ILSI Europe hosts, sponsors, and co-organises a variety of scientific events. These include independent symposia, workshops, webinars, hands-on scientific trainings and sessions held as part of the program of larger scientific conferences or professional meetings.
Discover below the upcoming events we are organising or participating in.
2024
Webinar: From Knowledge Sharing to Implementation – A Community of Practice in Microplastics and Nano-Plastics Related to Food and Beverages
04/12/2024
Online, Zoom
This webinar explores human dietary exposure to nano- and microplastic particles, examining their sources, the reliability of studies assessing their effects, and their implications for human health, as highlighted in recent research and the WHO report.
ILSI Europe Annual Symposium 2024
27/11/2024
Lyngby, Denmark
Early Career Scientists Event 2024
26/11/2024
Lyngby, Denmark
38th EFFoST International Conference 2024
12/11/2024 – 14/11/2024
Bruges, Belgium
Synergy Days 2024
14/10/2024 – 15/10/2024
Barcelona, Spain
- Appetite and malnutrition in older adults. A geroscience perspective
Juan Luis Sánchez-Sánchez, Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Institute of Aging of the Gerontopole of Toulouse, CHU Toulouse-Paul Sabatier University (FR) - Vitality capacity: the cornerstone of healthy ageing
Ivan Bautmans, Head Gerontology (GERO) & Frailty in Ageing research (FRIA) departments, Vrije Universiteit Brussels (BE) - Mixed nut comsumption and brain health in older adultes
Peter J. Joris, member of the Physiology of the Human Nutrition (PHuN) Research Group at Maastricht University (NL). He is Associate Professor within the Research Institute of Nutrition and Transnational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM) - Nutrition to mitigate age-related immune decline
Philip Calder, Professor of Nutritional Immunology and Head of the School of Human Development & Health at Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton (UK
Session 6b - Panel: Innovations in Food Safety
Food safety is under pressure from climate change, emerging raw materials, circular economy, and dietary changes. An adaption of food safety management systems is needed to make them more robust towards changes and hazards. Additionally, EU Member States aim to maintain the highest levels of food safety. In order to reach these highest standards and adapt to changing environment, there is a need for greater synergy among industry, regulators and researchers to 1) discuss and identify food safety priorities, 2) develop innovative solutions and 3) implement them by all players in the food chain into practice. This session will start with a presentation of 2 EU-funded projects, called CATALYSE and FoodSafeR. Then a tripartite panel will be discuss priorities, needs and barriers in the area of food safety. The audience is of course invited to actively participate in the discussion.
Chairs: Michele Suman, Food Safety & Authenticity Research Manager at Barilla G.R. F.lli SpA (IT) & Ruchi Shah, Scientific Project Manager at ILSI Europe (BE)
Speakers:
- Presentation of the FoodSafeR Project
Michele Suman, Food Safety & Authenticity Research Manager at Barilla G.R. F.lli SpA (IT) - Presentation of the CATALYSE Project
Augustina Sarquis, Postdoctoral Researcher at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (IT) - Presentation of CATALYSE stakeholder engagement results
Ruchi Shah, Scientific Project Manager at ILSI Europe (BE)
Panelists:
- Oonagh Mc Nerney, Cofounder and CEO of IRIS Technology Solutions (ES)
- Michele Suman, Food Safety & Authenticity Research Manager at Barilla G.R. F.lli SpA (IT)
- Hermann Broll, Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung - German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (DE)
12:45 - 14:00
Lunch Break & Poster Session
14:00 - 15:30
Session 7a - Redefining Resilience: Innovations for a Sustainable Food Future
There is an urgent need for food system change to improve both health and environmental outcomes in fairer and more equitable ways. Food needs to be healthy, accessible, and affordable for all citizens. No country is completely food secure, and we all rely upon food imports and exports. Pandemics, conflict and climate change have shown that our food system is vulnerable to environmental and geo-political shocks. There is a clear need to enhance food system resilience to further crises and stresses. Many argue that food should be more expensive, that we are not paying the true cost of the food we put on our plates. Yet, at the same time, we see a rise in the use of food banks and other charitable food provision because many people in our society cannot afford to feed themselves due to the cost of living crisis. This is a dilemma which faces the food industry, policy makers and consumers. A variety of solutions are proposed though it is clear that one size does not fit all. We need to address the whole food system to ensure access to safe, nutritious food for all. Where do we start?
