Organizing Committee
Dr. Elsa M. Goncalves
Food Science and Technology Researcher
portugal
Dr. Elsa M. Goncalves
Food Science and Technology Researcherportugal
Biography
Dr. Elsa M. Goncalves is a researcher at INIAV, with expertise in food science and technology, sensory evaluation, and sustainable food systems. Her work focuses on the development and characterization of innovative and functional foods, with particular emphasis on future foods and forgotten foods, as well as on the application of emerging technologies and innovative packaging solutions to improve food quality, safety, and sustainability. She serves as the Portuguese representative in regulatory groups such as Codex Alimentarius and teaches at several universities as an invited lecturer. She has authored and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications and has been involved in national and international research projects. Dr. Gonçalves also contributes to the scientific community through editorial and peer-review activities for academic journals and regularly participates in international conferences.
Research Interest
Dr. Joao Carlos Martins Barreira
Polytechnic Institute of Braganca
Portugal
Dr. Joao Carlos Martins Barreira
Polytechnic Institute of BragancaPortugal
Biography
Dr. Joao Carlos Martins Barreira has a First degree in Biotechnological Engineering (1996-2001), MSc in Chemistry (2002-2005), PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (2007-2010), and Postdoc Researcher (2011-2017). Researcher at Mountain Research Center (CIMO) - Associate Laboratory for Sustainability and Technology in Mountain Regions (SusTEC), author of 154 scientific papers, 29 proceedings, 11 book chapters, 9 invited lectures in scientific meetings, 65 oral communications, and 142 poster communications (hindex = 44). Researcher in 17 funded projects, three as principal or co-principal investigator. Moderator/Chair in 8 Scientific Meetings, Supervisor of 5 PhD students and 10 MSc students, Jury in 11 PhD Thesis and 31 MSc Dissertations, Teacher of 31 curricular units across 36 academic semesters.
Research Interest
Asst. Prof. Ana Sofia Fonseca Ramos
Health Sciences and Technology School
Portugal
Asst. Prof. Ana Sofia Fonseca Ramos
Health Sciences and Technology SchoolPortugal
Biography
Ana Sofia Fonseca Ramos is an Assistant Professor at Universidade Lusófona with a PhD in Health Sciences and a background in Biotechnology Engineering. Her research integrates bioinformatics, computational biology, and cancer research, with a focus on identifying diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, elucidating tumor microenvironment progression-related mechanisms, and discovering novel therapeutic inhibitors. She has extensive hands-on experience in next-generation sequencing (NGS) data analysis, including bulk RNA-seq, network and pathway analysis, metagenomics, and artificial intelligence approaches applied to drug discovery. More recently, her research interests have expanded to nutrigenomics and inflammation-related mechanisms, particularly in the context of ageing.
Research Interest
Dr. Jerish Joyner Janahar
Mississippi State University
United States
Dr. Jerish Joyner Janahar
Mississippi State UniversityUnited States
Biography
Dr. Jerish Joyner Janahar, Ph.D., is a food process engineer and researcher, currently serving as a postdoctoral associate at the Mississippi State University’s Coastal Research and Extension Center. His research is at the forefront of non-thermal food processing techniques, specifically the application of high pressure processing systems including ultra-shear technology and ultra-high pressure homogenization to process plant-dairy protein based foods. His work is characterized by a multidisciplinary approach to food engineering, quality characterization, and process development. With a career spanning key leadership roles in the food industry and academia, Dr. Janahar brings a unique perspective on translating fundamental food research into industrial applications. An elected member of the Phi Tau Sigma and Sigma Xi honor societies, he has been honored with the Outstanding Graduate Research Award and Brown D.H. & V.R. scholarship from The Ohio State University. He is an active contributor to the scientific community, with extensive experience as a peer reviewer for journals and grant agencies. Further, Dr. Janahar serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, International Journal of Food Studies, Journal of Food Research and Journal of Food Studies.
Research Interest
Prof. Dr. Muhammet Irfan AKSU
Professor of Food Engineering Ataturk University
Turkiye
Prof. Dr. Muhammet Irfan AKSU
Professor of Food Engineering Ataturk UniversityTurkiye
Biography
Prof. Dr. Muhammet İrfan Aksu began his academic career in 1993. He has been working as a professor in the Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Türkiye, since 2013. His areas of expertise are meat science and technology, as well as poultry meat processing technology. In recent years, he has focused on determining the properties of plant powders obtained by lyophilization and spray drying and their usability in meat products. He continues his research with technologies such as ultra-high-pressure homogenization and ultrasound.
Research Interest
Prof. Arzu Akpinar Bayizit
Food Engineering at Bursa Uludag University
Turkey
Prof. Arzu Akpinar Bayizit
Food Engineering at Bursa Uludag UniversityTurkey
Biography
Arzu Akpinar Bayozit is a Full-time Professor in the Department of Food Engineering at Bursa Uludag University. She also serves as the Vice Director of the university's Science and Technology Application and Research Center, a position she has held since 2018. She earned her B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Uludag University and obtained her Ph.D. in Applied Sciences from the University of Hull in the United Kingdom in 1997. Her academic work encompasses extensive research in food science and technology, with a particular focus on Her research focuses primarily on food science and technology, with specific expertise in: Functional Foods and Fermentation (researching probiotics, prebiotics, and traditional fermented foods like kefir, table olives, and boza), Microalgae and Biotechnology (investigating Spirulina platensis and other microalgae for bioactive compounds, pigments, and single-cell oil production), and Food Chemistry (analyzing fatty acid profiles, antioxidant capacity, and the nutritional value of various food matrices). Additionally, she has supervised numerous master's and doctoral theses and managed various scientific research projects funded by TUBITAK and the university. She has also authored multiple book chapters and published extensively in international peer-reviewed journals.
Research Interest
Dr. Diako Khodaei
Dundalk Institute of Technology
Ireland
Dr. Diako Khodaei
Dundalk Institute of TechnologyIreland
Biography
Dr. Diako Khodaei is Assistant Lecturer and researcher focused on advancing sustainable food systems by valorising food waste, underutilised crops, and by-products into high-value products. His expertise includes functional food development, bioactive compound profiling, edible and biodegradable packaging, and advanced analytical techniques such as GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS for food safety and quality analysis.
He has worked across academia and industry in Ireland, Canada, and Iran, leading research on sustainable food production, functional foods, and novel packaging technologies. His specific interests include food technology, functional foods, hydrocolloids, food flavour chemistry, sustainable packaging, and the development of value-added products from food industry side streams.
Dr Khodaei enjoys collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to generate innovative solutions for current and future challenges in food and culinary science, with a strong commitment to sustainability, consumer health, and industry engagement.
Research Interest
