Canada 2014

SUMMARY REPORT

17th World Congress of Food Science and Technology

(2014 World Food Congress)

Table of Contents

1. How We See Ourselves and How Others See Us

• Key Words
• Themes
• Delegates Talk

2. Pre-Congress Meetings, Working Groups and Workshops

• Meeting of the Technical Working Group of the Global Food Safety Partnership
• Aflatoxin Management Workshop
• Young Scientist Workshop and Activities
• Food Safety
• Expert Panel on Food Security
• Education/Distance Education
• Future Earth – ICSU
• Food Engineering
• Emerging Issues, Scientific Information Bulletins
• Food Chemistry Focus Group
• Fresh Produce Working Group
• Religious, Ethnic and Ethical Foods Working Group
• Communications Forum
• Obesity Forum

3. Congress Programme Spotlight

• Distinguished Lecturer, Dr. Brian Keating
• Quotes re: Other Sessions
• Industry Leaders Summit
• Academy Session on Vision 2030
• Sustainability Sessions

4. IUFoST Awards

• New IAFoST Fellows
• Lifetime Achievement Awards
• Young Scientists
• Global Food Industry Awards
• President’s Award
• Student Competitions

5. Acknowledgements

• How We See Ourselves and How Others See Us                                       

Key Words:

• *Vision 2030
• *Food Science for Policy, Policy for Food Science
• *The global representative for Food Science and Technology
• *More than 300,000 food scientists and technologists
• *Global Collaboration
• *Issues Management
• *The only elected representative of Food Science and Technology in the International Council of Science (ICSU)
• *Communications Strategies
• *Food Safety, Food Security, Food Sustainability and Education
• *Working Groups, Disciplinary and Inter-Disciplinary Programmes
• *Leadership
• *International Academy
• *Aflatoxin Management Workshop
• *Young Scientists Programme
• *Awards and Recognition for Outstanding Achievement

The Mission: Strengthening Global Food Science and Technology

The themes running throughout IUFoST meetings and activities in and around the World Food Congress (Montreal Canada, August 2014) focused on international collaboration and cross-disciplinary international responses to urgent and future food-related problems. The following consistent messages emerged:

• IUFoST must continue to connect food science to policy and national and international policy to food science.
• Partnerships with industry, policy makers, academics and other disciplines (including those related to climate change and water resource management) and education are the essential ingredients to food safety, food security and sustainability of food resources.
• It was agreed that the active engagement of industry is necessary for the development of future food scientists and technologists, together with the urgent need for recognition central and vital role of Food Science and Technology in Sustainable growth.
• IUFoST is the global body representing more than 300,000 food scientists and technology and the only elected representative of food science and technology to the International Council of Science. This scientific credibility and leadership must continue to be leveraged with other international organisations, governments and industry.

Delegates Talk: 

About Aflatoxin Management

“We can only work under IUFoST and we believe if IUFoST took charge ..we can realize the potential that Africa has. We look forward to bringing a change to Africa from the scientific point of view that has never been realized before and that is why we appeal that from every front we work together.”

-George Ook’o, Kenya on behalf of the IUFoST African Young Scientists Network established following the IUFoST Aflatoxin Management Workshop”

About IUFoST

“We know who we are and how we are perceived by others – our strength and pathway are through capacity building. We will continue to leverage our name, which is our best capital.”

– Pingfan Rao, IUFoST President 2012-2014

About New Focus Groups

“IUFoST is the only organization that can realize an international and intercontinental collaboration in this discipline.”

– Hans Steinhart regarding the establishment of the Food Chemistry Focus Group in IUFoST

“We can discuss and harmonise activities through this Initiative to establish a Food Engineering Coordination Group in IUFoST to provide Food Engineering relevant solutions to other international organizations.”

– Paul Singh, Academy Fellow

About International Council of Science (in which IUFoST is the elected global representative for Food Science and Technology)

“A process is underway to build sustainable development goals for all countries, and we members of ICSU are now participating and involved in collaboration panels on how to measure achievement – building on an idea of the common future we want. Clearly, there is a very important connection with food science and technology.”

– Gordon McBean, ICSU President to IUFoST General Assembly

About the Academy and its Vision

“We have a pool of expert resource that can be utilized to help effect food science and technology solutions globally. We must continue to gather activists.”

