Prof. D.Sc. Irena Colić-Barić
Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology at the University of Zagreb

There is an increasing number of factors that affect food /diet choices and nutrition behaviour as well, and they are changeable, which is one of the challenges in tracking their impact on food choice, diet and nutritional behavior. In the same time, there is increasing evidence of the multiple effects of diets on public health nutrition, society and environment. These is a complex area and at the same time one of research priorities and research challenges on the national, regional and global level (e.g. “The Foresight study ‘Tomorrow’s healthy society – research priorities for foods and diets’ was initiated to inform the selection of research challenges to receive funding under the Horizon 2020 programme. The exploratory scenario-building approach focused on the European consumer by the year 2050 as a long-term time horizon”). Many questions require answer, e.g. the role of food beyond nutrition or identifications of possibility for the change in the perception of importance of food and nutrition for health, or how to improve consumers’ acceptance of alternative food sources and new technologies which support a sustainable and safe food production system.
Social, economic, environmental and other aspects have significant influence on dietary choice, public procurement, the public health and sustainable food production.