On June 5, a delegation of experts including Professor Mark Turner from the University of Queensland, Australia, and Professor Xie Jing and Associate Dean Ding Zhaoyang from Shanghai Ocean University visited the College for in-person cooperation and exchange discussions and academic seminar activities. Dean Zhang Binjia of the College and relevant core faculty members attended the events.

During the symposium, Dean Zhang Binjia extended a warm welcome to the visiting experts from the University of Queensland and Shanghai Ocean University, and provided a detailed overview of the College's overall development, disciplinary achievements, faculty structure, and talent cultivation models. He particularly elaborated on the construction history, current operational status, research priorities, and internationalization development plans of the China-Hungary Belt and Road Joint LaboratoryofFood Science (inpreparation). The three participating parties engaged in in-depth discussions on cutting-edge research directions in the food industry, including food nutrition and health, food safety and quality control, and novel food development. Drawing on their respective research strengths, each party shared their experiences in international collaborative research, laying the groundwork for future regular cooperation. After the symposium, the visiting experts toured the China-Hungary Belt and Road Joint LaboratoryofFood Science and the International CooperationPavilion.

In addition, to establish a high-level academic exchange platform and help faculty and students stay abreast of international frontier research developments, Professor Mark Turner delivered an academic presentation titled "Biodiscovery of Wild Lactic Acid Bacteria for Food Safety and Quality Applications" in Lecture Hall 215, Building 39 during the event. He systematically introduced his team's latest progress in isolating and screening lactic acid bacteria from fruits, vegetables, and poultry using whole-genome sequencing, with a particular focus on application cases of lactic acid bacteria in inhibiting Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods, controlling mold spoilage in cheese, and improving acidification and texture in plant-based dairy products.
This exchange activity further consolidated the collaborative relationship between Southwest University, the University of Queensland, and Shanghai Ocean University, laying a solid foundation for future faculty and student exchanges, joint research, and academic collaboration.
(Contributed by Dai Hongjie with text and photos; proofread by Zhou Fang; reviewed by Zhang Binjia.)