Connecting, Learning, and Leading: ANC at Nutrition 2025

The Avocado Nutrition Center (ANC) had a great showing at the recent Nutrition 2025 meeting in Orlando, Florida, where leaders in the field gathered to share the latest in nutrition science. Nikki A. Ford, PhD, Senior Director of Nutrition at the ANC, presented a poster exploring the potential relationship between avocado intake during pregnancy and the development of food allergies in offspring, an area of growing interest in maternal and child health and a novel outcome for the ANC.

The four-day meeting included four poster presentations from ANC-supported researchers. A trainee from the HAT study (Habitual Avocado Trial) also presented a talk on her new findings on lipoprotein particle concentrations, contributing to our understanding of avocado’s role in cardiometabolic health.

Throughout the conference, ANC team members actively engaged with the broader nutrition science community. Dr. Ella Bauer, Nutrition Research Manager, met with all ANC-funded researchers to get updates on ongoing projects. The team attended scientific sessions, visited posters, and participated in discussions on topics ranging from dietary patterns to food policy. These interactions offered a valuable opportunity to share recent findings from ANC-funded research and increase awareness of the center’s mission to support evidence-based understanding of avocados and human health.

The ANC also hosted a dinner to celebrate another year of research progress, bringing together currently funded investigators, scientific advisors, and emerging researchers.

Lastly, the ANC team connected with fellow research leaders of commodity boards and food industry colleagues to exchange ideas and explore collaborative opportunities. Participation in this annual meeting reinforces the ANC’s commitment to advancing credible, peer-reviewed science that informs dietary guidance and public health.

Nutrition 2025 was not only a platform for presenting new research, but it was a space for listening, learning, and strengthening relationships that will help shape the next chapter of avocado nutrition science.