From Mexico to Hong Kong: Shiology, Longevity, and the Future of Food
By Tom Heilandt, former Secretary of the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission and currently Senior Advisor to the Global Shiology Forum for International Strategy.
In May 2025, presenting a groundbreaking vision for the world’s food systems at the Latin American Congress on Food Safety in Mexico City, and more recently in Hong Kong: Shiology, the emerging science of food and eating, centered on the person.
Shiology was founded by Chinese chef and thinker Liu Guangwei and offers a comprehensive view of food systems based on three dimensions: the diner (habits and well-being), the food (product and ecological footprint), and the food order (the institutional, cultural, and political structures that surround us).
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This interconnected approach responds directly to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which cannot be achieved without profoundly transforming the way we eat and produce our food.
From my experience as Codex Secretary, I know that progress in food safety has been real, but still insufficient. Shiology broadens the scientific perspective, integrating ethics, culture, and systems thinking. It is an invitation to think differently, act responsibly, and place humans at the center of food systems.
In Hong Kong, in addition to connecting Shiology with the city’s new role as an International Brand Center, we have launched an ambitious proposal: to establish Hong Kong as a center for longevity. This initiative will integrate science, food culture, public health, innovation, and the private sector to foster lifestyles that enable people to live longer and better. The proposal includes a series of events in 2026, supported by the Shiology World Forum, universities, innovative companies, and local authorities.
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We believe this vision can also be adapted to the Latin American context. The region’s food cultures, biodiversity, and growing commitment to sustainability offer fertile ground for implementing similar activities. Imagining Latin American longevity centers is not a dream, but a concrete opportunity to connect traditional knowledge, modern science, and social innovation for the benefit of all communities.
Autor: Tom Heilandt
Source: www.inocuidadhoy.com
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