Food safetyUniversity of Minnesota in new food-safety partnerships with China

The National Center for Food Protection and Defense(NCFPD), a DHS center which has been housed at the College of Veterinary Medicineof the University of Minnesotasince 2004, and the Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine(CAIQ) have signed a memorandum of understanding on food safety, protection, and defense issues.

The agreement was announced in a 25 July ceremony at UM’s Campus Club at Coffman Union.

ternational partner this week.

“Particularly in this area of food safety, where we are very strong … this connection with a premier organization around food safety in China is a big deal for us,” University president Eric Kaler said. “I think it’ll open some doors and provide opportunities across the board.”

NCFPD acting director Amy Kircher noted that both organizations work to prevent and combat intentional contamination of the food supply for either economic or terroristic reasons.

Kircher said that the center also works with organizations in Central and South America that provide a significant portion of the U.S. food supply.

“Knowing that we have a global food system, it is really important that we work with our collaborators and find partnerships around the world,” she said.

The Minnesota Daily reportsthat the CAIQ is a public research organization in China focusing on food inspection and protection.

Karen Everstine, a research associate at NCFPD, focuses her work on Economically Motivated Adulteration, or “food fraud.” She told the Daily that the partnership will benefit her research and could help to more efficiently identify threats to the food supply.

“If we are talking about bringing in data sources that are going to help us identify something earlier, that is great,” she said. “If there is a question, … you can call and ask, ‘What do you think is going on with this?’”

The Daily notes that the new partnership comes at an opportune time. It has been 100 years since the first Chinese students attended the University, an anniversary the University will celebrate throughout the next academic year, Kaler said.

Kaler said signing the memorandum was a significant step for the University’s partnership with China in higher education and scientific endeavors.

“We are extremely proud and very eager to continue to work with [CAIQ] to tackle one of the world’s most critical public health and public safety challenges,” he said.