13th Central European Congress on Food – CEFood 2026

Organizer: University of food technologies

13th Central European Congress on Food - CEFood 2026

Date

September 23rd - 26th 2026

Hour

9:00 h.

Location

Radisson Hotel Plovdiv

Onsite Event

The congress is organized with the financial support of the National Science Fund of the Republic of Bulgaria under Contract No. KP-06-MNF/4 of 15 May 2026. The National Science Fund of the Republic of Bulgaria bears no responsibility for the content of the papers presented at the scientific forum, nor for the content of any advertising or other materials related thereto.

Invitation

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.

Instructions for Authors

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Presentation Length

Standard oral presentations should be designed for a 10-minute presentation, followed by 5-minute discussion time.
As a general guideline, presenters should prepare approximately 15–20 slides. While up to 20–22 slides may be manageable within a 10-minute presentation, this depends on the complexity of the content and speaking pace.

Recommended Font Sizes

To ensure readability in conference rooms and on large projection screens, the following minimum font sizes are recommended:

Element	Recommended Size
Presentation title	32–40 pt
Section headings	24–32 pt
Main text	20–24 pt
Figure and table captions	18–22 pt
References and acknowledgements	16–18 pt

Design Recommendations

Axis labels, legends, and annotations should be no smaller than 18–20 pt.
Avoid excessive text; a maximum of 5–7 bullet points per slide is recommended.
Ensure that all visual elements are legible
Test the presentation in full-screen mode before submission or presentation.

Following these recommendations will help ensure effective communication and optimal visibility during oral presentation sessions at CEFood 2026.

Kindly bring your presentation to the congress venue on a USB flash drive.

POSTERS

The following requirements are recommended for the preparation of an electronic poster for participation in CEFood 2026:

Element	Recommended Size
Poster title	60–90 pt
Author names	32–44 pt
Affiliations	24–32 pt
Section headings	32–44 pt
Main text	24–32 pt
Figure and table captions	20–24 pt
References and acknowledgements	18–22 pt

Poster format – 1920 x 1080 px (horizontal)

Presentation Length

Poster presentations should be designed for a 3-minute presentation, followed by 2 minutes for questions and discussion.

Graphics should be no smaller than approximately 15 × 10 cm (or the equivalent proportional space in the electronic format).

Axis labels, legends, and other graphical annotations should be at least 20–24 pt.

Tables should contain a limited number of rows and columns, with text no smaller than 20–22 pt.

Complex tables with small fonts and excessive amounts of data should be avoided.

Poster presentations will be accepted in electronic format only. Please submit your poster as a PDF file to cefood2026@uft-plovdiv.bg no later than 15 September 2026.

PRESENTATION TEMPLATES

Important: Authors are strongly encouraged to prepare both oral presentations and posters using the official CEFood 2026 templates.

Please download the templates below:

Oral Presentation Template – Presentation template
Poster Template – Poster template

Publication Options

The Organizing Committee of CEFood 2026 offers authors three publication options for the full papers arising from the Congress.

The submission platforms for the individual journals will open after 15 August 2026.

The deadline for full paper submission is 30 November 2026.

All submitted manuscripts will undergo the standard peer-review process in accordance with the editorial policies and requirements of the respective journals.

I. BIO Web of Conferences

Website: https://www.bio-conferences.org/

BIO Web of Conferences is indexed in Scopus, and all published papers are Open Access.

To submit your manuscript for publication in BIO Web of Conferences, please use the following submission platform, where you can download the manuscript template.

Yout must register and follow the instructions at:

https://scienwork.uft-plovdiv.bg/

II. Food Science and Applied Biotechnology

Website: https://www.ijfsab.com/index.php/fsab

Food Science and Applied Biotechnology is indexed in Scopus, and all published papers are Open Access.

To submit your manuscript for publication in Food Science and Applied Biotechnology, please use the journal’s submission platform:

https://www.ijfsab.com/index.php/fsab

Author Guidelines are available at:

https://www.ijfsab.com/index.php/fsab/about/submissions#authorGuidelines

III. Beverages

Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/beverages

Beverages is indexed in Scopus and Web of Science and is currently ranked in Q2. All published papers are Open Access.

