Huub Lelieveld Named 2026 World Food Prize Laureate for Global Food Safety Work

Dutch food scientist Huub Lelieveld was recognized as the 2026 World Food Prize Laureate on Thursday night in Des Moines, receiving the $500,000 award for a decades-long career spent establishing global food safety standards and harmonizing regulations.

Establishing the Global Harmonization Initiative

Following a 40-year career as a food scientist at Unilever, Lelieveld chose not to retire. Instead, he founded the Global Harmonization Initiative in 2004. That organization currently connects more than 1,600 volunteer experts working to advance science-based food safety and remove barriers to the safe distribution of food.

The movement spans 113 countries. Over the last two decades, Lelieveld’s network of scientists has helped build a global consensus on food safety policy, preventing millions of cases of foodborne illness, dismantling barriers to trade and humanitarian aid, and reducing food loss and waste.

Iowa Officials and Tanzania Prime Minister Honor Lelieveld

Iowa Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer presided over the evening ceremony in Des Moines. Cournoyer noted that Lelieveld’s career resulted in 11 patents and over 60 globally accepted guidelines for safe food manufacturing.

When bureaucratic hurdles and regulatory barriers threatened famine across Southern Africa, he refused to look away. … Over the last 20 years, his trailblazing network of scientists has helped build a global consensus of food safety policy.

Special guest Hon. Dr. Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba, prime minister of Tanzania, also attended the ceremony. In an address earlier in the day, Nchemba warned that the time for action had arrived. He called for science, innovation, and determination to place farmers at the center of agricultural transformation, stating that food security must also mean food safety.

Looking Toward Future Education

Mashal Husain, president of the World Food Prize Foundation, praised Lelieveld’s vision during the event. Husain noted that his journey began in The Hague, but his vision was never confined by geography.

Earlier in the day, Lelieveld joined 2009 World Food Prize Laureate Gebisa Ejeta for a fireside conversation covering six decades of translating food safety science into global action. Lelieveld said education is essential for food safety and nutrition, especially in the world's poorest countries.

“Education starts at a very young age,” Lelieveld said during the discussion. “When children learn how to handle food safely, they carry that knowledge into their homes and communities. That is how we make safe, nutritious food a reality for everyone.”

Lelieveld also joined 16 other World Food Prize Laureates on stage for a panel reflecting on the discoveries, challenges, and breakthroughs that have shaped the global fight against hunger. During the evening ceremony, Lelieveld expressed gratitude to his wife for managing the household and family, noting that her support enabled him to travel and conduct his international work.

The World Food Prize was founded in 1986 by Norman E. Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize, to honor individuals who have improved the quality, quantity, or availability of food worldwide. The prize is marking its 40th anniversary this year during the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, having been awarded to 55 individuals since its inception.