Overview
Background
Professor Heather Smyth is a flavour chemist and sensory scientist who has been working with premium food and beverage products for more than twenty years. With a background in wine flavour chemistry, her expertise is in understanding consumer enjoyment of foods and beverages in terms of both sensory properties and composition.
Smyth has a special interest in describing and articulating food quality, understanding regional flavours of locally grown Australian produce, and modelling food flavour and textural properties using instrumental measurements. Smyth also specialises in researching how human physiology and psychology can impact sensory perception and therefore food choice.
Availability
- Professor Heather Smyth is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science, University of Adelaide
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Adelaide
Research interests
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Distinctive Australian Foods and Beverages
Australia has the opportunity to be the supplier of premium foods into global markets but needs to go beyond traditional ‘clean and green’ positioning to secure sustainable high value market positions. Across all commodity sectors, there is the opportunity to further develop the Australian advantage through identifying and marketing distinctively Australian food products to receptive target markets, such that they are ‘reassuringly expensive’. Defining unique 'regional flavors' of Australian products is one approach to develop a point-of-difference in premium products. Another obvious way to add distinctiveness is to use ingredients which are sourced from uniquely Australian native plants. Projects that address these challenges and opportunities may broadly include (1) investigations that identify, validate, communicate and generate consumer value from the distinctive characteristics of foods and ingredients sourced from Australian agriculture, and (2) exploring how to develop food and ingredient industries based on the unique composition and characteristics of Australian native plants.
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Next Generation Foods and Beverages
Future foods will contain natural health-promoting components, such as plant phytonutrients (which act as antioxidants) with reduced fat, sugar and salt levels. The challenge for food companies is to develop healthier foods for the future without compromising on sensory properties and consumer enjoyment. In many cases, it is currently not possible to dramatically reduce the level of fat, sugar and salt because of a loss in mouthfeel and flavour as well as structural integrity. Increasingly, food companies are looking for alternative means in which to structure food that allows it to have superior nutritional value whilst having favourable sensory properties. Projects in this area may include (1) exploring new ingredients and processes to identify novel ways of delivering desirable sensory properties in processed and minimally processed products, and (2) investigating human sensory perception, physiology and mouth behaviour, to understand how to deliver equivalent sensory experiences in modified products.
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Understanding Human Sensory Perception
Enjoyment of food is highly dependent on an individual's ability to sense the properties and components of food. The human sensory system is highly complex, with different sense organs simultaneously relaying nerve signals that activate multiple parts of the brain. Sensory perception is further complicated by our behaviour (such as the way we chew) and our physiology (such as our saliva), not to mention psychological, biological and environmental factors. Food companies are keen to understand the interaction between the food product and the consumer such that they can design nutritious foods that meet and exceed customer requirements and expectations. Research in this area may include (1) understanding the interaction of food and beverages with physiological factors such as human saliva, and (2) exploring the natural variation in an ethnically diverse population in terms of sensory acuity, physiology, mouth behaviour and consequently perception.
Research impacts
Professor Smyth works closely with the food and beverage industries to discover what sensory qualities consumers want and supports the design, production and marketing of superior products with increased consumer value. Current projects involve specialty coffee, beer, wine, native plant foods, cocoa, premium beef and seafood, tropical fruits, cereals, dairy products and some processed products and snack foods.
Smyth is also heavily involved in training industry and researchers in the application of flavour chemistry, sensory and consumer evaluation methods.
Works
Search Professor Heather Smyth’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Plant‐based mince texture: A review of the sensory literature with view to informing new product development
Konrad, Theresia, Ha, Minh, Ronquest‐Ross, Lisa, Smyth, Heather E. and Moura Nadolny, Jaqueline (2024). Plant‐based mince texture: A review of the sensory literature with view to informing new product development. Journal of Food Science. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.17517
2024
Journal Article
Food type, human physiology, and psychology factors affect food intake, perceived satiation, and satiety differently – an exploratory study
Ni, Dongdong, Smyth, Heather E., Mayr, Hannah, Gunness, Purnima, Cozzolino, Daniel and Gidley, Michael J. (2024). Food type, human physiology, and psychology factors affect food intake, perceived satiation, and satiety differently – an exploratory study. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 59 (11), 8461-8472. doi: 10.1111/ijfs.17131
2024
Journal Article
Stable isotope dilution assay and HS-SPME-GCMS quantification of key aroma volatiles of Australian pineapple (Ananas comosus) cultivars
George, Jenson, Nguyen, Thoa T.L., Sanewski, Garth, Hardner, Craig and Smyth, Heather Eunice (2024). Stable isotope dilution assay and HS-SPME-GCMS quantification of key aroma volatiles of Australian pineapple (Ananas comosus) cultivars. Food Chemistry, 455 139956, 139956. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139956
2024
Journal Article
Meat vs. meat analogues: a sensory comparison of commercial burgers
Smyth, Heather and Forster, Rebecca (2024). Meat vs. meat analogues: a sensory comparison of commercial burgers. Food Australia, 74 (4), 28-30.
