Andreea Laura Bănică, food engineer and Research Assistant at "Valahia" University in Târgoviște within the Multidisciplinary Scientific and Technological Research Institute (ICSTM), is one of the new names defining the future of Romanian research. Recently, she was awarded the "Young Innovator" prize at the Technology Transfer Festival – TETRAFEST 2025, for her patent "Rapid method for isolating microplastics from milk, yogurt, cream, and butter" – an innovation with a major impact on food safety, public health, and environmental protection. The patent was officially recognized by the State Office for Inventions and Trademarks (OSIM).
The developed method allows for the assessment of the risk of microplastic contamination in milk, yogurt, cream, and butter, providing the food industry with an essential tool for improving the technological process and the quality of finished products. At the same time, the innovation plays an important role in alerting and raising awareness among authorities, control laboratories, and consumer protection bodies. For her significant contributions to food safety and her potential to transform industrial practices at the national level, Andreea Laura Bănică was included in the 2025 edition of the '100 Youngsters for Romania's Development' campaign, initiated by the Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania—a platform that highlights young innovators, creators, and leaders who are changing Romania through intelligence, dedication, and courage.
This innovation brings a real solution to an increasingly discussed issue: the presence of microplastics in food. Although the effects of constant consumption of these microparticles are still being researched, international studies indicate potential risks to the body, especially to the endocrine and immune systems. Despite this context, Romania and the European Union do not yet have specific legislation for monitoring microplastics in food - which makes Andreea's innovation not only innovative, but absolutely necessary, according to experts in the field.
The method was developed in the advanced laboratories of the Multidisciplinary Scientific and Technological Research Institute (ICSTM) of the "Valahia" University in Târgoviște, under the coordination of Prof. Cristiana Rădulescu, PhD. Andreea is part of a dedicated research team that has succeeded in creating an efficient, fast, and low-cost protocol for separating microplastics from dairy products - a national and international first in the field.
The innovation has a double purpose: to contribute to doctoral research and to be implemented in practice in the food industry. Preliminary discussions have already been initiated with two milk processing factories in Muntenia and Sud-Muntenia to integrate the method into quality control flows. This potential practical application represents a strategic step towards developing an industrial-level verification and prevention system, as well as one towards informing and protecting consumers.
The quality of the research has been confirmed by numerous international recognitions. In recent years, the innovation has been presented at major invention fairs, winning 13 awards and distinctions. These include the Gold Medal and Diploma of Excellence at the ProInvent International Fair (Cluj, 2023), the Gold Medal at the International Exhibition INVENTCOR (2024), the Gold Medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions and Innovative Entrepreneurship (2024), as well as the Special Prize awarded by the Politehnica University of Timișoara at the EUROINVENT exhibition (2024).
A graduate of the Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Food Science at "Valahia" University in Târgoviște, specializing in Agricultural Product Processing Technology, Andreea Laura Bănică is currently a Research Assistant at the same Multidisciplinary Scientific and Technological Research Institute.