– Walter Spiess, President of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST)

About Vision 2030

“Essentially, we want to monitor the status of our professional discipline across the world. We have a report (Vision 2030) that will be published. We intend to use it as a base document and extend (it). We think that IUFoST is an international organization representing a very valuable professional skill base, and we should use this international status to influence and communicate with other international bodies and with national academies, national bodies and universities to raise our profile and interest young people in the discipline.”

– Anne-Marie Hermansson (Sweden) and Peter Lillford (UK), Fellows of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology

About the Young Scientists

“Thanks for mentoring us and allowing us to share in the leadership that is here. IUFoST has the leverage, the global coordination (unlike national organisations), to spread the word, to educate and make change. IUFoST represents high tech and low tech. We are all educators in some role and so enthusiastic about promoting best practices. We aim to be ambassadors for IUFoST and our country organisations and assist in regional activities.”

– Amy Proulx, Young Scientist (Canada)

2. Pre-Congress Meetings, Working Groups and Workshops

Meeting of the Technical Working Group of the Global Food Safety Partnership

The Technical Working Group of the Global Food Safety Partnership met in Montreal to coincide with the World Food Congress and to take advantage of the global representation of the Food Science and Technology community converging there. These two days of meetings were highly successful for the IUFoST-led Global Food Safety Curricula Initiative.

IUFoST’s Interim Report was well received. It highlighted preliminary data from global surveys on current food safety programming and industry requirements related to food safety employee skills, such as the need for further development of soft skills such as critical thinking, communicating verbally and teamwork skills. Read more here.

Aflatoxin Management Workshop

The purpose of this Workshop was to inform food scientists worldwide within IUFoST interested in Food Security about the latest developments in AFLATOXIN prevention and reduction and to discuss ways of implementing latest technologies.

As a partner in the Global Food Safety Partnership, which is facilitated by the World Bank and following the success of the first one-day Pre-Congress Mycotoxin Management workshop held in Brazil in 2012 (Mycotoxin Management Network), IUFoST organised a one-day pre-congress workshop (click here to view) focussing on aflatoxin prevention and reduction. The agenda of the workshop was developed to discuss prevalence, health impact (humans, farm animals), analytical techniques, and control/reduction methods related to aflatoxin contamination. Deliverables included concrete proposals for action reported back to the IUFoST General Assembly, details of which will be available in the next report.

Young Scientist Workshop and Activities

More than 150 young scientists participated in the pre-congress Young Scientist Workshop, led by the eight Young Scientist Winners from with the support of Academy Fellow mentors and Governing Council members. The Young Scientists were asked what they would do with five free hours to devote to the advancement of food science and technology.

As Dietrich Knorr, co-organiser with Nigel Sunley, explained, it was interesting that their reply began with “IF I had five free hours – and so, therefore, the challenge to engage young people is even greater than we are aware”. The Young Scientists came together with an extensive list of how they can participate in the international food science and technology community; how their role as ambassadors can encompass networking; and using social media to communicate food science to students in primary and secondary education and as activists to follow and lead activities within IUFoST. Specific actions are available in next report. The Young Scientists had the opportunity through Wendy Hurp of Elsevier to learn more about “How to Publish” in a practical and useful workshop.

Food Safety 

The pre-congress sessions began with an overview on the Global Food Safety Curricula Initiative (GFSCI),the initiative that World Bank representatives asked IUFoST to lead to develop and harmonise core curricula for food safety programmes at the undergraduate and graduates levels around the world. Also part of this initiative is the development of an IUFoST Food Safety Leadership degree programme at the Masters Level. The GFSCI pertains to all of IUFoST programmes and delivery systems.

The IUFoST Food Safety, Food Security and Education/Distance Education Committees and Taskforce met in pre-congress sessions and reported to the General Assembly on future actions. A few highlights regarding other Food Safety committee work included reports on IUFoST’s food safety work in China, begun and continuing on an annual basis at the request of the Chinese Government; the scientific information bulletins highlighting vulnerable groups and food safety issues; and the number of locations and requests for IUFoST to lead food safety efforts – including Ireland, Dubai, and Colombia – and to conduct workshops related to food safety and meet policy makers in numerous countries.

