As it celebrates 50 years of innovation at the company’s largest research and development facility for food ingredients in Brabrand, Denmark, DuPont’s Nutrition & Health business is hosting food industry, government and academic leaders in discussions on how food and nutrition will evolve to meet growing global population needs in the next 50 years.

“We are celebrating 50 years of science and innovation at the core of our global food research activities. It is here where we consolidate our knowledge to anticipate and address human needs around the world,” says Craig F Binetti, president of DuPont Nutrition & Health. “As we look to the next 50 years, we continue to work in close collaboration with our customers, governments, academia, NGOs and others to find new and better ways to solve food and nutrition challenges, and to create sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer and healthier life.”

Food security is a growing challenge as the world’s population increases. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) projects that farmers will need to nearly double the world’s total food production to meet the growing demand. Most of these gains will need to be made by the 500 million smallholder farmers who produce much of the agricultural output in developing countries, and they will need to do so with less arable land and water. In addition, food waste is a growing concern.  Each year, one third of the food produced globally is wasted.

“We know it will take continued co-operation, innovation and investment in agriculture, food and nutrition to overcome the vast challenges to feeding the world’s growing population,” adds Binetti. “At DuPont, collaboration and innovation are tools for success here and around the world; it is where we come together. And it is at the heart of our celebration.”