EFFoST 2022: Dublin’s all-encompassing strategy
What is EFFoST?
EFFoST, or the European Federation of Food Science and Technology, is a truly pan-European platform, according to Dolores O’Riordan (DOR). Its main goal is to enable information sharing amongst all relevant food specialists in Europe and to progress the production of wholesome, sustainable foods in a world that is always changing. What we’re attempting to accomplish is highly interdisciplinary by nature. Since food science and technology is multidisciplinary in and of itself, we are attempting to link the various players from the farm to the consumer levels of the food chain.
In order to ensure that we are all truly informed of the newest technology and chances for innovation to meet the difficulties the food industry has, EFFoST is an organization that is constantly working to generate opportunities to bring together food professionals. This is the reason the yearly conference is so crucial.
Do you find it difficult to make connections between the wide range of industrial segments?
DOR: It seems to me that the industry used to be more compartmentalized. Professionals in food production, food engineers and technologists, nutritionists, consumer scientists, and food economists typically operated in isolation from one another.
In Europe, there has been a push to adopt a food systems approach. Collaboration among all the players in the food chain is essential to ensuring that there is enough nutrient-rich food to feed everyone on the planet.
Undoubtedly, there has been a noticeable progress in creating interdisciplinary links between various segments of the food and beverage sector.
Now let’s talk about the event itself. What gave rise to the extensive and diversified agenda?
DOR: We wanted the bid (to host the conference) to be as comprehensive as possible, in line with the food systems perspective. Our goal was to give it significance.
Regarding the prior discussion of siloing, EFFoST was formerly primarily recognized for its emphasis on food technology and engineering. Nonetheless, the industry’s and other disciplines’ voices have grown louder in recent years.
Consequently, we were eager to include topics at the 2022 Conference that would appeal to the health and nutrition sector as well as the consumer’s voice.
That portion is simple! It is highly ambitious and forward-thinking in terms of how we envisioned the conference to be organized. When all the abstracts are submitted and need to be matched to the different program sessions, things get more complicated. Abstracts were aligned to sessions by Professor Jim Lyng, the co-chair of the conference, and one of our UCD postdocs, Dr. Steven Mulrooney. A few sessions had too many people signed up, which made the job even more challenging!
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This year’s inclusion of the voices of the consumer, the store, and the food delivery environment may be a novel idea. Our goal has been to provide a program that is as balanced as we can. Even though the two and a half days are already quite full, we would have loved to have offered more sessions!
Although it’s not permitted, you must have a few favorites between you, myself, and our readers.
DOR: Because of the way the conference is set up, laying out the problems takes up the first half of the day, and day two is devoted to presenting ideas and potential solutions. On the third day, we will consider those answers.
The last session, which is really a conversation session, is what I’m most excited about. The presenters will discuss how the food chain is holistic and how food processing contributes to the production of wholesome, sustainable foods. Speakers from the nutrition field will be joined by representatives from the processor, industry, and consumer groups.
What does hosting this event mean to University College Dublin?
DOR: It is an immense pleasure and source of great humility for us to be hosting EFFoST2022. The conference’s goal is in line with University College Dublin’s (UCD) research strategy for sustainable, healthful food. We are eager to welcome all participants from throughout Europe and beyond to Dublin, the home city of our campus. It will be an incredible opportunity to hear from some of the world’s most esteemed leaders and to show them what Dublin has to offer!
Why should anyone reading this book their ticket now if they haven’t already?
DOR: The food sector is genuinely being future-proofed with this event. I believe that our all-encompassing strategy is really distinctive, and the skills we’re assembling will be extremely potent. The keynote speakers and plenary sessions demonstrate that we truly have leading figures from industry and science presenting their perspectives.
Attendees will have the chance to network, view the newest developments, and possibly come up with some original ideas. It will make them realize that by banding together, we can actually bring about the changes necessary to guarantee both a sustainable food supply and a healthy environment that will feed people for a very long time to come.