The newly formed Expert Panel on Food Security first agreed that an interdisciplinary perspective was essential to the issues around Food Security. The Panel’s initial activities included organizing five sessions at the World Food Congress around sustainability, ending with a panel discussion on future collaborative research needs on the final day of the Congress.

The sessions revolved around global food demand scenarios and how to address them; reducing the demand trajectory; filling the production shortfall; and avoiding losses from current production. Dr. Chris Mallett, Vice President, Cargill, provided the introduction to the panel discussion by providing an industry perspective on addressing sustainability issues. Panel members Peter Lillford, Michael Knowles, Ruth Oniang’o, Hongda Chen, Dave Gustafson, John McDermott, Walter Spiess and Catherine Bertini discussed some of the challenges ahead and how to address them. More will follow in the next report. Among the issues identified were gender inequality, capacity building, new technologies, and interdisciplinary challenges, including climate change.

Education/Distance Education

The IUFoST Global Food Safety Curricula Initiative (GFSCI) is long-term ambitious educational programme to deliver food safety with a global approach and regional delivery.The critical first step was to find out through a series of surveys to generate data on who is doing what in terms of academic programming and industry opinion of the graduates of current programming in relation to its needs and how to address them. This initiative complements IUFoST’s general food safety work and its Distance Education programme and brings together people from all around the world to demonstrate that IUFoST provides a global effort and reach.

Another important element of the IUFoST Education programme is the Education Approval process, which began when our regional body FIFSTA requested our assistance (all such IUFoST work is undertaken by request).

IUFoST has a textbook in food science and technology and had established a core curricula with an international committee a number of years ago. A programme recognition process of which one of the essential parts is an onsite visit was initiated at the request of our regional body several years ago. Recommendations are made in each case that are then reviewed at a later stage regarding implementation. A number of institutions have been reviewed and approved and more are in process.

IUFoST recognition helps the educational institutions applying for funding, industry support and for the exchange of students and faculty between education institutions within their countries and regions.

In the Distance Education-Assisted Training Programme (DEATP), IUFoST has to date created or adapted 11 subjects for teaching fundamental principles of food science and technology to participants through a mentor-moderated system. The level of the 11 courses delivered is aimed at participants who are working in the food industry but do not have a formal food science and technology educational background. The program has been tested over the last three years; currently, a group of African students is working through both the Food Dehydration and Food Safety modules under the mentorship of local and regional IUFoST mentors. There is a website containing all the information and the courses are ready for widespread use.

The recommendation of the discussants is to make the material available on the website open to all, to ask those using the materials to register their use as a mentor or participant, and to generate and evaluate reports on use of the website. Further expansion of the programmes to other parts of the world and generally scaling up the operations were the subject of the Distance Education meeting. Read more here.

Future Earth – ICSU

Future Earth is a new ten-year international research initiative within the International Council of Science (ICSU – IUFoST is the global representative for food science and technology within ICSU) that will develop the knowledge required to respond effectively to the risks and opportunities of global environmental change and to support transformation towards global sustainability in the coming decades. Future Earth will mobilize thousands of scientists while strengthening partnerships with policy-makers and other stakeholders to provide sustainability options and solutions in the wake of Rio+20.

All three broad Future Earth research themes imply directly or indirectly topics related to Food Science and Technology; for example, the theme “Global Development” focuses directly on food related problems with its research program “CCAFS – Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security”. The program is led by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), a member of the CGIAR Consortium. ICSU President Elect Gordon McBean joined the group to discuss IUFoST actions and contributions to the Future Earth Initiative.

Food Engineering

Discussion focused on the recommended establishment of a Food Engineering Coordination Group within IUFoST. While food engineering, and particularly higher-level qualifications in food engineering, has emerged as a discipline in its own right, its organisation at national, regional and world level has a rather haphazard history. In order to harmonize the activities of the associated organizations in the area of Food Engineering, such as ISFE (already a disciplinary group of IUFoST), IAEF, ISOPOW and others, it seems appropriate to establish a Food Engineering Coordination group. IUFoST needs a group that, besides integrating and coordinating the Food Engineering interests of its associated organisations, will act as a competent partner in the complex discussions with the other International Engineering organisations.

