Department of Food Science

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AU FOOD’s Head of Department offers perspective on the future of food: “We must dare to rethink the framework”

How should we regulate foods that don’t resemble the ones we know today – but may hold the key to a more sustainable future? Anne Louise Dannesboe Nielsen, Head of Department at Department of Food Science (AU FOOD), Aarhus University, contributes knowledge and nuance to the public debate through a fresh series of national media appearances.

Photo: Andreas Weber, TV2 Østjylland

A Clear Voice in the Future of Food Debate

Head of Department at AU FOOD, Anne Louise Dannesboe Nielsen, has emerged as a clear voice in the ongoing debate about the future of food. In several national and regional features, she shares her professional assessment of how current legislation lags behind technological and scientific developments. Speaking to TV2, she describes the existing regulations as “deeply outdated” and warns that they risk hindering both innovation and the green transition:

“We’re working with legislation that, in many cases, was designed for another era. If we want to promote sustainable and safe food systems, we must dare to rethink the framework,” she says.

Innovation That Challenges Convention

At AU FOOD, researchers are working with precisely the kinds of food that challenge conventional definitions – from alternative proteins and fermentation technologies to plant-based solutions and circular production systems. This is research that not only develops new products, but also raises fundamental questions about how we, as a society, understand and regulate food.

Head of Department Anne Louise Dannesboe Nielsen shows TV2 Østjylland around the greenhouses at AU FOOD.

From Lab to Screen

In a TV-feature aired by TV2, Anne Louise Dannesboe Nielsen offers viewers a behind-the-scenes look at this research – including a visit to AU FOOD’s greenhouses located in Agro Food Park in northern Aarhus.

Local TV2 Østjylland also spotlighted the topic in a follow-up article, placing AU FOOD at the center of the regional conversation. Here, Anne Louise highlights how approval processes of up to three years can delay the introduction of climate-friendly foods, such as new pea varieties currently being tested at AU FOOD.

Science in Society

This underscores how the pace of regulation fails to match the speed of innovation – and why institutions like AU FOOD play a critical role as knowledge partners in shaping the future of food.

At the Department of Food Science, we see it as a core responsibility to share our insights openly and generously – not only within academic circles, but also in the public debate, where the tone and direction of future food systems are being shaped.

We thank TV2 for their interest.

🔗 Explore the full coverage featuring AU FOOD and Head of Department Anne Louise Dannesboe Nielsen:

Revised 22.08.2025