3.5 years ERC funded Doctoral Studentship: Relating Oral Tribology to Sensory Perception

The project focuses on understanding the true sensory consequence of oral processing, specifically to explore “oral tribology”. Although food resides for a relatively short period of time in the mouth, it is subjected to complex oral processing conditions, such as exposure to body temperature, dilution with saliva, interactions with oral contacting surfaces, such as teeth–teeth, tongue–teeth and tongue–oral palate. It is now hypothesized that these interactions of food with oral surfaces (e.g. frictional forces) may influence the sensory perception of food, such as, creaminess, astringency, slipperiness, smoothness.

However, very little is known about the true relationship between these oral friction parameters that can be measured instrumentally and sensorial perception. Hence, this PhD research aims to identify the quantitative relationships between lubrication/ friction and the resulting sensory perception using a unique combination of instrumental methodologies and sensory trials.

By promoting our understanding of the interaction of food with oral surfaces and its sensorial consequence this can help us to design new products with new sensorial and/ or textural attributes, such as low fat food without compromising the creamy mouthfeel. In this project you will develop a range of soft model foods (e.g. gels) of different microstructure using various biopolymers and investigate their lubrication and sensory properties. You will use a variety of techniques, such as, rheology, tribology, electron microscopy, colloidal techniques as well as sensory trials and statistics.

Entry requirements

You will be self-motivated and able to work in lab-based environment. You will have a 1st class honours degree in food science, food science and nutrition, biomaterial science, chemistry, engineering or a related subject. You will have a curious and a rigorous approach to research and will be motivated to work in this new area of science together with a strong intellect, good communication skills (oral and written) and disciplined work habits.

Experience in doing sensory trials and statistical analysis would be advantageous but not essential. The interviews for the submitted applications will be held in May-Jul 2018 and applications should be made via the University of Leeds online application form.