2024
Conference Publication
Key Aroma Compounds as Predictors of Pineapple Sensory Quality
Jenson, George, Nguyen, Thoa, Hardner, Craig, Sanewski, Garth and Smyth, Heather (2024). Key Aroma Compounds as Predictors of Pineapple Sensory Quality. 17th Weurman Flavour Research Symposium, Wageningen, Netherlands, 24-27 September 2024.
2024
Conference Publication
Understanding the sensory gap between no and low alcohol (NOLO) wine and traditional wine
Li, Huanhuan, Bekker, Marlize, Rudge, Raisa, Marcellin, Esteban and Smyth, Heather (2024). Understanding the sensory gap between no and low alcohol (NOLO) wine and traditional wine. Crush 2024, Adelaide, SA Australia, 25 - 26 September 2024.
2024
Conference Publication
Consumer responses to Australian native food products: expectations, assumptions, and realities
Wijngaarden, Clare, Adhikari, Kamalesh and Smyth, Heather Eunice (2024). Consumer responses to Australian native food products: expectations, assumptions, and realities. 22nd World Congress of Food Science and Technology, Rimini, Italy, 8-12 September 2024.
2024
Conference Publication
Understanding the sensory gap between no and low alcohol (NOLO) wine and traditional wine
Li, Huanhuan, Bekker, Marlize, Rudge, Raisa, Marcellin, Esteban and Smyth, Heather (2024). Understanding the sensory gap between no and low alcohol (NOLO) wine and traditional wine. QSA NextGen Ag Symposium 2024, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 6 September 2024.
2024
Conference Publication
Novel approaches for tuning physical and sensory properties of plant-based fish fingers
Wu, Yifei, Rudge, Raisa and Smyth, Heather (2024). Novel approaches for tuning physical and sensory properties of plant-based fish fingers. AIFST24 Convention, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 6 -7 August 2024.
2024
Journal Article
Comparing the sensory properties of commercially available animal and plant‐based burgers
Forster, Rebecca A., Hassall, Emma, Hoffman, Louwrens C., Baier, Stefan K., Stokes, Jason R. and Smyth, Heather E. (2024). Comparing the sensory properties of commercially available animal and plant‐based burgers. Journal of Texture Studies, 55 (3) e12838, e12838. doi: 10.1111/jtxs.12838
2024
Journal Article
Coffee brewing sonoreactor for reducing the time of cold brew from several hours to minutes while maintaining sensory attributes
Chiu, Shih-Hao, Naliyadhara, Nikunj, Bucknall, Martin P., Thomas, Donald S., Smyth, Heather E., Nadolny, Jaqueline M., Kalantar-Zadeh, Kourosh and Trujillo, Francisco J. (2024). Coffee brewing sonoreactor for reducing the time of cold brew from several hours to minutes while maintaining sensory attributes. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 106 106885, 106885. doi: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2024.106885
2024
Conference Publication
Future meat replacers obtained using ancient fermentation techniques
Rudge, Raisa, Husson, Adele, Stokes, Jason and Smyth, Heather (2024). Future meat replacers obtained using ancient fermentation techniques. Future meat replacers obtained using ancient fermentation techniques, Thessaloniki, Greece, 14-18 April 2024.
2024
Journal Article
Astringency and its sub-qualities: a review of astringency mechanisms and methods for measuring saliva lubrication
Wang, Shaoyang, Smyth, Heather E., Olarte Mantilla, Sandra M., Stokes, Jason R. and Smith, Paul A. (2024). Astringency and its sub-qualities: a review of astringency mechanisms and methods for measuring saliva lubrication. Chemical Senses, 49 bjae016. doi: 10.1093/chemse/bjae016
2024
Journal Article
Exploring the potential of Davidson's plum (Davidsonia pruriens): A promising indigenous edible fruit as biopreservative in raw processed meat products
Beya, Michel M., Netzel, Michael E., Sultanbawa, Yasmina, Smyth, Heather E. and Hoffman, Louwrens C. (2024). Exploring the potential of Davidson's plum (Davidsonia pruriens): A promising indigenous edible fruit as biopreservative in raw processed meat products. LWT- Food Science and Technology, 194 115827, 115827. doi: 10.1016/j.lwt.2024.115827
2024
Conference Publication
Effects of product experience and information on consumer attitudes and purchase motivation for Australian wattleseed
Wijngaarden, Clare, Jacob, Sera Susan, Adhikari, Kamalesh and Smyth, Heather Eunice (2024). Effects of product experience and information on consumer attitudes and purchase motivation for Australian wattleseed. NZOZ Sensory and Consumer Science Symposium, Sydney, NSW Australia, 7-9 February 2024.