Chair: Sara Monteiro Pires, Senior researcher at Denmark Technical University (DTU) and Head of PhD School at DTU Food (DK)
Speakers:
- Trajectories towards healthy and sustainable food systems
Olivier Jolliet, Professor at Denmark Technical University (DK) - Navigating Volatility and Shocks: Insights and recommendations for strengthening resilience in Europe's Food and Drink Industry
Louis Hinzen, Senior Manager for Economic Affairs, Trade & Market Access Lead at FoodDrinkEurope (BE) - Towards absolute sustainability in food production and consumption systems
Daniela C. A. Pigosso, Professor at Denmark Technical University (DK)
Session 7b - Panel: To enable effective risk analysis, is it time to update our understanding of social expectations of food safety?
This session explores the definitions of food safety in relation to societal expectations. Building on insights from recent papers developed by expert groups of the ILSI Europe "Food Allergy" and "Food Contaminants" Task Forces, we will discuss how contaminants are defined, perceived and controlled based on public concern, and how stakeholder input can shape the understanding of acceptable risk levels. The discussion will focus on the role of risk perception in determining what society deems safe, highlighting the importance of aligning food safety practices with public expectations.
Chair: Bas Blaauboer, Emeritus professor of toxicology at Utrecht University (NL)
Speakers:
- Introduction: Where have we come from, where are we now?
Dr Neil Buck, Corporate toxicologist, General Mills (UK)
- The definition of chemical contaminants in food: ambiguity and consequences
Dr Neil Buck, Corporate toxicologist, General Mills (UK) - Can we define a level of protection for allergic consumers that everyone can accept?
Charlotte Madsen, Senior Researcher Emerita at DTU (DK)
Panelists:
- Hans Verhagen, Food Safety & Nutrition Consultant (NL)
- Pernille Madsen, Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (DK)
- Hermann Broll, Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung - German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (DE)
- Charlotte Madsen, Senior Researcher Emerita at DTU (DK)
- Dr Neil Buck, Corporate toxicologist, General Mills (UK)
15:30 - 16:10
Networking Break & Poster Session
16:10 - 17:50
Session 8 - Taste the Future: A Journey into Tomorrow's Food Landscape
A growing number of food tech companies are using precision fermentation to create animal-free proteins, fats, and oligosaccharides in pursuit of a more sustainable future. New yeast and bacteria fermentation technologies turn simple inputs into a variety of high-quality nutritious fats and functional proteins with a far lower environmental impact than traditional agriculture can deliver. Moreover, the first large-scale robotic vertical farms produce spinach and berries. These urban farms aim to provide essential daily-life vegetables in a more operationally cost-efficient way than traditional farms. These developments show that our future food will likely come also from food grade controlled laboratories and controlled indoor vertical farms. How will our food look and taste in the future? Are consumers ready to consume these differently produced food products? How much should we inform or educate consumers about the origin of the nutrients they consume? Will there be resistance depending on the form of the foods? Let's delve into the questions that define the future of our food.
Chair: Carolien Van Loo-Bouwman, Senior Manager Nutrition & Innovation at Yili Innovation Center Europe (NL)
Speakers:
- Sustainable Innovations: Are Consumers Ready for Tomorrow's Food?
Marija Banovic, Associate Professor of Consumer Behaviour and Food Marketing at MAPP Centre, Department of Management, Aarhus University (DK) - Examples of Sustainable Innovations for Tomorrow's Food
Mette Lübeck, Associate Professor and Head of Section of Bioresources and Process Engineering, Aalborg University and Co-founder of ProteinFrontiers Aps (DK) - Transforming Food Systems: A Place-Based Approach
Roberta Sonnino, Professor of Sustainable Food Systems at the University of Surrey (UK)
Call for abstracts
[Abstracts submission closed]
We accept abstracts for the following sessions:
- Session 6 - Forever Young: Exploring Solutions for Healthy Aging and Nutrition
- Session 7a - Redefining Resilience: Innovations for a Sustainable Food Future
- Session 8 - Taste the Future: A Journey into Tomorrow's Food Landscape
The sessions' descriptions can be found in the programme below
Abstracts will be selected on the basis of scientific excellence and relevance to the sessions.Submissions will be accepted until 15 June 2024 1st of July 2024. Authors will be notified at the end of August.
