The First International Conference on Advances in the Health Benefits of Agri-Foods, held from October 2-4, 2024, brought together experts from around the world to showcase cutting-edge research in using food to achieve health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Organized and chaired by Dr. Thomas Netticadan, Team Leader of the Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the event marked a milestone in CCARM’s 25-year history.
The conference featured a collaborative leadership team including Dr. Cristina Rosell (Head, Food and Human Nutritional Science, University of Manitoba), Dr. Rotimi Aluko (Director, Richardson Centre for Food Technology and Research), Dr. Miyoung Suh (Professor, University of Manitoba), and CCARM trainees Dr. Ruchira Nandasiri, Dr. Nicola Gasparre, and Bradley Feltham. Julie Schoffner, CCARM administrative assistant, coordinated the event.
Distinguished speakers included Dr. Felicitas Katepa-Mpundowa (Director General, AAFC), Nicole Aminot (CEO, St. Boniface Hospital), and Dr. Tony Savard (Director, AAFC), who provided opening remarks. A plenary lecture was delivered by Dr. Grant Pierce, a founding figure of CCARM and Distinguished Professor at the University of Manitoba. Closing remarks were offered by senior leaders from AAFC, St. Boniface Hospital Research Centre, and the University of Manitoba, including Dr. Scott Duguid, Dr. Michael Czubryt, Dr. Bram Ramjiawan, Dr. Rosell, Dr. Aluko, and Dr. Suh.
The three-day hybrid conference, accessible at no cost, welcomed over 300 in-person attendees and 500 online participants from 60 countries on all continents except Antarctica. A total of 16 scientific sessions featured 80 speakers addressing diverse topics along the agri-food value chain, including:
• Plant breeding innovations for nutritional and health benefits,
• Pathogen resistance in food crops,
• Toxin elimination in crops,
• Advanced food processing for enhanced nutritional value,
• Cutting-edge food analysis techniques,
• Alternative food sources,
• Valorization of food waste, and
• Preclinical and clinical studies unveiling new health benefits of foods.
Dr. Netticadan expressed gratitude for the global response, saying, “We are blessed to achieve our mission of providing the latest knowledge to audiences worldwide, especially those with limited resources.” He humorously added, “Much work remains to engage Antarctica’s potential audience – penguins, seals, and winter birds!”
Acknowledging the event’s success, Dr. Netticadan praised the organizing team and funding organizations, including the St. Boniface Hospital Research Centre and AAFC, saying, “It was heartwarming to see the entire ‘village’ come together to make this enormous event possible.”
This landmark conference underscores the growing global interest in leveraging agri-food research to improve health outcomes and foster sustainable innovation.
