From 22 to 26 August 2026, representatives of ERA Chair Foodomics project participated for the second consecutive year in the International Fair of Agriculture and Food AGRA, held in Gornja Radgona, Slovenia.
AGRA 2026 once again confirmed its position as one of the largest and most important agricultural and food events in Slovenia and the wider region. This year’s fair brought together 1,690 exhibitors from 36 countries and attracted more than 90,000 visitors. In addition to showcasing agricultural and food technologies, products and innovations, the fair provided a platform for professional discussions, lectures, B2B meetings, knowledge exchange and networking.
This year several members of the Biotechnical Faculty presented their research and projects to visitors from Slovenia and abroad.
Presenting the project at AGRA provided an opportunity to introduce the concept of Foodomics to a broader audience and highlight the importance of advanced analytical approaches in understanding food composition, quality, and the relationship between food and health.
The faculty’s presence at AGRA was further strengthened by the participation of Prof. Dr. Nataša Poklar Ulrih, ERA Chair Coordinator and Prof. Dr Nives Ogrinc and Dr. Matjaž Červek, members of the project’s Advisory Board, as well as prof. dr. Mojca Korošec and numerous representatives of the project’s Project Board. Their participation provided an additional opportunity for exchange among researchers, project partners and other stakeholders, while highlighting the broad network of expertise supporting the ERA Chair Foodomics project.
The participation of researchers and project representatives from different fields also reflected the interdisciplinary nature of the Biotechnical Faculty and the collaborative character of the ERA Chair Foodomics project. Young Researchers Pavle Simić and Belmin Lisičić presented some of the research activities of ERA Chair at SRIP Hrana event organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia – Chamber of Agricultural and Food Enterprises (CCIS – CAFE).
The themes highlighted at this year’s AGRA – including food security, locally produced food, climate change, sustainability, new technologies, digitalisation and artificial intelligence – are closely connected with the challenges addressed by contemporary food and nutrition research. In this context, metabolomics and offer valuable tools for gaining a deeper understanding of food, its composition and quality, as well as the complex interactions between food and human health.
For the Biotechnical Faculty, participation in AGRA represents an important opportunity to connect scientific research with industry, agriculture and society, while also strengthening dialogue and knowledge exchange among researchers, professionals and the wider public. It allows research carried out at the Faculty to reach audiences beyond the academic environment and create opportunities for new collaborations and partnerships.
