7th Food Structure & Functionality Symposium
18-21 October 2026 | Palazzo Regionale dei Congressi, Grado, Italy
7th Food Structure & Functionality Symposium
The Food Structure and Functionality Forum (FSFF) is pleased to announce the 7th Food Structure and Functionality Symposium, which will be held in Grado, Italy from 18 to 21 October 2026.
#foodstructuresymposium
Focusing on food materials science as the foundation of next-generation food design, the 7th Food Structure and Functionality Symposium unites scientists and industry leaders to explore how structure, processing, and formulation can be tuned to create desirable functionality and eating quality.
Previous delegates have said:
“Highly relevant scope and attendance of world class researchers.”
“Comprehensive, well organized with internationally-recognised experts.”
“I learnt a lot from the sessions and gained valuable information about food structure analysis related to my research.”
“Very well organised, very good sponsors, excellent presentations and amazing topics about food science.”
“High scientific level talks, informative and engaging.”
Conference topics
Oral and poster abstracts are invited on the following topics and should be submitted using the online abstract submission system
Deadline: 8 May 2026
Mechanistic understanding of food structure transformation
Novel nature-inspired food materials
AI and advanced computational tools
New characterisation techniques
Organizers
This conference is organized by Elsevier and Food Structure and Functionality Forum.
Deadlines
Abstract submission deadline: 8 May 2026
Author notification deadline: 26 June 2026
Author registration deadline: 24 July 2026
Early booking deadline: 24 July 2026
Supporting publication
Food Structure is the premier international forum devoted to the publication of high-quality articles related to food structure and functionality. All articles must highlight the significance of the research findings for the foodscience community and/or industry.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
Structuring and de-structuring of dispersed food systems, such as emulsions and foams
Structuring and de-structuring of food systems containing hydrocolloids, crystals, particles and gels
Food structure design across the lifespan
Constructing food matrices for oral and gut functionality
Linking structure and functionality in foods using novel experimental and modelling approaches.
Food Structure special issue
Food Structure will publish a Special Issue related to the 7th Food Structure & Functionality Symposium. All presenters (oral and poster) at the conference are invited to submit a paper on their presented work for the Special Issue.
Further information will be available shortly.
The journal, Food Structure, is delighted to sponsor Best Graduate Poster Awards at the 6th Food Structure and Functionality Symposium.
All accepted poster authors, who register and present, will be eligible for a monetary prize and Best Poster Certificate.
Note that these awards are open for eligible graduate students only!
The Scientific Committee will conduct the review: criteria will include the quality of the poster; live presentation, and research.
History
6th Food Structure and Functionality Symposium: Meeting the sustainability challenge 6-9 October 2024 | Bruges, Belgium
5th Food Structure & Functionality Symposium Structuring Foods for a Sustainable World 18-21 September 2022 | Clayton Hotel Cork City, Cork, Ireland
4th Food Structure & Functionality Symposium 18 - 21 October 2021 | Online
Food Structure & Functionality Forum Online Mini Symposium 20th October 2020 | Online
3rd Food Structure and Functionality Forum Symposium - From Molecules to Functionality 3-6 June 2018, Montreal, Canada
2nd Food Structure and Functionality Forum Symposium - From Molecules to Functionality 28 February – 2 March 2016, Singapore
Food Structure and Functionality Forum Symposium from Molecules to Functionality 30 March – 2 April 2014, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Isaac Heertje Lifetime Achievement Award Winners
2024 Jose M. Aguilera, The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Chile
2022 Professor Alan Mackie, University of Leeds, UK
2018 Milos Kalab, Agriculture and Agri-Food, Canada
2016 Prof Nissim Garti, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
2014 Dr. Isaac Heertje, Unilever, The Netherlands
Young Scientist Award Winners
2024 Marta Martínez, Institute of Food Science Research (CIAL), Spain
2022 Fabio Valoppi, University of Helsinki, Finland
2021 Professor Tara Grauwet, Centre of Food and Microbial Technology, Laboratory of Food Technology (LFT), KU Leuven, Belgium.
2018 Andrew Gravelle, University of Guelph, Canada
Food Structure Best Graduate Poster Awards
2022
Konstantinos Korompokis, KU Leuven, Belgium - Novel enzymatic starch modification for tailoring its digestibility: an in vitro and in vivo study
Irene Wainaina, KU Leuven, Belgium - Kinetics of phytate hydrolysis in stored red kidney beans and the implication in hard-to-cook development
Daniela Freitas, Teagasc Food Research Centre , Ireland - Boiling vs baking: cooking methods influence cell wall integrity and the digestion of starch and protein from white and sweet potatoes in vitro
Isabel Kalinke, Technical University of Munich, Germany - Innovative solid-state microwave technology for the product-friendly and energy-efficient heating and drying of complex food products
2021 Talita Comunian, Teagasc, Ireland “Impact of molecular composition of gum arabic on complex formation and its interactions with soluble pea protein.”
Akane Matsumoto, Hiroshima University, Japan “Effects of water and pre-gelatinized starch on the rheological properties of pizza dough and the texture properties of pizza crust.”
Ram Raj Panthi, University College Cork, Ireland “Alkalinization of microfiltration retentate and rehydration characteristics of resulant micellar casein concentrate powder.”
Martina Klost, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany “Effect of pH during protein pre-treatment on rheological properties of pea protein gels.”
2016 L.C. Sow, National University of Singapore, Singapore A. Bhushani, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, India M. Schutyser, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
2014 Annelien Rigolle, KU Leuven, Belgium Meng Li, Teagasc Moorepark Food Research Center, Co. Cork, Ireland Rika Kobayashi, Nihon University, Japan