Pedro Babo, 39, is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of LANDRATECH, LDA. He holds a degree in Microbial Biology and Genetics (2007) and a Master's in Molecular Biology and Genetics (2008) from the University of Lisbon. He earned his PhD in Tissue Engineering and Stem Cells in 2016 from the University of Minho, in collaboration with Radboud University. With 28 scientific publications (8 as the lead author), an h-index of 16, 779 citations, and a patent, he has made significant contributions to research in regenerative therapies and biomaterials for maxillofacial diseases. Since 2018, he has led initiatives in the field of circular bioeconomy, with projects such as "Armazém da Bolota," a finalist in programs like EIT-Food and MassChallenge. He coordinates projects such as LandFood and MEDACORNET, with global funding and partnerships, including Nestlé, ETH Zurich, and universities across Europe and Africa. Currently, he is focused on developing innovative solutions for acorn valorization, promoting its integration into sustainable agri-food value chains and positioning LANDRATECH as a reference in sustainable innovation within the agri-food sector.

Specialist in Microbiology. Associate Professor at the University of Sciences, University Tunis El Manar and Coordinator of the Research Group “Antibiotic Resistance Team” of Laboratory of Microorganisms and Bioactive Molecules, UTM. Her main research interest is the characterization of antibiotic resistance mechanisms in bacteria of different origins as humans, animals, food, water and the environment, as well as the performance of studies of molecular epidemiology to characterize the genetic lineages of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Director of several doctoral and masters’ theses. Also responsible for different international and national research projects. She has published 80 articles in international journals.

Antonella Pasqualone (https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=6701732284 h index=45) is Associate Professor of Food Science and Technology at the University of Bari, Italy. She mostly does research in Cereal Science and Technology and is scientific responsible of many national and international projects. Her current main research interests are: improvement of the nutritional and functional quality of cereal-based foods, also gluten-free, by incorporating sustainable crops such as pulses or upcycled ingredients from food waste; studies on the rediscovery of neglected but traditional cereal-based ethnic foods and beverages, such as specific flatbreads and non-alcoholic fermented drinks, to preserve their memory while achieving qualitative improvement and standardization.

Carmine Summo (https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=6603178797) is Associate Professor of Food Science and Technology at the University of Bari. He is authored of more than 200 scientific papers published in indexed journal with an h index=37. Actually, he is the Coordinator of the bachelor’s and master’s degree in food science and technology at the University of Bari Aldo Moro. Scientific coordinator of several research projects in the field of the food science and Technology, his current research activities are related to the i) development of innovative vegetable based foods by incorporating of vegetable protein from sustainable processing; ii) improvement of the nutritional and functional quality of cereal-based foods, incorporating sustainable crops such as pulses and acorn; iii) improvement of the nutritional quality of the meat based products.

Cristiano Mateus completed an MSc in Biotechnological Engineering (02/12/2022) and a BSc in Biology and Biotechnology (03/12/2020) by Escola Superior Agrária - Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB). He is a 1st-year PhD student in Technology and Natural-Based Products at the Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão - IPB. Since 10/03/2023, he has been a research fellow at the Mountain Research Center (CIMO) for the MEDACORNET project. Based at the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, CIMO is a multidisciplinary research unit addressing Mediterranean mountain issues, and it's part of the national research network coordinated by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT).

Hüseyin Türksoy works as a Forest Engineer in the Department of Ecosystem Services of the General Directorate of Forestry. After graduating from Istanbul University Faculty of Forestry in 2009, he completed his Master's degree at the same university and currently continues his doctoral studies. Hüseyin TÜRKSOY, whose area of expertise is non-wood forest products, develops projects on the sustainable management of forest ecosystems and the protection of natural resources, and makes academic and professional contributions in this field.

Forest Engineer at the General Directorate of Forestry, Department of Ecosystem Services, Türkiye. Tarık focuses on the sustainable use of forest resources and the development of non-wood forest products (NWFPs). He has contributed to initiatives like the Acorn Action Plan (2022–2026), promoting acorns for their ecological and economic value in industries such as leather tanning, biofuels, and gluten-free food production. His work aligns with enhancing forest-based livelihoods and biodiversity conservation.

Ana Oliveira is a veterinary doctor and consultant at Arcadia International. Currently, at Arcadia International, Ana works both for public and private clients. Currently, she is part of the team working on a PRR-funded project called ‘OakFood - Integrated valorisation of acorns as a Portuguese raw material for differentiating food products’. Additionally, she provides consultancy on Food and Veterinary Policies and Legislation at EU and national level.

Inês Ferreira is a food engineer and consultant at Arcadia International. Currently, at Arcadia International, Inês works both for public and private clients. As such, she is currently part of the team working on a PRR-funded project called ‘OakFood - Integrated valorisation of acorns as a Portuguese raw material for differentiating food products’. For private clients, the core of her daily work is to advise private operators on how best to comply with EU and national legislation.

José Ricardo Pastor Sousa Ferrão is a Portuguese entrepreneur and agricultural innovator with expertise in sustainable farming and business management. He holds a Sociology degree from the University of Évora and is a certified young farmer by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture. As the CEO of Pepe Aromas since 2018, José has spearheaded innovative agricultural projects, including water harvesting techniques to combat drought and the valorization of acorns for food production. He also leads Exploração Agrícola Pastor Ferrão and serves as Co-Director of Pepe Duque Ferrão Lda., a cork industry business. His work has earned multiple awards, such as the "Mais Iniciativa & Inovação" award (2022) and the "CIRCULAR 4 GOOD" scientific program award (2020). With a career focused on sustainability and innovation, José continues to drive impactful initiatives in Portuguese agriculture.

