Design and Consumer Behavior

Design and Consumer Behavior

The section (DCB), Department of Food Science is a recently formed research group working with integrated approaches to food design, innovation, and various groups of consumers and consumer responses.

The group consists of scientists with cross-disciplinary approaches and backgrounds from natural sciences and technology as well as in sensory and behavioural sciences. With the recent inclusion of the Nordic Food Lab, scientific staff interacts with creative foodies and chefs to stimulate creativity in research and education or in collaboration with producers, municipalities and the public at large. The MSc programme in Food Innovation and Health MSc is also anchored in the section.

Central to the research is the awareness that future food needs to become more sustainable from production and the perspective of provision and consumption habits. The research programme thus addresses creative innovation along the food production chain (e.g. processing, chemical-physical changes, waste reduction and utilising local resources) and the design of sustainable healthy foods and meals for consumers groups with different needs (e.g. children, elderly and patients). The subject areas cover studies on chemical changes (stability, functionality and flavour), food processing as well as those on addressing the end-user including sensory perception, preferences and consumption behavior (choice and intake).

Research areas

  • Food choice, acceptance and habits
  • Multisensory food perception
  • Sensory and situational meal design
  • Neurophysiology of food behavior

Future Consumer Lab

Future Consumer Lab (FCL) is part of Design and Consumer Behaviour. FCL combines research activities and laboratories to learn about consumer preferences for foods and how food design can be targeted for specific consumer groups and eating behaviours.
Visit Future Consumer Lab's website.

Contact

Head of Section
Tel: (+45) 35 33 10 18

Secretary
Tel: (+45) 35 33 32 15
E-mail: fbu@food.ku.dk