Nutrition and Health—the Challenge of Sustainable Food Security

Dear Colleagues,

Food security is defined when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Millions of people around the world are expected to be at risk of worsening hunger in the near future due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, climate variability and extremes, economic slowdowns and downturns. The challenges to meet the food security and nutrition targets of the Sustainable Development Goal 2 on Zero Hunger for 2030 have grown, which makes it imperative for countries to step up their efforts for transforming food systems and provide affordable healthy diets for all.

A healthy diet maintains and improves health providing the body with essential nutrition “fluid, macronutrients such as protein, micronutrients such as vitamins, and adequate fiber and food energy”. A healthy diet is composed of a variety of plant-based and animal-based foods, although additional sources of vitamin B12 are needed for those following a vegan diet. The World Health Organization (WHO) proposes five recommendations for a healthy diet, including eating at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables per day (not counting potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, and other starchy roots) and also legumes (e.g., lentils, beans), whole grains, and nuts. An unhealthy diet is a major risk factor for a number of chronic diseases (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, abnormal blood lipids, overweight/obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer). The WHO has estimated that 2.7 million deaths each year are attributable to a diet low in fruit and vegetables during the 21st century. These products contain essential nutrients and additionally phytochemicals with a wide variety of bioactive effects able to reduce the risk of key events associated with the pathogenesis of chronic diseases (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, etc.). The definition of a healthy diet is currently shifting towards a more comprehensive framing of dietary needs as a global need of various nutrients with complex interactions, instead of per nutrient type needs. A safe food supply contributes to food and nutrition security and supports national economies, trade and tourism, stimulating sustainable development. This includes proper food preparation, which can prevent a large share of foodborne diseases. Phytochemicals have also potential as natural antibiotics and an opportunity to fight antibiotic resistance which is another global priority.

Innovation, circular economy and biorefinery among others are feasible strategies for achieving a transformation of the food system, the challenge Zero Hunger and affordability of healthy diets for all, in other words food security. Traditional varieties of horticultural crops and edible non-cultivated vegetables, novel foods, new formats or concepts of fresh foods, food ingredients from by-products, reduction in food losses through valorization of waste and side streams, and food grown in the laboratory are all additional sources of a wide variety healthy products for optimum nutrition, as well as benefitting the biodiversity, economy and reduction in water and the carbon footprint of agriculture and the food industry. A better understanding of their properties (nutritional profile, bioactive profile and health promoting properties), safety and consumer’s acceptance is needed for enhancing their visibility as healthy foods and giving then new, attractive uses. Original articles and reviews proving insights, new research and fundamental knowledge are very welcome to this Special Issue.

Dr. Maria Dolores del Castillo
Dr. Diego A. Moreno
Guest Editors

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