Dr. Gordon L. Robertson, Adjunct Professor, School of Land, Crop & Food Sciences, University of Queensland, Australia and Consultant in food, packaging and the environment, (gordonlrobertson@gmail.com), March 2009.
In an attempt to alleviate world poverty, there has been a huge emphasis on food production over the past few decades, with less emphasis given to processing, packaging and post-harvest treatment of that food so that it reaches the final consumer in a safe and nutritious form. Food science and technology does have a valuable role to play in alleviating food insecurity but its role is known largely only to professionals such as those reading this View. In order to reverse the situation, IUFoST is publishing a handbook.
IUFoST is a federation of 65 countries (represented by their appropriate national bodies, known as Adhering Bodies) linking over 200,000 food scientists and technologists and is the world voice on food science and technology. It represents food science and technology to other world bodies such as FAO, WHO, Codex Alimentarius, ILSI, UN University, OEDC and the International Council for Science (ICSU).
The primary goal of IUFoST is to promote the advancement of food science and technology throughout the world through education programs, workshops and regional symposia as well as through activities of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST). In addition, IUFoST aims to strengthen the role of food science and technology in helping secure the world’s food supply and eliminate world hunger by delivering programs such as distance education, workshops and integrated food systems targeted to these needs.
It was with the last aim in mind that the idea for a handbook arose during discussions at the 13th World Congress of Food Science & Technology held in Nantes, France in 2006. It is hoped that the handbook will show, through the use of case studies, how the application of food science and technology has improved nutrition and promoted national development in developing countries.
The IUFoST handbook is intended to transmit useful information on applications of food science and technology to those affiliated to both developed and developing countries. Making the chapters freely available for download ensures the widest-possible audience. The handbook is a work in progress and we are happy to continue to accept contributions from all those who feel that their experiences in this area are relevant and worth passing on to a wider audience.
Therefore I would like to invite all readers of this View to each contribute a chapter to the IUFoST handbook (details below). Many of you have supervised graduate students who have then applied their knowledge of food science and technology to improve food security. Please contact them and assist them to write a suitable case study for the handbook. Others of you are working in countries where food insecurity is still a major concern; please send in a relevant case study for the handbook. Already 8 chapters have been published with several more in preparation; the aim is to have 100 chapters and so your input is vital.
Title: Using Food Science and Technology to Improve Nutrition and Promote National Development
Sub-title: Selected Case Studies
Editors: Gordon L. Robertson and John R. Lupien
Publisher: International Union of Food Science & Technology (IUFoST)
Format: Downloadable from the IUFoST website
Aim: To show through the use of case studies how the application of food science and technology has improved nutrition and promoted national development in developing countries.
Contributions: Please send a 500 word outline of your proposed chapter to Professor Gordon Robertson at gordonlrobertson@gmail.com. Once your outline has been accepted, the final chapter will be due within 3 months.