ABOUT US
The Hellenic Research & Innovation Centre (HRIC) is a state-of-the-art Institute of food safety that offers high quality chemical, microbiological and consultation services to the food industry. Our research team is comprised of experienced scientists with doctoral studies and scientific publications working with modern, sophisticated analytical instrumentation. HRIC has an extensive network of partners from academia and industry in the fields of food technology and chemistry.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to protect the customers we serve from the pitfalls of a competitive, highly regulated industry. At the same time, we aim to provide all the necessary consulting services in product research and development, implementation of food quality systems, support and implementation of research proposals at national and European level, as well as consulting services to improve nutrition and health consumers.
OUR TEAM
The laboratory consists of a team of experienced chemists, biologists, microbiologists, food scientists and nutritionists, covering the full range of food safety services. Depending on your needs, this team is available to create unique solutions for your product, conduct a series of tests and respond to any of your problems. Always vigilant, this team works diligently to keep you at the forefront of changing regulations.

DIMITRIOS LADIKOS
Dimitrios Ladikos, Ph.D, Laboratory manager. He received his PhD in Food Biochemistry/Science from Procter Department of Food Science, Leeds University and he joined YIOTIS in 1989 as head of R&D Department. During the period 1991-1996 he served the Greek National Supreme Chemical Council as a member of the opinion committee on food legislation approvals. As a member of the Board of Directors, he is actively participating in the company’s formulating decisions on innovation strategy and he is overviewing research in the development of novel food products, patents application, participation in EU or National Funded Research programs and innovation partnerships.
VASILIKI GIATRAKOU
Vasiliki Giatrakou Ph.D, Chemist, Molecular Biology Supervisor. Graduated in 2004 as a Chemist from University of Ioannina, Greece. She received her PhD (2010) on Food Microbiology and Safety. She worked on the EU Research Project “Double Fresh”, as a research-chemist for 3 years. Currently she is performing Food Safety Analysis. She has participated in numerous Research Projects for the development of innovative products and her research activity in the fields of Food Science & Technology resulted to a number of publications (10) in scientific journals and books.
KOMAITIS EFSTRATIOS
Komaitis Efstratios, Ph.D, Analytical Chemistry Lab Supervisor. He graduated in 2003 as a Chemist from the University of Athens and in 2005 worked at the Doping Control Center of Athens at the laboratory of Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry. He received his PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) on 2011 and during that period he participated in 4 Greek or European programs and published 2 papers at peer reviewed journals. Since 2012 he is in charge of the Analytical Chemistry Lab, specialized in the field of determination of pesticides in foods plus migration occurring from packaging materials to foods.
IOANNA KOLONI
Ioanna Koloni, Food Technologist, Head of Microbiological Analysis Laboratory. She graduated in 1993 from the School of Food Technology and Nutrition of the TEI of Athens. She worked for seven years in the Research and Development of New Products of the company JOTIS and since 2001 she works in the Laboratory of Microbiological Analysis of the same company. Main areas of employment are the coordination of laboratory work and staff and the development of new methods of analysis. For the last two years she has been engaged in the accreditation of methods according to ISO 17025. In the framework of this activity she has accredited 16 methods of microbiological analysis of food and water, which cover the entire range of microbiological analyzes of the company.
ELEFTHERIA MARNELI
Eleftheria Marneli, MSc., Chemical Engineer. She received her master’s degree in 2006 from the University of Montpellier on the field of Biotechnology applied on food, drugs and environment. She also holds a second master’s degree on the Field of Quality Assurance from the HOU.
JOHN ANTONIOU
Antoniou John (male), Ph.D, graduated in 2006 as a “Food scientist & Technologist” from Agricultural University of Athens, Greece. His Ms.c Degree was specialized in Food Engineering and received from Food Technology and Human Nutrition Department of Agricultural University of Athens, Greece (2008). His Doctorate Degree was received in 2014 from Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China and specialized in Food Science & Technology and resulted in a number of scientific publications (13) and participation to various conferences. He has been working as a Food Scientist for the Research & Innovation Department of YIOTIS S.A. since 2015.
GEORGE NAXAKIS
George Naxakis, Ph.D., Head of the Lab, He graduated in 2002 from the Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina. His Master’s degree is on organic synthesis and its applications on the chemical industry. He received his PhD on Pharmaceutical Chemistry in 2009 from NKUA. He has experience in the food and drink industry (R&D, processing, etc) as well as in the QA (ISO 14001, ISO 22000)
KATERINA PISSARIDI
Katerina Pissaridi, PhD. Research Project Supervisor. She holds a diploma on Chemical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). She obtained her PhD on the field of Biomaterials and Biospectroscopy in 2012 from the School of Chemical Engineering, NTUA. Her Postdoctoral studies were at the Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Biotechnology (Department of Chemistry, University of Patras). Before joining YIOTIS S.A she was working as an R&D Coordinator in “Megara Resins”. She has published more than 10 scientific papers in International Journals and Books and she presented her work in many National and International conferences. Four of her presentations were chosen as best papers and were awarded distinctions. She is member of the Hellenic Technical Engineering Society (TEE).
KONSTANTINA NANA
Konstantina Nana, MSc, Chemist, Analyst in the Analytical Chemistry Lab. She graduated from the Department of Chemistry of the University of Ioannina in 2017 and she received her master’s degree on Food Chemistry from the Department of Chemistry of the NKUA in 2019. Since October 2019 she is taking courses for a second master’s degree (MBA Food and Agribusiness) from the Agricultural University of Athens. Her expertise is on HPLC-DAD/RID/FLD and LC-MS/MS.
EVANGELIA KRYSTALLI
Evangelia Krystalli, MSc, Chemist. She is responsible for the development of new technics in the Analytical Chemistry Lab. She graduated from the Department of Chemistry of NKUA in 2016 and she received her master’s degree on the field of Engineering of Aromas and Perfumes from the Faculty of Science of the University of Montpellier in 2019.
Strategic partnerships

National Kapodistrian University of Athens
Collaborating Universities

National Technical University of Athens

Agricultural University of Athens

National Hellenic Research Foundation

Technological Platform “Food For Life”

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

National Centre of Scientific Research “Demokritos”

Technological Educational Institute of Athens

Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki