ICC kindly sponsored two Best Poster Awards at the 8th International Whole Grain Summit (WGS25) in Detmold, Germany. The awards were given for innovative or exceptional work in the categories "Whole Grain Research and Technology" and "Increasing Use/Availability of Whole Grains in Products".
Awardees:
Ava Bawa, Adesuwa Akinboro - Technoserve, US:
Poster title: "Overcoming Barriers to Parboiled Unpolished Rice (PUR)/Whole Grain Brown Rice (WGBR) Adoption in Nigeria"
Cristina Martinez Villaluenga, Elena Penas, Juana Frias, Diego Herrero - Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN-CSIC), Spain
Poster title: "Enhancing Mineral Bioaccessibility and Macronutrient Digestibility of Rye Grain Through Germination and Fermentation"
The 8th International Whole Grain Summit was held successfully in Detmold, Germany, bringing together experts and stakeholders from across the globe. Hosted by AGF and with Caroline Sluyter, chair of the Whole Grain Initiative, as head of the scientific committee the summit featured a dynamic programme including engaging keynote speeches, a panel discussion, and 1.5 days perfectly orchestrated workshop sequenzes - all designed to spark collaboration and action across sectors. The event highlighted both scientific innovation and practical solutions to drive whole grain adoption. ICC President Bertrand Matthäus emphasized the importance of multi-stakeholder engagement in his remarks. The ICC thanks all participants, the Scientific and Organizing Committee members and sponsors for making this impactful event possible.
Participants contributed to 15 sub-groups in three rooms with expertise, curiosity and open mindedness to understand the current challenges and provide outcomes for future activities. The outcome will be summarized in a declaration with the following 10 key take home messages:
Processing as a tool for health and whole grain acceptance
Affordability and economic incentives are critical
Leveraging a “health by stealth” approach
Lead with taste: strategic communication campaigns
Improve labelling and align on WGI definition
Start early – establish healthy habits in children
Sustainability messaging is an underutilized opportunity
Collaboration across sectors drives change
Policy, regulation, and fiscal tools must evolve
A unified, positive narrative is needed
Curious about what's behind these statements and want to get involved in our community? Stay up to date with ICC and the Wholegrain Initiative. We will inform you about planned webinars, we will publish the latest findings and you can join our network through our numerous membership opportunities in the ICC Wholegrain Initiative.
We sincerely thank our host Arbeitsgemeinschaft Getreideforschung (AGF), our sponsors: Lantmännen Unibake; Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition/General Mills; Healthgrain Forum; R-Biopharm; Anton Paar TorqueTec GmbH; PepsiCo and Businessmind, Birgit Baumann, for open exchange with Chair of the Organizing Committee, Veronika Haslinger.
ICC is pleased to welcome its new Corporate Member, Axion from the US.
Axion, an ISO 17034 certified company, is a global leader in the production and distribution of Analytical Standards and Reference Materials for laboratories. Axion has a complete portfolio of products that covers the areas of bioethanol production, fermentation, grain handling, and starch processing. The products include calibration and validation standards for: HPLC, GC, IC, Acidity, and Karl-Fischer, as well as reference materials for starch at various levels. Axion also produces custom reference materials and analytical standards to meet the unique needs of our customers.
Webinar Announcement: Understanding Consumers and Fermentation through Citizen Science
The ICC, as a partner of the HealthFerm project, invites you to an engaging webinar on May 13, 2025, from 14:00 to 15:30 CEST, exploring how consumers interact with fermented foods and how citizen science can foster healthier, more sustainable food systems.
This session will provide insights from international surveys, home fermentation practices, and the socio-cultural dimensions of fermentation, offering a unique perspective on the role of consumers in the development of novel fermented foods.
Expert Speakers The webinar will feature:
Maxime Michaud (Institut Lyfe): “Contributions of Ethnographic Methods to Understand Consumers’ Point of View on Fermentation” Research Group Leader, Social Science
Armando Perez-Cueto (Arctic Centre, Umeå University): “Consumers and Plant-Based Fermented Foods: Results from the HealthFerm Multi-Country Survey” Professor and Head of the Sustainable Food Transitions Research Group
Helene Christine Reinbach, Ph.D. (University of Copenhagen): “Profiling European Home Fermenters: Insights from the HealthFerm Project” Associate Professor, Department of Food Science
The session will be introduced by Kristof Brijs (KU Leuven) and moderated by Jan de Vries (HealthGrain Forum).
Key Takeaways Participants will:
Discover how consumer habits and perceptions shape the future of fermented foods
Gain insights from ethnographic research and European surveys
Learn how citizen science contributes to food system transformation
This webinar is part of a series organized by HealthFerm partners to support cross-disciplinary exchange and training across research and industry.
This event is free and will be held in English.
About HealthFerm HealthFerm is a European research initiative focused on innovative cereal and pulse-based fermentations. It investigates health impacts, microbial interactions, and consumer perspectives, aiming to co-create the next generation of healthy, plant-based fermented foods with the help of citizen science.
This webinar is free and will be held in English. More detailed information about HealthFerm project is available here www.healthferm.eu - Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
ICC is pleased to welcome its new Corporate Member, Grain Improvers B.V. from the Netherlands.
GRAIN IMPROVERS is a leading biotech company in the grain milling industry. They manufacture natural enzyme complexes: a completely new, unprecedented solution for the milling process.
