On 6 March 2019, Dr Ingrid Appelqvist, the Client Director for Manufacturing at Aurecon presented the first TuCFoST lecture of 2019. The lecture on “The impact of vegetable structure on satiety and food intake” highlighted the findings of a study conducted while she was working at CSIRO Australia.  In the study, the texture of broccoli,as part of a pasta and chicken dish, was cooked for 4 and 8 min and the oral processing behaviour of a human panel studied using various techniques.  The researchers found that the differences in texture of the broccoli influenced the quantity eating and the duration of the meal up to reaching satiety:  Studies like this can assist food and consumer scientists to understand how to design foods and meals that can effect oral processing behaviour and feelings of satiation in a positive manner.  Such effects may contribute positively to weight control and appropriate food selection. 

Dr Appelqvist is a food material scientist with strong multidisciplinary interests in reformulating food to develop a healthier food supply for the food industry and consumers. She works across all advanced manufacturing fields but specialises in agri-food material science and processes, to understand flavour, texture and freshness generation which are demanded by consumers, along with safety, environmental sustainability and affordable prices. While at CSIRO she led the food structure group which encompassed consumer, sensory and flavour delivery, and meat and dairy sciences. She also led a strategic research project in food structure design for healthy ageing including building capability in personalised nutrition, and developed strategic business planning for the commercial applications of new agrifood technologies.