Sensory & Consumer Science is an interdisciplinary field of research that connects chemistry, and materials science, with psychology, human physiology, and neurobiology. At Penn State’s Sensory Evaluation Center (SEC) in the Food Science department, we utilize humans as instruments to evaluate food, but also use food to understand human perception. I will share examples of our research that demonstrate how materials science and chemistry can be used to develop more healthy and longer-lasting food products.
