From 2 to 5 August，the 8th International Symposium on Phytochemicals in Medicine and Food was successfully held in Shenyang, organized by the International Association of Dietetic Nutrition and Safety (IADNS), the Phytochemical Society of Europe (PSE) and the Phytochemical Society of Asia (PSA), hosted by Shenyang Agricultural University and Shenyang Normal University, and co-organized by Jilin University, Jilin Agricultural University, Northeast Agricultural University, Bohai University, Yanbian University, Dalian Polytechnic University and Dalian Minzu University. More than 500 experts and scholars from 40 countries and regions including Italy, Spain, France, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Bulgaria, Canada, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Palestine, Pakistan, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Iceland and China (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) participated in the four-day international conference. The conference was conducted in the form of online simultaneous live broadcast, with more than 100,000 people watching the live broadcast.

At the conference, 54 scientists gave plenary and invited lecture and 61 young scholars gave oral presentation. And more than 200 doctoral and master's students conducted in-depth discussions on important issues of phytochemicals in food science and human health. The conference strengthened the exchanges and cooperation between food and medicine experts in China and around the world, enhanced the international influence of Chinese food nutrition and safety science, and achieved a series of fruitful results:

First, Professor Jesus Simal-Gandara, Chairman of IADNS, summarized the gratifying achievements made since the establishment of the association in 2020: 7 international journals such as Food Frontiers and eFood were founded; 5 international academic conferences including ISPMF were held; and a strategic cooperation agreement on the Food Science and Technology series was signed with John Wiley International Publishing Group (WILEY).

Secondly, four laboratories including the “China-Finland Healthy Food Nutrition and Creation Joint Laboratory” jointly established by Shenyang Agricultural University and its Finnish partners were officially unveiled.

Third, in order to encourage academic exchanges and cultivate outstanding reserve talents in the field of food nutrition and safety in China, the conference set up the Best Questioner Award, and selected outstanding master's and doctoral student presenters from more than 200 oral reports in English by master's and doctoral students. Professor Maurizio Battino, editor-in-chief of eFood/ associate editor of Food Chemistry, and others awarded honorary certificates to the best questioner and outstanding master's and doctoral students.