In order to further the development of Taiwan’s grain-related industries, the first domestically held ICC 2007 International Workshop on the Safety and Health of the Grains had been convened on 27, November at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology. The world-renowned experts and pundits on cereal foods from Austria, the United States and Holland made public their research results on the latest food safety statutes, whole-grain products, the latest materials for health foods like edible fibers and the latest processing technology. Apart from providing domestic manufacturers with an opportunity to expand their business in the international market and an orientation for future development, it also serves to create a channel for a future cooperation and synchronization with the international community.

Deputy Minister of the Council of Agriculture, Chien-chuan Lee, graced the international workshop with his presence and presided over its opening ceremony, and there are estimated to be 212 participants from academia, research institutes and manufacturing sectors both at home and abroad from eight countries, including Russia and Malaysia. Roland Ernest Poms, Secretary-General of ICC, took part in the international workshop in person and delivered a speech entitled Concerning European Union’s Statutes on the Safety of Cereal Foods and the Challenge of Their Analysis. Besides, experts from abroad delivered monographic speeches respectively on the quality and safety of cereal foods, whole-grain products and the effect of the increase of the contents of edible fibers against obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Experts and pundits from home brought forth their research results on the development of cereal foods like the implementation of traceability systems, food nanotechnology, healthy room-temperatured rice, sprouting brown rice technology to share their research results. During the session of the international workshop, experts and pundits, both from home and abroad, conducted heated discussions. The invited speakers, both from home and abroad, and the participants from abroad took one step further to hold a round-tale meeting with local manufacturers to have a face-to-face exchange of opinions after the conference, discussing the new direction for the industry.

COA made it clear that a section devoted to the exhibition of research papers and posters was set aside in the gallery surrounding the venue of the international workshop, in which the food items and equipment related to the themes of the safety of cereal foods, health and production traceability system were on display. There are estimated to be 36 research papers related to cereal foods made public and 22 food companies and factories that took part, offering the participants an opportunity to gain a more diversified and ample knowledge of the theme of the international workshop of Safety and Wholesomeness of Cereal Foods.

The smooth going, a perfect conclusion and fruitful results of the international workshop are actually a result of the collaboration between the industry and the authorities. Members from China Grain Products Research and Development Institute (CGPRDI) and National Pingtung University of Science and Technology worked together with the headquarters of ICC to hold the international workshop in an attempt to prompt domestic manufacturers to create a channel for international communication, thereby providing the latest information of the grain industry, an exchange of experiences and technology so as to bring into play the substantial function brought about by Taiwan’s entering into ICC.