Innovation, consumer insight and processing knowledge for sustainability and health

Secondary objectives:

• Understand and foster innovation in the Norwegian food industry at the corporate and system level and strengthen research-driven innovation
• Increase knowledge about consumer behavior, eating experience and sensory perception and involve consumers in research and innovation
• Increase knowledge of and apply food technology to improve taste, texture, nutrition and bioavailability, health effects and sustainability of different product groups
• Increase value creation and sustainability through optimal utilization of Norwegian food raw materials

Results so far

Sustainable Food Innovation

On one side, we analyze how firms can be more innovative, and on the other side how we can bridge the gap between research and industry. At firm level, we consider both large and small firms. A survey with large firms aims at understanding how complying with sustainability standards represent an innovation driver. Preliminary results reveal that despite being aware about sustainability needs, firms relate this need only to energy and CO₂ emissions. However, we also saw new open areas of research (e.g. plant-based alternatives) and increasing R&D collaborations, showing that sustainability and innovation are supporting each other.

We are also working on understanding entrepreneurial orientation, and innovativeness of local small food producers. On one side, we assessed their ability to learn from the experience of participating to a food contest, and, on the other side, we  evaluated their ability to explore new niches and launch new product categories on the market. The ultimate scope is to facilitate the shift towards sustainable innovations of incumbents, and to foster innovative initiatives at local level.

We are also studying the Corona crisis, as innovation opportunity, as,it can constitute a learning  factor for the food industry.  With regard to knowledge transfer, we studied how to make research results more available for the food industry, and how to improve competitiveness of new healthy and sustainable food products by overcoming barriers and opportunities.

Consumer and Sensory Science

We focuse on sensory and consumer perception, eating behavior, and involving consumers in research and innovation to support more healthy and sustainable diets. Regarding healthy eating, we research the relation of taste sensitivity and oral microbiota, and we will link it to preferences, to better understand the potential link to overeating and unhealthy eating. We have shown that taste sensitivity in preadolescents is linked to their food choices and preferences. With regards to the way food is eaten, we are working with a Face Decoding software (Food Behaviour module) to better understand food chewing and swallowing patterns and how they relate to food composition (food texture) and to food intake. The ultimate objective is that the industry could formulate food with specific textures that people like while reducing overeating.

With regards to sustainable food behaviour, we are studying sensory barriers (taste and texture) towards healthier and more sustainable diets with increased consumption of plant-based foods, and the use of rest-raw materials in enriched foods, with the aim of using the whole animal into food production of more sustainable, innovative food options. We are also working on supporting consumers towards bringing down food waste in the households, through an intervention study with young consumers.

We also focus on food experiences and preferences for special groups of consumers and to advance methodological aspects of sensory and consumer research and associated statistical methods (sensometrics). We have focused on co-creation methods with preadolescent consumers in workshops and an online platform; ideas generated for new products will be evaluated by selected industrial stakeholders, to better understand the added-value of co-creation approaches for the Norwegian industry.

Food Technology

The inclusion of high-pressure homogenized vegetable emulsions increased the firmness in falafel independent of vegetable type but had no effect on water loss.  Preliminary results of incorporation of wet (>40% moisture) and dry (<40% moisture) texturized protein (SusHealth WP5) ingredients into vegetarian meat balls and hamburgers show that further improvement is necessary to acquire the desired texture.

Application of plant-protein concentrates without texturization gave products with a raw and sticky texture requiring additives(e.g. hydrocolloids). Optimal processing conditions for plant-based patties differ from meat-based products in terms of mixing (shorter) and cooking (time/temperature). Tomato variety and processing conditions had great impact on viscosity and lycopene bioaccessibility during simulated digestion, which is important knowledge for the application of tomato emulsions as functional food.

Galactomannan molecular weight likely plays an important role for the hypoglycemic effect of guar fortified bread but is reduced during bread production. However, this reduction can be minimized by optimal processing. Chicken protein hydrolysates improved protein digestibility compared to whey protein in fortified drinks using an in vitro digestion model for elderly. Bovine and porcine lung have been used as ingredients in sausages up to 20%, which improved water binding. Sausages prepared with lung did not differ from the control in terms of consumer liking.

