Healthgrain Forum & HealthFerm Joint Special Session at DF26

We are pleased to announce that Healthgrain Forum will be joining forces with the HealthFerm project for a joint Special Session at the 9th International Conference on Dietary Fibre (DF26), taking place October 6–8, 2026, in Norwich, UK.

The Special Session, scheduled for 16:30–18:00, on Wednesday, October 7, will be co-chaired by Christophe Courtin, HealthFerm Coordinator (KU Leuven, BE), and Kristof Brijs, Healthgrain Forum Chair (KU Leuven, BE).

Following an introduction by the Chairs, the programme includes:

  • Emanuele Zannini (University College Cork, IE) — Closing the Fibre Gap through Multi-Fibre Reformulation of Staple Foods: Technological, Nutritional and Digestibility Implications
  • Victor Castro Alves (Örebro University, SE) — Beyond Physicochemical Properties and Fermentation: Bioactive Oligomers as Overlooked Mediators of Dietary Fibre Functionality and Health
  • Vilma Liikonen (University of Eastern Finland, FI) — Gut-related Health Effects of Oat-based Yoghurt Alternative in Individuals with Increased Cardiometabolic Risk
  • Tbc: Food fermentation and fibre in an industrial context

The session will conclude with an open discussion.

This joint session reflects the shared commitment of Healthgrain Forum and HealthFerm to bridging academic research and industry application in advancing fibre-rich, fermented cereal and pulse-based foods for human health. We look forward to seeing many of you there!

As a member of the Healthgrain Forum, your organization is entitled to a 20% discount on Early Bird Registration for DF26, for up to two participants — yet another good reason to be part of our growing network of grain and fibre specialists. If your organization is not yet a member, now is a great time to join: membership connects you with leading researchers and industry experts, gives you a voice in shaping the future of grain and fibre science, and comes with practical benefits like this one. You can find out how to join here.

If you would like to attend, you can register for DF26 here. Before you register, please contact office@icc.or.at to obtain the discount code.
For more information on the conference, visit dietaryfibre.org, and to learn more about the HealthFerm project, visit healthferm.eu.
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New Healthgrain Forum Board for 2026

We are happy to announce the Healthgrain Forum Board for the new term, which began in spring 2026.

Leading the Board for a continuing term is Dr Kristof Brijs, Industrial Research Manager at the Lab of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry of KU Leuven in Belgium, together with Vice Chair Dr Ville Koistinen, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Eastern Finland and University of Turku. They are joined by returning Board members Jan de Vries (Communications Manager, De Vries Nutrition Solutions), Silvia Folloni (Open Fields), Veronika Haslinger (ICC), and Alexandra Meynier (Mondelez International R&D).

We are also delighted to welcome two new members to the Board. Noora Mäkelä-Salmi is a University Lecturer in Grain Science and Technology and Principal Investigator at the University of Helsinki, Finland, where her research focuses on the interactions of grain macromolecules and their role in food structure formation. Bernard Bonjean is Senior R&D Manager for the Grains & Seeds category at Puratos, based in Belgium, bringing over 27 years of industry experience in product development and innovation built on yeast and sourdough fermentation, and has been an active contributor to Healthgrain Forum working groups since 2023.

We would like to sincerely thank outgoing Board members Cristiano Paganoni, Professor Kati Katina, and Lovisa Martin Marais for their valuable contributions and dedication to the Forum over the past term.

The full list of current Board members, along with their profiles, can be found on our Board page.

The new Board looks forward to continuing to build a dynamic and beneficial platform for all our members, and to strengthening collaboration between academia and industry in advancing whole-grain and fibre research.

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