Final report on the 2nd MASIAFOODS meeting

 

Beijing, December 03-07, 2002

 

Submitted by

Regional Center Coordinator, Prof. Yuexin Yang, NEASIAFOODS Regional Center

 

 

Under the joint sponsorship of FAO and INFOODS, the 2nd MASIAFOODS meeting was held by Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center of Disease Control and Prevention (INFS, Chinese CDC) in Beijing, China, from Dec. 3 to Dec. 7 2002. More than fifty participants, from China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, FAO and INFOODS (USDA and ASEANFOODS) attended this meeting.

 

The Opening Ceremony was chaired by Prof. Yuexin Yang, from INFS, Chinese CDC. Opening Addresses were given by Dr. Gamal M. Ahmed from FAO and Prof. Fangquan Mei from Chinese Food and Nutrition Consultant Committee. A welcoming speech was made by Dr. Xiaoguang Yang, Vice Director of Chinese CDC. A speech for introduction remarks by Prof. Yang finished the ceremony.

 

Six invited presentations were given:

˛        Role and trends of international data by Ilho Cho (FAO)

˛        US food composition data: Current status and future plans by Joanne M. Holden (Research Leader, NDL, USDA)

˛        FCD: New challenge, new application by Prof. Yiyong Cheng (Vice Director, Chinese Nutrition Society)

˛        Activities of FCD in ASEANFOODS by Dr. Prapasri Puwastien (Technical Coordinator, ASEANFOODS )

˛        A past look of MASIAFOODS by Prof. Guangya Wang (Previous Coordinator, MASIAFOODS)

˛        MASIAFOODS in the future by Ilho Cho (FAO)

 

Seven representatives from member countries introduced their respective situations and the development of FCD activities in their countries or areas.

 

According to FAO suggestions, a discussion was chaired by Joanne M. Holden, Ilho Cho and Dr. Prapasri Puwastien, including development of work plans and some needs of this regional system. The final report was discussed by member from each country and FAO as follows:

 

Organization

 

Regional Center Organization

 

The membership confirmed that Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety (INFS), Chinese CDC should continue as the Regional Coordinating Center for MASIAFOODS.

 

Confirmation of New Coordinator for MASIAFOODS

 

Professor Yuexin Yang (from INFS, Chinese CDC) was confirmed as the new Coordinator for MASIAFOODS.

 

Membership

 

In the 1995 Establishment Meeting of MASIAFOODS, four members of China, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong were included in the system. At this meeting, 3 other members - Japan, Mongolia and Macao joined MASIAFOODS, totaling 7 members.

 

According to the criteria made in the informal meeting (April 2002, Shanghai, China), seven contact Institutes/points were identified and confirmed (except Japan) by their governments. The contact institutes/points and contact persons were listed in the following table.

 

The Contact Institutes and Contact Points of MASIAFOODS

 

 

Country

 

Contact Institute

Contact Points

China

Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Preventive and Control

Prof. Yuexin Yang

Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety

Chinese Center of Disease Preventive and Control

29 Nanwei Road, Beijing 100050, China

Tel: 86-10-63131246

E-mail: MASIAFOOD@yahoo.com.cn

yxyang@public3.bta.net.cn

Japan

Japanese Society of Nutrition and Food Science

Dr. Tadashi Noguchi

Laboratory of Nutritional Biochemistry

Department of Biological Chemistry

College of Bioscience and Biotechnology,

Chunbu University

1200 Matsumoto-cho, Kasugai 487-8501, Japan

Tel: +81-568-51-6149

Fax: +81-568-52-6594

E-mail: noguchit@isc.chubu.ac.jp

Korea

National Rural Living Science Institute, Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Rural Development Administration

 

