We are proud to introduce this year’s Local Organizing Committee (LOC)—a distinguished group of leading experts whose diverse expertise ensures the conference will address the most pressing challenges and emerging trends in the food sector.
Cristina L.M Silva
Cristina is an Associate Professor at the School of Biotechnology of Universidade Católica Portuguesa (ESB-UCP) and leads the Food Engineering and Packaging Lab (CBQF). Her research focuses on food processing, processing optimization, predictive microbiology, and food safety. She is also a key player in shaping food engineering education through her role as coordinator of the ESB-UCP Master’s in Food Engineering, counselor for IAFoST, chair of the IUFoST Oversight Group on Education, and member of the advisory committee of ISEKI-Food. Cristina will chair this year’s conference together with her colleague Teresa Brandão.
Teresa Brandão
Teresa is an Auxiliary Researcher in the “Food and Nutrition” Research Line and the “Food Engineering and Packaging” Group at CBQF. Her research focuses primarily on thermal and mild non-thermal food processes, including ozone and ultrasound-based technologies, UV-C radiation, and cold plasma, as well as the valorization of food waste. Teresa has been extensively involved in numerous national and international projects with universities and industry partners and also acts as a consultant on several initiatives related to biowaste reduction and reuse. Teresa will chair this year’s conference together with her colleague Cristina L.M. Silva.
António Vicente
António is Vice-Dean of the School of Engineering and Director of the Doctoral College at the University of Minho, where he also serves as Professor in the Department of Biological Engineering. A Senior Member of the Portuguese Engineers Association, his research focuses on micro- and nanotechnological systems for application in the agri-food sector, as well as the effects of electric fields on cells and biomolecules. He has published extensively, holds five patents, and received the Food and Nutrition Awards in 2015 and 2017 in the R&D category.
Paula Teixeira
Paula is a Full Professor and Associate Dean at ESB-UCP, where she also leads the Food & Nutrition Research Line and the Food Microbiology Group at CBQF. Her research focuses on the ecology, transmission, and control of foodborne pathogens, adopting a One Health approach. Paula has led numerous national and international projects and collaborates extensively with industry and public institutions. She is recognized among the top 2% most cited scientists in her field and was honored as a “Woman in Science” by Ciência Viva in 2023.
Maria Manuela Estevez Pintado
Manuela Pintado is a Full Professor and Associate Director at the School of Biotechnology of ESB-UCP, Director of CBQF, President of the European Biotechnology Research Institute (EBRI), and Head of the Bioactives and Bioproducts Research Group. Her research focuses on developing bioactive ingredients, valorizing agri-food by-products through bioprocesses, and applying these innovations across biotechnological fields. Manuela Pintado is also recognized among the world’s top-cited researchers in Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry over the past five years, due to her extensive contributions to agri-food projects.
Ana Maria Gomes
Ana Maria is an Associate Professor and coordinator of the Master’s in Biotechnology and Innovation and the Post-Graduate Courses at ESB-UCP. She is also Vice-President of the Management Board of Integralar – the knowledge division of PortugalFoods – and leads the Nutrition and Health Group at the CBQF Research Center. Her research focuses on the multifunctionalization of food with pro- and prebiotics, microbiome health, and the valorization of marine resources, cereals, legumes, and bioactive compounds. She has coordinated numerous national and international interdisciplinary projects and is active in scientific communication and student supervision.
Deolinda Silva
Deolinda is the Executive Director of PortugalFoods – the Association for Agrifood Internationalization and Innovation – and has managed the Portuguese Agrifood Cluster since 2017. Previously, she worked at the Portuguese Innovation Agency, where she was responsible for the analysis and technical monitoring of research and innovation projects. Her expertise focuses on knowledge transfer, the economic valorization of technology, and innovation ecosystems within the biotechnology and agri-food sectors.
Our LOC members are working hard to ensure a well-coordinated and productive 39th EFFoST Conference, featuring engaging topics aligned with today’s priorities in food-related fields. Join world-renowned researchers, scientists, policymakers, professionals, and students from diverse multidisciplinary backgrounds to share the latest developments.
To learn more about our LOC members, visit the conference page.
Stay tuned for more updates on the conference and do not miss your early bird registration until 5th September.