For immediate Release: November 15, 2024
Media Contact: Katelyn Deckelbaum, [email protected]
WASHINGTON (November 15, 2024) - The George Washington University is proud to announce the launch of the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security.
The institute, based at GW’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, will play a leading role in addressing one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time. By bringing together key stakeholders from across disciplines, it aims to foster long-term solutions that promote food safety and nutrition security, improve public health and build more resilient food systems worldwide.
“We are excited to officially launch the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security,” said Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security. “The challenges we face in ensuring access to safe, nutritious food for all are complex and multifaceted. By bringing together experts from across sectors, this institute will help to identify and implement solutions that can make a tangible difference in improving public health.”
Unsafe food and poor diets can significantly impact human health. Foodborne disease causes an estimated 600 million illnesses globally each year. An estimated 691 to 783 million people are undernourished, over one billion are obese and over two billion are affected by micronutrient deficiencies (i.e., hidden hunger). People who are malnourished are often at higher risk of foodborne illness which, in turn, reduces the absorption of nutrients.
Kowalcyk, a passionate advocate for food safety, has dedicated her life to protecting the public from foodborne illnesses after the devastating loss of her two-year-old son, Kevin, who passed away in 2001 due to complications from an E. coli O157:H7 infection.
"I’ve seen firsthand the devastating consequences of foodborne illness," said Kowalcyk. "No one should have to suffer the way my family did, and no one should lose a loved one because of the food they consume. We need to work together to ensure that food safety and nutrition security are a top priority for everyone - consumers, producers, and policymakers alike."
The Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security aims to become a driving force in advocating for food systems that consistently and equitably deliver safe, nutritious food to all.
-GW-