Can the Food Industry Help Tackle the Growing Global Burden of Undernutrition?

Abstract

HUNGER AND UNDERNUTRITION remain major threats to global health. The solutions required will be complex and long term and should include stronger private–public collaboration. We identify eight specific actions by food companies that could contribute to reducing hunger worldwide. These include investing in agriculture, especially local smallholders; expanding use of corporations’ core capabilities in distribution and quality control; greater support for fortification of staples and commonly consumed nutritious foods and beverages; expansion of the portfolio of foods currently available for complementary feeding in settings of acute and chronic undernutrition; cocreation of new and innovative social business models to help combat the global burden of undernutrition; investment in the development of nutrition science capacity, especially in developing nations; innovation of product reformulation aimed at developing low-cost nutritious foods for all markets; and committed advocacy by multinational food and beverage corporations for nutrition-friendly trade policies.