Dr Peter Pechacek is a forest scientist, and associated professor for Conservation Biology at the University of Freiburg. Over the course of his professional career, Peter managed and directed programmes and projects related to application of scientific knowledge in sustainable management of forests and biodiversity. After working in Germany, USA, UAE, China, and Timor-Leste, he joined the FAO Subregional Office in Ankara as a Forestry Officer. Peter is currently based in the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva and works under the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia with seat in Budapest.

Dr. Haluk Ergezer is a food engineer. After completing his undergraduate and graduate education at Pamukkale University, he completed his doctorate education at Ege University Institute of Science and Technology in 2013. His areas of expertise include Meat Science and Technology, Hygiene and Sanitation practices and Healthy Nutrition. In recent years, he has published many studies on the use of acorns in meat and its products. He also has many publications in international journals, presentations at conferences, and ongoing projects.

Dr. Tolga Akcan is a food engineer. After completing his bachelor's degree at Atatürk University and master's degree at Ege University, he completed his doctorate education at Pamukkale University Institute of Science and Technology in 2017. His areas of expertise include Meat Science and Technology, Natural Antioxidants, and Healthy Nutrition. After investigating the use of acorns in meat products in Spain during his doctoral study, he has published many studies investigating the use of acorn products in various food products. He also has many publications in international journals, presentations at conferences, and ongoing projects.

Yaren Sarıduman is a Food Engineer with both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Department of Food Engineering at Ege University, Türkiye. For the past three years, she has been working at Ar-Tu Kimya San. ve Tic. A.Ş., where she is actively involved in quality management and R&D activities. During her Master’s studies, she collaborated with Ar-Tu Kimya on acorn-based food research, and the outcomes of these projects are currently being further developed within the company for industrial-scale applications.

Liliana Duarte was born and works in Guimarães, north of Portugal. She is one of the managers of the Cor de Tangerina project, where she works as Chef and Social Educator. She graduated in Social Education from the Escola Superior de Educação do Porto and then she began working and living in Mexico, where she worked as a Social Educator in an orphanage in Mexico City. There she had the opportunity to practice the art of cooking. She was the creator of the Cor de Tangerina (her restaurant) Educational Service in 2011 and co-founder of Mercadinho (Biological Market of Guimarães). At Cor de Tangerina, she coordinates the preparation of the gastronomic menu that reflects the principles of Fair Trade, Slow Food and Agriculture Biological. Her culinary learning takes place over 12 years of work and various training, namely in organic bread and natural fermentation doughs. In recent years, she has developed training courses for juniors and seniors to promote culinary skills in schools, museums and social and/or environmental institutions. In various partnerships, he has developed food interventions with an artistic background, such as Mimosa freak dinner (2014) and Na saga da acorn (2016). In 2018, she joined the Portuguese Slow Food delegation at the Terra Madre International Festival, leading the culinary team in Turin (Italy). She edited an ethnobotanical research book two years ago, called Paladário, about the plant food heritage in the Minho region. She was the only and first woman at the First International Gastronomic Symposium of Alto Minho. Her work and research currently focuses on food and community education. In practical and/or theoretical workshops, she seeks to reflect the moments of encounter between tastes and their emotional connection with people and territories. She believes that eating is a revolutionary gesture, which heals and transforms.

Claudia Socol has a relevant background in agrifood, with a strong background and dedicated to advancing research and innovation. Claudia's work bridges the gap between academia and private sector, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange to drive growth and success in both fields. She has also been engaged in various European and international collaborations such as Green Initiative Cluster - a collaborative effort under the EU GREEN funded project that focuses on sustainable education and research, and other green activities and practices, fostering interdisciplinary research and practical actions to promote environmental stewardship. She is Review Editor for Nutrition and Sustainable Diets and Sustainable Food Processing in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems and Frontiers in Nutrition journals.

Dr. Canan Urhan is a Management and Organisation Studies scholar. She has worked as faculty member in the Business Administration departments of several Turkish universities including Bahçeşehir and Beykent University for over 10 years. She was a Visiting Researcher at Goldsmiths, Political Economy Research Center in 2019-20 as a TUBİTAK fellow and at UCL Institute of Advanced Studies in the 2023-24 academic year. She is invited as a Visiting Scholar to UCBerkeley Sociology Department and Haas Business School during the 2025 Spring semester. As of June 2023, she has been acting as the Principle Investigator of the MEDACORNET project supported by the TÜBİTAK PRIMA programme at Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Department of Food Engineering. As well as being involved in all research activities related to the social sciences, marketing and management aspects of the project, she is responsible for the coordination of an interdisciplinary research team at İTÜ within the scope of the project consortium.

Dr. Jasmina Lukinac is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Food Technology, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia. Specializing in food process engineering, her research focuses on non-destructive testing techniques, image analysis, and mathematical modeling applied to food technology. She is actively involved in projects on innovative food products, including gluten-free formulations and sustainable resource recovery. An experienced researcher and educator, Dr. Lukinac has published extensively in international journals and is a member of several scientific committees and editorial boards. Her contributions aim to bridge technological advancements with practical applications in the food industry.

Dr. Marko Jukić is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Food Technology, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia. His research focuses on food technology, cereal processing, and functional food development, with a particular interest in bakery and pasta products. He has extensive experience in food safety, by-product valorization, and rheology of cereal-based products. As a member of international scientific committees and editorial boards, Dr. Jukić contributes to advancing food science through interdisciplinary projects and publications. His work emphasizes innovative, sustainable food solutions, combining academic rigor with practical industry applications.