Researchers and industry professionals will meet in Faro at the XIII Iberian Symposium on Ripening and Postharvest

The Universidade do Algarve, the Associação Portuguesa de Horticultura and the Sociedade Portuguesa de Biologia de Plantas, in collaboration with the Sociedad Española de Ciencias Hortícolas and the Sociedad Española de Biología de Plantas, will organize the XIII Iberian Symposium on Ripening and Postharvest from June 1 to 3, 2026.

The event will take place at the Campus da Penha of the Universidade do Algarve, in Faro (Portugal), and will bring together researchers, technicians and industry professionals interested in scientific and technological advances related to the ripening and postharvest of plant products.

Research and technology in postharvest

The postharvest of fresh products such as fruits, vegetables, aromatic plants and flowers has gained increasing importance within strategies aimed at reducing losses and food waste along the supply chain.

The symposium aims to serve as a platform to present research results, exchange knowledge and discuss new technological developments aimed at improving the preservation of plant products. Topics to be addressed include ripening and senescence processes, nutritional quality, pathogen control, and preservation and packaging technologies.

Thematic areas

Technical and scientific contributions to the congress will be organized around several thematic areas:

• biology and physiology of ripening and postharvest
• innovation in the evaluation and management of ripening and quality in supply chains
• strategies for the management of postharvest diseases and physiological disorders
• preservation technologies and sustainable packaging
• consumer requirements and emerging challenges in the sector
• minimization of food loss and waste and promotion of the circular economy

Industry participation

The program will include conferences, round tables and interactive sessions with the participation of national and international researchers. In addition, the event aims to promote interaction between research and industry, offering companies in the sector the opportunity to present their solutions and establish contacts with professionals across the agri-food chain.

As in previous editions, the participation of producers, technicians and researchers from both the Iberian Peninsula and other countries, especially from Latin America, is expected.

Key dates

The organization has established the following important dates for participation in the event:

• March 31, 2026: deadline for abstract submission
• May 20, 2026: registration deadline
• June 30, 2026: deadline for submission of the full paper for publication in the proceedings

More information