Selected manuscripts within the scope of beverage research will be invited for publication in Beverages. The selection will be made by the Scientific and Organizing Committees of CEFood 2026.

Further information regarding manuscript submission to Beverages will be announced soon.

The Scientific and Organizing Committees reserve the right to recommend the transfer of manuscripts between the participating journals based on their scientific quality and scope.

Location

Radisson Hotel Plovdiv

https://hotelimperial.bg/

6 Lev Tolstoy Street, Plovdiv 4017, Bulgaria

Registration

Type of registration fee	Early bird registration fee /until 30 June/	Late and on-site registration fee /after 30 June/
Basic fee	200 EUR	260 EUR
Full fee	390 EUR	500 EUR
Reduced basic fee (EFFoST members)	180 EUR	220 EUR
Reduced full fee (EFFoST members)	350 EUR	450 EUR
Reduced basic fee (students, PhD students)	140 EUR	180 EUR
Reduced full fee (students, PhD students)	270 EUR	350 EUR
Industry member fee	700 EUR	900 EUR

The Basic Fee includes:
Access to the scientific programme and exhibition, delegate kit, certificate of participation, Book of Abstracts (electronic version), one publication (full-text paper in the Congress journal), coffee breaks, and a cocktail reception.

The Full Fee includes:
Access to the scientific programme and exhibition, delegate kit, certificate of participation, Book of Abstracts (electronic version), one publication (full-text paper in the Congress journal), coffee breaks, cocktail reception, three lunches, and two dinners.

Additional publication:
An extra full-text publication in the Congress journal can be requested and paid separately at the price of ЕUR 50.

All Fees include participation in the parallel event:

73rd International Scientific Conference

“Food Science, Engineering and Technologies – 2026”

Within the framework of CEFOOD 2026, the 73rd International Scientific Conference “Food Science, Engineering and Technologies – 2026” will be held as a parallel event. The scientific forum brings together the achievements of scientists, researchers, industry experts, entrepreneurs and innovators, who present their developments and research, thereby defining the leading trends for the development of the food industry. Within the framework of the conference, scientific reports and practical solutions will be presented in the following thematic areas: Food Science and Technology, Food Chemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Technology and Process Engineering in the Food Industry, Food, Nutrition and Dietetics and others.

The conference offers the opportunity to participate with plenary reports, oral and poster presentations, with the working language being English. After independent review, scientific articles are published in the journal BIO Web of Conferences, indexed in Scopus.

PAYMENT
Payment of conference fees in Euros (€) must accompany all registration forms. No registration will be confirmed until payment is received. The registration fee should be paid in advance using one of the following methods:

online by bank card via the registration platform
by bank transfer

INVOICING
CME Ltd issues invoices for all received registration fee payments. A letter of confirmation will be sent to all participants on receipt of the respective payment.

CANCELLATION POLICY
Only written cancellations to CME will be considered:

Before 15 June 2026 – 100% refund (excl. 20 euro for EU-citizens and 40 Euro for non-EU citizens for bank and administrative fee)
No refunds will be provided as of 15 June 2026 or for no shows.

Schedule

23/09/2026, Wednesday

24/09/2026, Thursday

25/09/2026, Friday

26/09/2026, Saturday

14:00 - 18:00Registration
18:00 - 19:30Poster session 1
20:00Welcome cocktail

9:00Official opening
9:45 - 10:30Plenary talk 1
10:30 - 10:45Coffee break
10:45 - 13:15Session 1 - Circularity & Consumer Science
13:15 - 14:15Lunch
14:15 - 15:00Plenary talk 2
15:00 - 15:30Coffee break
15:30 - 20:15Session 2 - Digital & Green Dimensions
15:30 – 16:05Poster session 2
18:15 – 20:15Workshop “Bulgarian wine and foods – tradition and innovations”
20:30 Dinner

9:00 – 9:45Plenary talk 3
9:45 – 10:15 Coffee break
10:15 – 11:15 Workshop: Non-conventional cold chains
10:15 – 13:15Session 3 - Emerging Technologies & Education
13:15 - 14:00Lunch
14:00 - 14:45Plenary talk 4
14:45 - 15:15Coffee break
15:15 - 18:00Session 4 - Functional & Future Foods and One Health & Omics
15:15 – 19:3073rd scientific conference “Food science, technique and technologies - 2026”
18:00 – 19:45Poster session 3
20:00 Official congress dinner /with folk music and Bulgarian dances/

