Looking back at EGEA 2023 conference

The 9th edition of the EGEA conference “Food, fruit and vegetables and global health: what contributions?” was held in Barcelona from 20 to 22 September 2023. It brought together nearly 150 scientists and stakeholders from 22 countries. Organised by Aprifel, under the patronage of the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, the event, co-chaired by Elio Riboli (School of Public Health, Imperial College London) and Joël Doré (INRAE), provided an opportunity to review and share knowledge in 4 areas.

• The health benefits of fruit and vegetables for the prevention of chronic diseases – cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes – but also for the microbiota, mental health and nutritional safety;
• Sustainability issues: sustainable production conditions (soil health, water use, biodiversity), the role of fruit and vegetables in combating climate change, as well as food-related social innovations to meet sustainable development objectives;
• The determinants of consumer behaviour and choice: factors at play throughout life, the roles of food environments, peers, marketing and public policy, as well as the links between movement, eating and appetite control.
• The final session looked at solutions, recommendations, actions and priorities to place fruit and vegetables at the center of the One Health discussion. It gave the floor to both international experts (FAO, WHO, OECD) and local players. A round-table discussion provided an opportunity for scientists, fruit and vegetable professionals and policy-makers to share experiences and compare points of view.

This edition also marked the 20th anniversary of the EGEA conference, created by Aprifel in 2003.