Danone USA Contributes to New Digital Nutrition Science Tool to Advance Culinary Adoption of New Fermented Foods

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Oct 22, 2026, 09:00 ET

This nutrition education resource for healthcare and culinary professionals was developed in collaboration with The Center for Food and Beverage Leadership at The Culinary Institute of America, with support and nutrition science expertise from Danone USA. Researchers affiliated with Stanford Medicine's Nutrition Studies Research Group provided scientific review.

Danone USA supported the development of a new toolkit, contributing nutrition science expertise to help translate research on fermented foods, gut health, and chronic disease risk reduction into actionable guidance for use in healthcare and foodservice settings.
Combining evidence-based nutrition education with culinary inspiration, recipes, and culturally relevant guidance, this resource helps healthcare professionals, chefs, and foodservice leaders turn scientific insights into clinical recommendations and menu ideas that make fermented foods more approachable and easier to enjoy.
Danone USA, a leading food & beverage company with a long-standing focus on science-based nutrition and public health, is advancing its two-year Food is Life, Food is Health commitment to support science-based nutrition education for healthcare and culinary professionals.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. and LOUISVILLE, Colo., Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Danone USA announced a new nutrition education resource exploring the potential health impacts of fermented foods, including their relationship to gut health and chronic disease risk reduction, such as type 2 diabetes. The toolkit translates emerging research into culinary approaches and clinical guidance that help bring fermented foods into everyday meals and menus. The resource is part of Danone's two-year commitment as a Founding Exhibitor of Food is Life, Food is Health to advance science-based nutrition education for healthcare and culinary professionals.

The Fermented Foods Toolkit: Translating Emerging Science into Delicious, Everyday Eating combines research, visual learning tools and culinary tips into practical guidance for healthcare and culinary professionals.

A yogurt-based recipe featured in The Fermented Foods Toolkit illustrates how familiar fermented foods, like yogurt can be incorporated into everyday meals.

Amanda Blechman, RD, Director of Nutrition and Scientific Affairs at Danone USA, speaks about yogurt and type 2 diabetes risk reduction at the inaugural Food is Life, Food is Health Summit in May 2026.

Titled The Fermented Foods Toolkit: Translating Emerging Science into Delicious, Everyday Eating, the resource was developed by The Center for Food and Beverage Leadership at The Culinary Institute of America with support and nutrition science expertise from Danone USA. Researchers affiliated with Stanford Medicine's Nutrition Studies Research Group provided scientific review.

The publication provides:

Visual learning tools: Clear explanations that address common myths and questions, including why not all pickled foods are fermented foods and how prebiotics differ from probiotics.
Simple culinary applications: Flavor-forward recipes and pairing provide inspiration for creative ways to use yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, and miso in dressings, sauces, grain bowls, and more.
Guidance for diverse communities: A global look at fermented food traditions and strategies for adapting recommendations to individual tastes, budgets, and individual needs.

Building on Danone's Longstanding Commitment to Nutrition Science and Education
Danone has long supported science-based nutrition education as part of its mission to bring health through food to as many people as possible. The publication builds on Danone's role as a founding exhibitor at the Food is Life, Food is Health Summit, a collaboration between the Culinary Institute of America and Stanford Medicine, by extending the Summit's focus on translating nutrition science into practical education for clinical, culinary, foodservice, community, and consumer settings.

By combining scientific literature synthesis with culinary and clinical translation, the release of this resource helps professionals apply the evidence in ways that reflect the needs of the people and communities they serve. It also provides guidance to support evidence-based conversations about food, dietary patterns, and chronic disease risk reduction, such as type 2 diabetes.

"At Danone, we believe nutrition education can have the greatest impact when trusted professionals have the tools to translate scientific evidence into everyday action," said Amanda Blechman, RD, Director of Nutrition and Scientific Affairs at Danone USA. "This resource represents an important step in our two-year Food is Life, Food is Health commitment. By supporting science-based tools that can be used in clinics, kitchens, and communities, we hope to make evidence-based nutrition more accessible for the people and communities these professionals serve."

Designed for Real-World Professional Use
"We heard from professionals that the challenge is not simply finding nutrition information. Rather, it's having the time, confidence and practical tools to turn that information into guidance people can use," said Kristen Rasmussen, MS, RDN, Program Director, Food is Life, Food is Health, and Assistant Director, Health & Sustainability Programs, The Culinary Institute of America. "They asked for clear evidence summaries, approachable recipes, flexible meal ideas, and visual tools that can work during a patient visit, in a teaching kitchen, or in foodservice. Those needs directly informed the resource so professionals can move more confidently from discussing the science to applying it."

Translating nutrition science for chronic disease risk reduction
The publication also addresses the evidence on yogurt consumption and type 2 diabetes risk reduction, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s first qualified health claim for yogurt, which was granted following Danone's petition to the FDA. By pairing this evidence with culinary guidance, the resource demonstrates how nutrition science can be translated into food-based recommendations that healthcare and culinary professionals can apply in their everyday work.

Access the new resource: Download The Fermented Foods Toolkit: Translating Emerging Science into Delicious, Everyday Eating for healthcare and culinary professionals.

Learn more about the collaboration: Danone USA Supports Inaugural Food is Life, Food is Health Summit as Founding Exhibitor

About Danone USA
Danone is an industry-leading food & beverage company, with a mission to bring health through food to as many people as possible. From its humble beginnings, Dannon Milk Products, Inc. was founded in the Bronx in 1942, and since then, Danone USA has grown to employ 5,000 dedicated American workers across more than 10 U.S. manufacturing facilities.

As a Certified B Corporation^®, Danone is committed to the creation of both economic and social value, while nurturing natural ecosystems through regenerative agriculture, including its partnerships with more than 50 U.S. farms. The company supports American jobs, agriculture and health through its strong portfolio of brands that include: Activia^®, DanActive^®, Danimals^®, Dannon^®, evian^®, Follow Your Heart^®, Happy Family^® Organics, International Delight^®, Light + Fit^®, Oikos^®, Silk^®, So Delicious^® Dairy Free, STōK^® Cold Brew Coffee, Too Good & Co™, and YoCrunch^®. For more information, visit the Danone USA website.