AS NOVEL FOODS SUCH AS PLANT-BASED MEATS, CULTIVATED MEATS, AND OTHER ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS GAIN POPULARITY FOR THEIR POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE SUSTAINABILITY AND REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, CONCERNS REMAIN ABOUT HOW THESE FOODS AFFECT HUMAN HEALTH. CURRENTLY, FOOD SAFETY EVALUATIONS OFTEN RELY ON ANIMAL TESTING, WHICH DOES NOT ALWAYS ACCURATELY REFLECT HOW HUMAN BODIES RESPOND TO NEW FOODS AND PRESENT ETHICAL AND REGULATORY CHALLENGES. MOREOVER, THE LONG-TERM HEALTH EFFECTS OF NOVEL FOODS, INCLUDING THEIR POTENTIAL TO TRIGGER INFLAMMATION, ALLERGIES, OR OTHER CHRONIC CONDITIONS, REMAIN POORLY UNDERSTOOD. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THE CRITICAL NEED FOR BETTER, HUMAN-RELEVANT TOOLS TO ASSESS THE SAFETY AND HEALTH IMPACT OF EMERGING FOODS BEFORE THEY REACH THE MARKET. ENSURING THE SAFETY OF OUR FOOD SUPPLY IS VITAL NOT ONLY TO INDIVIDUAL HEALTH, BUT ALSO TO PUBLIC TRUST, ECONOMIC SECURITY, AND THE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH OF THE FOOD INDUSTRY.TO SOLVE THIS CHALLENGE, OUR TEAM WILL BUILD AND USE ADVANCED LABORATORY MODELS THAT MIMIC THE HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM USING HUMAN CELLS AND TISSUES. WE WILL SIMULATE DIGESTION AND ANALYZE HOW DIFFERENT NOVEL FOODS INTERACT WITH HUMAN GUT TISSUES. THESE MODELS WILL ALLOW US TO OBSERVE HOW CELLS RESPOND, SUCH AS WHETHER THEY SHOW SIGNS OF STRESS, INFLAMMATION, OR CHANGES IN FUNCTION, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR ANIMAL TESTING. WE WILL ALSO STUDY HOW LONG-TERM EXPOSURE TO CERTAIN FOODS MIGHT CHANGE HOW OUR GUT CELLS BEHAVE AT A GENETIC LEVEL, USING TOOLS THAT MEASURE CHANGES IN DNA AND GENE ACTIVITY. IMPORTANTLY, THESE TESTS WILL BE DESIGNED USING CELLS FROM MULTIPLE HUMAN DONORS TO REFLECT A WIDE RANGE OF BIOLOGICAL RESPONSES AND INCREASE RELEVANCE TO REAL-WORLD POPULATIONS.BY THE END OF THIS PROJECT, WE AIM TO DELIVER AN INNOVATIVE, FULLY IN VITRO (LAB-BASED) TESTING PLATFORM THAT CAN BE USED BY SCIENTISTS, REGULATORS, AND INDUSTRY TO EVALUATE THE SAFETY AND BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF NEW FOOD PRODUCTS. THESE TOOLS WILL IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY AND EFFICIENCY OF FOOD SAFETY RESEARCH, REDUCE RELIANCE ON ANIMAL STUDIES, AND HELP MANUFACTURERS BRING HEALTHIER, SAFER PRODUCTS TO MARKET. THE BROADER SOCIETAL BENEFITS INCLUDE GREATER CONSUMER CONFIDENCE, MORE ETHICAL RESEARCH PRACTICES, AND STRONGER SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATIONS FOR FUTURE FOOD INNOVATION.