Prof Elke Arendt receives prestigious international cereal science award

21 Oct 2026

Professor Elke Arendt, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences & APC Microbiome Ireland, UCC, has been awarded the Clyde H. Bailey Medal 2026 by the International Association for Cereal Science and Technology (ICC).

Established in 1969 and awarded at four-year intervals, the medal is one of the most distinguished international distinctions in cereal science and technology, recognising outstanding scientific achievements and contributions to the discipline.

The award was presented at the 9th International Conference on Dietary Fibre, held in Norwich, UK, from 6–8 October 2026, where Professor Arendt delivered the opening keynote lecture, “Closing the Fibre Gap: Novel Ingredients, Fermentation Technology and Health-Oriented Food Design.”

The honour recognises Professor Arendt's internationally significant contributions to cereal science, gluten-free foods, fermentation technologies and the development of innovative, health-oriented foods. Her international research standing is further reflected in ScholarGPS rankings, which place her #1 worldwide in Gluten-Free Diet and European Cuisine, and #2 in Cereal Science (Baking).

Professor Arendt is also a Principal Investigator and Group Leader at APC Microbiome Ireland, where she serves as Co-Principal Investigator of Research Theme 2, Diet and Microbes. Through these roles, she brings her expertise in cereal science, food fermentation, dietary fibre and health-oriented food development to interdisciplinary research exploring the relationships between diet, the gut microbiome and human health.

Her work contributes to the development of innovative nutritional approaches aimed at improving human health and supporting more sustainable food systems.