Research Programmes
Flavour Chemistry and Technology
Dr. John Birch, Pat Silcock, Michelle Leus
- Flavour composition of foods/beverages (identification and quantitative analysis of the flavour precursors and their products, characterisation of the staling reactions using stable isotope)
- Flavour composition of foods/beverages in relation with the maturation and microbial activity and/or the processing conditions (eg fermented dairy products, beer, wine, honey, fruits).
- Analysis of odour-active compounds of foods/beverages (CHARM analysis)
- Synthesis of flavour by micro-organisms and plant cells
- Lipid derived flavours
- Investigation of the equilibria of key flavour compounds that govern the flavour stability of beverages
Colloid and Surface Chemistry Interactions in Food Products
- Investigations into the effect on cheese flavour and texture by colloidal components in food
- Determination of the conformation of protein stabilising species on globular oil-water and polymer-water interfaces using selective enzyme hydrolysis and dynamic laser light scattering techniques
Cheese Physics and Chemistry
- Physical chemical factors that influence the melt behaviour and free oil formation in Mozzarella cheese.
- Effect of ultra-small fat globules on cheese flavour and texture.
Fermentation Science and Technology
- Bacterial degradation of high lipid waste.
Food Microbiology
- Food safety and shelf-life enhancement of minimally processed foods.
- Detection of viable but not culturable micro-organisms.
- The development and control of bacterial biofilms.
Food Product Development
Professor Phil Bremer, Fiona Nyhof, Pat Silcock
- Controlled release of food ingredients (flavours, oligoelements, peptides).
- Encapsulation.
- Biodegradable films.
- Hurdle technology.
Sensory Science
- Cognitive psychology of taste.
- Trigeminal chemoreception, flavour perception.
- Cross-cultural aspects of taste.
- Development of taste preferences.
Consumer Sciences
- Consumer Movements and Food Activism
- Consumer Research Methods
Food Waste
Dr Miranda Mirosa, Dr Aladin Bekhit, Prof Indrawati Oey, Dr John Birch
Food waste behaviours
- Household food waste decision making
- Cultural consumption of waste
- Drivers for behaviour change
- Food waste and corporate social responsibility
- Food waste policy
- Non-consumption and household waste
Innovation
- Extraction, optimization and evaluation of bioactive compounds from food waste
- Utilization of food waste for energy
- Chemistry of waste utilization
- New product and service opportunities relating to waste
- Developing integrated value chains
Metrics
- Waste metrology
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for food preservation technology and farming practice
Lipid Chemistry
- Lipid modification to produce new functional lipids; biodiesel from lipid wastes
- Antioxidants