Conference programme

The 2027 Conference theme is:

Clean label & natural hydrocolloids for resilience

We are calling for Papers and Posters on the topics listed below.

The deadline for submission of abstracts is December 31st 2026.

Oral and poster presenters will be able to submit their manuscripts for publication in a Special Issue of the Food Hydrocolloids Journal.

Clean label & natural

  • Label-friendly stabilizer systems replacing more synthetic produced stabilisers

  • Sustainable sourcing, biorefinery approaches and upcycling of agricultural and food processing side-streams for hydrocolloid production

  • Non-refined ingredients and their interaction is food matrices

  • Regulatory, safety, clean-label and consumer perception aspects of hydrocolloid use in food products

  • The extraction, physicochemical characteristics and application of hydrocolloid materials from non-traditional sources with commercial potential in food systems

Hydrocolloids functional performance

  • The film forming properties of hydrocolloids with application in edible films, coatings and active packaging

  • The application of hydrocolloids to control the rheology and performance of food  bio-ink formulations for 3D printing

  • The application of hydrocolloids for the encapsulation and controlled release of probiotics and active compounds for inclusion in food formulations

  • The modification of hydrocolloid functionality through chemical, biochemical and physical processes

  • The use of hydrocolloids for fat and sugar reduction, mouthfeel enhancement and caloric optimisation in reformulated foods

  • The functionality of hydrocolloids in frozen foods including ice recrystallisation control, cryoprotection and freeze–thaw stability

Health and functional benefits of hydrocolloids

  • Dietary fibre

  • Gut health

  • Medical nutrition e.g., dysphagia

  • The role of hydrocolloids in modulating digestion, nutrient bioaccessibility and gastrointestinal behaviour in food systems

  • Formulating for weight loss nutrition

  • Bioactive hydrocolloids

How hydrocolloids shape sensory experiences 

  • Rheology and texture mapping

  • Mouthfeel optimisation

  • The influence of hydrocolloids on the microstructure, texture and organoleptic properties of complex food systems

Interaction of hydrocolloids in complex food matrices 

  • The interfacial properties of hydrocolloids including their application in the stabilisation of dispersions, emulsions and foams

  • Hydrocolloid interactions with small molecules and interactions in mixed hydrocolloid systems including their phase behaviour, complexation and Maillard conjugation

  • Hydrocolloid–protein interactions and their role in structuring, stability and texture development in complex food systems

The influence of food processing technologies on hydrocolloid structure, functionality and performance in food systems 

  • Enzymatic Tailoring of food texture: modification of hydrocolloids, Enzymatic modification of food products, Synergy between enzymes and hydrocolloid blends

  • Precision fermentation texturizers

  • Thermal, high-pressure, extrusion, shear, fermentation and enzymatic processing

The application of novel techniques for the characterisation of hydrocolloid materials 

  • The rheological, structural and thermal properties of hydrocolloids in aqueous systems including their viscosity, viscoelastic properties and gelation behaviour 

  • Structure Analytics – Ingredient : Structure relationships

  • Techniques measuring functionality across the length and time scales

Employing AI and data science tools in hydrocolloid research and application 

  • The use of Artificial Intelligence approaches for the prediction and rationalisation of hydrocolloid structure–function relationships, molecular interactions and functional performance in food systems

  • Multiscale modelling and simulation of hydrocolloid structure, interactions and functionality in food systems