DuPont, a leading science-powered company, will address the global issue of increasing demand for food at the upcoming Gulfood 2011, a major food and hospitality event, serving Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

The 16th edition of Gulfood is scheduled to run from February 27 to March 2 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

DuPont Health and Nutrition Senior Leadership will address the issue of food challenges at the sixth Dubai International Food Safety Conference, Gulfood 2011.

DuPont will also present comprehensive solutions to the food industry by addressing food safety, ingredients and packaging solutions.

“Increasing food production is a high priority initiative for DuPont,” said Eser Acarkan, Food Industry Leader -Turkey, Middle East and Africa, DuPont.

“DuPont is uniquely positioned to work with customers, business partners, governments and public-private partnerships to address the megatrend of increasing global food production across the value chain by boosting crop yield through advanced seed genetics, agronomic practices and product innovations that help farmers maximize productivity and quality; advancing the nutritional content derived from crops such as soybeans, while increasing accessibility to these products; supplying innovative packaging to preserve food quality; and developing efficient quality-testing systems to ensure a safe food supply,” she added.

“Middle East’s population is expected to grow to more than half a billion people in the next 20 years and as United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization warns that food production will have to increase by 70 per cent in the next 40 years to feed a rapidly growing global population,” Acarkan continued.

“This dramatic growth poses a lot of challenges and opportunities and hence at DIFSC, DuPont food senior leaders will address numerous emerging risks and needs that are identified in the Middle East food industry.”

“DuPont invests about half of its $1.6 billion annual research and development budget to furthering this goal. We are committed to the local market and to address its needs and demands,” she concluded. – TradeArabia News Service