Emerging Issues, Scientific Information Bulletins

The IUFoST Scientific Council began commissioning Scientific Information Bulletins (SIBs) to answer a need expressed by IUFoST Adhering Bodies for explanations of the scientific principles involved in emerging and hot topics. These explanations are underpinned by the scientific expertise of the authors of each SIB and include provision of key and scientifically reliable online and other sources of additional information. Each SIB is prepared by an expert or small team of experts selected by the IUFoST Scientific Council. Each is reviewed and approved by the IUFoST Scientific Council.

In this manner, SIBs present authoritative science on emerging and headline food science issues. They are produced for legislators, consumers, food scientists, technologists, engineers, food science departments and the more than 300,000 members of IUFoST Adhering Bodies worldwide. The group discussed two recent SIBS on food for vulnerable populations, one of which is specifically related to Food Safety.

Food Chemistry Focus Group 

Food Chemistry is a science that interacts with many other disciplines that deal with food. It is closely connected with food technology, food safety, nutrition, and microbiology, amongst others. As a consequence, Food Chemistry is an essential part of IUFoST.

The rationale for founding a platform of Food Chemistry is to ensure that Food Chemistry becomes more fully visible within IUFoST. The aim is further to initiate international research projects, to improve the education in food chemistry and to identify topics for potential sessions in IUFoST World Congresses. Specific topics discussed were

• New analytical methods; ie. molecular biological methods
• Rapid methods to determine food ingredients, food additives and/or contaminants
• Food allergens
• Reactions of food ingredients, food additives during processing and determination of resulting new molecules
• Food Toxicants; ie. conjugated and trans fatty acids, thermally induced toxicants
• Role of salt in chlorination of food components during processing

Fresh Produce Working Group 

The Fresh Produce Group in IUFoST has been formed because fresh cut products are becoming increasingly important in many countries. There are few product groups in the entire value chain that are so intensely observed. The EHEC outbreak in Germany makes it clear that the issues must be observed and resolved internationally. Given this, establishment of a group that could discuss physiological, technological, and microbiological issues became a priority.

Some topics under consideration are

• Safe production of fruits and vegetables
• How can breeding influence the product quality
• What can be allowed to intensify the washing process
• How can the optimal atmosphere in the packages be calculated
• Technological issues such as cutting, etc.
• Modified atmosphere packaging (packaging material)
• Physiological background

Religious, Ethnic and Ethical Foods Working Group

Religious, ethnic or ideologically driven requirements for the production of food are nothing new; however, the last few years have seen significant global movements in the market segments affected, the most important of which are organic products, vegetarian produce, and kosher and halal-certified food. Numerous scientific and practical issues appear in the development and production of appropriate foods that can be meaningfully discussed at an international level.

An IUFoST Working Group has been formed in this area and some of the topics under discussion include

• Religious food like halal and kosher food
• Vegetarian and vegan food
• Do we need an ethic on nutrition?
• Is our view on food safety ethically acceptable?
• How far is the industry responsible to produce “healthy food”?

Communications Forum

The Forum, Food Science and the Consumer: Developing Strategies to Communicate, was co-chaired by Nigel Sunley of the IUFoST Governing Council and Jerry Bowman, Vice President Communications, IFT. This forum looked at communications strategies, including using new media, and case studies as examples from around the world – South Africa, USA, China, Singapore and Ireland. The discussion revolved around the broad-based impact of digital communications, rapidly changing news gathering processes, social media proliferation, and globalization of communications. Through a variety of case studies, presenters shared best practices and how to position food science and technology strategically via various communications mediums to reach the right audience segments with the right message.

Obesity Forum 

The much debated issue of obesity was highlighted as part of the pre-congress programme. The workshop adopted a novel format in which, after a brief introduction from the two facilitators – Nigel Sunley from the Governing Council of IUFoST and Ibrahim Elmadfa from the University of Vienna, immediate past President of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) – the discussion was thrown open to the floor with most of the contributions coming from individual workshop attendees rather than via a formal program of speakers. IUNS is IUFoST’s corresponding global body in the area of nutrition and the objective of the workshop was to discuss the role of food science and technology in combating the obesity epidemic and also how the food science and nutrition professions could work better together on this issue. Outcomes will be presented in the next report.