9:00 – 9:45Plenary talk 5
9:45 – 10:30Plenary talk 6
10:30 – 10:45Plenary talk 7
10:45 – 11:15 Coffee break
11:15 – 13:30Session 5 – Open Innovation & Opportunities
13:30Congress closing
13:45 – 14:30Lunch

Program

Supporters & Partners

Speakers

Accommodation

Radisson Hotel Plovdiv

https://radissonplovdiv.bg/bg/nachalo/

6, Lev Tolstoy str., Plovdiv

Social Events

Guided Walking Tour of Plovdiv

Visit to the Thracian Cult Complex and Starosel Wine & Spa Complex

Visit to the University of Food Technologies – Plovdiv

Useful Information

GETTING THERE

Getting to Plovdiv

The main airport for Plovdiv is Sofia airport. Plovdiv has an existing air transport infrastructure, however the current traffic at Plovdiv Airport is pretty low and it operates mainly charter and low cost flights from/to London.

From/to Sofia there are many daily buses and trains. Buses heading to Plovdiv operate almost every hour of the day and the bus ride takes less than the train one, about 2 hours.

Organized transfers

The conference organizing partner (CME) will provide transfers from Sofia Airport to the conference hotel and back.

The cost for an individual transfer in one direction is 125 Euro. The price for a shared transfer is 65 Euro per person. Shared transfers may incur a little waiting time at the airport. In case you book a shared transfer, but finally remain a single passenger, then a supplement payment for individual transfer would be required.

Booking and payment can be done through the online system not later than 18 September 2026.

Getting to the venue

The address of Radisson Hotel Plovdiv is 6, Lev Tolstoy str. / 1A, Arch. Kamen Petkov str.

CITY TRANSPORT

Plovdiv does not have a metro, but it has a well-developed city bus network.

Taxis also provide a quick, convenient, and reasonably priced option for getting around the city.

PASSPORTS & VISAS

Bulgaria has the European Union’s Common Visa Policy as a member country accepting European citizens freely. All non-EU citizens are required to have a passport to enter the EU with the appropriate visas. Conference attendees are personally responsible for making their own visa arrangements. You can find out more about visas at https://www.mfa.bg/en/services-travel/consular-services/travel-bulgaria/visa-bulgaria.

However, if you need an invitation letter, please send a mail to petia@cmebg.com.

MONETARY SYSTEM

Bulgaria will adopt the Euro (EUR) as its official currency starting from January 1, 2026, and all payments, both in cash and by card, will be made in euros.

TIPPING

When a gratuity is not included in your bill, which is usually the case, 10% is customary. If service is outstanding, you could go as high as 15%. With taxi drivers, you usually just round up the sum if you have been happy with the ride or for the sake of convenience.

CLIMATE

The climate in Bulgaria is moderate continental with beautiful blooming spring, dry and hot summer, long and pleasant autumn, and mild winter with lots of opportunity for skiing.

At the end of September, the weather in Bulgaria is usually mild and pleasant with daily temperatures of around 22–25 °C. The weather in Plovdiv is usually milder and sunnier than the rest of the country.

You may check current weather in Plovdiv HERE.

TIME

Summer time: GMT + 3 hrs. (March through October)

ELECTRICITY

220 Volts, 50 Hz

Bulgaria uses CEE 7/4 (German “Schuko”) power plugs and sockets.

CONGRESS MANAGEMENT AND EVENTS Ltd.

www.cmebg.com

Petia Sokolova

petia@cmebg.com

Date

Hour

Location

Invitation

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.

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.

Instructions for Authors

Publication Options

The submission platforms for the individual journals will open after 15 August 2026.

The deadline for full paper submission is 30 November 2026.

I. BIO Web of Conferences

II. Food Science and Applied Biotechnology

III. Beverages

The Scientific and Organizing Committees reserve the right to recommend the transfer of manuscripts between the participating journals based on their scientific quality and scope.

