Global Food Systems Institute UF IFAS

🧠 New Publication from the Brain Food Initiative

What we eat plays a critical role in brain health across the life course.

Led by Dr. Sarah McKune, associate professor in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions, and Dr. Adegbola Adesogan, associate vice president and director of GFSI, the Brain Food Initiative brings together expertise in public health, agriculture, nutrition, and innovation to better understand how diet influences cognitive development, performance, and resilience.

This new review examines the evidence behind eight categories of "brain foods," including dairy, eggs, seafood, lean meats, berries, leafy greens, nuts, and whole grains. The findings highlight the important contributions of both animal-sourced and plant-based foods to cognitive health from early childhood through older adulthood while identifying key research gaps that can guide future nutrition research and policy.

As part of the Brain Food Initiative's mission, this work contributes to a growing body of evidence aimed at improving nutrition, cognition, and well-being worldwide.

📖 Read the publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42280422/

🌱 What started as a donor’s vision for food security has evolved into a collaborative initiative, strengthened by a grant from the Anguillan Ministry of Sustainability, Innovation, and the Environment.

The UF/IFAS Anguilla Agricultural Training Program (2025–2026), led by Dr. Oscar Liburd, Dr. Romina Gazis‑Seregina, and Dr. Stacy Strickland alongside a multidisciplinary UF team, provides hands-on training in Gainesville and on-the-ground demonstrations in Anguilla. The program equips ministry personnel and farmers with practical skills and scientific knowledge.

Through this program, GFSI is strengthening food systems by building local expertise, improving food safety, enhancing livestock production, advancing policy, and expanding partnerships from Florida to the Caribbean and beyond. Efforts like establishing a pesticide control board and regional collaboration with Antigua and Barbuda further support long-term resilience.

How does a collaborative hub that unites research, teaching, and Extension make an impact?

At GFSI, we bring together researchers, educators, students, and partners to develop innovative, science-based solutions for resilient and sustainable food systems worldwide.

By investing in education, mentorship, and innovation, we help prepare the next generation of leaders to address the challenges shaping the future of food.

🌱 What gives you the most hope when you think about the future of agriculture?

🌵Led by Dr. Kenneth Oduor with advisor Dr. Jose Carlos Dubeux, professor in the Agronomy Department, this research transforms an invasive cactus into opportunity by producing biogas, bio-fertilizer, and livestock feed that support pastoral communities in Kenya.

The project is improving daily life by reducing time spent collecting firewood, increasing safety for women, and supporting household energy through biogas and solar power. Children also benefit from better study conditions after dark.

Cactus-based feed has nearly doubled goat growth rates, creating new income opportunities while supporting rangeland health and ecosystem resilience.

Read the paper📑: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6663700

Congratulations to Norma Samuel, associate director for Extension at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Global Food Systems Institute, on the release of Hibiscus sabdariffa Botany!

This publication provides an overview of the botanical characteristics of Hibiscus sabdariffa (sorrel), supporting researchers, students, growers, and Extension audiences in better understanding this versatile crop.

📑Read more: https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1517

The Global Food Systems Institute is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 UF/IFAS International Awards!

These recipients have demonstrated their profound expertise through research, extension, and teaching. We are honored to recognize their outstanding efforts to internationalize all three Land Grant mission areas. Please join us in congratulating the following:

UF/IFAS Early Career International Educator Award: Samuel Martins, assistant professor in the Department of Plant Pathology

UF/IFAS International Educator Award: Luke Flory, Professor in the Department of Agronomy

UF/IFAS Early Career International Research Fellow Award: Esteban Rios, associate professor in the Department of Agronomy

UF/IFAS International Research Fellow Award: Donald Behringer, professor in the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatic Sciences

UF/IFAS Award for Internationalizing Extension: Qingren Wang, county extension agent at UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County

How a tropical bean could help treat Parkinson's tremors A major challenge with Parkinson’s disease is managing tremors. Typically, one way they are treated is by taking medications that increase dopamine. But what if instead, the prescription could be a plate of beans?

Congratulations to GFSI’s Communications Assistant, Shelby Hodel! She has completed her Master of Arts in Mass Communication from the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. We are so proud of her achievement and excited to see what the future has in store for her! 🎓🐊

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Arie Havelaar, professor in the UF Animal Sciences Department and GFSI faculty member, on his retirement!

Dr. Havelaar's work focused on epidemiology and risk assessment of foodborne and zoonotic diseases. He previously served in scientific and leadership roles at the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment. His work has also contributed to global food safety efforts, including chairing a World Health Organization group on the burden of foodborne disease.

Please join us in congratulating him on his years of service and impact in the field. 🤝

🌱 University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers are studying velvet beans as a potential plant-based treatment for Parkinson's disease, examining global cultivars to understand how genetics, environment, and cultivation affect L-DOPA production. Dr. Adegbola Adesogan, director of the UF/IFAS Global Food Systems Institute, is among the collaborators on the project.

Read more: news.ufl.edu/2026/04/velvet-bean/