Innovation

We will focus on generating a deeper understanding of the Norwegian food industry from an innovation system perspective and how adaptation to new demands and capabilities can be a driver of innovation for small and large firms. Effects of changing framework conditions (crisis) and public procurement for innovation will be studied. We focus on transdisciplinary collaboration and improving knowledge transfer from research to industry.

Consumer and Sensory Science

We will increase knowledge about sensory and consumer perception, eating behavior, and involving consumers in research and innovation to support more healthy and sustainable diets. We will study the relation of consumers perception, preferences and food intake barriers and drivers for overeating and unhealthy eating. We will also focus on food experiences and preferences for special groups of consumers (e.g. age groups, special diets) and advance methodological aspects of sensory and consumer research and associated statistical methods (sensometrics).

Food Technology

We will will build a knowledge base to improve taste, texture, nutritional quality, health impact and sustainability of different product categories. We will study ingredient and process interactions to ensure good functional properties, sensory quality, storage stability and nutritional quality in Norwegian plant-based products. Research will also focus on products with improved nutritional quality and products contributing to reduced glycaemic load as well as healthier and more sustainable meat products with sustainable protein replacements and strategies to reduce saturated fat.

We collaborate interdisciplinary on joint topics across all three main areas/work packages.

Publications

Nutritional Aspects of Fats and Oils

2024 Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

Fermented and unfermented brown macroalgae as partial salt replacers in sodium-reduced dough and bread

European Food Research and Technology, 2024 Academic article

Knowledge bases, innovation and sustainability – When tradition meets novelty in the food industry

Trends in Food Science & Technology, 2024 Academic article

Consumer Perception of Food Texture in Relation to Preferences and Food Intake

2023 Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

Methodological approaches to assess tactile sensitivity in the food context—A scoping review

Journal of texture studies, 2023 Academic literature review

Hvordan vurdere sensorisk kvalitet på norsk sider?

Norsk frukt og bær, 2023 Article in business/trade/industry journal

Screening respondents to increase data quality in consumer tests

Food Quality and Preference, 2023 Academic article

Why use component-based methods in sensory science?

Food Quality and Preference, 2023 Academic article

Bringing down barriers to children’s healthy eating: A critical review of opportunities, within a complex food system

Nutrition research reviews, 2023 Academic article

Ultraprosessert mat burde være et kostråd: NEI

Norsk tidsskrift for ernæring (NTFE), 2023 Article in business/trade/industry journal

Influence of different genetic polymorphisms of aS1- and k-casein on Havarti-type cheese: Effects on cheese-making efficiency and cheesequality

International Dairy Journal, 2023 Academic article

Effect of scalding temperature on sensory and biochemical properties in a hard goat milk cheese

International Dairy Journal, 2023 Academic article

Moving beyond agriculture and aquaculture to integrated sustainable food systems as part of a circular bioeconomy

Frontiers in Marine Science, 2023 Academic article

An approach for clustering consumers by their top-box and top-choice responses

Journal of sensory studies, 2023 Academic article

Investigating only a subset of paired comparisons after principal component analysis

Food Quality and Preference, 2023 Academic article

Design-led innovation for more plant-based food: An interdisciplinary approach to more consumer-centric product development

International Journal of Food Design, 2023 Academic article

Children’s reaction to sugar reduced dairy desserts in the context of the implementation of nutritional warning labels: An exploratory study

Food Research International, 2023 Academic article

Development of food literacy in children and adolescents: implications for the design of strategies to promote healthier and more sustainable diets

Nutrition reviews, 2023 Academic literature review

Local food entrepreneurs in Norway: Case studies on successful practices for network learning and market development

2023 Doctoral dissertation

Micro-businesses in the driver’s seat: a qualitative study of market-driving practices in the food sector

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 2023 Academic article

The stability of phenolic compounds and the colour of lingonberry juice with the addition of different sweeteners during thermal treatment and storage

Heliyon, 2023 Academic article

Comparison of different ways of handling consumer segments using L-shape data

Journal of sensory studies, 2023 Academic article

Prediction of chemical and sensory properties in strawberries using Raman spectroscopy

Postharvest Biology and Technology, 2023 Academic article

Design-led innovation for more plant-based food: An interdisciplinary approach to more consumer-centric product development

International Journal of Food Design, 2023 Academic article