The Eighth OCEANIAFOODS Conference will be held at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, 20-21 February, 2009 in association with the 1st Australia/OCEANIAFOODS Training Course on Production, Compilation, and Use of Food Composition Data in Nutrition.

OCEANIAFOODS was established in May 1987 as a regional group of the International Network of Food Data systems (INFOODS). It facilitates interaction and collaboration of those working in the area of food composition in the Oceania region. Core membership consists of representatives from programs of food composition tables and databases, and their associated analytical laboratories. Conferences are held every two to three years. The first OCEANIAFOODS Conference was held in Canberra in May, 1987, organized and hosted by the Nutrition Section of the Commonwealth Department of Community Services and Health.

Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community have taken turns in acting as Convener with this Eighth Conference convened by Fiji under the direction of Professor Bill Aalbersberg.

Collaboration under OCEANIAFOODS has assisted the development of a world-class nutrient laboratory at the University of the South Pacific, two volumes of the Pacific Island Food Composition Tables, and increased regional collaboration in food composition work in addition to continuing national programs.

At this Eighth Conference discussion will be held on how such collaboration can continue and be improved. There will be technical seminars on fatty acid analysis and water soluble vitamins. For additional information contact Aalbersberg@usp.ac.fj Course information appears on: http://www.sseau.unsw.edu.au/docs/foodcomp/index.htm

Course information appears on this site at: http://www.sseau.unsw.edu.au/docs/foodcomp/index.htm