Location

Radisson Hotel Plovdiv

Registration

The Basic Fee includes:Access to the scientific programme and exhibition, delegate kit, certificate of participation, Book of Abstracts (electronic version), one publication (full-text paper in the Congress journal), coffee breaks, and a cocktail reception.

The Full Fee includes:Access to the scientific programme and exhibition, delegate kit, certificate of participation, Book of Abstracts (electronic version), one publication (full-text paper in the Congress journal), coffee breaks, cocktail reception, three lunches, and two dinners.

Additional publication:An extra full-text publication in the Congress journal can be requested and paid separately at the price of ЕUR 50.

All Fees include participation in the parallel event:

73rd International Scientific Conference

“Food Science, Engineering and Technologies – 2026”

The conference offers the opportunity to participate with plenary reports, oral and poster presentations, with the working language being English. After independent review, scientific articles are published in the journal BIO Web of Conferences, indexed in Scopus.

Schedule

23/09/2026, Wednesday

24/09/2026, Thursday

25/09/2026, Friday

26/09/2026, Saturday

Supporters & Partners

Speakers

Prof. Alain Le-Bail

Assoc. Prof. Angela Capece

Assoc. Prof. James Carson

Prof. Stefan Dragoev

Prof. Diego Garcia Gonzalo

Prof. Manabu Watanabe

Sponsors

Accommodation

Radisson Hotel Plovdiv

Social Events

Guided Walking Tour of Plovdiv

Visit to the Thracian Cult Complex and Starosel Wine & Spa Complex

Visit to the University of Food Technologies – Plovdiv

Useful Information

GETTING THERE

Getting to Plovdiv

The main airport for Plovdiv is Sofia airport. Plovdiv has an existing air transport infrastructure, however the current traffic at Plovdiv Airport is pretty low and it operates mainly charter and low cost flights from/to London.

From/to Sofia there are many daily buses and trains. Buses heading to Plovdiv operate almost every hour of the day and the bus ride takes less than the train one, about 2 hours.

Organized transfers

The conference organizing partner (CME) will provide transfers from Sofia Airport to the conference hotel and back.

Booking and payment can be done through the online system not later than 18 September 2026.

Getting to the venue

The address of Radisson Hotel Plovdiv is 6, Lev Tolstoy str. / 1A, Arch. Kamen Petkov str.

CITY TRANSPORT

Plovdiv does not have a metro, but it has a well-developed city bus network.

Taxis also provide a quick, convenient, and reasonably priced option for getting around the city.

PASSPORTS & VISAS

However, if you need an invitation letter, please send a mail to petia@cmebg.com.

MONETARY SYSTEM

Bulgaria will adopt the Euro (EUR) as its official currency starting from January 1, 2026, and all payments, both in cash and by card, will be made in euros.

TIPPING

When a gratuity is not included in your bill, which is usually the case, 10% is customary. If service is outstanding, you could go as high as 15%. With taxi drivers, you usually just round up the sum if you have been happy with the ride or for the sake of convenience.

CLIMATE

The climate in Bulgaria is moderate continental with beautiful blooming spring, dry and hot summer, long and pleasant autumn, and mild winter with lots of opportunity for skiing.

At the end of September, the weather in Bulgaria is usually mild and pleasant with daily temperatures of around 22–25 °C. The weather in Plovdiv is usually milder and sunnier than the rest of the country.

You may check current weather in Plovdiv HERE.

The Basic Fee includes:
Access to the scientific programme and exhibition, delegate kit, certificate of participation, Book of Abstracts (electronic version), one publication (full-text paper in the Congress journal), coffee breaks, and a cocktail reception.

The Full Fee includes:
Access to the scientific programme and exhibition, delegate kit, certificate of participation, Book of Abstracts (electronic version), one publication (full-text paper in the Congress journal), coffee breaks, cocktail reception, three lunches, and two dinners.

Additional publication:
An extra full-text publication in the Congress journal can be requested and paid separately at the price of ЕUR 50.

At the end of September, the weather in Bulgaria is usually mild and pleasant with daily temperatures of around 22–25 °C. The weather in Plovdiv is usually milder and sunnier than the rest of the country.