The UK government has announced a £3 million investment to advance diet and health innovation through a new collaborative research and development programme co-funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The initiative is designed to strengthen the UK’s global leadership in food innovation by translating world-class bioscience into practical solutions that improve public health and sustainability.
The Diet and Health Collaborative Research and Development programme will promote closer collaboration between academia and industry, accelerating the development of novel food products and innovative food processing techniques. These efforts aim to deliver healthier, higher-quality, and more sustainable food options for consumers, while also supporting productivity and long-term economic growth across the food sector.
Aligned with Defra’s policy priorities, the programme takes a holistic approach to food system transformation by integrating health, environmental sustainability, resilience, and economic development. It supports delivery of the Good Food Cycle, which seeks to ensure a healthier population, a thriving food industry, improved environmental outcomes, and a more resilient supply chain.
This new investment builds on existing UK Research and Innovation commitments in diet and health, including the £15 million Diet and Health Open Innovation Research Club. Together, these initiatives are helping unlock scientific and industrial capacity to address complex, long-term challenges in nutrition, food processing, waste reduction, and food system resilience.
Through the programme, funded research will focus on improving nutritional quality, deepening understanding of how food processing and product composition affect health, and promoting circular economy approaches to reduce food loss and waste. Priority areas include supporting populations at higher risk of malnutrition, improving affordability and accessibility of nutritious food, reducing environmental impacts, and strengthening the resilience of the UK food supply chain.
Leaders from BBSRC and Defra подчерк emphasize that the investment demonstrates the value of partnerships in turning scientific excellence into real-world benefits. By bringing together researchers, policymakers, and industry, the programme aims to improve health outcomes, reduce food inequalities, support environmental goals, and drive innovation across the UK food system.
