A Data Lake for the transition to healthy and sustainable dietary behavior

This paper describes the implementation of a Data Lake dedicated to seamlessly integrating nutritional and sustainability data related to regional food production and consumption. Data are collected from six city-region Food HUBs, established under the EU SWITCH project. These hubs serve as living labs, engaging key stakeholders in the agri-food system to actively promote the shift towards more sustainable food consumption behaviors. Emphasizing data collection, each Food Hub focuses on establishing a baseline characterization of prevailing behavioral trends among target groups. This involves an in-depth analysis of current practices related to healthy and sustainable diets, as well as broader food systems, while also investigating behavioral changes resulting from proposed solutions and actions. To support these endeavors, an advanced Data Lake has been developed as a comprehensive repository and retrieval system. This platform integrates a diverse array of datasets collected throughout the project, including metadata on regional food offers, a food indicators database, citizen behavioral data, and various variables of physical, medical, and social nature. The amalgamation of these datasets into a unified “Data Lake” facilitates the application of Machine Learning techniques to generate scenarios and assess the efficacy of innovation actions. This data-driven approach not only enhances the understanding of sustainable dietary behaviors but also furnishes policymakers and stakeholders with valuable insights, enabling informed decision-making in the domain of agri-food sustainability.