On behalf of the Organising Committee of the 52nd International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICoMST), I have great pleasure in inviting colleagues from all over the world to Dublin, Ireland, from 13th to 18th August 2006. This major forum will once again reconvene in Dublin after a 32 year absence to allow international exchange and discussion of new scientific ideas in meat science.

The main theme of the conference is "harnessing and exploiting global opportunities" which are now emerging through developments in key science based technologies and innovations.

The final programme is now published online. Click here to download the Poster Programme.

The Congress will focus on discussing the scientific basis of these opportunities and on ways to overcome major technological challenges in their implementation. For this reason, we feel that scientists from the research, academia, government and industry sectors from around the world will find the 52nd ICoMST most stimulating and worthwhile.

The themes include the science of meat quality, scientific advances underpinning meat safety, new developments in meat packaging, understanding future consumer needs and wants, the latest technology responses from the global meat industry and finally the conference ends with a session on the latest scientific knowledge on the role of meat in our diet. Each session will also include poster presentations on all themes.

A new approach this year is to also address specific hot topics important to the industry and meat scientists. To this end, we expect much interaction between the research community and the industry, a dialogue we hope will continue beyond this meeting.

We are also delighted to include the International Meat Secretariat (IMS) Prize for Meat Science and Technology 2007. The Prize to the value of €5000 is to be awarded for a presentation, lecture or poster concerned with red meat and delivered at the conference by any early-stage or mid-career researcher.

I would also like to thank the IMS for sponsoring a keynote speaker on 'New technologies to enhance meat quality'. This presentation will be delivered by Dr. Nicola Simmons, AgResearch MIRINZ Centre, New Zealand.

It is a great time to visit Ireland. It has a vibrant economy and exports in food and drink have reached over €7 billion; no wonder it is known as the "Food Island". It also has breathtaking scenery, outstanding hospitality and a unique pace of life. Everything is within easy reach. This is why we are also organising an exceptional social and accompanying persons' programme.

We look forward to welcoming you with a big "Céad Míle Fáilte" (one hundred thousand welcomes) as we say here, in August, for a truly memorable 52nd ICoMST.

Declan Troy

Chairman, Organising Committee 52nd ICoMST