3. Congress Programme Spotlight 

IUFoST Distinguished Lecturer, Dr. Brian Keating, spoke about Food Science and Food Security: Exploring the Common Ground to the assembled delegates on the first morning of the congress. Dr. Keating delivered key messages to the food science and technology community, highlighting that the revolution ahead for the global food and agricultural system is as challenging as the world faced in the 20th Century. He noted that in looking back, a relatively simple “Green Revolution”, as remarkable as that was, was enough to save billions from hunger.

Looking forward, we are going to need more of a “Rainbow Revolution” – no single solution pathway will be sufficient. Efforts at demand reduction, production increase and sustaining the foundations of productivity are all going to be needed. Agricultural science and food science will need to forge new partnerships to achieve these goals and to transform food security to nutritional security.

The Distinguished Lecture traditionally is followed by the Fellows Induction Ceremony and at this ceremony 30 distinguished Fellows were welcomed into the International Academy of Food Science and Technology.

Sessions on Nanotechnology, Food Engineering, Water in Food, Nutraceuticals and Functional Food and Food Research, Food Microbiology, all IUFoST Disciplinary Groups, were featured in Congress sessions, including an ICSU (International Council of Science)-funded session featuring members of the ICSU Biounions on the subject of nanotechnology.

Quotes re: Other Sessions

“Two interesting views of enhancing the value of pulses for nutrition, health, income and sustainability from India and the Pulse growers from Canada.”

“An excellent overview of threshold for allergens with latest development away from zero tolerance.”

“Traditional knowledge and nutrition and health are so much related. A holistic approach is critical, from a cellular angle of its effect on health and lifestyle and immunity. The role of wrong food or feed has an effect on health and the ecosystem and dynamics of health.”

“We need new directions in cholesterol thinking. New formulations containing phytosterols have better LDL lowering capability…”

“Excellent presentations on different packaging concepts – innovation, barrier and mechanized properties.”

“Controversial issues using example of omega-3 fatty acids and their health benefits were exposed.”

“Intense research into gluten-free delivery products has two key drivers: 1) increasing number of Celiac disease patients; 2) low availability of wheat in certain parts of the world.”

“Non-thermal technologies can be adapted to suit individual consumer needs.”

“The use of international FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius food standards, guidelines and recommendations and related FAO/WHO expert information is an appropriate starting point for preparing harmonized national food quality and safety regulations.”

“Benefits of nanotech include more nutritional food, reduced environmental impact, lower waste, sustainability, improved food security, better packaging – benefits about to show up but may not be highlighted as nano-enabled because of public misinformation.”

The Industry Leaders Summit on Monday evening of the Congress brought together leaders from Nestle, Coca-Cola, Campbell Company of Canada and Defyrus Incorporated to talk about issues facing the food industry, what the future holds, and how to resolve these challenges together. Each speaker addressed the Congress “Research that Resonates” theme in terms of how research is important to their respective companies and reflected upon the importance of understanding the successful commercialisation of innovation.

Other topics included future challenges in research, present and emerging issues, consumer acceptance of new technology, and the activist environment. The Summit was successful in bringing different perspectives on the Congress theme, which contributes to future planning. In addition, by including a company outside the traditional food industry, it encouraged discussion of how cross-fertilisation of different scientific approaches can enrich food science and technology. The following round-table/question and answer session showed that there is still room for better communications at all levels, as well as for further improving private-public partnerships.

The Academy Session on Vision 2030

The key drivers and issues facing food production and security on a global basis are well known. Growth, Security, Sustainability, Diet and Health are global headlines. To achieve any of these aims, the role of best practice in food manufacture and the distribution of safe, stable foodstuffs requires the contribution of Food Science and Technology (FS&T) with its interdisciplinary skills, and an educated and trained workforce will be crucial.

What is NOT known is whether and how regions, nation states, and global food businesses are developing individual strategies to cope. As a result, the future role of FS&T in future Societal and Technological challenges is unclear, and individual regions and nation states may have different objectives and visions for their future. The aim is to ‘map’ the current state of affairs from which collaboration, change of programmes, and best practice in food research, technology and innovation worldwide can be recommended. This was the subject of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST) session on Vision 2030, which featured the Academy report about to be released on Global Visions for the Role of Food Science and Technology to Meet Societal and Technological Challenges. (Outcomes and further actions in next report).

