AUGUST 20248IN MY OPINIONFood is essential. Food is a human right. And, food is poetically magical. Yet, our global food system is not sustainable. I firmly believe and advocate that food scientists, engineers, and professionals can and should lead the way in advancing our global food system to feed the world's population sustainably.Our Intimate Relationship with FoodOur intimate and special relationship with food starts as soon as we come to life. As Danny Meyer beautifully articulated, within moments of being born, we receive four gifts of life: eye contact, a smile, a hug, and some food. These gifts are not only foundational to nurture but also for connecting and bonding, fundamental human needs. Therefore, for the rest of our lives, we crave those gifts. Food is essential for our survival and well-being. We cannot sustain our lives without it. When we have readily available food, we take its essentiality for granted. We feel hungry, eat some food, and move on to the next thing on our list. However, the absence of food is tough, very tough. Food is essential.How can you frighten a man whose hunger is not only in his own cramped stomach but in the wretched bellies of his children? You can't scare him--he has known a fear beyond every other. ­ John Steinbeck (The Grapes of Wrath)Food is also a human right. The right to food is documented in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) as part of the right to an adequate standard of living. It is enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (1966). This legal and moral framing underscores societies' obligation to ensure no one goes hungry and everyone has access to adequate food. Food is a human right. Food is magical. Living far from my hometown, whenever I feel homesick, I open up the can of olives from the pantry and close my eyes while taking a deep smell. That instantly transports me to the breathtakingly beautiful and sunny Aegean coasts of Anatolia, Asia Minor. Food not only lets you travel across geographies but also across times. The phenomenon, known as the Proust effect, refers to the magic of food to trigger vivid memories. Marcel Proust (hence the name for the phenomenon) beautifully narrates how flavors and aromas are interwoven into our treasured memories in In Search of Lost Time, through the taste of a madeleine dipped in tea. Food is magical. Global Food System is not SustainableFood is such an integral part of our lives, yet our global food system is not sustainable. I use the word `sustainable' not only in the environmental sense but also in the sense of being functional. Our food system BY KAAN DEMIRYUREK, R&D DIRECTOR - GLOBAL R&D - SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING, PEPSICOFOOD SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FOR THE FUTURE OF HUMANITYKaan Demiryurek
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