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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3rdHealthFerm Webinar: Microbiology and technology of sourdough production

We are happy to invite you to the HealthFerm webinar on 6th of November 2pm-3:30pm CET:

Microbiology and technology of sourdough production

Moderator: Jan de Vries, Nutrition Solutions, Gorssel, The Netherlands

Speakers:

  • Christophe Courtin: Introduction
  • Luc de Vuyst: Microbial aspects of sourdough production
  • Kati Katina: Technological and sensory aspects of sourdough production
  • Valery Gutsal: how do we use this knowledge in an industrial contex

Register for this free webinar here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5743386291592241757?source=hgf

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Introducing the new Board of HGF

We are happy to announce that HGF has a new Board with some fresh members! The new Board began its term at the start of 2024, and we had the opportunity to meet each other in person during the General assembly, which as held as a satellite meeting during the ICBC24 conference in Nantes, France on April 22.

Leading our new Board is Dr Krisfof Brijs who works as the Industrial Research Manager at the Lab of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry of KU Leuven in Belgium. Dr Ville Koistinen, who is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Eastern Finland and University of Turku, took the position of the Vice Chair. We are also happy to welcome back into the Board Professor Kati Katina from the University of Helsinki, who is one of the founders of the Forum, and Lovisa Martin Marais, a new member representing Lantmännen from Sweden.

While the new HGF Board is committed to maintaining the workshops and other events that we have been organizing in the past, we are also looking forward to renewing HGF so that it better serves all its members. To ensure that the Forum remains a dynamic and beneficial platform to all of us, we will soon be gathering feedback from all members. Our ordinary General Assembly and follow-up on the strategy workshop on June 5th (3 to 5 pm CET) is already approaching, hope to see you there!

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HGF joins ICBC24!

We are pleased to inform you that the Healthgrain Forum (HGF) is preparing to showcase its collaboration and activities at the 17th International Cereal and Bread Congress (ICBC24) in Nantes, France from April 22 – 25!

ICBC24 is organized by the International Association for Cereal Science and Technology (ICC) and is designed to offer a diverse range of informative sessions, each exploring various aspects of cereal science, ranging from the intricacies of agricultural policies to the progressive innovations of processing technologies.

“ICBC24 is a significant conference, serving as a meeting point for thought leaders, researchers, and industry professionals in the field of cereal science and technology“, adds Kristof Brijs, Chair of the Board of HGF.

Kicking off with a preliminary activity, the HGF General Assembly and strategy workshop are scheduled for Monday, April 22, 2024, from 16:00 to 18:00. During this meeting, Kristof Brijs, the recently appointed Chair of the Board of HGF, will elaborate on the goals and activities of HGF for the near future. This pre-conference platform will also offer members the opportunity to engage in strategic discussions. Furthermore, HGF will host a special session during the conference to highlight the research contributions of its esteemed members.

In order to enhance the ICBC24 experience, HGF members will receive exclusive benefits for this important conference. Members are eligible for an extended early bird rate until March 31st, 2024, along with an additional -25% discount for at least one member from your organization.

To receive these exclusive offers, HGF members are encouraged to reach out to office@icc.or.at for their registration code. Join this immersive experience designed to inspire, connect, and pave the way for the future of cereal science and technology.

Best regards,
The HGF Board

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HealthFerm Webinar | Health Aspects of Plant-Based Fermented Foods: A Point of View from the HealthFerm Project

HealthFerm is a European research project investigating innovative pulse and cereal-based food fermentations together with the health effects and consumer perception of novel fermented foods. Fermented foods have gained a reputation for being beneficial to health. However, with the exception of yogurt and other cultured dairy products, little concrete evidence exists for the actual health benefits of fermented foods. 

Therefore, the HealthFerm project performs several human intervention studies to better understand the interaction between food fermentation microbiomes, fermented grain-based foods and the human gut microbiome and how they support human health. A community-science approach plays a vital part in collecting diverse food fermentation microbiomes used to design innovative fermented plant-based foods with optimal health benefits.

Health Aspects of Plant-Based Fermented Foods: A Point of View from the HealthFerm Project

Feb 21, 2024 10:00 AM CET

Register Now!

*This webinar, conducted in English, is open to all and free of charge.

 

Webinar Overview: Unraveling the Health Aspects of Plant-Based Fermented Foods

This upcoming webinar will introduce you to the health aspects of plant-based fermented foods, focusing on insights from the HealthFerm project. Food fermentations are often said to improve the nutritional and health profile of fermented foods. In this webinar, we look at this from different angles. After covering the basics aspects of plant-based food fermentation and its consequences for the fermented foods, we look deeper into potential mechanisms for health benefits and end with a presentation on existing evidence for health effects of fermented foods. 

