Food production technologies, innovative raw materials, nutrition and human health, and food safety were the main themes of the 23rd Young Researchers’ Scientific Conference “Food Safety and Quality”, jointly organised by the InLife Institute, the Faculty of Food Science at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (UWM), and the UWM Student Research Group for Plant Raw Material Processing.
The conference featured 18 young speakers, who presented their research findings in three thematic sessions: Food Technology, Dietetics and Health, and Food Safety and Quality. Presentations covered topics such as innovative food products, fermentation, the properties of food components, the effects of diet on metabolism, and microbiological hazards.
Topics relating to human health and food safety prompted particularly lively discussion. These included the effects of different types of dietary fat on the body, the immunomodulatory properties of proteins from yoghurt bacteria, hazards associated with Listeria monocytogenes, and the safety of new food processing technologies.
The conference opened with a lecture by Anna Kaliszewska-Suchodoła, PhD, Eng., entitled “Science that works – how research translates into innovation in industry”, which highlighted the importance of cooperation between science and industry.
A key part of the event was the presentation of awards for outstanding talks.
The awards went to:
- Patrycja Topka for research on chocolates enriched with bioactive compounds
- Agnieszka Bachmura for her work on the effects of dietary fats on lipid metabolism in the skin
- Oskar Nowak for research on hybrid products combining meat and plant ingredients.
Jakub Kasar, the youngest participant at the conference, received a distinction for his presentation on the regulatory effects of proteins from yoghurt bacteria.
The event was held under the honorary patronage of the Marshal of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, the Rector of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, and the Committee on Food and Nutrition Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
Once again, the conference demonstrated the value of meetings that enable young researchers to present their achievements, engage in scientific discussion, and establish cooperation between research institutions.
