HealthFerm Network Meeting, 29 September 2026
Location: to be announced
Gut Health From Science to Shelf
Save the date and keep coming back for more details published soon!
Join the HealthFerm Network!
The HealthFerm Plant-Based Fermentation Network is completely free to join and composed of a professional community and platform for sharing knowledge and information about fermentation. Members will meet semi-regularly for interactive webinars featuring presentations, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions focused on:
- Enhancing the flavor, texture, and nutritional profiles of plant-based foods through fermentation.
- How fermented foods interact with microbiomes and their effects on human health.
- Technologies, tools, and inputs to improve fermentation processes and applications.
- How fermentation can be used to improve the sustainability profile of food production and dietary patterns.
- How to make plant-rich diets more appealing through fermentation.
Are you an academic/industry professional and would you like to contribute your expertise to our network? Then express your interest by registering via the link button below.
Upcoming and past activities
HealthFerm Network Meeting, 7 April 2026
Plant-based food fermentation in food policy: from agricultural policy to dietary guidelines
Asia-Europe (all times in CET)
08:00 - 08:05: Welcome - Charlotte Neher (Programme Manager) & Dr. Luis Fernandez (EcoSystem Chair), Bridge2Food
08:05 - 08:20: Health Claim Regulation of Fermented Foods – Dr. Loek Pijls, Consultant & Owner, Loek into Food
08:20 – 08:35: Fermenting Change: Aligning Food Policy with the Future of Plant-Based Fermentation - Robin Sherriff, Chief Executive Officer at the Fermenters Guild & Owner of The Koji Kitchen
08:35 – 08:50: Advancing Fermented Seaweed: An Applied Innovation Case Beyond Novel Food Approval – Dr. Alberto Fiore, Professor, University of Abertay
08:50 – 09:05: Ingredient Choices, Fermentation, and Building Plant-Based Foods Today – Neil Rankin, Creative Director, Symplicity Foods
09:05 - 09:30: Discussion & Closing - Dr. Luis Fernandez (EcoSystem Chair), Bridge2Food
Europe-Americas (all times in CET)
16:00 - 16:05: Welcome - Charlotte Neher (Programme Manager) & Dr. Lutz Grossmann (Assistant Professor), UMASS
16:05 - 16:25: Why (Plant-Based) Fermentation remains Underrepresented in Policy or Regulatory Frameworks - Susan Bond, Chief Regulatory Strategist & Ex-FDA, Bond Advisory Group
16:25 – 16:45: The Complex Regulatory Landscape of Fermented Foods: A Global Assessment – Dr. Arghya Mukherjee, Postdoctoral Researcher - Fermented Foods, Probiotics, Teagasc
16:45 - 17:05: Nutrition Policy and its impact on the Food Industry – Francesco Manzi, Consumer Insights Consultant, Innova Market Insights
17:05 - 17:30: Discussion & Closing - Dr. Lutz Grossmann, (Assistant Professor), UMASS
HealthFerm Network Meeting, 3 February 2026
Exploring the Intersectional Technology in Traditional, Biomass and Precision Fermentation
Traditional fermentation has shaped food for centuries, but how does it fit into today’s expanding fermentation landscape?
Our first HealthFerm Network session of 2026 will be on the 3rd of February, where we will zoom into the Intersectional Technology in Traditional, Biomass and Precision Fermentation.
Fermentation has long been central to Europe’s food culture and innovation ecosystem - from traditional processes to cutting-edge biotechnologies producing functional ingredients. As industry attention increasingly spans different fermentation processes, the lines between these technologies can become blurred, raising new questions for communication, regulation, and market adoption.
This HealthFerm Network session explores how these approaches relate scientifically, technologically, and conceptually - and examines whether including traditional fermentation in broader fermentation narratives (and vice versa) helps or hinders industry understanding.