Dr. Hye-Kyung Chun

Agriproduct Science Division

National Rural Living Science Institute

Rural Development Administration

88-2 Seodun-dong Suwon Gyonggi-do, 441-853, Korea

Tel:82-31-299-0500

Fax: 82-31-299-0568

E-mail: chunhk@rda.go.kr

Mongolia

Mongolian University of Science and Technology

Mrs. Gombosuren Enkhtaivan

Department of Food Processing and Services,

School of Food and Biotechnology,

Mongolian University of Science and Technology

P.O. Box 46/520.   Ulaanbaatar 46  

Tel:976-11-324590-2909

Fax: 976-11-324121

E-mail: rem104e@yahoo.com

Taiwan

Food Industry Research and Development Institute

 

Dr. Weiguang Fu

Food Industry Research and Development Institute

P.O.Box 246, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan

Tel: 886-3-522-3191- 303

Fax: 886-3-521-4016

E-mail: fwg@firdi.org.tw

Hong Kong

Food Research Laboratory, Food and Public Branch, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department

Dr. Ka-sing  LEUNG

4/F Public Health Laboratory Centre

382 Nam Cheong Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon,

Hong Kong

Tel: 852 23198439

Fax: 852 27764335

E-mail: ksleung@fehd.gov.hk

Macao

Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Services, Government of Macau SAR

 

Dr. Chi Ho Tang

Coordinator of Environmental and Food Hygiene,

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

P.O.Box 3002, Macau SAR

Tel: (853) 533523

Fax: (853)533525

E-Mail: tch@ssm.gov.mo

 

Revision of the name of MASIAFOODS

 

The name of MASIAFOODS was reviewed and revised to NEASIAFOODS, acronym of “Northeast Asia Food Data Systems”, to reflect the appropriate geographical location of members.

 

Work plan during 2003 to 2004

 

Members reviewed the list of committees and the proposed chairpersons and decided to divide into two groups and to focus work plans for the next two years on the following areas:

 

Group I:  Terminology, nomenclature and data compilation:

 

Members:  China, Korea, Mongolia, Hong Kong and Macao

Leader:    Prof. Yuexin Yang

Objectives:  To develop guidelines for terminology, data handling, nomenclature

To increase understanding and harmonization of terminology and data handling for each country

To implement the guidelines of INFOODS terminology

 

Group II:  Analytical methodology and quality control systems

 

Member:  China, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong

Leader:   Dr. Weiguang Fu

Objectives: To collect and integrate the current analytical methods

To provide guidelines for good laboratory practices and quality control technique

To prepare the standard operating procedures (SOPs) or protocols for common

nutrient analysis

To organize and conduct a proficiency testing for regional members, if possible.

 

It was recommended that all working groups should define specific tasks and respective timelines, including the timetable for interim reports of progress to Dr. Yang, Regional Coordinator.  The members of each group should communicate to provide input for the development of the Action Plan. Then, each group leader will report each group’s detailed Action Plan and timetable to Dr. Yang before March 1st, 2003.

 

While specific members will focus on each of the activities of the working group, all communication should be sent to all members to keep everyone informed. Human Resource Development such as trainings, workshops, seminars, etc., could be included in the activities of each group as necessary. The meeting recommended that all members kindly inform the Regional Coordinator of training programs and workshops available in the member countries.

 

The Third NEASIAFOODS Meeting

 

It was agreed that biennial meetings of the regional center would be held, with the location of the meeting to be rotated among the members.  Members emphasized the importance of FAO and UNU financial support for the biennial meetings, in particular, the 3rd NEASIAFOODS meeting.

 

It was proposed that the third NEASIAFOODS Meeting would be held in Korea, in tentatively April to May, 2004. Dr. Hye-Kyung Chun was nominated as organizer of the meeting.

 

The NEASIAFOODS group recommends that some representatives of other regional centers be invited to attend the third NEASIAFOODS meeting and to be supported by FAO and UNU.

 

Meeting Conclusion

 

The meeting participants called upon FAO to provide valuable advice and assistance to this regional network system to achieve objectives. It was recognized that reaching a fully functional regional systems would take several years and will require detailed step by step work. It is necessary that the regional work should be harmonized to the extent possible within membership and with other INFOODS regional systems, such as ASEANFOODS. Another important discussion point was the need to make governments recognize the importance of food composition data as an integral part of nutrition research, economic development, trade, nutrition policy and food safety.