Category Science & Technology
Date 17-04-2024
Food scientists at the University of Copenhagen are working with Lactosan A/S to explore the potential of cheese powder in enhancing the umami flavor and kokumi (mouthfeel) in plant-based dishes.
The concept of pairing cheese with various plant-based foods is established, but the innovation lies in the researchers' efforts to refine these ingredients to create synergistic effects that improve the overall taste.
They aim to pinpoint appealing flavor combinations using a selection of naturally matured cheeses based on Lactosan’s formulations.
The aim of study is to understand the umami and kokumi potential and perception of a selection of mature cheeses (mostly Danish cheese) and cheese powder to promote green eating behavior.
Post.Doc. Shaghayegh Keshanidokth (Sherri) from Copenhagen University joined the project at the beginning in august 2023. She has a research background in food structuring with a focus on plant proteins and flavor and sensory science.
(picture: Sherri in the middle with Belinda (left) and Charlotte (right) from Copenhagen University.
Sherri, please tell us about your research:
“Koku sensation is a new research topic that was investigated firstly by Japanese researchers. Kokumi compounds were measured in many fermented food products, and it is known that certain free amino acids, peptides, nucleotides are responsible for koku sensation in cheese. However, the effect of these compounds in cheese and their interactions with olfactory sensation has not been fully investigated. So, in this research I am aiming to explore the aroma compounds of cheese and cheese powder to couple them with descriptive sensory analysis and understand perception of koku sensation. The final purpose of this study is to show how cheese and cheese powder could be the key to promote green eating behavior.
My field of interest is to explore more on perception of koku sensation and understanding how they are perceived in different food products to improve plant food palatability.
It will be interesting to see how aroma compounds can contribute to our perception of koku sensation in cheese and cheese powder. Also, it will be interesting to see how different koku sensation in cheese and cheese powder is where cheese powder is made from a fine selection of different cheeses, and it can be more complex than each type of cheese alone.
I hope that my research can contribute to promotion of a more sustainable eating behavior where not everyone needs to be Vegan or vegetarian but with a controlled use of animal-based product to be able to enjoy delicious green food."
More about the project..
The project ‘How cheese can promote green eating behavior’ is supported with DKK 1.5 million from the Danish Dairy Research Foundation. The project was launched in august 2023 and runs until 2025.
The project is headed by Karsten Olsen Associated Professor at the Department of Food Science at the University of Copenhagen.
Other UCPH FOOD researchers involved in the project are:
The project is run in coordination with the Science & Technology Team at Lactosan A/S - by Inger Hansen, Head of Strategic Innovation Projects.
(Source: Link to KU article)
