News Brief June 2024

CONGRESS IN ACTION

The 22nd World Congress of Food Science and Technology (World Food Congress) is coming soon. The programme is packed, representing global scientific innovation, expertise, breakthroughs and research news. Join us to learn the conclusions and output of the interdisciplinary Task Force on Food Processing for Nutrition, Diet and Health and to hear global expert reaction from leaders in many fields. Take time to meet new colleagues and greet old friends again!

Congress events include:

  • Early Career Scientist Pre-congress session (must register to join);
  • Multiple special sessions featuring the breadth of work in the global field including the latest highlights from disciplinary and special interest groups of IUFoST – Nanotechnology, Precision Nutrition, Food Engineering, Education, AI, Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods;
  • Major presentations from FAO and Codex, panel discussions with WHO, UNIDO and other UN related scientists as well as outstanding leaders;
  • Industry and Entrepreneurial panels featuring and discussing innovation and challenges of global food industry;
  • Academy sessions, the Induction ceremony of 25 new Fellows, the Distinguished Lecture and recognition of Lifetime Achievement and Young Researcher award recipients;
  • Awards, awards, awards – for students, papers, graduates, PhD Students, industry, Global Excellence in every sphere and recognising the Young Scientists chosen by their countries and the International Jury to represent the best in young science to the congress;
  • All of this and much more is waiting for you in the beautiful seaside town of Rimini, Italy from September 8 to 12. See you there!

 

INTRODUCING THE NEW FELLOWS OF IAFoST 2024

Our last News Brief introduced the first group of new Fellows to be inducted at the world congress in September. This Gallery begins with the second group of new Fellows we will meet in Rimini, Italy.  You will meet all 25 through these pages by the time of the congress.

The International Academy (IAFoST) elected 25 new Fellows in this 14th class of outstanding food scientists and technologists.

These Fellows were elected from among many nominations by the International Academy and IUFoST Adhering Bodies, and they are acknowledged by their peers as outstanding representatives of international food science and technology. These new Fellows will be inducted in the Academy when the 22nd World Congress of Food Science and Technology is to be held in Rimini, Italy from September 8 -12, 2024. We continue with the gallery by introducing  another nine of our newly elected Fellows.

Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST)
Focus Areas: University administration as Vice Chancellor; Food extrusion, sensory evaluation, food product development and processing

Bo Jiang, Jiangnan University
Focus Areas: Food Science, research on functional foods, involvement in international collaboration

Alexander Mathys, ETH Zurich, Head of Sustainable Food Processing
Focus Areas: Sustainable Food Processing, Sustainability Assessment, Microalgae and Insects based Food and Feed

Shingo Matsukawa, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT)
Focus Areas: Gels, Emulsions, Hydrocolloids, NMR, International collaboration

Dolores O’Riordan, President EFFoST (European Federation of Food Science and Technology), University of Dublin 
Focus Areas: International Researcher and Academic, Government appointed expert, industry outputs

O.B. Oyewole, Secretary-General of Association of African Universities (AAU)
Focus Areas: 
Vice-Chancellor, African Union, Capacity Building, Curriculum Development

Min-Hsiung Pan, Institute of Food Sciences and Technology, National Taiwan University
Focus Areas: Functional Foods and Health Promotion

Zhongli Pan, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis
Focus Areas: Food Engineering, , Sustainability of Food Processing, value addition and safety of food and agricultural products

Conrad O. Perera, The University of Auckland
Focus Areas: Structure, Function and Chemistry of Bioactive Compounds

Special Notice to IUFoST Members, Associates and Fellows: More communications to follow regarding specific congress events for you.

 

2024 EGYPTIAN GLOBAL FOOD SAFETY SYMPOSIUM (EGFoSS): Modernized Food Regulatory Systems as an Engine of Innovation and Investment in the Food Production Sector. 

The Growing Outcomes

This event was organized on the margins of “World Food Safety Day”, gathering food safety opinion leaders and experts from Egypt and around the world to illustrate the commitment of the Arab Republic of Egypt, represented by its primary food safety regulator, to the collaborative nature of food safety solutions, showcasing that “Food Safety is Everyone’s Business”.

