Karin Wendin - Research area
The main area of my research has been sensory science, a discipline dealing with the human senses. How products and materials may be perceived, assessed and evaluated by humans. Objective as well as subjective assessments are possible to implement by the use of various sensory methods.
Sensory science is an interdisciplinary subject with the following definition: "discipline that evoke, measure, analyze and interpret reactions to characteristics of food and other materials perceived by the human senses: sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing."
The research I have been involved in have been funded by various sources, major financiers were the European Union, Vinnova and Nordic Innovation Center. Moreover, I have conducted research in the form contract research, which in most cases are confidential and the results belong to the funding companies.
A large part of my research has been related to health, wellbeing and environmental issues. For example, how to lower fat, salt and/or sugar content of food products without altering the product's sensory properties or find new protein sources. The implementation of this type of project usually results in changes of ingredients, process and manufacturing parameters to in order to maintain the right qualities of taste, flavor and texture.
Another and important part of my research has been to adapt products, both sensory and nutritional, to specific target groups. Examples of such groups are the elderly, children, teenagers, people with weight problems etc. I have also been involved in projects related to storage, quality control, packaging, etc.
During my time as a visiting researcher at Copenhagen University and a researcher at SP has given me the opportunity to broaden my sensory perspective in favour of a greater focus on the link between man and technology. This has been done both in terms of new and exciting methods such as observation methodology, and medical technology eg EEC, and in terms of applications outside the food area. For example, acoustic measurements, experience of indoor climate, energy-saving behaviors mm.
The research has also included methodological development and adaptation, and to correlate sensory results with data from other disciplines. A variety of statistical methods, both classic and multivariate methodologies, have been most useful.