Society of Food and Environmental Health (SFEH) President Ruby O (柯學明) told reporters yesterday that her group aims to promote the importance of food waste prevention, as well as enhance awareness of the need to reduce environmental pollution. 

She said that her association hoped to achieve both aims. 

O made the remarks in the sidelines of the association’s inauguration ceremony yesterday afternoon at the Macau Science Centre. According to the association’s website, SFEH “brings together all professionals from the food and environmental health industries, explores industrial and academic collaboration that promotes innovation practices and product developments, serving as a supportive role to enhance communication and collaboration on the implementation and development of policies and regulatory requirements.”

O said that the promotion of the importance and understanding of these topics would allow the public to enhance tourism while providing food under safe conditions. 

When asked what suggestions can be given to businesses regarding the concerns of the costs caused by environmental protection, O noted that transaction costs should not be the only cost considered and that the environment should be considered as a factor, adding that environmental protection is a fundamental part of the long-term development of business. 

O also said that as climate change is something that the younger generation is concerned about, her association hopes that environmental protection and efforts to reduce pollution can be a part of the consideration of the relationship between food safety and the environment.  O also spoke about what members of the public can do in order to move towards these goals, noting that as more people need to be involved, education about the issue through schools, improved understanding of food waste reduction, heightened awareness of the impact of pollution on the environment, increasing concern for food safety, and cherishing one’s food are all ways to accomplish the association’s aims. 

Society of Food and Environmental Health (SFEH) President Ruby O (柯學明) delivers a speech during the inauguration ceremony of her association yesterday afternoon at the Macau Science Centre in Nape.