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Mars, Incorporated, science and research policy

Scientific research underpins the whole process by which we create and deliver products to consumers

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Our approach to research

Scientific research ensures that our products are safe and of the highest quality. We're proud of the rigor and quality of our research and we've published full details of our scientific research and engagement policies online.

These policies cover the range of scientific disciplines in which we're active, not just human health and nutrition, but also in other areas such as pet care, plant science, materials science and computational science. In all these research efforts, we aim to meet the highest standards of scientific conduct, quality, credibility and integrity.

 

Why we invest in scientific research

The program of research on human nutrition has included biomedical, clinical and behavioral research, as well as dietary interventions involving human participants. We carry it out to:

  • Gain fundamental insights into human nutrition and wellbeing
  • Investigate whether certain nutrients and food constituents can promote health and wellbeing
  • Better understand the effects of eating certain foods on the health of the general population
  • Demonstrate to relevant food safety agencies the quality and safety of our products
  • Provide evidence in support of product benefit claims (i.e. to demonstrate that our products do what we say on the packaging)
  • Better understand the benefits, risks and mechanisms underlying health and wellbeing effects for the consumer

We're a global company and our policies aim to ensure that international research projects comply with the relevant laws and regulations applied in the countries or regions where we carry out our research.

 

Our research policies and procedures

Before instigating a study, the proposed research protocol will be evaluated by our internal ethical review committees and, where appropriate, by a fully accredited external research ethics committee. For trials involving human volunteers, this process will guarantee the rights and welfare of the people concerned. All data, samples and information obtained during the research project will be collected, stored and analyzed in ways that safeguard the privacy of participants. Our policies also aim to ensure that the researchers involved in any study are appropriately trained to protect the health and welfare of the volunteers.

These studies are often carried out in partnership with scientists in universities and other research institutions that are among the most respected and experienced figures within their particular field. We follow well-established methods of scientific best practice and mitigate bias in all the research we are involved with.

We aim to be as transparent as possible about our research and strive to publish all studies that produce results in the wider public interest. We always encourage our research collaborators to publish the results of studies on which we have worked together, irrespective of whether the outcomes are favorable to Mars. Much of our research is communicated to scientific colleagues and the broader public through peer-reviewed scientific publications and professional meetings.

Find out more about our scientific research and engagement policy and approach here.

 

20 years of research
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