Dr Terence Lok-ting Lau, convenor of the Food Safety Consortium (FSC) hosted at PolyU, was recently presented the “2021 International Leadership Award” by the US-based International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) for his dedication to the protection of the global food supply and his efforts outside the US and Canada.

The Consortium, which is IAFP’s Hong Kong affiliate, was initiated by Dr Lau at PolyU in 2015 to address food safety needs through innovation and to advance global food safety. It has developed an industry-academia network with 70 corporate members to support the food industry with advanced technology and science.

Last year, the Consortium became the first and only non-governmental organisation observer from Hong Kong and Mainland China at the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission.

Professor Wing-tak Wong, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU and a member of the FSC’s Steering Committee, said PolyU is committed to fostering global collaboration in the promotion of food safety.

“The recognition from the IAFP is a significant endorsement of Dr Lau’s achievements in the field, and we are grateful for his efforts in elevating PolyU’s contributions to food safety and quality to the next level. We will continue to support technology development and applications in this area to benefit the Nation and the global community,” said Professor Wong.

Dr Lau said a more concerted effort by experts from academia and industry is needed to bring the world a safer food supply.

“Food safety is a major public health concern. Given the new challenges arising in this domain every day and the fact that the practices of the global food supply chain have shifted since the pandemic, we still have much to accomplish,” he said.

The award was presented at the IAFP 2021 Conference held in Phoenix, Arizona late last month.