Key Topics Include:
- Technical Comparison - Dr. Julia Keppler, Associate Professor - WUR
- Technoeconomics - Dr. Martijn Bekker, Expertise Leader - WFBR
- Consumer Messaging - Dr. Chris Bryant, Executive Director
- Case-Study: Viability - Dr. Debbie Yaver, CSO - The Fynders Group
- Engineered Yarrowia Lypolytica as a Nutritional Powerhouse - Dr. Robert Mans, CTO - Yeti
To receive information on the event as well as meeting updates, please join the HealthFerm Network.
HealthFerm Network Meeting
On the 25th of November, the focus will be on consumer trends, health, and emerging markets. 08:00 - 09:30 CET (Asia-Europe) and 16:00 - 17:30 CET (Europe-Americas)
Asia-Europe 08:00 - 09:30 CET. Join here!
- Health Trends and Opportunities for Traditionally Fermented Foods – Dan Robertson-Jones (Partner), KANTAR
- The Real-Life Challenge of Selling Sourdough Fermented Kvass to UK Consumers – Dr. Anton Puzorjov (Founder), Quas Drinks
- Why Fermentation Feels Modern Again: The Cultural Comeback of a Living Tradition - Marit Veenstra (Brand & Innovation Strategist), Healthy Marketing Team
- Consumer & Plant-Based Fermented Foods – Insights from HealthFerm PAN EU Survey – Dr. Armando Perez-Cueto (Professor), Umeå University
Europe-Americas 16:00 - 17:30 CET. Join here!
- Why Fermentation Feels Modern Again: The Cultural Comeback of a Living Tradition - Marit Veenstra (Brand & Innovation Strategist), Healthy Marketing Team
- The Real-Life Challenge of Selling Sourdough Fermented Kvass to UK Consumers – Dr. Anton Puzorjov (Founder), Quas Drinks
- Consumer & Plant-Based Fermented Foods – Insights from HealthFerm PAN EU Survey – Lisa Renggli (Industrial Biotechnologist), Planted
HealthFerm Network Session: Processing & Industry Developments
Location: Online
On 30 September 2025, we will be delving into Processing & Industry Developments, where speakers will highlight challenges encountered in innovations in plant-based fermented foods: not just technological hurdles (i.e. strain selection), but also aspects such marketing dynamics and regulatory constraints.
Morning session (APAC/Europe) 🕗 08:00 – 09:30 CET • Malt Expertise: Is It Key to Unlocking Industrial Fermentation? Dr. Jean-charles Motte, Soufflet Malt • Rethinking Fermentation Platforms for the Future - Pooya Naghshbandi & Felix Bittorf, Esencia Foods • Plant-Based Cultures Application & Development: The Dairy Alternative Example – Camille Duc, Lallemand Specialty Cultures
Afternoon session (Americas/Europe) 🕓 16:00 – 17:30 CET • Malt Expertise: Is It Key to Unlocking Industrial Fermentation? Dr. Jean-charles Motte, Soufflet Malt • From Flask to Factory: The Hidden Hurdles of Food Fermentation Scale-Up – Dr. Tithira Wimalasena, Corbion • Fungal Fermentation – The Tempeh Example – Dr. Ando Ahnan-Winarno, Better Nature
To participate, please register to the HealthFerm network to receive meeting invitations.
HealthFerm Network meeting
Location: Online
Europe-America
Speakers during the event were
- Dr Maria Marco (UC Davis)
- Dr Charlene van Buiten (Colorado State University)
- Tanja Kostiv (MicrobiomeSupport Association)
Meeting Asia-Europe
Speakers included
- Dr Stéphane Chaillou (DOMINO Project & Inrae)
- Jens Legarth (Ferm Food)
- Dr Michelle Colgrave (CSIRO)
HealthFerm Network Meeting
Location: Online
Europe-America
Speakers during the event were
- Dr Frank Haagensen (Novonesis)
- Dr Avis Nugroho (CJ CheilJedang)
- Dr Vímac Nolla Ardèvol (Puratos)
Asia-Europe
Speakers included
- Prof. Courtin (KU Leuven, Belgium)
- Dr Damien Paineau (Ferments du Futur)
- Dr Frank Haagensen (Novonesis)