BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (Austria): Department of Food Science and Technology (DFST)

  • Organisational form: Public University
  • Focus:  Food
  • Major activities: Research & education in sensory and consumer science, commercial contracts, consultancy, training

 

Contact adress:

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
BOKU - DFST
Prof. Klaus Dürrschmidt
Muthgasse 18
1190 Vienna
Austria / Europe
Phone: +43-1-476 54 62 95

 

The Department of Food Science and Technology is one of 14 departments of the BOKU (founded in 1872) and is divided into six divisions, which can be allocated along the food supply chain. The sensory science group is an organizational part of the division of food quality assurance, and  has interdisciplinary co-operation with all divisions. Its research is an important contribution to the department’s mission of improving food quality, food safety and nutrition.

 

The sensory lab is attached to a professionally equipped kitchen, to the food technology pilot plant (e.g., high pressure pasteurisation, super-critical fluid extraction plants.), and laboratories for textural, microbiological, and chemical analysis of foods. This is a unique combination of technology, quality control facilities, and sensory & consumer science. Such a combination  ensures the development of processes and new food products that are able to meet the consumers’ sensory, hedonic and functional demands under the given technological and economical constraints. The sensory lab offers a broad spectrum of methods, that are applied both in research and in education (MSci “Food Science and Technology” study programme).

 

The DFST also gives support in designing sensor test locations, establishing adequate sensory panels, using correct sensory test methods, and gaining good sensory laboratory practice in order to reach defined business goals.

 

Recent projects have dealt with correlations between instrumental properties and sensory properties of various foods, with characterization of acoustic properties of foods, the use of taste modulators in foods, and with the question of how product information influences consumers’ spontaneous affective acceptance of various food products.

 

Please visit our website for further information
http://www.dlwt.boku.ac.at/