First poster prize at FOODMicro 2026 for Dipl.-Ing. Martin Ladurner

As part of the FOODMicro 2026 in Ljubljana, three poster prizes were awarded to outstanding young scientists. The International Commission on Food Microbiology and Hygiene (ICFMH) awards these poster prizes at each FOODMicro conference to particularly convincing poster presentations that stand out for their high scientific quality, innovative approaches and relevance for food microbiology.

The first poster prize of FOODMicro 2026 was awarded to Dipl.-Ing. Martin Ladurner for his poster entitled "Insights into virulence characteristics across the Cronobacter genus".

The award-winning work deals with virulence properties within the bacterial genus Cronobacter and provides valuable insights into a better understanding of disease-relevant properties of these important microorganisms. Cronobacter is particularly important in connection with infant formula, as contaminated infant formula can be a possible source of infection. Although infections with Cronobacter are rare, they can lead to severe, sometimes life-threatening infections with symptoms such as sepsis and meningitis, especially in newborns and infants. The investigation of the virulence properties of Cronobacter is therefore an important contribution to understanding the pathogenicity of these bacteria and to further improving food safety in the field of infant formula.

With this award, the ICFMH honors the outstanding scientific achievement of Dipl.-Ing. Martin Ladurner and his contribution to the further development of research in the field of food microbiology.

Congratulations!