 

Speakers:

1. Prof. Christophe Courtin – KU Leuven

Abstract: In this introductory presentation, we first look at different types of fermentation and fermented foods. We then discuss why food fermentation has gained renewed interest in industry and society. In the third part, the consequences of fermentation for food composition are considered. Finally, some prospects regarding food fermentation research are presented.

2. Prof. Kristin Verbeke – KU Leuven

Abstract: The internet and popular media mention plenty of reasons why we should eat fermented food products. This presentation will delve deeper in the potential mechanisms that may explain the presumed health benefits of plant-based fermented foods. These mechanisms are not uniform for all fermented foods but depend on the type of food, the type of microorganism and the type of processing.

3. Prof. Marjukka Kolehmainen – University of Eastern Finland

Abstract: The presentation will explore the potential gut mediated health impact of plant based foods. After this critical discussion will focus on the current evidence on health impact of fermented plant based foods, and justification why fermentation could be regarded as improving the health impact of plant based foods.

 

Moderator: Jan de Vries, Communication Manager of the Healthgrain Forum

 

For more detailed information about the HealthFerm project, please visit: www.healthferm.eu. The project is funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed in this webinar belong to the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. The European Union and the granting authority cannot be held responsible for them.

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HGF Session at EFFoST 2023 – Join us there!

We are pleased to announce that HGF will have a Session at EFFoST 2023 – Sustainable Food and Industry 4.0: Towards the 2023 Agenda – 6-8 November 2023 | Valencia, Spain

The HGF Session “From innovation to product development gaining consumer acceptability – building sustainability in food system” will take place on November 7th from 16.30h to 18.30h CET and will be chaired by Jan de Vries (NutritionSolutions) and Silvia Folloni (Open Fields srl).

We prouldy present our speakers and talks:

16:30 16:35 Short introduction to Healthgrain Forum Silvia Folloni HGF
16:35 17:00 Cultivating sustainability: The green promise of grass proteins Kaisu Riihinen VTT, Finland
17:00 17:30 Sensory Profiling and Flavor Analysis of Faba Bean Ingredients and Extrudates Fabio Tucillo University of Helsinki, Finland
17:30 18:00 Advantages and Challenges of Using Pulse Flours in Food Applications: A Focus on Sustainability, Protein Enrichment, and Nutritional Benefits Kerstin Burseg GoodMills Innovation GmbH, Germany
18:00 18:30 Exploiting Genetic Variation to Improve the Composition and Health Benefits of Wheat Peter Shewry Rothamsted Research, UK

All conference details and programme can be found here.

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Join the TNO Symposium on Optimising Food and Fibre Composition – 20 September in Leiden, NL

HGF members are cordially invited to the TNO Symposium on Optimising Food and Fibre Composition for Enhancing Microbial and General Health on the 20th of September 2023 at Naturalis in Leiden!
This symposium emphasizes the importance of beneficial synergistic effects of combinations of fibres and their interactions with other compounds. It will present new insights and technologies for exploring and optimising synergistic effects and thereby contributing to personal and public health. Keynote: Bruce Hamaker, Distinguished Professor of Food Science, Purdue University, USA.

Moreover,  the end of 38 years at TNO of Jan-Willem van der Kamp will be celebrated!

Please find all the details online and please register before September 8th.

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HGF organizes a HealthFerm workshop on omics principles in fermentation technology – 4.9.2023 in Zürich

HGF is partner of the new EU Research Project HEALTHFERM, which targets with the help of community science the societal and industrial transition from traditional to sustainable plant-based fermented foods by design for a healthy everyday diet. 

HGF, with the support of ICC, organizes a workshop on omics principles in fermentation technology at the facilities of ETH Zürich, CH.

More detailed information about the programme is available here

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2ndHealthFerm Webinar on Nutrition and Health of Fermented Cereals and Pulses – Register Now!

HGF is partner of the new EU Research Project HEALTHFERM, which targets with the help of community science the societal and industrial transition from traditional to sustainable plant-based fermented foods by design for a healthy everyday diet. 

HGF, with the support of ICC, organizes the 2nd HealthFerm Webinar on the Impact of microbial fermentation on food composition and nutritional attributes.

This webinar will take place on 15 June 10.30-12.00 CEST and will introduce you in the science of digestive health and fermented cereals and pulses. How good foods are digested, is a fascinating topic that is considered to be relatively well understood, but with still large challenges to be solved. These challenges and the question what scientific evidence is available if it comes to fermented foods and (long term) health will be addressed during this webinar.
Speakers will be:
Prof. Kristin Verbeke – KU Leuven
Prof. Rikard Landberg – Chalmers University of Technology
Jan de Vries, Communication Manager of the HealthGrain Forum, will moderate this webinar.

This is a free webinar and will be held in English.

REGISTER HERE.

More detailed information about HealthFerm project is available here

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