The five Sustainability sessions (reference Food Security Expert Panel pre-congress session) finished with the expert panel on future research needs. Chris Mallet, VP Cargill, gave a view of a global company sourcing and supplying biomass for both food and industrial needs. He drew attention to the dangers of economic disruptions by failures in commodity crops by climatic changes. The role of large companies will be to smooth out spikes in pricing by anticipating problems worldwide. He made the point that biofuels sourcing was already moving to utilise non-food crops and wastes for bioethanol, and that the increased requirement for calories for human food represented only a small change in total world production. It is the changes in dietary quality that represent the real threat.

The panel took questions from the floor. The use of genetic engineering in crop improvement was raised. The panel recognised that rapid improvements in security could be expected from new traits such as drought resistance and that health benefits can also be expected from metabolome engineering. Many countries are expected to implement these benefits, and safety regulation is now strong and needs global harmonisation. Nonetheless, some resistance to this technology remains but is already leading to higher prices of non-GMOs.

Losses and waste along the chain must be reduced but require different action in the developing and developed world. The former can be helped by infrastructure improvement, development of supply chain, both local and international, and by education, and transfer of best practice. In the latter, consumers need to be educated and assisted to improve their purchasing and use habits, whilst better trade agreements between producer, manufacturer and retailer need to be developed to avoid unnecessary losses.

All panelists agreed that IUFoST, with its global presence, has a significant opportunity to advise nation states on the need for strategies encompassing science and technology, within commercial supply chains and in professional and public education and training.

4. IUFoST Awards 

New IUFoST Fellows

The following 31 new Fellows were inducted into the International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST):

Jozsef Baranyi (UK); Sam Chang (USA); Junshi Chen (China); Steven Feng Chen (China); Been-Huang Chiang (Taiwan); Antonio Delgado (Germany);Darunee Edwards (Thailand); Thomas Gill (Canada); Maria Beatriz Gloria (Brazil); Stephen Guilbert (France); Richard Holley (Canada); Yen-Con Hung (USA); Yao-Wen Huang (USA); Lekh Juneja (Japan); Brian Keating (Australia); Ulrich Kulozik (Germany); Monique Lacroix (Canada); Lim Chee Kian (Singapore); Luu Dzuan (Vietnam); Brian McKenna (Ireland); Maria Angela Meireles (Brazil); Sangsuk Oh (Korea); Hosahalli Ramaswamy (Canada); Alan Reilly (Ireland); Roderick Ryan (Ireland); Sam Saguy (Israel); Shridhar Sathe (USA); Makoto Shimizu (Japan); Nigel Sunley (South Africa); Pamela Tom (USA); Erich Windhab (Germany/Switzerland)

Fellows elected to IAFoST are acknowledged by their peers as outstanding representatives of international food science and technology. The IAFoST collectively forms a pool of scientific expertise in food science and technology from which IUFoST draws non-aligned expert advice on scientific matters. Fellows serve as independent persons to work and promote high standards of ethics and scientific endeavours. They are at the forefront of IUFoST, helping to strengthen global food science and technology for humanity.

Lifetime Achievement Awards 

The Lifetime Achievements of four scientists were acknowledged with Awards for their outstanding service to IUFoST and its mission over many years:

Professor J. Ralph Blanchfield

Dr. David Lineback

Dr. Vishweshwaraiah Prakash

Professor Dr. Ing. Dr. h.c. Walter Spiess

Young Scientists

Eight Young Scientists were chosen by an international jury to speak to the World Food Congress on their research findings:

• George Ooko Abong’, University of Nairobi, Kenya
• Ranga Rao Ambati, University of Malaya, Malaysia
• Miguel Ãngelo Parente Ribeiro Cerqueira, University of Minho, Portugal
• Pin Rou Christine Lee, Shiro Corporation Pte Ltd (A Subsidiary of Aztech Group Ltd), Singapore
• Patrick Njage, University of Pretoria, South Africa
• Amy Proulx, Canadian Food and Wine Institute Research Centre, Niagara College, Canada
• Kai Reineke, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering, Germany
• Uthaiwan Suttisansanee, Mahidol University, Thailand

Each Young Scientist presented his or her research to a global audience of delegates from across academia, industry and government. They also inspired the next generation in a series of workshops on Leadership, Issues and Career Development, participated in other workshops addressing key issues relating to communication of food science and technology to the general public and on the use of the interface between the food science and nutrition professions to overcome public health problems related to dietary factors. As a group, the Young Scientists made a presentation on the future of Food Science and Technology and made a short presentation of findings arising from the Congress to the IUFoST General Assembly.

