Denmark’s DTU National Food Institute designated as WHO collaborating centre for food risk-benefit assessment
The DTU National Food Institute in Denmark has been designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to host a new collaborating centre focused on evaluating the health impacts of foods and dietary patterns. Named the “WHO Collaborating Centre for Risks and Benefits of Foods and Diets”, the centre marks the first time WHO has established a collaborating body with a specific remit covering integrated risk-benefit assessment of foods and diets.
The designation, announced on 28 January 2026, will be hosted by the institute’s Research Group for Risk-Benefit, based in Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark, and will run for four years.
From single risks to integrated assessment
Historically, food science research has tended to address food safety and nutrition as separate disciplines. In recent decades, however, the field has moved towards systematic, integrated evaluation of both risks and benefits – an approach that is now central to this new centre’s mandate.
A key methodological tool underpinning this work is the Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY). By expressing foodborne infections,
chronic diseases and the effects of chemical contaminants in DALYs, researchers can compare markedly different risk factors and disease outcomes on a common scale – providing a more rigorous basis for prioritising public health interventions.
The integrated assessments conducted by the group cover a range of scenarios, including foodborne diseases caused by microbiological and chemical contaminants, as well as the health consequences of changes in dietary patterns – for instance, when one food is substituted for another, or when novel foods are introduced into diets.
Scientific expertise underpinning the mandate
The Research Group for Risk-Benefit is internationally recognised for its work in risk-benefit assessment and burden of disease studies, and has collaborated with WHO over many years. The new centre will contribute scientific expertise to WHO’s Department of Nutrition and Food Safety (NFS), which carries the vision of a world free from malnutrition and foodborne diseases.
The centre will be led jointly by Senior Researchers Sara Monteiro Pires and Morten Poulsen.
“As researchers, we usually measure our work in terms of published scientific articles, but being designated as a WHO Collabo-
rating Centre gives us a real opportunity to play a part in improving global health by supporting efforts to increase food safety and reduce the disease burden worldwide,” said Monteiro Pires.
Three core areas of activity
The centre’s work programme covers three specific areas of support to WHO and its member states: Firstly, strengthening foodborne disease data – including maintaining and updating WHO’s global foodborne disease estimates. Secondly, developing an integrated approach for risk-benefit assessment of food that encompasses nutritional, microbiological and chemical contamination considerations, alongside sustainability dimensions. Thirdly, assisting member states in building national data capacity with respect to foodborne diseases, source attribution and risk-benefit assessments.
“Our tasks may, for example, include generating data, proposing methods and developing guidance documents and training programmes that can support countries in carrying out risk-benefit assessments, with the overall aim of reducing the disease burden associated with foods and dietary patterns,” said Monteiro Pires.
Supporting evidence-based dietary recommendations
WHO has emphasised that the new centre’s contributions will help reduce avoidable disease burden arising from unsafe food or unhealthy diets, and will support the development of evidence-based dietary recommendations adapted to regional and local contexts. By relying on robust scientific expertise, the centre will support WHO’s mission of helping countries achieve healthy, safe and sustainable diets.
For more information, visit: https://www.food.dtu.dk/english/