Travel and accommodation for the selected speakers will be covered by ILSI Europe (oral presentations only).
[Abstracts submission closed]
[post_title] => ILSI Europe Annual Symposium 2024 [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => ilsi-europe-annual-symposium-2024 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-12-03 14:51:24 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-12-03 14:51:24 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://ilsi.eu/?post_type=event&p=14300 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => event [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 14290 [post_author] => 362 [post_date] => 2024-04-04 10:53:08 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-04-04 10:53:08 [post_content] =>About the event
In collaboration with DTU Skylab from Denmark Technical University, ILSI Europe is organising an event for Early Career Scientists (ECS) focussed on sustainable food systems. The event offers a great opportunity for young scientists to present their work, network and expand their knowledge about important topics related to food sustainability. It is also offers a chance for industry and academic experts to discover a new pool of talent and gain a fresh point of view on the research this area.
If you are an Early Career Scientist (student, PhD candidate, or practising scientist who received their highest certificate (e.g. BSc, MSc or PhD) within the past ten years) and work within this nexus, we would like to hear from you! We welcome abstracts for oral and poster presentations from researchers working on food waste and by-products valorisation, soil health, or the sustainable design of products and processes.
Additionally, our career development session promises an interactive exploration of opportunities to propel young scientists' careers forward. Delve into funding possibilities, entrepreneurial ventures, and other pathways to professional growth. Gain valuable insights, resources, and guidance to navigate your career journey with confidence and clarity.
Stay tuned for more details on this exciting event designed to empower and support early career scientists on their path to success.
The ECS event is joined with the ILSI Europe Annual Symposium, which will be held the next day.Registration gives you access to both days. For practical information, visit the events Home Page
Registration
Registration for this event is also valid for the ILSI Europe Annual Symposium.
Various prize categories are on offer.Super Early bird rates are valid until 1 June 2024.
Early bird rates are valid until 30 September 2024.
If you have any questions regarding registration, please contact Hugo Costa (hcosta@ilsieurope.be).
Register now!Programme
Below, you will find the detailed programme for the Early Career Scientists event.To find the detailed programme for ILSI Europe Annual Symposium, click here.
To download the full prgramme, click here.
8:30 - 9:00
Registration
9:00 - 10:30
Session 1 - Green by Design: Innovating with Sustainability in Mind
Nearly all human activities can result in resource depletion, ecological damage, and environmental pollution. To minimize these potentially damaging effects, change is necessary towards a more responsible way of designing human activities. This includes food production and processing. To implement such change, we should apply sustainable design principles: consider and minimize environmental impact when developing ingredients, products, and food production processes. This can be done by finding ways to reduce waste, reuse resources, and recycle products and materials. This is known as the "3R principles", which can be further extended to the 10R principles: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Renew, Recharge (or Refill), Repair (or Remedy), Re-manufacture (or Recover), Replace (or Replant), Re-clear (or Refine) and Remove.
Chair: Bas Blaauboer, Emeritus professor of toxicology at Utrecht University (NL)
Welcome Note: Mikkel Sørensen, Director at DTU Skylab
Speakers:
- Prof. Francesco Rosati, Associate Professor in Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Centre for Technology Entrepreneurship, Technical University of Denmark (DK).
