Chen Zhuan, a member of the Party Leadership Group of Hubei Provincial Market Supervision and Administration Bureau, stated in his speech that developing food science and promoting the healthy growth of the food industry are crucial for implementing the Healthy China strategy and meeting the people's pursuit of a better life. The food industry is one of the largest sectors in Hubei Province, with its main business revenue reaching RMB 616.5 billion in 2018, showing a robust growth of 8.3%. However, efforts are still needed in innovation and industrial upgrading.
Li Zhaohu, President of Huazhong Agricultural University, introduced that the College of Food Science and Technology is a vital part of talent cultivation and scientific innovation at the university, as well as an important base for discipline construction. He hoped that this event would further strengthen cooperation and contribute more to agricultural and rural modernization and the Healthy China initiative.
Professor Li Xingfeng, Director of the Food Science Program at the Life Science Department of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, outlined the orientation of scientific funding support in the new era, emphasizing "encouraging exploration and originality, focusing on cutting-edge research, addressing demands and breaking bottlenecks, and promoting interdisciplinary integration." He further elaborated on the classification application based on four types of scientific questions.
Technological Innovation: Fostering Integration of Science and Industry
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, mentioned in his report "Innovation-Driven Modernization of Traditional Chinese Food" that the direction of food development is "flavor and health-oriented," meaning food should be delicious and healthy. "Production modernization is the mainstream of food industry development, but not the entirety. Handmade and modernized food production will coexist and complement each other for a long time."
Sun emphasized that the Chinese food industry should further enhance its confidence in dietary culture, actively research fundamental scientific and key technological issues related to traditional Chinese food and its modernization, and lead the global research direction in this field. He also pointed out new challenges faced by traditional Chinese food modernization, such as incomplete restoration of public confidence in food safety, prominent food authenticity issues, frequent adulteration and fraud, outdated regulations and standards hindering innovation, and lack of consumer knowledge about food production, safety, nutrition, and consumption. He believed that innovation-driven modernization of traditional Chinese food requires exploring fundamental scientific issues with modern science and technology, transforming traditional food industries with high technology, promoting revolutionary and disruptive technological innovations through interdisciplinary approaches, and strengthening science popularization to safeguard the modernization of traditional food. It is the mission of food science and technology workers to inherit and promote excellent Chinese food culture and introduce Chinese cuisine to the world.
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 Science and Technology: From 2020 to 2035" that food synthetic biology, precise nutrition and personalized food manufacturing, and intelligent manufacturing of food equipment will be the strategic trends in China's food industry in the future. Ecological effects and population growth will pose challenges to China's food industry. Future food will represent changes in human production methods and lifestyle, addressing global food supply and quality issues and meeting higher needs.
"Why does eating citrus cause 'heatiness'?" Pan Siyi, President of the Hubei Food Science and Technology Society and a professor at Huazhong Agricultural University, shared the mechanism behind citrus-induced "heatiness," indicating that it is caused by an immune-inflammatory response induced by water-soluble proteins in the fruit through the human arachidonic acid metabolism pathway. Pan highlighted the nutritional characteristics and efficient utilization of citrus resources, which are mainly distributed in revolutionary base areas and poor mountainous regions and are an important industry for farmers to become prosperous. As a key approach to poverty alleviation through industry development, the citrus planting area continues to grow. He believed that the goals of efficient citrus utilization include maximizing the utilization and preservation of secondary metabolites, improving their bioavailability, exploring their potential, and clarifying their health mechanisms.
Condensed Version
Chen Zhuan from Hubei Provincial Market Supervision highlighted the importance of food science for Healthy China, noting Hubei's food industry revenue reached RMB 616.5 billion in 2018, with a need for innovation and upgrading. Li Zhaohu from Huazhong Agricultural University emphasized the role of the College of Food Science and Technology in talent cultivation and scientific innovation. Professor Li Xingfeng discussed the new era's scientific funding orientation, focusing on exploration, originality, and interdisciplinary integration.
Sun Baoguo stressed that food development should be flavor and health-oriented, with modern and traditional production coexisting. He urged the industry to enhance cultural confidence, address food safety and authenticity issues, and promote innovation and science popularization. Chen Jian predicted future trends in food synthetic biology, precise nutrition, and intelligent manufacturing, noting challenges from ecological effects and population growth. Pan Siyi explained citrus-induced "heatiness" and highlighted the nutritional value and efficient utilization of citrus, crucial for poverty alleviation in rural areas.