Innovative Conference on Infant and Young Children Dairy Product Nutrition and Safety Held in New Zealand

On 25 August, the Infant and Young Children Dairy Product Nutrition and Safety Innovation Conference, jointly organised by the CNHFA and the Infant Nutrition Council (INC) of Australia and New Zealand, was held in Auckland, New Zealand. The conference aimed to facilitate exchanges on progress in China and Australia/New Zealand in dairy products—particularly infant and young children dairy products—across development, production control, and testing technologies. It also sought to explore technical collaboration and promote industry cooperation.

The CNHFA organised a delegation comprising Li Liangqiu, Executive Vice President of the CNHFA; Jiang Yujun, Vice President of the CNHFA and Vice President of Northeast Agricultural University; Zhang Weimin, Chair of the CNHFA’s Standardisation Inspection and Testing Specialised Committee and Researcher at the National Centre for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA); Zhao Yunfeng, Chief Scientist of the same committee and Researcher at the CFSA; Yin Shi’an, Chair of the CNHFA’s Infant Formula Food Sub-Committee and Researcher at the National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC); Ren Yiping, Chief Scientist at Hangzhou Pupai Technology Co., Ltd.; Lai Shiyun, General Manager of Hangzhou Pupai Technology Co., Ltd.; Yang Bo, Professor at Jiangnan University; Zhao Qianyu, Associate Professor at Northeast Agricultural University; Hao Bin, Deputy Secretary-General of the CNHFA; and Huang Yan, Director of the CNHFA’s Communication Department. The delegation held discussions with Maria Venetoulis, Chair of the INC; Jonathan Chew, Chief Executive Officer of the INC; Professor Simon Swift of the University of Auckland; Lisa Graham, Manager for Specialised Testing Science and Innovation at New Zealand’s National Laboratory; Dr Li Day of the New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research (Food Function and Physiology Division); Zhang Ping, Chief Supply Chain Officer of The a2 Milk Company; and nearly one hundred representatives from New Zealand’s infant dairy manufacturers, testing institutions, and research centres.

In her address, Maria Venetoulis, Chair of the INC, emphasised the vital importance of nutrition and the safety of infant and young children dairy products for healthy growth worldwide. She expressed the hope that China and New Zealand would build upon their industrial strengths and look towards the future, continuing to promote international cooperation and innovative development in the field of infant nutrition, thereby safeguarding the health of infants and young children.

Zhang Ping, Chief Supply Chain Officer of The a2 Milk Company, outlined the company’s experience in dairy supply chain management. He emphasised the strict oversight maintained across all stages—from milk sourcing to production and processing—to ensure that consumers receive high-quality, safe dairy products.

Li Liangqiu, Executive Vice President of the CNHFA, first expressed gratitude to the INC and Chinese and New Zealand infant dairy product manufacturers for their exploratory contributions to industry development. She stated that the Association would fully leverage its role as a bridge and link to promote industry self-regulation, strengthen exchange and cooperation with international counterparts, and jointly improve the nutrition and safety standards of infant and young children dairy products.

Jonathan Chew, Chief Executive Officer of the INC, stated that New Zealand infant and young children dairy product manufacturers strictly follow Chinese policies and regulations in implementing all relevant standards, actively innovate formulations, and are committed to providing trustworthy products for infants and young children in China. He also shared research conducted by the Council in collaboration with New Zealand universities and research institutions on the nutritional needs of infants and young children.

Professor Simon Swift of the University of Auckland shared insights on the development of New Zealand’s Cronobacter guidelines and related content. He provided a detailed overview of the background, process, and main components of the guideline development, emphasising the potential risks that Cronobacter poses to the health of infants and young children, as well as the importance of implementing effective control measures throughout the production, processing, and storage of dairy products.

Jiang Yujun, Vice President of Northeast Agricultural University, shared insights on China’s dairy product safety control practices. Drawing on data such as China’s raw milk production and dairy consumption, he outlined the overall industry landscape and presented relevant policies and regulatory measures. He also introduced the current progress in quality and safety development within China’s dairy sector.

Zhao Yunfeng, Researcher at the CFSA, focused on developments in dairy product testing. He provided a systematic overview of China’s food safety standards system and physicochemical testing methodologies, and shared progress in China’s vitamin and nutrient determination methods through extensive and detailed data visualisations.

Dr Lisa Graham, Manager for Specialised Testing Science and Innovation at New Zealand’s National Laboratory, shared insights on chemical contaminants in infant formula— their sources and regulatory oversight. She detailed the potential sources of chemical contaminants in infant formula, including environmental pollutants and contamination occurring during production and processing, and also introduced New Zealand’s experience in contaminant detection.

Yin Shi’an, Researcher at the National Institute for Nutrition and Health, China CDC, shared insights on infant and young children nutrition development and formula research. Drawing on extensive data, he outlined the nutritional status of Chinese children and highlighted the release of the China Children’s Development Outline (2021–2030) to improve nutritional outcomes. He further elaborated on China’s research into infant and young children formula foods, focusing on the development of new food ingredients and novel components.

Dr Li Day, from the Food Function and Physiology Team at Plant & Food Research, shared the latest progress in dairy product research and functional health outcomes. She introduced recent achievements in functional ingredient discovery and new product development in the dairy sector, and highlighted the positive health impacts these innovations bring to infants and young children, demonstrating the industry’s strong innovation potential.

During the discussion session, attendees engaged in a lively exchange centred on the theme “Cooperation for Mutual Success.” There was unanimous agreement that the nutrition and safety of infant and young children dairy products is a global issue that requires strengthened international cooperation and exchange. Participants emphasised the need to share research findings and practical experience in order to address these challenges collectively.

This conference provided a valuable platform for exchange between Chinese and international experts and enterprises in the infant and young children dairy product sector. Through the sharing of experiences and exchange of ideas, it played an important role in enhancing the nutrition and safety standards of infant and young children dairy products. Moving forward, all parties will continue to strengthen cooperation and work together to support the healthy growth of infants and young children worldwide.

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