Capitol News

Felicia Wu, a distinguished professor at Michigan State University, has been chosen to serve on the World Health Organization's Risk-Benefit Assessment Technical Group. This international committee is tasked with evaluating the risks and benefits of dietary constituents, such as animal-source and plant-based foods, in relation to malnutrition and noncommunicable diseases globally.

Wu holds positions in MSU's departments of Food Science and Human Nutrition and Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics. She was encouraged by WHO to apply for this role. Currently, she also serves on the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives, an international committee managed by both the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and WHO.

“I am so honored to have the chance to serve on the WHO dietary guidelines committee, which will set global dietary guidelines based on evidence of foods and nutrients contributing to optimal health versus chronic disease,” Wu stated. She emphasized the importance of focusing on diverse populations worldwide, including those with limited access to animal-source foods. The implications for maternal and child nutrition are significant.

The committee is expected to take two to three years to develop recommendations through a combination of in-person and virtual meetings. These updates will be regularly revised as new scientific data emerges.

Wu currently manages nine grants related to her research areas of agriculture, biotechnology, food safety, and nutrition aimed at improving public health outcomes. Besides her involvement with WHO, she is president of the Society for Risk Analysis with 2,000 members. Additionally, she was appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer as a member of Michigan's Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The first meeting of this technical group is scheduled for fall 2024. Wu expressed her enthusiasm about collaborating with global experts: “I am looking forward to working with experts from across the world to formulate these recommendations and bring my 25 years of food safety and nutrition experience to the committee.”