Global Food Industry Awards

The 4th Global Food Industry Awards showcased the creative work of food innovators from around the world nominated by members of the food industry. Awards were presented to 11 finalists for excellence in three categories: food production, packaging and communication. Four finalists received Honourable Mention recognition.

An international jury selected the following winners from finalists in each category:

1. Product/process innovation including industrialization of traditional foods

Haskapa, Canada – haskapa Haskap Juice

Hoan Ngoc Tea Private Company, Vietnam – Hoan Ngoc Tea 7 Nga Tay Ninh

Illovo Sugar (South Africa) Limited, South Africa – Peanut Butter and Syrup Spread

IXL Netherlands B.V., The Netherlands – e-Cooker

Marine Resources Development Co., Ltd., Thailand – Megachef Oyster Sauce

Sichuan Jiujiuai Food Co., Ltd.,  China – Jiujiuai Non-fried Mixed-Grain Instant Noodles

The Cookie Museum (by The V Pte Ltd), Singapore – Singapore Heritage Cookies Collection

Unicurd Food Company Pte Ltd, Singapore – Unicurd Black Soybean Silken Tofu

Honourable Mention

Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Company Limited, P.R. China – Yili Ambrosial Yogurt

Taisun Group, Taiwan, ROC – Honey Herbal Jelly

2. Package innovation

Tan Seng Kee Foods Pte Ltd, Singapore – Kang Kang Pasteurised Fresh Noodles

3. Communicating science-related knowledge to consumers aimed at improving lifestyles 

Bokomo Foods, South Africa – HIP2B2 Campaign

Vietnam Dairy Products Joint Stock Company (VINAMILK), Vietnam – VINAMILK

Honourable Mention

Elsevier, USA – Culinary Nutrition: The Science and Practice of Healthy Cooking

Fraser & Neave Limited, Singapore – F&N MAGNOLIA Lo-Fat Hi-Cal DHA Omega-3 Fresh Milk

President’s Award

The Shinho Company of China was the winner of the President’s Award for outstanding contributions in the area of innovation towards the development of safe and healthy food.

Student Competitions

Awards also were presented in two new competitions aimed at food science students: the Food Science Students Fighting Hunger Product Development competition, open to undergraduate students, and the Food Safety Without Borders Graduate Student Paper competition. Students at both levels from around the world entered their unique products and research papers. Nine teams were chosen as finalists in the Food Science Fighting Hunger category, while four graduate student papers were selected for consideration by an international panel of experts.

Originated as part of IUFoST’s aim to strengthen the role of food science and technology in securing the world’s food supply and eliminating world hunger, both competitions demonstrated the talent, creativity and dedication of the next generation of food science and technology professionals.

Food Science Students Fighting Hunger Competition

Nine teams were selected as finalists in the Food Science Students Fighting Hunger Product Development competition. Food science undergraduate students were invited to be part of the solution to world hunger by using their knowledge and skills to develop innovative food products indigenous to their regions. They were challenged to develop high-protein, high-fibre, low-sodium products using low-to-no meat/alternative proteins based on regional raw materials and technologies. Each team submitted a detailed written project summary prepared under the guidance of their academic supervisors. Representatives attended the World Food Congress to make an oral presentation and set up a display with a poster in the Congress Exhibition Hall.

