Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in the Balkans

Dr. Dipl. Eng. Alina-Ioana Gostin, originally from Romania, is a lecturer at College of Food, University College Birmingham, UK, teaching in the areas of Food Science and Technology, Food Safety, Diet and Nutrition. Dr Gostin’s research interests focus on technologies that improve quality and safety of foods. She is also the director of the Ambassador Programme of the Global Harmonization Initiative (GHI).

Diana Bogueva is a social scientist, specializing in sustainable food consumption, generational consumer behavior, food and masculinity, alternative proteins, novel food processing technologies, and food sustainability and harmonization. Her work has received several prestigious awards, including at the 24th and 28th Gourmand Awards, often likened to the Oscars for food books, for her edited book "Environmental, Health and Business Opportunities in the New Meat Alternatives Market" (2019) and co-authored book "Food in a Planetary Emergency" (2022). Her recent co-edited book "Nutrition Science, Marketing Nutrition, Health Claims, and Public Policy" (2023) is a finalist at the Association of American Publishers Awards for Professional and Scholarly Excellence (PROSE) Awards. Diana is currently a Research Fellow at the Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute, where she also teaches the "People and Planet" unit as part of the Masters in Sustainability and Built Environment. She is the President of the Global Harmonization Initiative, headquartered in Vienna, and serves as a Board Member and Chair of the Consumer Perception Working Group.

Dr. Vladimir Kakurinov is a Full Professor in Food Microbiology and Food Quality and Safety. He worked at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University and the Veterinary Medicine Faculty at St. Kliment Ohridski University, both in Republic of Macedonia. Now, he is founder and Executive Director of Consulting and Training Centre KEY dealing with international projects.