Innovation Day 2026, organised by the Faculty of Biotechnology of Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Porto, was held under the theme “Food Structure for a Better Future”, placing at the centre of the discussion the way in which food structure, at both molecular and microscopic levels, influences the quality, health impact, and sustainability of what reaches consumers’ tables.
This year’s event featured a stronger presence of internationally renowned researchers and industry representatives, creating broader opportunities for knowledge sharing and networking.
Better innovation
In the opening session, Isabel Braga da Cruz, Pro-Rector of Universidade Católica Portuguesa, highlighted the importance of collaboration between different disciplines in promoting a more sustainable future.
“The topic of this edition could not be more timely, and advances in this area are leading to healthier and more sustainable foods". She also stressed that “the challenge is not only to innovate more, but to innovate better.”
Throughout the programme, several international researchers delivered keynote presentations.
Mario M. Martinez, Associate Professor at the University of Valladolid, discussed the metabolic, prebiotic, and exposomic implications of incidentally functionalised polysaccharides.
Maud Langton, Professor at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), presented research on legume processing for healthier food products.
José Bonilla, Assistant Professor of Food Structure and Processing at the University of Copenhagen, demonstrated how understanding food structures at the microscopic scale can guide innovation decisions.
Lília Ahrné, Professor of Food Science and Technology at SLU, explained how the choice of production process shapes the final properties of a product, linking microstructure to the quality perceived by consumers.
Roundtable brought together science and industry
One of the most anticipated moments of Innovation Day 2026 was the roundtable “Innovation in Practice – Industry Insights on Food Structure and Product Development”, moderated by Manuela Pintado, Director of the Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry (CBQF).
The discussion brought together three voices from the Portuguese food industry: Miguel Azevedo, Innovation and Development Director at Decorgel Produtos Alimentares S.A, Ana Machado Silva, R&D and Innovation Manager at Sonae and Gonçalo Abreu Teixeira Oliveira, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of GERMEN, Better Foods Group
The panel provided an opportunity to compare the research presented during the morning with the real challenges faced by companies, from process optimisation to the development of healthier and more sustainable food products, while maintaining economic viability.
The official closing session was delivered by Manuela Pintado, who emphasised that “the word innovation cuts across everything we do”. The Director of CBQF also underlined the importance of “strengthening the connection between universities, companies, and society”.
The event was dedicated to the memory of Engineer Raquel Moreira, who recently passed away and was one of the main driving forces behind the organisation of another successful edition of Innovation Day.