Challenges and Trends in Food Safety Contamination, Public Health, and Control Measures

João M. Rocha PhD, is a researcher at Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Department of Chemical Engineering (DEQ), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (FEUP). His PhD is in Food Science and Engineering from University of Lisboa. He is the Chair, Principal Coordinator and Grant Holder Scientific Representative of the COST Action SOURDOMICS (CA18101) with 55 countries from 5 Continents. He is also Secretary of the General Assembly board of the National Association of Science and Technology Researchers (ANICT). His research activities and interests related with cereal science and sourdough biotechnology encompasses: phenotypic and genotypic screening and characterization of microorganisms; design and development of fermentation processes and starter cultures; production, extraction and purification of functional microbial metabolites; design of innovative food products and processes and valorization of by-products and food wastes; food safety and ascertaining the health promoting effects, environmental sustainability and economic feasibility of food.

Biljana Kovacevik holds a PhD degree in biotechnological sciences from the Goce Delchev University in Stip, Republic of Northern Macedonia. Her current job position is Associate Professor at the Agricultural Faculty, Department for Plant Protection and Environment at the Goce Delchev University in Stip (UGD). More recently her scientific interest is focused on bioactive compounds with pesticide properties. Currently, she is a member of the National commission for phytopharmaceutical products. She is also a member of the Union of Chemists and Technologists of Macedonia (UCTM), member of the Plant Protection Association of Macedonia (PPAM) and member of the Association for the Development of Education and Science in Agriculture (AGROSCIENCE).

Monica Trif, Ph.D. is Senior Researcher at the Centre for innovative process engineering GmbH (Centiv GmbH, Germany), where she is Principal Investigator at Food Research Department. In the last 10 years involved in successful and fruitful international and national research projects. She serves as Section Topical Advisory Panel Member for 'Biocatalysis'–of Catalysts journal, Topic Editor in Frontiers in Nutrition, Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, and Frontiers in Food Science and Technology.

Elena Bartkiene is an author and co-author of more than 120 ISI WOS publications, 2 EPO and 1 national patents. Occupational field: agro-innovations and food / feed (bio)technologies. She is member of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences; Member of ISEKI-Food Association (Vienna, Austria); Member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) (Chicago, USA); Member of the Global Harmonization Initiative (GHI) (Vienna, Austria); Expert of the international programmes - projects at the Lithuanian Science Council (LMT); Expert at the Polish National Science Center; Expert of the Lithuanian Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology (MITA); Reviewer and editor of the national and international scientific journals.