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Food and beverageNew Zealand has the right conditions - climate, space, trustworthy supply and culinary creativity - and the horticultural and agricultural knowledge to produce world-famous dairy, meat, seafood and wine. Its exceptional produce and cuisine is a drawcard in itself, with Auckland garnering a growing reputation as a destination for food-lovers.Raw ingredientsAUCKLAND AN INNOVATION HUB OF THE ASIA PACIFIC | 7Our academic community has a breadth of research projects underway, including mHealth, big data analytics, telehealth, elabs, epharmacy, person-centric health care, smart homes and more.New Zealand’s leading role in eye care and eye research has seen Auckland secure both the 35th Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) Congress and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) 11th General Assembly in back-to-back events at the NZICC in 2020.The APAO Congress will be the largest medical meeting ever held in New Zealand, attracting some 4,000 medical professionals and researchers on disorders and diseases of the eye. The IAPB Assembly will then welcome 2,000 eye care providers and NGOs involved in the fight against avoidable blindness.Neil Murray, NZ eye surgeon and IAPB Trustee notes: “Auckland, and New Zealand in general, has been actively engaged - in fact punching above its weight - in helping the IAPB and WHO fight the battle against avoidable visual impairment.”An eye to the futureIndustry and innovationWith the food and beverage sector contributing nearly half of New Zealand’s total exports, innovation is central to the country’s future prosperity. Quality, sustainability and food safety are paramount. The New Zealand Government has set a target to triple the country’s food and beverage exports by 2030 and invests heavily in food research, including four Crown Research Institutes and Centres of Research Excellence.New Zealand’s proud record in food technology, food science and food engineering starts back in 1882, with the export of the first-ever shipment of frozen meat to London. Since then, its food industry innovation ranges from plant and animal breeding to mechanised cheese making, spreadable butter, world-leading membrane separation technology, meat processing robotics and new advances in bioactives and functional foods.Auckland’s place at the tableSix of New Zealand’s eight universities offer courses in Food Science and Technology. In Auckland, The University of Auckland maintains an active Food Science department, while AUT University leans towards research in food chemistry, food microbiology and sensory science. Another key player in Auckland is The Foodbowl, New Zealand Food Innovation Network (NZFIN). This local and central government-funded, open-access pilot plant offers food companies the facilities to support the growth of their business, from test kitchen operations for start-ups, to test batch runs for market trials for major food companies.Food for a changing world New Zealand’s network of food industry knowledge has attracted the 20th IUFoST (International Union of Food Science and Technology) World Congress in 2020. The event will be held in Auckland, with the theme ‘20/20 Vision: Food for a changing world.’ Anne Scott, president of hosting body the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology (NZIFST), says: “There’s no doubt New Zealand is at the cutting-edge of research in the food industry, both in converting produce and raw materials into good food, but also making sure our foodstuffs are high quality, sustainable and safe.” NZIFST plans a broad technical/scientific programme for the expected 2,000 attendees, showcasing local innovation alongside visits to world-leading production sites and numerous opportunities to give delegates a taste of New Zealand.