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Institute for Food Safety and Security
at Iowa State University

Overview
Objectives
Background
Vision

Overview. The Institute for Food Safety and Security is dedicated to protecting Iowa’s vast investment in food production and agriculture.  It will directly serve production, processor and consumer needs.  ISU is uniquely positioned to conduct research and analysis to enhance food safety and security because of its access to world-class scientists (ISU, federal and private industry) and to an extensive array of production and processing facilities. A diverse resource of multidisciplinary faculty will enable rapid identification and responses to food safety and food security concerns that will have impacts throughout the global food chain.  The expected outcomes of this institute will strengthen Iowa’s role as a safe and reliable producer and supplier of high quality food and food products that will aid in ensuring Iowa’s economic future. 

The Institute for Food Safety and Security is dedicated to research, training and outreach activities. 

The institute will have eight centers that engage food problems and food issues as follows: 

• Food-borne Infectious Disease
• Food and Water - Harvest
• Food and Water – Post-Harvest
• Food Service and Retail
• Consumer Economics & Issues
• Food-borne Disease Models & Risk Analysis
• International Food Security
• Food Security and Public Health

Objectives.  The Institute for Food Safety and Security will develop research and training programs that engage in human health risks and issues that arise from globalization, intensification of production agriculture, food processing, food service, environmental changes and the prevention of agroterrorism.  Research will encompass the farm-to-table spectrum and include production management systems that prevent pre-harvest contamination, improved diagnostic reagents, vaccines, antimicrobial drugs, toxicology, clean water, computer modeling with risk analysis and the social / economic aspects of food issues.  Information gained will be of high quality and useful for national programs for food safety and disease control.  Research directed at harvest, post-harvest, processing, and food service will be integrated with research priorities and needs of the USDA and DHHS.

Background.  Located in the heart of one of the world’s most intensive food-producing areas, Iowa State University has unique access to crops, farm animals, production units, and food processing facilities. Food industries view ISU as strong, supportive, and focused on safety. Internationally recognized research and extension programs at ISU in animal and crop diseases, agronomy, animal science, anthropology, ecology, food science, informational technology, microbiology, and statistics, are areas of great strength that will be directed to the control of pathogens, chemicals, and toxins in food.  The Institute for Food Safety and Security embraces the land-grant heritage of ISU with an orientation to science and technology.  Building on traditional strengths in consumer food safety, food service, food science, toxicology, health of crops, and food-producing animals, the Institute is dedicated to promoting a strong, creative, intellectual environment where ideas are vigorously debated and rigorously tested.  These strengths will be directed to translate information on food safety and food security to our economy.

Vision.  The concept of the Institute for Food Safety and Security is to bring together diverse research, education and outreach components of food safety/security into one center for the purposes of efficient teamwork that is well positioned among government, industry, and producers. At ISU, current research expertise is focused in various units across campus that are often isolated from one another and function independently with regard to learning, discovery and engagement.  The Institute concept will mesh these units together and will coordinate and integrate their activities towards high priority state and national issues.  Other attributes that ISU has to aid in the success of an Institute include:

• Centralized biotechnology centers
• Statistical laboratories for data analysis.
• Computation facilities for risk modeling.
• Close ties with food industries and farms.
• Strong international programs and contacts.
• Grant acquisition tools.
• Diagnostic/outreach facilities for application.