EDQC 2024

François holds a master’s degree of General Microbiology from Pasteur Institute, Paris and doctorate from Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy.​

After 15 years working for major dairy (Nestlé, Danone, Savencia) and confectionary (Barry Callebaut) food business companies, he works since 2017 as principal consultant for Food Safety Microbiology Hygiene and since 2022 as scientific collaborator within Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore.​

François is delegate of France at the International Dairy Federation since 2010. He is member of the Standing Committees Methods on Microbiological Hygiene (SCMH) and Methods for Dairy Microbiology (SCMDM). ​

He is elected chair of the SCMH, and represents IDF in different ISO TC34/SC5 and SC9 Working groups as well as specific Codex Alimentarius Committees.

Martin received a veterinary degree and a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, and a Ph.D. in Food Science from Cornell, where he currently is the Gellert Family Professor of Food Safety.

His research interests focus on farm-to-table microbial food quality and food safety and the application of molecular tools to study the transmission of foodborne pathogens and spoilage organisms, including translation of the associated research findings into reducing foodborne illnesses and food spoilage with a specific focus on the dairy value chain.

His team has published >450 papers that have been cited >35,000 times. Students and staff that were previously associated with his team have pursued successful careers in a range of environments, including industry, government, academia, and non-for profits. 

After his apprenticeship as a laboratory technician and his studies in dairy technology, he worked in various positions in production, laboratory and quality management at plant level.

Later in central functions as audit consultant, followed by positions as integration manager as well as head of quality management in the dairy industry.

Benoit Duculot graduated from ESA Business School in Namur, Belgium, and began his career in the hygiene industry in 2004. He has held various positions, including business developer and application specialist. Since 2020, Benoit has taken on responsibilities at the Innovation and Technology Center, identifying new sectors and industries where innovative solutions can enhance current hygiene levels within the context of transitioning towards sustainable practices.​

Throughout these years, he has been involved in numerous industrial cases where microbiological deviations could not be detected or prevented using conventional methods. To address this, he implemented alternative identification techniques to conventional routine tools and integrated new cleaning solutions, targeting biofilms among others, with the objective of surpassing current hygiene standards and prevent any deviation.​