Awealth of new technologies and innovations await meat scientists, researchers and other experts in Dublin, Ireland, this summer at the 52nd annual International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICoMST) August 13 to August 18. The Congress, a forum for international exchange and discussion of new scientific ideas in meat science, is held near the city center at University College Dublin. The campus features a number of well-equipped lecture theaters, making it an ideal location for the conference.

The ICoMST goal is to enhance the cooperation and exchange of information between academic researchers and industry researchers in the fields of meat science and technology. The main theme of the conference is “Harnessing and exploiting global opportunities,” which are emerging through developments in key science-based technologies and innovations. This year’s Congress focuses on discussions concerning the scientific basis of these opportunities and on ways to overcome the major technological challenges in their implementation.

Meat scientists from around the world, both in the academic world and within the industry, are expected to attend. Researchers in the early stages of their projects are encouraged to present their work in poster sessions. Once a paper has been accepted for the sessions, the researcher can prepare a poster that presents the subject visually, allowing attendees to take home a simple, clear message. There will be about 300 such posters on display at the Congress.

The conference portion of the Congress begins on August 14, with a keynote address from Professor Lowell Catlett of New Mexico State University. He will discuss global perspectives and consumer needs in a changing world. Other speakers throughout the Congress come from the United States, as well as Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Belgium and elsewhere. They include professors, industry professionals and other experts within the world of meat processing.

The six sessions to be covered during ICoMST are “The Science of Meat Quality — State-of-the-Art,” “Scientific Advancement Underpinning Meat Safety,” “Innovation in Meat Packaging,” “Meat and Health,” “Consumer Needs and Wants” and a hot topics section discussing how the meat industry is responding to those consumer needs.

Individual topics include “Innovations in beef production systems impacting on consumers’ perception of meat,” “Industrial packaging for the global meat market,” “Innovations in new meat product manufacturing” and “Industry response in developing consumer-friendly meat products.”

A full social program is scheduled along with the educational sessions. Some are designed to give attendees an opportunity to see parts of the Irish food-processing industry, such as a trip to Dawn Farm Foods, one of Europe’s leading suppliers of cooked meat ingredients, or the Grange Research Centre of Teagasc, which provides national research information on all aspects of beef production systems. Other trips are more recreational in nature and include the Dublin city tour and a trip through scenic County Wicklow. The trip to the Guinness Storehouse could qualify for both business and pleasure, depending on the amount of free samples that are made available.