Eurizon.eu

Organization: TI Food and Nutrition

Location: Wageningen, Netherlands

Field: Medical sciences

Requirements:

Candidate profile Master’s degree in Food Technology, Physical Chemistry, (Food) Chemistry, (Food) Physics or similar degree. Experience and/or demonstrated interest in: texture engineering and food structure design development of experimental methods applied physical chemistry oral physiology sensory sciences

Abstract:

Project description: Bolus formation and properties The release of tastants such as sugar and salt from a food product and the migration of the tastants to the taste buds is largely determined by the properties of the food product, the breakdown behaviour in the oral cavity and the bolus formation of the product during oral processing. The breakdown behaviour and bolus formation are of key importance for both texture and taste perception of food.

Description:

Project description: Bolus formation and properties The release of tastants such as sugar and salt from a food product and the migration of the tastants to the taste buds is largely determined by the properties of the food product, the breakdown behaviour in the oral cavity and the bolus formation of the product during oral processing. The breakdown behaviour and bolus formation are of key importance for both texture and taste perception of food. The focus of the PhD project is on understanding and determining factors controlling the influence of bolus formation and bolus properties on the release kinetics of tastants from the bolus. Different model foods varying in macro-nutrient composition and structure are investigated. The model foods are engineered so that the breakdown behaviour is controlled. The relationship between the characteristics of the bolus (morphology, composition, rheological behaviour) and the mass transfer of tastants to the surface of the bolus are studied for a variety of food products representative for different categories. The relationships between oral movements, mastication, saliva flow and bolus formation are explored. In addition, the PhD project aims at comparing the properties of boli originating from different foods between larger groups of subjects with different chewing behaviours. The PhD project investigates whether the difference in chewing behaviour results in different properties of the boli which lead to difference in sensory perception. Oral movements are quantified using state of the art techniques such as articulography. Main tasks and responsibilities The PhD student is responsible for: developing, planning and performing of specific research tasks within the project “Dynamics of texture and taste perception”. contributing to the full project plan staying abreast of developments in his scientific discipline by keeping up with the scientific literature in his field and visiting scientific meetings generating ideas within the scope of the defined subject supervising of research assistants and students, where appropriate delivering results in line with the project plan milestones and deliverables keeping up with the latest scientific developments and integrating these in the project converting data and results of the sub-project into overview reports keeping  traceable records of all results and analyses according to the lab journal procedure writing high-quality clearly written papers about the results obtained and getting these published in high–impact scientific journals. completing a thesis after 4 years.

Deadline: 15-04-2011

Contacts:

Link: http://www.tifn.nl/

Email: personnel@tifn.nl

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