IFST Sensory Science Group Webinars

May 20, 2021 | 14:00- 15:00

Olfaction in the time of Covid-19

Organised by IFSTs Sensory Science Group (SSG)

This webinar will be the first in the SSG 2021 series focussing on The Human Sensory Instrument. The topic is the effects of Covid-19 on the senses presented by Dr Jane Parker from the Flavour Centre at the University of Reading. Covid-19 has changed the world beyond recognition, but how does it affect the human senses and what are the implications for sensory scientists and the wider public?

What you will learn about: Effects of Covid-19 on the senses, particularly olfaction.

Target Audience: Sensory scientists, product developers, flavourists, anyone interested in the senses.

Chair: Stephanie Mitchell, FIFST, CSci, RSensSci, MCIEH

From her late teens, Steph developed a love of food, leading to the decision to study it further and gaining an MSc in Food Science, Reading University. This then instilled a fascination for sensory science and she has built her successful career in this area. Steph is Senior Sensory Manager at ppl Insights, an independent market research agency based near Gatwick in Surrey. Ppl offers both sensory and consumer, quantitative and qualitative research solutions and works with many of the UK’s top FMCG companies.

Current Chair of IFST’s Sensory Science Group, Steph is also a volunteer on their Membership Assessment Panel. In addition, she is involved in Reading University’s Industry Advisory Board, which ensures that their Food Science courses are relevant to employers.

Speaker: Dr Jane K Parker, Founder and Director of The Flavour Centre, University of Reading

Jane Parker is full-time manager of The Flavour Centre. Having spent the last 15 years working on collaborative projects with the food industry, Jane has considerable understanding of the needs of commercial customers. Her expertise is in the area of flavour chemistry and the mechanisms by which key odour compounds are formed during thermal processing. Research in flavour formation in a range of fresh produce and sensory and chemical characterisation provides her with a well-rounded perspective on industrial flavour problems.

Moderator: Carol Raithatha, FIFST, Committee Member of the Sensory Science Special Interest Group (SSG), Director, Carol Raithatha Limited

Carol has over 25 years of experience in the sensory and consumer research field.  As Director of Carol Raithatha Limited, she works with large and small organisations including food and drink manufacturers, research agencies, and academic institutions. Project types include training, project management, method development, and many more. Carol has experience in a range of areas spanning ingredients, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, fruit and vegetables, chocolate, meat products, and packaging among others. She is a member of the SSG events working group and is also active on the IFST Eastern region committee.

Live Q&A: Carol Raithatha and Dr Jane K Parker         

Booking link: https://www.ifst.org/events/1040/ifst-sensory-science-group-webinar-olfaction-in-the-time-of-covid-19

The tactile side of food: Thursday 24 June | 14:00- 15:00

Organised by IFSTs Sensory Science Group (SSG)

This webinar will be the second in the SSG 2021 series focussing on The Human Sensory Instrument. The talk will look at how the tactile sensory system can affect food perception. It will look at how textures can physically and visually influence how consumers view what they eat. Furthermore, it will explore how subtle tactile cues can subconsciously guide consumers towards a more or less favourable perception of food items.

What you will learn about: Texture, Consumer Psychology, Food Perception

Target Audience: Sensory scientists, consumer psychologists, marketers, market researchers, product developers, anyone interested in the senses and/or consumer psychology.

Chair: Stephanie Mitchell, FIFST, CSci, RSensSci, MCIEH

From her late teens, Steph developed a love of food, leading to the decision to study it further and gaining an MSc in Food Science, Reading University. This then instilled a fascination for sensory science and she has built her successful career in this area. Steph is Senior Sensory Manager at ppl Insights, an independent market research agency based near Gatwick in Surrey. Ppl offers both sensory and consumer, quantitative and qualitative research solutions and works with many of the UK’s top FMCG companies.

Current Chair of IFST’s Sensory Science Group, Steph is also a volunteer on their Membership Assessment Panel. In addition, she is involved in Reading University’s Industry Advisory Board, which ensures that their Food Science courses are relevant to employers.

Speaker: Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, Associate Professor in Consumer Psychology, Anglia Ruskin University

Dr Cathrine Jansson-Boyd is a consumer psychologist based at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. Her current research interests include: the role of touch in product evaluation, multi-sensory perception, consumer decision making, and aesthetic appreciation. She has published a number of articles and is the author of the first textbook to be published that is purely about Consumer Psychology. Cathrine has also written and edited several other consumer-based books. She is the course leader for an MSc in Consumer Psychology and teaches consumer psychology to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Cathrine conducts research within the area of consumer psychology and works with businesses who need assistance with understanding consumers. In the past, she has worked with organisations such as Disney, Unilever, and Cambridgeshire County Council. She is a member of the Society of Consumer Psychology and has previously worked at London Metropolitan University, London School of Economics, and Birkbeck.

Moderator: Carol Raithatha, FIFST, Committee Member of the Sensory Science Special Interest Group (SSG), Director, Carol Raithatha Limited

Carol has over 25 years of experience in the sensory and consumer research field.  As Director of Carol Raithatha Limited, she works with large and small organisations including food and drink manufacturers, research agencies, and academic institutions. Project types include training, project management, method development, and many more. Carol has experience in a range of areas spanning ingredients, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, fruit and vegetables, chocolate, meat products, and packaging among others. She is a member of the SSG events working group and is also active on the IFST Eastern region committee.

Live Q&A: Carol Raithatha and Cathrine Jansson-Boyd

Booking link: https://www.ifst.org/events/1046/ifst-sensory-science-group-webinar-the-tactile-side-of-food

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