Sensory Perception and Food Preference 5th International Advanced Course 9 - 12 May 2011 Wageningen, The Netherlands organised by The Graduate School VLAG, in co-operation with Wageningen Taste and Smell Centre of Wageningen University (WU)

Introduction

Background
Food preferences are a major determinant of food intake. The course will focus on how food preferences develop and how they are maintained or changed in later life. Special attention will be devoted to perceptual and sensory determinants of preference behaviour and food intake. Sensory factors do not appear to function in isolation; they act within a certain context and can elicit emotional responses. Attention will also be devoted to food preferences and consumer behaviour. Psychological, psychophysical and neuroimaging methods and techniques of sensory and preference measurement will be discussed.

Target group
The course is at graduate level and aims at food scientists, nutritionists and other sensory- or food-related professionals. The course may be valuable for graduate students working on a PhD related to food, food choice or intake or (chemo)sensory behaviour, and for those working in the food industry.

Course contents

Course aim
The aim of this advanced training course is to acquire expertise regarding the major determinants of food intake, and the role that the different sensory systems play in developing food preferences; to obtain knowledge and experience in different methods on how to measure and analyse these aspects.

Course design
The course will be mainly composed of lectures with ample opportunity for discussions. There will be presentations of the research plans of the participants, an excursion to the Restaurant of the Future, as well as a workshop/demo on various methods to measure and analyse behavioural responses to food products.

Programme topics
The following topics will be covered:

• the role of emotions in food preference
• development of and changes in preference
• marketing and consumer side of eating behaviour
• measurement of food preferences
• how does sensory perception translate to food preference?
• food perception in the brain
• learning and reward in food preference
• the role of sensory signals in the regulation of food intake

Provisional programme
Download the provisional programme here in pdf.

Organisation

Course coordinators

• Prof. C. de Graaf, Division of Human Nutrition, WU
• Dr. S. Boesveldt, Division of Human Nutrition, WU
• Mrs. C.H.L. Doeswijk, Graduate School VLAG

Workshops

• Dr. M. Gorselink, Food & Biobased Research, WUR (Restaurant of the Future)
• Dr. L. Loijens, Noldus
• L. Rengersen (MSc), SusaGroup

Other faculty

• Dr. R. Havermans, Maastricht University
• Dr. G. Jager, Human Nutrition, WU
• Dr. P.W. van Kleef, Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Group, WU
• Prof. E.P. Köster, Emeritus Professor Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University
• Dr. H.L. Meiselman, Senior Research Scientist (retired), Natick Labs, USA
• Dr. P.A.M Smeets, Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht; Human Nutrition, WU
• Dr. M.A. Stieger, Human Nutrition, WU
• Dr. P.L.G. Weijzen, FrieslandCampina Research
• Dr. R.A. de Wijk, Food & Biobased Research, WUR
• Dr. E.H. Zandstra, Unilever R&D Vlaardingen

General information

Date & duration
The course will be held from Monday 9 - Thursday 12 May 2011.

Study load
The study load of this course is 1.0 ECTS credit.

Language
The course will be conducted in English.

Location & accommodation
Lectures and demonstrations will be given at hotel and conference centre Hof van Wageningen and at the University campus. A number of hotel rooms have been blocked at Hof van Wageningen for course participants, but only until 25 March 2011. Accommodation costs are € 80 (single room; incl. breakfast, excl. Tax)) and € 98.50 (double room; incl. breakfast, excl. Tax) per night. For information visit www.hofvanwageningen.nl.
Participants have to book their own hotel room by sending an e-mail to info@hofvanwageningen.nl.
Please mention booking code FP-2011.

Contact information
For more information please contact:
Mrs. Chantal Doeswijk
The Graduate School VLAG
P.O.Box 8129
6700 EV Wageningen
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 317 485143
Fax: +31 317 483342
E-mail: Chantal.Doeswijk@wur.nl

Registration & course fee

Please register by completing the course application form.
Note: to be able to fill in the course registration form, you need an account. To create an account, please click the link above. Don't forget to fill in the course registration form after creating your account.
The final registration date is 18 March 2011. Applicants will be informed of acceptance of their registration before 30 March 2011. They will then receive instructions for payment, a letter of acceptance and further course details.
Cancellations may be made free of charge until 25 March 2011. After this date the charge will be 25% of the course fee already paid or due. Substitutions for participants may be made until the start of the course.

The course fee (which includes materials, coffee/tea during breaks, lunches and one course diner but does not cover accommodation) depends on the participant's affiliation:

Industry/ For -Profit	€ 1400,-
University staff/ Non -Profit organisations/ Post-docs	€ 650,-
PhD students	€ 350,-
VLAG PhD students	€ 175,-

Photos

Click on the photos (course 2003, 2007 and 2011) to enlarge them.