AIFST21 CONVENTION

The AIFST21 Convention was held as a virtual event over four days in October.

Largely through the effects of the global pandemic, the last 12 months has seen tremendous changes in our way of life, way of working and way of thinking. This year’s Convention picked up on this theme, with a focus on some of the challenges and opportunities presented to food science and the food industry in a world where “change” can seem to be the only constant.

Over four days, AIFST21 featured more than 65 speakers, drawn from diverse backgrounds in food science, food technology and the food industry, as well as allied fields such as agriculture, human nutrition and marketing.

Food safety featured strongly in the program, including sessions on allergens, updates on global and local microbiological food safety concerns, traceability systems and new analytical technologies. Advances in nutrition were also covered, including aspects related to food processing, nutraceuticals, and mental health. A session on consumer and sensory science was presented by the AIFST Special Interest group in this field.

The sustainability and resilience of food systems were examined through contrasting lenses that represent different points along the food supply chain. These included new and emerging food crops, cellular agriculture, fermentation systems, waste valorisation, packaging technologies and case studies in innovative processing.