RESEARCH FIELD

Food Science

Food science applies the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and engineering to the composition, processing, preservation, safety, and nutritional quality of food. Researchers investigate flavour formation chemistry during cooking via the Maillard reaction and lipid oxidation, food texture and rheological properties, the microbiology of fermentation and spoilage, novel food preservation technologies including high-pressure processing and pulsed electric fields, and allergen detection and management. A rapidly growing subfield is sustainable and alternative proteins — plant-based meat analogues, precision fermentation, and cultivated meat — responding to the environmental footprint of conventional livestock production. Sensory science combines consumer psychology with analytical chemistry to understand flavour perception and product acceptance. Food safety research addresses pathogen control, mycotoxin contamination, and pesticide residue analysis. The field is funded by the food industry, national agricultural research programmes, the EU Horizon programme, and alternative protein investors.