Our goal is to understand how food materials are structured and how this affects their properties both before, during, and after consumption, relating food properties with sensory and consumer evaluations.
Food Imaging & Biophysics, Sensory & Consumer Science, Gastrophysics & Culinary Innovation
One of our key strengths lies in the development and application of advanced microscopy techniques and image analysis. These tools enable us to study the microstructure of both simplified and complex food systems, and to explore how microscale phenomena relate to larger-scale characteristics building a hierarchical understanding of the food we eat.
We further emphasize sensory analysis via expert and consumer panels, where human assessors describe and quantify perceptual properties complementing instrumental measurements of texture as well as taste and flavor compounds.
We have solid experience in using machine learning to establish connections between the quantitative measurements obtained from instrumental food analysis and the sensory experiences of food. This integrative approach allows us to better understand the complex relationships between food structure, sensory perception, and consumer behavior, ultimately contributing to the development of more enjoyable and sustainable food products.