The following awards were presented by the international jury:

First Prize: Brazil – Federal University of Pará. Team: Ana Clara de Vasconcelos Bentes, Edvaldo Pena Júnior, Livia Martins Miranda, Thaís Andrade Oliveira (Supervisor: Luciana Pereira Ferreira). Product – Cookitos

Second Prize: Singapore – Nanyang Polytechnic. Team: Ng Soon Ming, Tan Pei Wen, Vincent Yap Jin Sheng, Kenny Koh Sze Yen, Tan Yi Shen Shaun (Supervisor: Tan Lay Nah Lina). Product: Okara-Spriulina Biscuit

Third Prize: Taiwan, ROC – National Taiwan Ocean University. Team: Jie-Yun Li, Ya-Hsuan Lin, Jing-Jen Lin (Supervisor Dr. Bonnie Sun Pan). Product: Quick Green Clambit Delight

Special Mention: Singapore – Singapore  Polytechnic. Team: Pang Wei Shan, Tham Qin Lin, Elaine Ong, Valerie Tham, Chua Jia Xuan (Supervisors: Evelyn Lee Soo Min, Tan Soon Ann). Product: Okara Vegetarian Patty

The following international finalists made excellent presentations in support of their unique products:

Brazil – University of São Paulo. Team: Ana Carolina S. Mouratório, Aline O. Santos, Luciana Caraça (Supervisors: Prof. Carmen Tadini, Prof. Elizabete W. Menezes, Prof. Gustavo C. Dacanal). Product: Unripe Banana Flour Mix Powder

Indonesia – Bogor Agricultural University. Team: L.B. Raditya Prabowo, Wildan Mukholad, Gideon Satria Putra Sugiyanto (Supervisor: Dr. Ing Dase Hunaefi). Product: Indo-Bread

Indonesia – Bogor Agricultural University. Team: Cindy Gozal, Richard Suma Kusnadi, Dimas Imam Ariefianto. Product: Maximo-Synbiotic Soymilk Yoghurt with Sweet Potato Extract

Indonesia – Bogor Agricultural University. Team: Berlian Purnama Sari, Brian Naranathan (Supervisor: Dr. Ir. Ratih Dewanti Hariyadi). Product: Tempter Bar

Thailand: Kasetsart University. Team: Amornkarn Niwatsatian, Chanakarn Amornsettachai, Wanwisa Metheethammasarn, Chawisa Sumethaugsorn, Thitaree Unsrisong (Supervisor: Anuvat Jangchud). Product: Instant Cooked Rice with Green Curry and Textured Vegetable Protein Ricecup

Food Safety Without Borders Graduate Student Paper Competition

Four finalists were selected for the Food Safety Without Borders competition. Graduate food science students submitted academic papers addressing a food problem present in indigenous foods of their country or region in a marketable way with the objective of enhancing global food safety. Their work was juried by an international panel of experts.

The Food Safety Without Borders competition award was presented to Inneke Victor of McGill University, Canada, for her paper on Determination of imperative parameters to enhance the food safety and quality of Indonesian indigenous sugar (Arenga pinnata Merr).

The other Food Safety Without Borders finalists received the following certificates:

Second place: Matthew Aijuka, University of Pretoria, South Africa. Paper: Irrigation water as a source of antibiotic resistant and pathogenic E. coli on irrigated lettuce.

Third place: Qianwang Zheng, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Paper: Development of real-time PCR combined with immunomagnetic separation (IMS) for the detection of low concentrations and sanitizer-injured Salmonella spp. on mung bean sprouts.

Fourth place: Ifeoluwa Olotu, Federal University of Agriculture, Nigeria. Paper: Identification of Hazards and Critical Control Points for Mosa (an indigenous maize based street vended snack) Processing in South-West Nigeria.

IUFoST congratulates all of the entrants, finalists and award winners on the excellence of their work and looks forward to their future contributions to food science and technology and to global food safety.

5. Acknowledgements 

Congratulations and thank you to everyone who contributed to the scientific, organisational and social success of this IUFoST Congress, held in Montreal, Canada.

Appreciation is also expressed to IUFoST Governing Council, Scientific Council and Academy Executive Council (link also for incoming members) for their work over this term of office.

Student Blog

And last but not least, we urge you to read the Congress blog, prepared by three teenaged sons of scientists, Filip Ahrne, Justin Campbell-Platt and Joel Rao, who captured the spirit and excellence of the IUFoST events and people with photos, write ups and with a series of one-on-one interviews with some of the eminent scientists within IUFoST.