By Mohammad Abdur Rahman
The International Conference on Food Science & Nutrition brought together researchers from the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America to discuss food safety, emerging processing technologies, sustainable food production, and personalized nutrition. The program also featured research exploring how nutritional needs change in response to the body's physiological demands.
Held virtually on November 2–3, FOODCON 2026 was organized by Prism Scientific Services and hosted in Florida. The scientific program featured presentations by researchers affiliated with Harvard University, the University of Maine, George Washington University, and other academic and research institutions worldwide.
A central theme of the conference was the practical application of scientific research, from detecting potentially harmful contaminants in food to developing functional ingredients and more individualized approaches to nutrition.
The conference was chaired by Dr. Gulsun Akdemir Evrendilek, an Associate Extension Professor at the University of Maine specializing in food microbiology, food safety, innovative food processing technologies, and seafood technology. Her research includes high-pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, and other technologies designed to improve food safety.
"The value of FOODCON 2026 lies in bringing together researchers who approach nutrition and food safety from different scientific perspectives. Today's challenges in these fields can't be addressed through a single discipline. We need collaboration among microbiologists, food scientists, nutrition researchers, and healthcare professionals. This interdisciplinary exchange is what makes the conference scientifically valuable," said Dr. Gulsun Akdemir Evrendilek.
Food safety and advances in quality control were among the major topics on the agenda. Dr. Akdemir Evrendilek opened the scientific program with a presentation examining how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) enter food systems, the risks associated with these contaminants, and potential strategies for reducing exposure.
Heng Hui Gan, representing Kairos Integrated Food Solutions in Singapore, discussed food safety management from an auditor's perspective, focusing on oversight and compliance practices within the food industry.
Nazmul H. Nazir of Bangladesh Agricultural University examined food safety governance in Bangladesh and opportunities to strengthen collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals.
Paula Dominguez of the Public University of Navarre in Spain presented research on ozonated olive oil as a natural antimicrobial treatment for meat preservation. Her presentation addressed technological performance, oxidative stability, and microbiological safety. Cielo Char of the University of Chile explored the emulsification of natural antimicrobial compounds and the evaluation of their effectiveness in plant-based beverages.
The program also addressed the relationship between nutrition and physiological processes. Dr. Jack Timothy Rogers of Harvard University discussed the role of iron, metal toxicity, and mechanisms associated with neurodegenerative decline. Dr. Jiyoung Lee of George Washington University presented research on metabolic biomarkers associated with resistant starch consumption and their relationship to women's metabolic health.
"One of the strengths of the scientific program is its combination of fundamental research and issues with direct practical relevance. The work presented by Dr. Jack Timothy Rogers and Dr. Jiyoung Lee demonstrates the growing importance of understanding how dietary components interact with physiological processes. Research into new food safety technologies is equally relevant. These presentations allow us to examine findings across different disciplines and identify promising directions for future research," Dr. Akdemir Evrendilek said.
Another major focus of the conference's first day was personalized nutrition, particularly how dietary recommendations can be adapted to individual health needs, physiological conditions, and levels of physical activity.
Natalia Prato of the Guatemalan Autonomous Sports Confederation presented evidence-based nutritional strategies for injury prevention in female athletes. Her presentation examined the role of nutrition in supporting physical performance and reducing risks associated with athletic training.
Nutritional support during pregnancy was another notable topic within the personalized nutrition program.
Anastasiia Shapovalova, a nutrition coach certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM, USA), prenatal fitness instructor, and author of scientific articles, presented a trimester-adapted approach to maternal nutrition. Her presentation, “Trimester-adapted nutritional support as a cofactor of functional loading in pregnancy,” explored an individualized assessment algorithm for maternal nutritional needs, allowing specialists to account for changes in a woman's well-being and adjust dietary recommendations based on her physiological state. The presentation also examined how this approach could support collaboration among nutrition professionals, prenatal fitness specialists, and healthcare providers involved in maternal care.
"Among the presentations on personalized nutrition, I'd particularly highlight Anastasiia Shapovalova's work on adapting nutritional support throughout pregnancy. This is an especially important and sensitive area because a woman's nutritional needs change significantly over the course of pregnancy. Recommendations must account for more than general nutrient intake guidelines. They also need to reflect the stage of pregnancy, current well-being, and individual physiological needs. The value of this approach lies in systematically bringing these factors together and aligning nutritional support with the body's everyday functional demands at each stage of pregnancy. Research in this area offers opportunities for further interdisciplinary work in maternal health," Dr. Akdemir Evrendilek emphasized.
Shapovalova explained that one of the reasons she developed her method was the lack of a unified framework for coordinating nutritional recommendations with physical activity during pregnancy.
"In sports nutrition, diet has long been considered an integral part of training. During pregnancy, however, nutritional guidance and physical activity recommendations are often developed separately. My methodology, Functional Method of Pregnancy Support: A Trimester-Adapted Protocol for the Integration of Breathing Control, Functional Loading and Nutritional Support, brings these areas together, taking into account physiological changes and nutritional needs throughout pregnancy. In the first trimester, the focus is on folate, regular meals, and hydration. In the second, protein, calcium, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids become priorities. In the third, attention shifts to iron, fiber, and fluid intake. A woman's current symptoms also matter. Weakness may warrant an assessment of iron status, muscle cramps may prompt a review of magnesium and fluid intake, and nausea may call for changes in meal timing and frequency. These symptoms alone don't confirm a nutrient deficiency. This approach allows professionals to tailor nutritional support to individual needs while coordinating it with appropriate physical activity," Shapovalova explained.
According to Shapovalova, participating in FOODCON 2026 also provided an opportunity to exchange professional knowledge with researchers from other disciplines and learn about their work.
"What I valued most was the opportunity not only to present my own methodology and research findings, but also to learn about the work of scientists from different countries. Conferences like this give us a chance to approach familiar professional challenges from new perspectives, discover different methods, and apply that knowledge in our future work. I believe this exchange of ideas is what makes participation valuable for every speaker," Shapovalova said.
Sustainable food production, the use of food processing byproducts, and innovative processing technologies formed another major part of FOODCON 2026, with these topics taking center stage during the conference's second day.
Gulden Goksen of Tarsus University in Turkey presented research on developing bio-based materials for active food packaging using circular economy principles. Sibel Uzuner of Izmir Institute of Technology, also in Turkey, examined the use of 3D printing to produce bioactive edible films for sustainable food packaging applications.
Maria Gloria Lobo Rodrigo of the Canarian Institute of Agricultural Research in Spain discussed the industrial potential of byproducts from tropical and subtropical fruit processing. Gaganajit Singh of Guru Nanak College in India presented research on extracting proteins from fruit and vegetable seeds, examining their functional properties and potential applications in sustainable food production.
Rocío Jiménez de la Peña Armada of Complutense University of Madrid in Spain explored how agricultural and food processing byproducts can be transformed into functional food ingredients. Silvia Matiacevich of the University of Santiago de Chile discussed technologies for converting agro-industrial waste into value-added food ingredients.
Together, the presentations at FOODCON 2026 covered several interconnected areas of modern food science and nutrition, including food safety, personalized nutritional support, and sustainable production technologies. The research highlighted the close relationship among food technology, nutrition science, and healthcare. From improving food quality control to developing individualized dietary approaches and making better use of food resources, these topics reflect current scientific priorities and the potential for research to inform practical applications.
MBTpg/MSM