated funding in enhancing the
laboratory’s capabilities.
The collaboration with the University of Adelaide will support the expansion of IAS laboratory’s testing capabilities, with plans to acquire a gas chromatography–mass spectrometer (GCMS) in 2023 and an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) in 2024.
In addition to the initial funding, the TRF has committed an additional $US200,000 ($F449,000) for two years to support the fellowship programs associated with the centre.
This launch signifies a remarkable advancement in the global effort to improve food systems and combat diet-related health issues.
The IAS, the USP stand at the forefront of this initiative, contributing valuable data and expertise to shape the future of food and health worldwide.
