The 5th International Symposium on Food Drying and the 10th National Symposium on Low-Field NMR Technology and Applications Grandly Held in Wuxi

On November 15, 2018, the 5th International Symposium on Food Drying and the 10th National Symposium on Low-Field NMR Technology & Applications (Food and Agriculture Session) was grandly held at the Shanming Shuixiu Hotel in Wuxi. More than 200 experts, professors, and researchers from both domestic and international fields of food drying and low-field NMR gathered for this conference. With the theme “New Food Drying and Low-Field NMR Technologies in the Era of Intelligence,” the forum facilitated in-depth exchanges between engineers, scientists, and technical specialists across food science and NMR applications.

▲ 5th International Symposium on Food Drying & 10th National Low-Field NMR Symposium

Top 3 Highlights

1. Niumag introduces the concept of Smart Drying integrated with Low-Field NMR for the first time.

2. The food industry presents four new demands for low-field NMR — and Niumag delivers matching solutions.

3. A Niumag engineer receives the “Outstanding Food NMR Application Award.”

The event was co-organized by Jiangnan University and the NMR Instrument Committee of the China Instrument and Control Society. Sub-venues were supported by: Jiangnan University (1st), Nanjing Institute of Wild Plant Utilization (2nd), Jiangsu University (3rd), Suzhou Niumag Analytical (4th), CAAS Institute of Agro-Product Processing (5th), China Agricultural University (6th), Hezhou University (7th), and Bohai University (8th).

Distinguished Guests & Opening Remarks

 

▲ Prof. Zhang Min, Jiangnan University

▲ Prof. Gu Zhengbiao, Vice President, Jiangnan University

Prof. Gu Zhengbiao, Vice President of Jiangnan University, delivered the opening speech on behalf of the host institution. He warmly welcomed guests from across China and abroad, noting that this year also marked the 60th anniversary of Jiangnan University.

He emphasized that this conference creates a valuable platform for food industry experts and scholars to exchange insights, foster collaboration, and contribute to the advancement of intelligent food drying technologies and low-field NMR applications.

▲ Liu Changkuan, Executive Vice Chairman, Analytical Instrument Branch, CIS

Mr. Liu Changkuan, Executive Vice Chairman of the Analytical Instrument Branch of the China Instrument and Control Society, also delivered opening remarks. On behalf of the organizing committee, he extended a heartfelt welcome to all domestic and international attendees and expressed his hopes that the forum would serve as a bridge connecting academia, industry, and innovation — and wished the event a complete success.

Distinguished Professors & Invited Presentations

 

This year’s conference featured both Chinese and international keynote sessions, inviting renowned experts from Australia, the United States, Thailand, and other countries to share their latest research results and scientific insights.

▲ Prof. Bhesh Bhandari, The University of Queensland, Australia

▲ Prof. Sakamon Devahastin, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Thailand

▲ Mr. Yang Peiqiang, Chairman of Niumag Analytical

Mr. Yang Peiqiang delivered a keynote titled “The Convergence of Drying Technology and Low-Field NMR in the Era of Intelligent Manufacturing.” He emphasized that NMR analysis and imaging offer powerful tools for observing the state and migration of water during drying processes — not only measuring content, but enabling molecular-level insight into moisture behavior.

Looking forward, Niumag plans to work with universities and research institutions to build intelligent material drying analysis systems. These integrated solutions — combining low-field NMR, industrial drying equipment, and complementary testing tools — are expected to drive smart drying innovations into real-world production and quality control settings.

▲ Zhang Yingli, Vice President of Niumag Analytical

Zhang Yingli presented on “Core Technologies and Application Solutions of Low-Field NMR in the New Era,” identifying four key demands from researchers: faster speed, higher accuracy, greater intelligence, and dynamic visualisation. He also introduced corresponding solutions tailored to each of these needs.

One highlight was the integration of low-field NMR with heating and cooling modules — enabling real-time, in situ observation of food moisture transitions under thermal conditions, significantly improving both precision and relevance in food research applications.

▲ Yuan Xuejun, Engineer at Shanghai NewTitan Measurement & Control

▲ Audience members engaged during technical sessions

Niumag Exhibition Booth: Solutions for Food Applications Based on Low-Field NMR

As a sponsor of the event, Niumag showcased its latest applications of low-field NMR in food drying and agricultural product processing. The booth attracted wide interest, with experts and institutional leaders engaging in deep discussions with Niumag engineers.

“Niumag Night” Welcome Banquet
During the evening banquet, Niumag Chairman Mr. Yang Peiqiang delivered a toast, warmly welcoming all guests and wishing everyone a pleasant and productive time in Wuxi.

At the dinner, the organizing committee presented the “Outstanding Food NMR Application Award” to Huang Junmin, an engineer from Niumag’s hardware division, in recognition of his research contributions and technical excellence.

The conference continues with more excitement — tomorrow will feature 8 additional breakout sessions and over 100 in-depth presentations. Stay tuned!