American Heart Association Launches Data Challenge to Transform Food and Nutrition Information
The American Heart Association's Periodic Table of Food Initiative data challenge aims to translate complex molecular food data into accessible visualizations that could revolutionize how consumers, policymakers and industry leaders understand nutrition and sustainability.
The American Heart Association has launched its second annual Periodic Table of Food Initiative data visualization challenge, themed "Future Food + Nutrition Facts," which remains open until January 30, 2026. This interdisciplinary competition invites teams from public health, nutrition science, bioinformatics, data visualization, food systems and policy to reimagine nutrition information using molecular data from one of the world's most advanced open-access food composition databases.
The challenge represents a significant step toward addressing growing consumer demand for clear, trustworthy nutritional guidance as global food systems become increasingly complex. Participants will work to translate complex biomolecular and environmental information into actionable insights for diverse audiences, from consumers to policymakers and industry leaders to researchers. The PTFI is building a comprehensive database that includes molecular profiles of thousands of foods worldwide, revealing the biomolecular complexity of food beyond traditional calorie and macronutrient measurements.
Selena Ahmed, Ph.D., global director of The Periodic Table of Food Initiative, emphasized the translational nature of the competition. "This is a translational competition meant to rethink what we know about food, how we share that data in compelling ways and how it informs action," said Ahmed. "We encourage collaboration between scientists and designers, farmers and nutritionists, along with other food system stakeholders, to translate molecular food data into more precise and actionable daily decisions that nourish both human and planetary health."
Participants will access comprehensive profiles and data from The PTFI's scientific database at https://foodperiodictable.org, including information about food origin, structure and relevance. They will create visualizations that move beyond traditional nutrition facts, demonstrating how food information can better reflect nutritional quality, molecular diversity, sustainability impact or cultural relevance. The initiative's database includes full ingredient and nutritional details along with information about how and where specific food products were grown, highlighting connections between food, health, biodiversity and sustainability.
John de la Parra, Ph.D., director of Food Initiatives at The Rockefeller Foundation, which provides financial support for the challenge, highlighted the unprecedented opportunity. "For the first time in history, we are able to detect the full richness and complexity of all the chemistry contained in the world's food biodiversity. But how do we communicate that? How do we make it mean something, have impact and ultimately improve human and planetary health?" said de la Parra. "That is what this challenge seeks to address. This competition is a step toward transforming complex food data into visuals and tools that drive better decisions, from policy to plate."
The global competition features two tracks: a general design category and a specialized research category for scientists submitting technical summaries. With $40,000 in cash prizes, including $20,000 for the top entry, winning visualizations will be showcased at an upcoming PTFI Science Symposium in 2026 and across digital platforms. Entries will be evaluated on creativity, scientific accuracy, accessibility and real-world relevance, with no cost to participate. The PTFI represents a collaborative effort managed by the American Heart Association and the Alliance of Biodiversity and the Center for Tropical Agriculture, supported by multiple foundations including The Rockefeller Foundation.