Speeches Highlight Food Science Development and Industry Challenges in Hubei
Chen Zhuan, a member of the Party Leadership Group at the Hubei Provincial Market Supervision Administration, emphasized in his speech that advancing food science and promoting the healthy development of the food industry are crucial for implementing the Healthy China strategy and meeting the people's aspirations for a better life. He noted that the food industry is one of Hubei's largest sectors, with the province's food industry revenue reaching 616.5 billion yuan in 2018, an 8.3% increase, showing strong growth momentum. However, he stressed the need for further efforts in innovation-driven development and industrial upgrading.
Li Zhaohu, President of Huazhong Agricultural University, highlighted that the College of Food Science and Technology is a vital part of talent cultivation and scientific innovation at the university, as well as a key area for academic development. He expressed hopes that the event would further strengthen collaboration and contribute more significantly to agricultural and rural modernization and the Healthy China initiative.
Li Xingfeng, Professor and Director of Food Science Projects at the Life Science Department of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, outlined the foundation's new funding guidelines, emphasizing the encouragement of exploration and originality, focusing on cutting-edge research, addressing bottlenecks through demand-driven approaches, and promoting interdisciplinary integration.
Technological Innovation Drives Industry-Science Convergence
Sun Baoguo, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Vice President of the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology, and President of Beijing Technology and Business University, stated in his keynote report "Innovation Drives the Modernization of Traditional Chinese Food" that the future of food development lies in being both flavorful and healthy. He noted that while modern production is the mainstream in the food industry, traditional handmade methods will continue to coexist and complement modern production.
Sun called for greater confidence in Chinese dietary culture and urged proactive research into the fundamental science and key technologies behind traditional Chinese food and its modernization to lead global research in this field. He also highlighted challenges such as lingering public concerns over food safety, food authenticity issues, widespread fraud, outdated regulations and standards hindering innovation, and a lack of consumer knowledge about food production, safety, and nutrition. He advocated for using modern science to explore traditional food fundamentals, applying high technologies to transform the industry, fostering interdisciplinary innovations, and enhancing public science education to support the modernization of traditional foods.
Chen Jian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Honorary Vice President of the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology, and President of Jiangnan University, stated in his report "Chinese Food Technology: From 2020 to 2035" that food synthetic biology, precision nutrition and personalized food manufacturing, and intelligent food equipment manufacturing will be key strategic trends in China's food sector. He identified ecological impacts and population growth as major challenges and emphasized that future foods will represent significant shifts in production and lifestyle, addressing global food supply and quality issues to meet higher consumer demands.
Pan Siyi, President of the Hubei Food Science and Technology Society and a professor at Huazhong Agricultural University, explored the mechanism behind the "heatiness" associated with citrus consumption, attributing it to immune-inflammatory responses induced by water-soluble proteins in the fruit through the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway. He highlighted the nutritional properties and efficient utilization of citrus, a key industry in revolutionary and impoverished regions, supporting poverty alleviation efforts through its expanding cultivation. He outlined goals for efficient citrus utilization, including maximizing the use and preservation of secondary metabolites, improving their bioavailability, discovering new metabolites, and elucidating their health benefits.