Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the 21st ICC Conference in the beautiful city of Vienna. This year's event, organized in collaboration with BOKU University Vienna, holds special significance as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the ICC - a milestone that reflects our long-standing commitment to advancing knowledge, innovation, and collaboration within the cereal community/sector Since the founding of the ICC Association in 1955, the "Vienna ICC Conferences" have become a cherished tradition. We are honored to continue this legacy with the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science at BOKU hosting this year's event, ensuring a comprehensive and engaging experience for all participants.

The conference program will address a wide range of topics crucial to the cereal sector, with a focus on sustainability and future challenges. We will explore environmental influences and the impact of climate change on cereal production, the sustainability of cereal products, and the quality of raw materials and grain storage. The conference will also delve into processing and cereal products, highlighting technological innovations, novel cereal- based products, and the growing role of cereal and legume proteins. In the realm of grain nutrition and health, we will examine how cereal products can support dietary guidelines, discuss their physiological properties, health benefits, and address challenges related to allergies and intolerances. Ensuring grain quality, safety, and analytical excellence remains a major priority. Sessions will cover new quality assessment methods, detections of mycotoxins and other contaminants, as well as market trends and consumer demands, including food trends, media influence, consumer perceptions, international trade, and supply chains.

A key focus of this conference is biodiversity of cereals and grains including novel and ancient grains, pseudocereals and legumes, as well as their role in global food security.

Beyond knowledge exchange, the 21st ICC Conference will serve as an excellent forum for discussions, collaboration and networking. It offers a unique opportunity to forge new connections and renew friendships within the global cereal community. We invite all stakeholders in the grain food chains to contribute their expertise and share their work through oral and poster presentations, panel discussions, and tabletop exhibitions.

ICC and BOKU University offer a warm welcome to participants from around the world, with a special invitation to the "young generation" to present their research, share fresh perspectives and contribute to shaping the future of the food system. Exhibitors and sponsors are also invited to provide practical, market-oriented insights that will complement the scientific presentations.

We look forward to meeting you in Vienna and engaging in fruitful discussions that will drive the transformation of the food system.

Regine Schönlechner, Scientific Committee Chair
Bertrand Matthäus, ICC President
Veronika Haslinger, Organising Committee Chair