The fifth edition of the FoodYouTrust International Symposium took place on 13–14 March 2025 in the Senate Hall of the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, as part of BIOFEST. The theme, “Restoring Consumer’s Trust. Tackling Food Fraud for a Safer Future”, focused on food fraud: how it is detected, how it is prevented and how consumer trust is won back. The official opening was held in the Radu Voinea Amphitheatre (AN010).
Download the symposium agenda (PDF)
Day 1 – Thursday, 13 March 2025
- Official opening of BIOFEST and FoodYouTrust; addresses by the authorities – Sebastian Ioan Hotca, Vice-President, National Authority for Consumer Protection; a representative of the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority
- Trust on the plate? The laboratory can swear on… tomatoes! In Food we trust! – Dr. Eng. Alexandru Cîrîc, General Manager, ICA Research & Development; Faculty of Biotechnical Systems Engineering, NUST POLITEHNICA Bucharest
- Developing and managing private label – opportunities and challenges – Oana Barna, Quality Management Director, PENNY – REWE România
- How to make fake wine correctly? Comparative wine tasting – Dr. Eng. Mihaela Dana Pop, General Manager, Wine Doctor
- Solutions for building an Environmental Monitoring Programme (EMP): Neogen Clean-Trace System – Attila Kiss, Neogen Channel Manager Central and Eastern Europe, Neogen – Noack Romania
- Applicability of chromatographic techniques in food safety and food fraud – Eng. Georgiana Birda, Regional Sales Director, Muso
- Minimising food contamination risks by selecting the right equipment – Mihai Alin Brînzoi, Hygienic Division Manager, Verder
- Innovations and essential solutions for food safety – Carmen Popescu, Marketing Manager, Industry Department, Mediclim
- From detecting food adulteration to food safety with Scharlau reagents and culture media – Ana Maria Ștefănică, Novachim Trading
- Allergens within the Environmental Monitoring Programme (EMP) – Attila Kiss, Neogen – Noack Romania
Day 2 – Friday, 14 March 2025
- The importance of education and training of specialists in biotechnical systems engineering – Prof. Dr. Eng. Sorin-Ștefan Biriș, Dean of the Faculty of Biotechnical Systems Engineering, NUST POLITEHNICA Bucharest
- Short guide to preventing food fraud at the industrial level – Prof. Dr. Eng. Mihaela Begea, Research Director, ICA Research & Development; Faculty of Biotechnical Systems Engineering, NUST POLITEHNICA Bucharest
- A campaign in the interest of the consumer: “What’s in our food?” – Mădălina Iacob, journalist, Observator
- Meeting the challenge: comprehensive molecular solutions for food authenticity – Łukasz Stypiński
- Microbiology under the Avantor umbrella – what the labs need from suppliers – Sanda Tuță, Chemicals Specialist Romania, VWR International
- Food control: myth or reality? – Dr. Biol. Adrian Arsintescu, Business Specialist, Shimadzu
- Innovative methods for identifying food fraud – Dr. Biol. Simona Rotaru, Food&Vet Director, Diamedix Impex
Workshop “You are what you eat”, organised by the Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania, with Prof. Dr. Eng. Dan Vodnar (corresponding member of the Romanian Academy, Dean of the Faculty of Food Science and Technology, USAMV Cluj-Napoca), Dr. Eng. Bogdan Păcularu (researcher, FDVDR fellow), Andrei Roșu (social entrepreneur and endurance athlete) and Elena Coșbuc (nutritionist). The workshop saw the launch of “Pâinea care ne întinerește” (“The bread that makes us younger”).
Organisers and partners
Organisers: ICA Research & Development and the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest – Faculty of Biotechnical Systems Engineering. Gold partner: Noack. Silver partners: AMS 2000, Muso, Avantor, Diamedix Diagnostica, Shimadzu, Mediclim, Verder. Retail partner: PENNY.