Presentation: Beyond Sustainability: Business Model Innovation for Regenerative Sustainable Systems - Sabina Dahal, MSc, PhD student at DTU Food
Presentation: Can probiotics supplementation at industrial scale yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor Ln.) farming be a beneficial option? - Bina Bhattarai, post doctoral researcher at Technical University of Denmark (DK)
Presentation: Circular food packaging design for circular economy: a food safety assessment - Adam Fogarasi, MSc, preparing to start his PhD at University of Copenhagen (DK)
Presentation: The HEAT Project: Multidimensional Optimization of Sustainable European Diets
10:30 - 11:00
Networking break & Poster session
11:00 - 12:30
Session 2 - Up-cycling the up-cyclable: new perspectives in green, bio-based, and circular valorisation of food waste and food by-products
The agri-food chain is affected by resource scarcity, food loss, and waste and by-products production. A specific life cycle assessment of agri-food chains can highlight the critical points, elucidating the targets that research and policy management must work with in the near future. The EU waste policy aims to contribute to the circular economy by extracting high-quality resources from waste as much as possible. The European Green Deal aims to promote growth by transitioning to a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy. As part of this transition, green and bio-based approaches will drive new perspectives in food waste and by-products up-cycling, including recalcitrant biomasses. Fermentation, precision fermentation, and bio-catalysis coupled with other green approaches will permit the release of new processes, new products, and new capacities. This session will explore the crucial connections between the process technologies, the regulatory aspects (e.g. for novel ingredients) and the sustainable perspectives in the agri-food area, exploring the resilient capacity to drive the future human nutrition.
Chair: Marco Arlorio, Director of Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Università del Piemonte Oriental (IT)
Speakers:
- Giancarlo Cravotto, Full Professor of Chemistry at Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, University of Turin (IT)
Presentation: Semi-industrial cascade protocols under non-conventional technologies for the valorization of agri-food by-products - Simone Krings, Post Doctoral researcher in the Department of Proteomics and Microbiology at the University of Mons (BE)
Presentation: Valorising organic waste for the production of high-value molecules by purple non-sulfur bacteria - Vincenzo Disca, a PhD student at the Food Chemistry, Biotechnology and Nutrition Unit (DSF) at University of Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro (IT)
Presentation: Up-cycled cocoa bean shells: a potential fiber-rich functional ingredient? - Maame Ekua Manful, a Ph.D. Student on the Up4health Project, a BBI JU-funded project at the Technological University Dublin
Presentation: Safety and regulatory aspects of upcycled novel foods in the European Union: Insights and future perspectives
12:30 - 14:00
Lunch Break
14:00 -15:00
Career Development Session - How to boost my career in Food & Nutrition Science?
Our career development session promises an interactive exploration of opportunities to propel young scientists' careers forward. Delve into funding possibilities, entrepreneurial ventures, and other pathways to professional growth. Gain valuable insights, resources, and guidance to navigate your career journey with confidence and clarity.
Exhibitors:
- COST Association
- ENLP (European Nutrition Leadership Platform)
- DTU Skylab
- ILSI Europe
15:00 - 15:50
Session 4 - From the Ground Up: Exploring the Vital Links between Soil Health and Sustainable Food Systems
Soil is the foundation of our food system. Healthy soils are essential to provide healthy food, reverse biodiversity loss, and safeguard human health, but also for achieving climate neutrality, a clean and circular economy and halting desertification and land degradation. Yet it is estimated that 60 to 70% of European soils are unhealthy, degraded or depleted. We urgently need to protect and restore these invaluable resources, as outlined by the EU Soil Strategy for 2030. Soil regeneration offers a pathway forward, combining practices to improve soil health and productivity. This session will explore the crucial connections between soil, human and planetary health. Their understanding is key to design solutions for resilient agricultural systems and sustainable food production.
Chair: Emilie Weynants, EU-Projects & Communication Manager at ILSI Europe
Speaker:
- Soil microbial diversity as an integral component of soil health across scales
Dr. Ferran Romero, Agroscope (CH)
Poster pitches:
- Perennial plates: Can food systems use soil-building, nutritional perennial grains?
