Dear Participants,

We, the University of Food Technologies, are privileged and honored to warmly invite you to participate in the 13th Central European Congress on Food 2026 (CEFood 2026), which will be held in the oldest living city in Europe – Plovdiv, Bulgaria, from September 23rd to September 26th 2026.

CEFood 2026 will be hosted at the prestigious Radisson Hotel Plovdiv, offering an excellent setting for academic exchange and collaboration in the vibrant cultural heart of Plovdiv. As the European Capital of Culture in 2019, Plovdiv provides a unique blend of history, innovation, and cultural heritage that will enrich the congress experience. Being one of the oldest cities in Europe and a leading educational and research hub, Plovdiv serves as an inspiring location for fostering scientific dialogue and innovation. 

We invite researchers, scholars, professionals, and enthusiasts in the fields of food science and technology, and related topics to present their latest findings and innovations. The scientific program will also encompass areas such as biotechnology, food engineering and industrial technologies, tourism and hospitality, as well as interdisciplinary topics that connect science with practice. Inspiring plenary lectures will serve as the cornerstone for each session in the final program, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration across diverse domains.

Prof. Galin Ivanov, DSc – Rector of UFT and Honorary Congress Chairman

Prof. Georgi Kostov, DSc – Congress Chairman

Topics

General topics: Circularity & Consumer Science; Emerging Technologies & Education; Functional & Future Foods; One Health & Omics; Open Innovation & Opportunities; Digital & Green Dimensions

Detailed topics

Committees

Local Organizing Committee (LOC)

Georgi Kostov, Galin Ivanov, Georgi Dobrev, Dessislav Balev, Albert Krastanov, Venelina Popova, Plamen Mollov, Kiril Mihalev, Vesela Shopska, Rositsa Denkova-Kostova, Anton Slavov, Tzveta Luizova-Horeva, Kostadin Fikiin, Sonia Burgudzhieva, Gabriéla Versteeg, Dessislava Vangelova

Scientific Committee

Dasha Mihaylova, Diana Bogueva, Diego Garcia Gonzalo, Alain Le Bail, James Carson, Angela Capece, Stefan Dragoev, Velizar Gochev, Cristina Luísa Silva, Manubu Watanabe, Charles Brennan

International Advisory and Honorary Committee

Peter Raspor, Diána Bánáti, Kostadin Fikiin, Kata Galić, Peter Šimko, Viktor Nedović, Vladimir Kakurinov, Ovidiu Tița, Zlatan Sarić

The members of the International Advisory and Honorary Committee understand and exercise their responsibility in promoting CEFood in their countries at all relevant scientific and professional levels and circles.

Call for Abstracts

Аll interested participants are welcomed to submit an abstract at CEFOOD2026@uft-plovdiv.bg in accordance with the guidelines provided below. All accepted abstracts will be included in an official electronic publication.
The deadline for abstract submission is May 1, 2026.

Abstract_template_CEFOOD26

Congress journals

BIO Web of Conferences (https://www.bio-conferences.org/) is an Open Access publication series dedicated to archiving conference proceedings dealing with all fundamental and applied research aspects in the fields of life sciences. All traditional areas of biology, such as physiology, botany, zoology, genetics and microbiology, as well as related fields such as biomedical, pharmacology, agriculture and agri-food are covered by the aims and scope of the journal. Interdisciplinary areas such as biochemistry, biophysics, biodiversity, bioengineering and biotechnology are also in the fields of publication of BIO Web of Conferences.

BIO Web of Conferences offers a wide range of services from the organization of the submission of conference proceedings to the worldwide dissemination of the conference papers. It provides an efficient archiving solution, ensuring maximum exposure and wide indexing of scientific conference proceedings.

Proceedings are published under the scientific responsibility of the conference editors.

Selected publications from the participation in the congress will be published within the framework of the participation fee in the indexed journal of UFT-Plovdiv

“Food science and applied biotechnology” (e-ISSN: 2603-3380; DOI prefix: 10.30721; Edited by: Stefan G. Dragoev) (https://www.ijfsab.com/index.php/fsab).

Food Science and Applied Biotechnology (e-ISSN: 2603-3380) is an international journal that provides an advanced forum for studies related to the fundamentals and innovations in food science and applied biotechnology.

It is a double-blind peer-reviewed journal that publishes high-quality research papers in the areas of food science and technology, applied biotechnology, bioprocess engineering, food process engineering, food chemistry and biochemistry, food microbiology and safety, food ecology and toxicology, food and nutrition, dietetics and catering. The journal ensures rapid turnaround time for reviews and publication.

Food Science and Applied Biotechnology publishes original research papers, review articles, including critical reviews, short communications and technical notes on the latest developments in food science and applied biotechnology, with a strong emphasis on originality and scientific quality.