Securing the future supply of food is a major challenge facing the food industry. How can we ensure that the food chain continues to supply, safe healthy food to the consumer in a sustainable manner, as population grows and resources become scarcer? This is the focus of the IFST Spring Conference, being held jointly with the Institute of Food Research on the Norwich Research Park, 17-18 April.

A range of presentations will look at current food supply issues, such as sustainability and waste, and investigate potential future solutions through the latest science and technology thinking. What will be the impact of using crops for non-food products? What are the alternative sources of protein for feeding livestock? What can modern biotechnology and genetic modification offer the food supply chain? Further sessions will address safeguarding and improving animal welfare, and look at how to reduce the use of antibiotics.

George Freeman MP, Life Science Adviser to the Government will join a panel discussion to summarise key messages from the conference and decide on plans for action.

Registration for Securing the future supply of food: challenges and opportunities is now open, with early-bird rates available until 8th March (deadline extended).

IFST is hosting its Spring Conference jointly with the Institute of Food Research. Practical sessions led by IFR’s scientists form a key part of the conference programme, on topics including food safety microbiology and food composition databases. IFR’s Food and Health Network, which bridges the gap between IFR’s science and its application to industry, will make available its expertise in areas such as structuring food for health, food chain sustainability and the link between plants food and health.

The conference is sponsored by Marks and Spencer and Greencell. The post-graduate poster competition is sponsored by Barfoots.

Securing the future supply of food: challenges and opportunities takes place 17^th & 18^th April on the Norwich Research Park, one of Europe’s largest single-site concentrations of research in health, food and environmental science. There will be a chance to tour some of the facilities that make the research park unique, such as the Biorefinery Centre at IFR, converting food waste to valuable products, and the John Innes Centre’s GM plant services.

The conference will be of interest to anyone working in the food supply chain, from farm to fork, giving a snapshot of how science and technology can help current and future challenges. Students are particularly encouraged to attend. The IFST Ralph Blanchfield Award was established to encourage young, undergraduate food scientists, technologists and engineers, based in the UK, to travel to, and participate in the Annual IFST Spring Conference, where they will meet with fellow professionals. A post-graduate poster competition will showcase the range of solutions to food security problems being developed by early career food scientists across the UK. The conference dinner will take place at Delia Smith’s restaurant at Norwich City football club.