The 1st Future Postharvest and Food International Conference and Future Postharvest and Food Journal Symposium held in Hangzhou, China

To strengthen the scientific and technological innovation of post-harvest and food science, and to promote the international exchange cross and cross-intercountry cooperation in the field of future post-harvest and food research, the First International Academic Conference on Future Postharvest and Food and Future Postharvest and Food Journal Workshop was held in Hangzhou on 17-19 May, which was organised by the International Association for Food Nutrition and Safety and hosted by 11 units, including Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo University, Zhejiang University of Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Zhejiang Shouxiangu Pharmaceuticals Company Limited, and Zhejiang Tiancao Bio-technology Company Limited.

Academician Sun Baoguo from Beijing Technology and Business University, Academician Shi Bi from Sichuan University, Academician Zhu Beiwei from Dalian University of Technology, Academician Wang Qi from Sichuan University, Academician Chen Wei from Jiangnan University, Academician Ren Faizheng from China Agricultural University, Academician Li Peiwu from Oilseed Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Academician Shan Yang from Hunan Agricultural Academy of Sciences, and Academician Jin Zhengyu from Jiangnan University were among the guests. Other academicians from Uppsala University, Sweden, University of Massachusetts, Vigo University, Spain, Uludağ University, Turkey, Wiley Publishing Group, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Agricultural University, China Pharmaceutical University, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jiangsu University, South China Agricultural University, Southwest University, Xiangtan University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Gansu Agricultural University, Guangzhou University, Sichuan Agricultural University, Gansu Agricultural University, Sichuan Agricultural University and Hunan Agricultural Academy of Sciences were also present. Guangzhou University, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chongqing Three Gorges College, Tianjin Agricultural College; and Nanchang University, Northeast Agricultural University, Fuzhou University, Yunnan Agricultural University, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Ningxia University, Shenzhen University and more than 130 units of more than 650 Chinese and foreign experts and scholars attended the meeting.

Seminar opening ceremony was presided over by Professor Lin Fucheng, President of Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), and Laohongwu, Secretary of Party Committee of CAAS, delivered a welcome speech. Liu Xianwu, Vice President of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Zhang Hui, Deputy Director of China Rural Technology Development Centre (CRTDC), Liang Miao, Director of Agricultural Products Processing Division, Department of Rural Industry Development of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Department of Agricultural Products Processing Guidance), Meng Suho, Honorary President of Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology (CSFST), and Zeng Xiaopeng, Vice Chairperson of Zhejiang Association of Science and Technology (ZAST), delivered speeches. The guests talked about the new era, new requirements, new mission of the big food view, and expected to optimise and upgrade the post-harvest technological innovation system for agricultural products, provide scientific and technological support for the high-quality development of the food processing industry, and further promote the cross-fusion of post-harvest technology and industry-academia research in the field of food nutrition and health sciences.

More than 50 experts made wonderful presentations during the 2-day session, covering topics such as the development of prepared vegetables industry, food green prevention and control, biosynthesis and future food. The conference also set up a special Graduate Student Forum, aiming to provide a high-quality communication platform for young scholars, where they can talk about their academic insights, broaden their knowledge horizons, and deeply participate in the discussions of the international academic community. Delegates had an in-depth discussion on the latest research progress as well as the future development trend in the fields of post-harvest technology, food safety, nutrition and health, etc. They were committed to answering the question of food safety and health in this era, and to jointly respond to the challenges faced by the science and technology community as well as the industry.

At the Editorial Board of FPF journals, Ms. Gao Yanli, Senior Editor of Wiley Publishing House, Prof Xiao Hang, Co-Editor-in-Chief of the journals, and Prof Hesham R. El-Seedi shared their experiences of journal operation. Prof Xiao Jianbo, Chairman of the International Association for Food Nutrition and Safety (IAFNS) and Professor at the University of Vigo, Spain, gave valuable advice on journal operation. The participating associate editors, editorial board members, and editorial board members then had a free discussion to give suggestions for the development of the journal. Finally, the editor-in-chief of FPF, Prof. Haiyan Gao, laid out a plan for the subsequent operation of the journal, asking the editorial board members to strictly control the quality of manuscripts, improve the efficiency of reviewing manuscripts, and promote academic exchanges, to continuously enhance the influence of the journal in the academic world. The meeting agreed that FPF will be dedicated to publishing original research and cutting-edge developments in multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary fields of post-harvesting and food, and provide scholars in the fields of post-harvesting, high-quality preservation, nutritional processing, and other cross-cutting sciences with a platform for academic exchanges and technological solutions, to build a top-tier journal in the field.