FAO Expert Consultation a first in New Zealand

Media Release

17 March 2011

FAO Expert Consultation a first in New Zealand

FAO is holding an Expert Consultation on dietary protein quality in Auckland from 31 March to 2 April. This is the first time a meeting of this type has been held in Australasia.

Top scientists from 13 countries will form recommendations on how protein quality should be described and scored, which will have a significant influence on the way proteins, such as dairy and soy, are traded around the world.

The Expert Consultation is preceded by a three-day international symposium at SkyCity Auckland, on the topic of dietary protein for human health, which is being attended by scientists from throughout the world. Chair of the symposium’s organising committee Professor Paul Moughan said, “Recently our knowledge of the role of protein in chronic disease, and information on the dietary amino acid requirements has advanced considerably. Such knowledge has important ramifications for human nutrition and health, nutrition and food planning and for the planned production and international trading of protein, as well as regulatory issues.

“The Expert Consultation should be of particular interest to New Zealand with its dependence on agricultural trade. It will set the scene for quality standards for years to come,” he said.

Professor Moughan is a world expert on mammalian protein metabolism and food evaluation science and is co-director of the Riddet Institute, a national Centre of Research Excellence headquartered in Palmerston North.

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