The eighth World Instant Noodles Summit kicked off Saturday in the coastal city of Tianjin. The biennial event gathers over 70 instant noodles enterprises from around the world to discuss food safety, emergency assistance and nutritional health.

Opening at the Renaissance Tianjin TEDA Convention Centre Hotel, the three-day summit is organized by the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA) and hosted by Tianjin-based Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corporation, China's leading instant noodles maker.

Koki Ando, chairman of WINA and president and CEO of Nissin Foods Holdings Co., Ltd., addresses the opening ceremony of the eighth World Instant Noodles Summit. [China.org.cn]

Koki Ando, chairman of WINA, and president and CEO of Nissin Foods Holdings Co., Ltd., said that WINA members in China helped in the earthquake relief efforts in Sichuan and Qinghai provinces by donating 1.25 million instant noodles. He said that after Japan's earthquake disaster in 2011 that led to radiation leak from the Fukushima nuclear power plants, consumers worried that it would pollute food; but when they discovered that the powders used to make instant noodles were from the U.S., they believed the noodles were one of the safest foods in the country.

Referring to the food safety issues such as nutritional values, additives and harmful substances, Ando said Japan's instant noodles makers adopted techniques to improve food quality such as shortening the frying time in the production process. He said that to ensure food safety in China, WINA decided to invite two additional members from China, Baixiang and Jinmailang Foods groups, to join the organization.

Wei Ing-Chou, chairman of Tingyi group, was appointed as the new director general of the WINA for the next two-year period at the summit.

Wei said he hoped that Tingyi and other WINA members would give emphasis to consumers' need for safe, delicious, nutritious and convenient food, and actively upgrade product quality, improve related technologies and adapt local food styles in order to promote growth in the industry.

Also in attendance was Tianjin's deputy mayor, Ren Xuefeng. He said the city, where Tingyi is headquartered, was chosen as the site of the summit for being a major production base in the world for instant noodles.

He praised the hometown company of Tingyi, saying that it grew into a leading multinational corporation in food and beverage industry and contributes much to the city's economic and social development.

Following the opening ceremony, the summit will feature other events including a market report presentation, forums, exhibitions, joint press conferences and several gala dinners.

WINA was launched by Koki Ando's father and instant noodle inventor Momofuku Ando (1910-2007). The group aims to promote the development of the instant noodles industry and contribute to the overall improvement of people's life.