On August 21, to further deepen international academic cooperation in food science between China and Hungary and promote the integration of cutting-edge scientific concepts,The Belt and Road Big Health Forum(Session 2) was successfully held in Room 312, Teaching Building 39 of Southwest University. The forum was co-hosted bythe China-Hungary Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Food Science (in Preparation),Southwest University Chinese-Hungarian Cooperative Research Center for Food Science, and the College of Food Science of Southwest University.

Rooted in international cooperation and interdisciplinary integration, this forum invited six experts, scholars and young researchers from the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE) and Southwest University. They delivered academic reports and held exchanges on themes including innovative processing and sustainable food, rapid non-destructive testing, microbiology and food safety, biodegradation of mycotoxins, microbial resources of traditional fermented foods, andbighealth.

Figure 1 Group photo of all participants

During the academic report session, six experts shared their latest research findings in turn. Dr. Anna Visy, Associate Professor Gábor Jónás, Dr. Flóra Vitális and Associate Professor Tamás Kocsis presented the research progress of their teams in meat science, spectral food analysis, mass spectrometry-based microbial identification and other fields respectively. Zhou Fenglan, a doctoral candidate from Southwest University, introduced research on patulin-degrading enzymes, and Professor Du Muying interpreted the excavation and innovative utilization of microbial resources in traditional fermented foods. An interactive Q&A session was arranged after each report, where participating faculty and students discussed research hotspots with the speakers.

Figure 2 Participating students exchanging and discussing with the speakers

After the reports, a certificate awarding ceremony was held. Professor Kan Jianquan, Executive Director ofthe China-Hungary Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Food Science (in Preparation), presented certificates to the six reporting scholars.

Figure 3 Professor Kan Jianquan presenting certificates to the scholars

This forum has built an important platform for academic exchanges in food science between China and Hungary, effectively facilitated the collision of ideas between researchers of the two countries, enhanced mutual understanding, and laid a sound foundation for follow-up joint scientific research and mutual talent visits and exchanges. Going forward,theChina-Hungary Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Food Science (in Preparation)and the College of Food Science of Southwest University will continue to advance international academic exchanges and cooperation, leverage the Belt and Road platform, and continuously promote scientific research innovation and development in the fields of food science andbighealth.

Text and photos: Du Muying

Reviewed by: Su Hui, Hu Zi, Zhang Binjia