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.
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.
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Analytical sensory food evaluation
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Mouthfeel and oral processing
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Flavour chemistry
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Data science
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Consumer food preferences
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Consumer choice behavior
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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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search in Name | Search in Title | Search in Phone | |
| Allesen-Holm, Bodil Helene | Academic Research Staff | +4535333658 | |
| Bredie, Wender | Professor | +4535333242 | |
| Bro, Rasmus | Professor | +4535333296 | |
| Dandanell, Charlotte | Nutrition Assistant | +4535320197 | |
| Holt, Sylvester | Assistant Professor - Tenure Track | +4535321545 | |
| Lange, Belinda | Coordinator | +4535331959 | |
| Martinez Noguera, Pedro | PhD Fellow | +4535323308 | |
| Mykhalevych, Oksana | Industrial PhD | ||
| Olsen, Annemarie | Associate Professor | +4535331018 | |
| Petersen, Mikael Agerlin | Associate Professor | +4535333243 | |
| Schneide, Paul-Albert | PhD Student | +4535324827 | |
| Steen, Ida | Enrolled PhD Student | +4535321518 |
