On November 4th, the 8th International Agricultural Engineering Committee Food Processing Technology Conference, known as the "Olympics" in the field of agricultural engineering, opened at Guangzhou University City. More than 600 experts from 45 countries around the world participated in this conference, and 7 academicians from the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Chile, and Ethiopia were invited to give special presentations.

This international conference is chaired by Sun Dawen, a member of the European Academy of Humanities and Natural Sciences, the Royal Irish Academy of Sciences, and the International Academy of Food Sciences. It is hosted by South China University of Technology and supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and other organizations.

It is reported that the conference will hold discussions and exchanges on the theme of "Advanced Food Processing Technology and Quality Control". Over a period of 3 days, 12 sub venues will be set up to hold 120 academic presentations. Professors will give keynote speeches on topics such as the current state of world agriculture and food processing, food safety and quality control, and advanced food processing technology.

Academician Sun Dawen, the chairman of the conference, said that agriculture and food industry are one of the pillar industries of Guangdong Province. The food industry of Guangdong Province has grown at an average annual rate of more than 15% in recent years. "Guangdong grain and the Pearl River water" are famous far and wide, but there is also an urgent need to seek high-tech support, transformation and upgrading, and international connection.

It is understood that the International Committee for Agricultural Engineering (CIGR), also known as the International Society for Agricultural Engineering, was founded in Liege, Belgium in 1930. It is the largest and highest academic institution in the field of agricultural and biological systems engineering. The current chairman of CIGR is Professor Sun Dawen, a leading talent in Guangdong Province. He is the first Chinese chairman of CIGR in its 83 year history.

The CIGR Food Processing Series Conference was initiated by Academician Sun Dawen. The first conference was held in Beijing, China in 2004, and subsequent conferences were held in Poland, Italy, Brazil, Germany, France, and South Africa.