Project
Snackpedition
Since the last decade, consumers have been moving from consuming three main meals per day to more frequent consumption of smaller amounts of foods, such as snacks. This trend, commonly referred to as “snackification” includes an increasing consumption of bar-type snacks, which have gained popularity due to their convenience for on-the-go consumption. In parallel, there is a rising demand for snacks that are not only convenient, but also healthy, natural, sustainable, and tasty.
While texture and flavour perception are key to consumers' food and snack choices, little is known about how theproperties of bar-type snacks (composition, structure, texture, product architecture) influence texture perception, flavour release during consumption and flavour perception. This PhD project aims to unravel the mechanisms underlying the interactions between food properties, texture and flavour perception, and eating behaviour of bar-type snacks.
Firstly, descriptive quantitative sensory analysis and preference assessment of a large variety (>30) of snack bars representative of the current market will be performed and combined into a preference map to reveal the texture and flavour attributes that drive liking and disliking.
Secondly, we will develop model snacks with systematic variations in the product architecture and composition, focusing on layered snack systems (such as wafers with semi-solid fillings) and particle snack systems (representing bars composed of nuts, crispies and fruit). We aim to explore how the composition and product architecture of snacks influence oral structural breakdown, in vivo flavour release, dynamic sensory perception, food intake, and satiation.
The knowledge generated within this PhD project will contribute to the design of healthier and more satiating snack bars.