The broad representation from partners representing the food industry, academia, food competent authorities and international organizations as well as the level of participation and engagement witnessed during this event is an illustration of the collaborative nature of food safety solutions, emphasising the importance of food safety to all, as “Everyone’s Business”” declared Prof. Samuel Godefroy, IUFoST President Elect and current President of GFoRSS. “The symposium outcomes calling for added investments in food safety science disciplines with emphasis on competency development in food risk assessment aligns with the strategic objectives and future directions of our society.

We are committed to continuing our investments in these disciplines in the Arab region, and to strengthening our partnership with NFSA and other food regulators from the region” added Prof. Godefroy.

For more information follow this link.

 

Sri Lankan Symposium - a major success

Aman Wirakartakusumah, IUFoST President, led the opening remarks at the interdisciplinary symposium held on World Food Day around the theme of Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected. The outstanding programme was well attended and included among the celebrated speakers were Dr. Ratih Dewanti-Hariyadi and Dr. Deirdre Mikkelsen, both members of IUFoST Food Safety working groups. IUFoST expresses its thanks and congratulations to our national Sri Lanka scientific representative – the Institute of Food Science and Technology Sri Lanka (IFSTSL) for its fine work in advancing scientific knowledge and understanding.

 

Remembering Gerald (Gerry) Moy

It is very sad news for IUFoST to share that Dr Gerald Moy passed away on June 6 2024. His health had been declining for the past four years and we learnt from his family that a small funeral was held near the old family house in Vandoeures, Switzerland.

Dr. Gerald Moy was one of our active Board members of IUFoST during 2018-2020, an active Fellow of IAFoST and an active writer for IUFoST on many topics. His major focus was always on food safety, food and hygiene & public health. He worked tirelessly to his last days when we were receiving still the latest news from him as he championed the cause of food safety and nutritious diets. His contribution in putting IUFoST in a healthy situation in times of need will never be forgotten. He was with the World Health Organisation (WHO)  at Geneva for a long period of time. His extensive travels to developing and less developed countries took him to nearly 120 countries. He was the co-editor of the Encyclopaedia of Food Safety. He was also responsible for initiating a Think Tank at WHO to advance Food safety management at a global level. 

His rich contribution to the agenda of Food Safety globally was commendable and for many years he advanced IUFoST work in that mission area and contributed to every part of IUFoST life. We send our heartfelt condolences to his family from the family of IUFoST and its Board members and also from the food science community at large globally. 

 

About Gerry, from Food Scientist Daisy Lanoi, Early Career Scientist in Kenya
(photo shared by Daisy with Gerry taken from her graduation day)



The demise of Dr. Gerald Moy has really hit us hard. Gerry, as we used to call him, was a very dedicated scholar, especially in the field of Food Safety. He was a retiree of the World Health Organization (WHO), and up until his passing, he had dedicated his life to sharing ideas, participating in decisions and policy making on matters of food. 

My first encounter with Gerry was during the First Food Science and Technology Platform of Kenya (FOSTEP-K) Conference, which was held at Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), Muguga. He was invited as one of the key speakers for this conference by Prof. Ruth Oniangó, the patron to the association and editor-in-chief of the African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development (AJFAND). His passion for food safety and chemical compositions of food was very evident in all his presentations and discussions. He was specifically interested in my presentation and encouraged me to present it in the then IUFoST Congress which was scheduled later in 2016, in Dublin. 

Gerry had a special interest in my academic progress and encouraged me to consider pursuing a PhD in Genome Science as he saw it as the next big thing in the Food Science World. Whenever I wanted to present an abstract for consideration in any conference, he would be keen to know how I had written the abstract(s) and suggested areas of corrections and improvements in addition to sending lots and lots of literature in line with what I wanted to present. This really improved my work before presenting anything. Gerry was a good mentor.

He took keen interest in special occasions like weddings (including mine), birthdays and graduations of his family members and those of his colleagues and friends and would celebrate them in style with everyone. Gerry will be dearly missed. 

I therefore send my sincere condolences to his dear family and the food science fraternity at large, for the loss of this wonderful and great man. His absence will be deeply felt, and his contributions will be cherished and remembered forever.