Organised by:

Wessex Institute of Technology, UK

Supported by:

WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment
International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning

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Objectives
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The first international conference on Food and the Environment will focus on a variety of issues affecting food production and distribution including those related to natural and anthropogenic causes. The conference will emphasise the effects of modern food production processes and how they can affect human health.

The many advances made for over a century in food production have resulted in the possibility of feeding the whole of humanity. These advances have been achieved by the introduction of new work practices and a variety of substances into the food chain, the whole process being affected by other environmental conditions such as contamination of air, water and soil resulting from sources other than agriculture. On the other hand the food production and food processing can have detrimental effects on the environment. Some of the major challenges remain with extensive farming, which though offering higher productivity and larger volumes, should not either compromise the quality of the product or cause suffering in animals.

Given the importance of the problem which affects the whole world population, it is essential to understand the consequences of food production processes and demands of the rising standard of living can have on the food consumed daily by the world population. Of particular importance are the effects on human health and the well-being of the population, as well as the more general issues related to possible damage to the environment and ecology.

Food-related problems, in spite of their importance, have not been sufficiently well discussed in relation to their possible consequences. This conference aims to better understand the challenges faced by society in this regard.

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Conference Topics
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* Food processing issues
* Contamination of food
* Pharmaceuticals in food
* Obesity-related issues
* Pesticides and nutrients
* Hormonal effects
* Food and fecundity
* Genetic engineering
* Freezing and thawing
* Heavy metals
* Pathogens
* Salination problems
* Desertification
* Transportation problems
* Traceability
* Threshold values
* Modern farming
* Changing climate
* Laws and regulations
* Epidemiological studies
* Water resources problems
* Animal welfare
* Impact of food production on the environment

For more information contact Beverley Copland, Conference Secretariat, at bcopland@wessex.ac.uk