Dr. Virginia Anne Nichols, Assistant Professor at Aarhus University (DK)
- Soil Biodiversity in Mediterranean Agroecosystems: Integrative Methods for Sustainable Management
Luisa Fraga, Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra (PT)
- Bioestimulants to mitigate consequences of global change in vineyards: A case of research applied to the field
Rosalba O. Fors, Atens - Natural Agrotechnologies (ES) - Stakeholders' perception of soil health in a forest area close to Oslo
Alena Hensel, IMSOGLO (International Master of Soil Science and Global Change) Graduate (DE)
15:50 - 16:35
Session 4 - Food 2030: The EU's Research and Innovation policy framework supporting the transition towards sustainable, healthy and inclusive food systems, that respect planetary boundaries
Keynote speaker: Rosalinda Scalia, Deputy Head of Unit at EC-DG RTD, Unit Bioeconomy & Food Systems, Healthy Planet Directorate.
16:35 - 16:45
17:00 - 17:30
From 19:15
Awards & Closing
Visit of DTU Skylab*
Dinner in Copenhagen at Scandic Spectrum Hotel
*Limited spots. A registration form will be available at the registration desk.
Call for abstracts
[Abstracts submission closed]
We accept abstracts from early career scientists for the following sessions:
- Session 1 - Green by Design: Innovating with Sustainability in Mind
- Session 2 - Up-cycling the up-cyclable: new perspectives in green, bio-based, and circular valorisation of food waste and food by-products
- Session 4 - From the Ground Up: Exploring the Vital Links between Soil Health and Sustainable Food Systems
Descriptions can be found in the programme below.
Abstracts will be selected on the basis of scientific excellence and relevance to the sessions.Submissions will be accepted
Travel and accommodation for the selected speakers will be covered by ILSI Europe (oral presentations only). Important note: We will only accept abstracts from early career scientists for these three sessions.
An early career scientist is defined as a postgraduate student or scientist from academia or industry who has obtained their highest degree (BSc, MSc or PhD) within the last ten years.
[Abstracts submission closed]
[post_title] => Early Career Scientists Event 2024 [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => early-career-scientists-event-2024 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-12-03 14:50:38 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-12-03 14:50:38 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://ilsi.eu/?post_type=event&p=14290 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => event [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 14172 [post_author] => 351 [post_date] => 2024-02-05 10:10:12 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-02-05 10:10:12 [post_content] =>About the event
The 38th EFFoST International Conference will be hosted by KU Leuven and UGent and will be held in the city of Bruges in Belgium. The EFFoST2024 conference will explore the theme "Future Food Systems: Innovation through Progress at Scientific Interfaces". We look forward to welcoming you in the city of Bruges, from 12-14 November 2024.
EFFoST2024 embraces the quintuple innovation helix framework, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration in the food sector. Our mission is to advance the global goal of providing safe, nutritious, and sustainable food with broad consumer acceptance, aligning with the 'one health' concept defined by WHO.
Discover the pinnacle of food science and technology at the annual EFFoST conference. Join global experts, scientists, industry leaders, policymakers, and students from diverse food-related fields.
Further information
Website [post_title] => 38th EFFoST International Conference 2024 [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => 38th-effost-international-conference-2024 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-12-03 14:59:22 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-12-03 14:59:22 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://ilsi.eu/?post_type=event&p=14172 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => event [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [4] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 14554 [post_author] => 351 [post_date] => 2024-05-29 09:20:08 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-05-29 09:20:08 [post_content] =>About the event
The Synergy Days is the most important conference connecting the digital innovators of the European agri-food sector.
Building onto the legacy of the SmartAgriHubs project, for 3 years in a roll, the event offers a space for our community to meet, debate and exchange knowledge. We connect the dots in the agri-food sector by bringing together EU projects, policy-makers, European and Digital Innovations Hubs, farmers and more.
You can expect two action-packed days of crucial discussions, workshops, live demonstrations, EU project pitches, designed to create more networking connections than ever before.
This year's edition will also feature a parallel event focused on the work of European Digital Innovation Hubs.
Registration
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This webinar explores human dietary exposure to nano- and microplastic particles, examining their sources, the reliability of studies assessing their effects, and their implications for human health, as highlighted in recent research and the WHO report.
During the webinar, we'll launch a Community of Practice (CoP) focused on advancing knowledge on micro- and nanoplastics in food and beverages, with the ultimate goal of safeguarding human health.