Early Career Scientist Event 2025: Young scientists discussed the future of food safety

The Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology of the University of Chemical Technology in Prague hosted the prestigious international conference of young scientists Early Career Scientist Event 2025. This year’s edition focused on the future of food safety and innovative approaches to ensuring it.

On October 10 2025, the University of Chemical Technology in Prague welcomed participants to the international conference Early Career Scientist Event 2025 – Food Safety for Tomorrow: Uncovering Hidden Risks, Shaping Safer Futures.

The event brought together more than 70 young scientists from various European countries who shared their insights, presented their research, and discussed current challenges in the field of food quality and safety.

The Early Career Scientist Event series, initiated in 2018 by ILSI Europe and its Food Contaminants Task Force, has since become a prestigious annual event, organized in collaboration with universities across Europe.

The Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology of the University of Chemical Technology Prague was a proud co-organizer of this year’s 7th edition, which was held under the patronage of the European Parliament.

The conference provided a unique platform for early-career researchers to present their work, establish new professional connections, and deepen their understanding of key topics in food quality and safety.

The scientific program was divided into four thematic sections:

• Hidden Threats: Emerging Contaminants in Food and the Environment
• The Future of Food Safety: New Approach Methodologies in Risk Assessment
• Safe and Sustainable: Navigating the Risks of Alternative Protein
• Unseen Risks: Volatile Allergens and Toxins in Aromas and Flavourings  

The program also included a Live Case Study entitled From Risk Assessment to Management, panel discussion on Stronger Science, Safer Food: The Importance of Collaboration between Sectors and poster session where participants showcased their research findings.

Special recognition goes to the winners of the scientific competitions.

The winners of the best poster awards were (i) Tereza Doležalová from the Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology of the University of Chemical Technology Prague with a poster on “Simulated digestion to assess the bioavailability of HT-2 and T-2 toxins bound to polysaccharides” and (ii) Shpresa Musa from the Technical University of Munich (Germany) with a poster on “CRISPR wheat: A solution to acrylamide concerns for food safety”.

 The winner of the best oral presentation award was Nikolaos Giannoulis from the University of Reading (UK) with a lecture on “A Clean-Label Approach: Combining HHP and Nisin to Control Listeria monocytogenes in Plant-Based Milk Alternatives”.  

The winner of the best video award on New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) was Marina Perez from AIMPLAS (Spain).  

We warmly congratulate all awardees and wish them continued success in their scientific careers!