NEW TECH FOODS

The Spanish city of Valencia will become the European epicenter of innovation for monitoring emerging pollutants, food safety and sustainable chemistry.

• The I Sentiatech Congress will take place on 21–22 October 2025, serving as a key European meeting point for industry, the scientific community and public administration to address emerging risks and innovations in detection technologies impacting health and the environment.

• The congress is backed by leading entities in the field, including Valencia Innovation Capital, AGQ Labs, Aqualia, Eurofins, Global Omnium, IRISS SSbD network, ITENE, Kunak Technologies, Labaqua, Levante Technological Laboratories, NSC Community, Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry (RSEQ), Simetría Group and Unimat Prevención.

Valencia will take centre stage in Europe’s fight against emerging risks with the celebration of theI Sentiatech Congress: Detection, Measurement and Control of Emerging Risks. The event will gather leading experts from academia, industry and regulators to address challenges posed by substances such as microplastics, nanoplastics, pathogens and PFAS, among others, whose growing presence in the water cycle, cosmetics, insecticides, detergents, automotive products and the agri-food chain is raising increasing concern.

Organised by the Spanish Technology Platform Sentiatech, the congress will be hosted at Las Naves and La Harinera complex in Valencia, a centre for social and urban innovation promoted by Valencia City Council. The event aims to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange to promote the development of innovative and sustainable solutions in key areas of the industrial environment.

This scientific congress will address the technological challenges in food safety, environmental health and the development of new safe and sustainable chemical products. The congress agenda is designed to foster the exchange of knowledge between companies, research organisations, universities, researchers, industry clusters and public regulatory authorities, promoting collaboration in the development of innovative solutions for the detection and mitigation of emerging risks.

The organisation is supported by leading entities in these fields such as Valencia Innovation Capital, AGQ Labs, Aqualia, Eurofins, Global Omnium, IRISS SSbD network, ITENE Research Centre, Kunak Technologies, Labaqua, Levante Technological Laboratories, NSC Community, Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry (RSEQ), Simetría Group and Unimat Prevención.

An agenda marked by key challenges and innovation in safety and sustainability

The I Sentiatech Congress will be articulated around three main thematic axes, each of them focused on the most disruptive trends in risk management and control:

• Risk assessment, monitoring and control of emerging pollutants and substances of concern. This block will address the impact of substances such as PFAS, microplastics and nanoplastics on the environment and human health. Advanced analytical methodologies, monitoring tools and the latest regulations on these emerging pollutants, which are increasingly present in different industrial sectors and in everyday life, will be discussed.

• Innovation and opportunities for detection technologies in agri-food value chains. Food safety is a fundamental pillar in the management of chemical and biological risks. This space will present the latest innovations in detection, traceability and control technologies for substances in food and food contact materials, highlighting how these tools can contribute to improving safety throughout the agri-food value chain.

• Industrial challenges and solutions to implement the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework. In a context where sustainability and chemical safety play a crucial role in European industry, this block will explore innovative strategies to implement the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) approach in sectors such as chemistry, advanced materials and manufacturing. New opportunities to design safer and more environmentally friendly products from the early stage of development will be discussed.

An internationally renowned Scientific Committee

The congress will have a review process for communications, with a submission deadline of 15 June 2025. During this period, researchers and professionals from the industry will be able to present their work for review by a Scientific Committee of international experts from leading institutions.

The entities that make up this Scientific Committee include: Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, ITENE Research Centre, Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Seville, University of Oviedo, University of Gdańsk, TNO, Duke University, Inter-University Institute for Molecular Recognition Research and Technological Development, Institute of Chemical Technology, Autonomous University of Barcelon, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Institute of Science, Technology and Sustainability for Ceramics, International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory and QSAR Lab.

Their work will guarantee a rigorous selection process, ensuring the quality and scientific relevance of the communications presented at the congress.

Collaboration and networking to promote technological progress

In addition to the technical and scientific sessions, the I Sentiatech Congress will include spaces designed to foster collaboration between different actors in the safety and sustainability ecosystem. Networking sessions, meetings with experts and knowledge transfer activities will be organised to promote the development of strategic alliances and synergies between industry, academia and administration.

The congress aims to be a platform where innovative solutions capable of responding to the current challenges in detection, measurement and control of emerging pollutants are presented, promoting more efficient and sustainable technologies that contribute to the protection of human health and the environment.

More information about the congress and the abstract submission process can be found on the I Sentiatech Congress website.