Sensory Science and Consumer Behaviour

The group aims to improve the understanding of how people experience quality traits of foods by making use of the senses and how this process influences food preferences and behaviour.

Picture for the research group

We study sensory properties of foods and combine analytical sensory panels and advanced instrumental techniques. We also study food preferences and aversions in different consumer groups. We work with a variety of target groups including children, adults, elderly as well as patients and consumers with special needs.

We conduct studies on taste learning and changes of food behaviour, and thereby we go from product perception to product acceptance – or rejection. Our consumer research also addresses the importance of food contexts in preference judgements. We develop new data science tools and employ these to study the relationships between food composition, sensory perception and preferences.

 

 

 

  • Analytical sensory food evaluation

  • Mouthfeel and oral processing

  • Flavour chemistry

  • Data science

  • Consumer food preferences

  • Consumer choice behavior

  • Immersive food contexts and perception

 

 

 

 

 

 

We provide a variety of state-of-the-art equipment for instrumental and sensory analyses as well as laboratories for observation and analyses of consumer behavior.

Our equipment and facilities our all part of what we call “Future Consumer lab”.

Check it out here: Future Consumer Lab – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

We have two trained sensory panels and consumer panel databases for various food research topics.

We also conduct field studies in nurseries, kindergartens, schools, and work places, or at consumers’ own homes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Professor Wender Bredie:

  • PROFERMENT (Solid-state fermentations for protein transformations and palatability of plant-based foods)
  • SEEDFOOD (Functional and palatable plant seed storage proteins for sustainable foods)
  • SEAPRO - Novel high-value ingredient based on fermented seaweed disrupting the food and nutraceutical markets (EU Eurostar)
  • AQRIFood – Advancing the Quality of plant-based Raw materials and Ingredients for Food applications (IFD)
  • Protein from locally grown legumes and algae for organic chickens – ProLocAl (GUDP)
  • Taste & DNA -Elucidating the genetic background of variations in human food and taste preferences (Novo Nordisk Foundation, Co-supervisor PhD student)
  • Somesthesia in Cancer patients - variability and influence on eating experience (Danone, IPB, Supervisor PhD)
  • Development of pre-school children’s texture perception and acceptance of healthy foods (Innovationsfonden, Arla Foods, Supervisor PhD)
  • Fingerfoods for senior citizens (PhD supervisor; Kamprad foundation and HKR)
  • FOODENGINE (EU, Marie Curie ITN, UCPH leader for project coordination and 4 PhD’s)
  • Exploring the potential of enhancing sensory performance using different learning strategies (CoffeeMind Erhvervs PhD, Innovationsfonden, supervisor)

Associate professor Annemarie Olsen:

  • Deakin PhD Manuela

Associate professor Helene Reinbach:

  • Rehabilitation of smell loss through cooking (Project parter in Collaboration with Flavour Institute, Holstebro, Veluxfonden)

Other: 

  • HealthFerm (EU)
  • SmartProtein

 

 

 

Group members:

Name Title Phone E-mail
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Allesen-Holm, Bodil Helene Academic Research Staff +4535333658 E-mail
Bredie, Wender Professor +4535333242 E-mail
Bro, Rasmus Professor +4535333296 E-mail
Cardin, Marco Postdoc +4535323257 E-mail
Chow, Ching Yue Postdoc +4535324080 E-mail
Dandanell, Charlotte Nutrition Assistant +4535320197 E-mail
Fokdal, Katrine Fjelbye Nutrition Assistant +4535325297 E-mail
Holt, Sylvester Assistant Professor - Tenure Track +4535321545 E-mail
Kaushal, Vandana Postdoc +4535333195 E-mail
Lange, Belinda Coordinator +4535331959 E-mail
Martinez Noguera, Pedro PhD Fellow +4535323308 E-mail
Mykhalevych, Oksana Industrial PhD E-mail
Nielsen, Frederikke Hjertholm Industrial PhD E-mail
Petersen, Mikael Agerlin Associate Professor +4535333243 E-mail
Quintanilla Casas, Beatriz Postdoc +4535329913 E-mail
Rao, Ramya PhD Fellow +4535323970 E-mail
Vasileiou, Aikaterina Research Assistant +4535337235 E-mail
Wang, Qian Janice Associate Professor E-mail

Contact the research group leader: 

Associate Professor
UCPH FOOD section: Design and Consumer
                    Behavior

Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen (UCPH FOOD)
Rolighedsvej 26, office C509
1958 Frederiksberg C
Denmark
Phone +45 35 33 32 42