The American Heart Association has launched its second annual Periodic Table of Food Initiative data visualization challenge, themed "Future Food + Nutrition Facts," with submissions open until January 30, 2026. This interdisciplinary competition invites teams from public health, nutrition science, bioinformatics, data visualization, food systems and policy to reimagine how nutritional information is presented using molecular data from one of the world's most advanced open-access food composition databases.
The challenge represents a significant step toward addressing the growing complexity of global food systems, where consumers increasingly seek clear, trustworthy nutritional guidance. By translating complex biomolecular and environmental information into actionable insights, the initiative aims to benefit diverse audiences including consumers, policymakers, industry leaders and researchers. The PTFI is managed by the American Heart Association and the Alliance of Biodiversity and the Center for Tropical Agriculture, with funding support from The Rockefeller Foundation.
"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 Selena Ahmed, Ph.D., global director of The Periodic Table of Food Initiative. The initiative encourages collaboration between scientists, designers, farmers, nutritionists and other food system stakeholders to translate molecular food data into more precise daily decisions that nourish both human and planetary health.
The PTFI database includes comprehensive molecular profiles of thousands of foods worldwide, containing full ingredient and nutritional details along with information about how and where specific food products were grown. This data reveals the biomolecular complexity of food beyond traditional calorie and macronutrient measurements, highlighting connections between food, health, biodiversity and sustainability. Participants will access comprehensive profiles and data from The PTFI's scientific database at foodperiodictable.org, challenging them to create visualizations that move beyond traditional nutrition facts.
Winning designs must demonstrate how food and nutrition information can better reflect nutritional quality, molecular diversity, sustainability impact or cultural relevance. "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," said John de la Parra, Ph.D., director of Food Initiatives at The Rockefeller Foundation. "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 includes 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. Additional scientific context is available through recent research published in Circulation at https://doi.org/10.1161/cir.0000000000001343, which systematically reviews food-as-medicine approaches for noncommunicable diseases.
This initiative matters because it addresses critical gaps in how nutritional information is currently communicated to the public. Traditional nutrition labels often fail to capture the full complexity of food's impact on health and the environment. By developing more sophisticated visualization tools, this challenge could lead to better-informed consumer choices, more effective public health policies, and greater awareness of how food production affects biodiversity and sustainability. The outcomes could fundamentally change how people understand the relationship between their food choices, personal health, and environmental impact.