2024
Journal Article
Evaluating the sensory properties of hybrid (meat and plant‐based) burger patties
Chin, Shu Wei, Baier, Stefan K., Stokes, Jason R. and Smyth, Heather E. (2024). Evaluating the sensory properties of hybrid (meat and plant‐based) burger patties. Journal of Texture Studies, 55 (1) e12819, 1-15. doi: 10.1111/jtxs.12819
2024
Journal Article
pH dominates the temporal perception of astringency sub-qualities and saliva friction response – A study under iso-pH and iso-titratable acidity conditions in model wine
Wang, Shaoyang, Olarte Mantilla, Sandra M., Stokes, Jason R., Smith, Paul A. and Smyth, Heather E. (2024). pH dominates the temporal perception of astringency sub-qualities and saliva friction response – A study under iso-pH and iso-titratable acidity conditions in model wine. Food Hydrocolloids, 146 109274, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2023.109274
2024
Journal Article
Bringing back a forgotten legume—sensory profiles of Australian native wattleseeds reveal potential for novel food applications
Jacob, Sera Susan, Flanagan, Bernadine M., Williams, Barbara A., Brown, Rayleen, Hickey, Sarah, Gidley, Michael J. and Smyth, Heather E. (2024). Bringing back a forgotten legume—sensory profiles of Australian native wattleseeds reveal potential for novel food applications. Journal of Food Science, 89 (1), 656-670. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.16860
2023
Conference Publication
Retracing ‘food’ steps- exploring Australia’s native legumes for novel food applications
Jacob, Sera Susan, Gidley, Mike, Smyth, Heather, Flanagan, Bernadine, Williams, Barbara and Hickey, Sarah (2023). Retracing ‘food’ steps- exploring Australia’s native legumes for novel food applications. 7th International Conference on Food Structures, Digestion and Health, Queenstown, New Zealand, 14-17 November 2023.
2023
Journal Article
Physical properties and magnetic resonance imaging of the Australian green plum (Buchanania obovata) through maturity and ripening and across locations
Fyfe, Selina, Smyth, Heather E., Schirra, Horst Joachim, Rychlik, Michael, Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Kurniawan, Nyoman D. (2023). Physical properties and magnetic resonance imaging of the Australian green plum (Buchanania obovata) through maturity and ripening and across locations. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 205 112494, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2023.112494
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Heather Smyth is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Tropical fruit flavour: Identifying key aroma compounds that underpin sensory quality traits
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Craig Hardner
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Doctor Philosophy
Development of novel technologies and processes to improve the quality and uptake of algae-based food
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Raisa Rudge
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Doctor Philosophy
New strategies for improving the texture and acceptance of plant-based foods
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jason Stokes, Professor Louw Hoffman, Dr Raisa Rudge
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Doctor Philosophy
Influence of structurally different polysaccharides and their interactions with saliva and tannins on mouthfeel in wine
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Esteban Marcellin, Dr Raisa Rudge, Dr Marlize Bekker
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Doctor Philosophy
Perinatal strategies to improve birthweight, growth, and gut health in pre-weaned piglets
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa
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Doctor Philosophy
Market Insights for Australian Native foods
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Quality of Australian honey from native botanicals using novel harvesting technologies
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Genetics of sensory traits in pineapple
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Daniel Cozzolino, Associate Professor Craig Hardner
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Doctor Philosophy
Exploring and understanding the nutritional quality and functional properties of wild harvested Australian grown elderberries (native elderberries)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Olivia Wright, Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa, Dr Michael Netzel
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Doctor Philosophy
Biotransformation of ugly fruits and vegetables into value-added products using novel technologies
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alberto Baldelli, Dr Jiahua Shi
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Doctor Philosophy
Wattleseeds for nutritional foods
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Bernadine Flanagan, Professor Mike Gidley
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Doctor Philosophy
Genetics of fruit sensory traits in strawberry
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Daniel Cozzolino, Associate Professor Craig Hardner
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Doctor Philosophy
Developing efficient breeding strategies to improve yield and quality in passionfruit
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bruce Topp, Associate Professor Craig Hardner, Dr Mobashwer Alam
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Modification of aroma and flavour in marine algae for future food applications
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Turner
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Sensory and physical effects of ingredient modifications in coffee creamers
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jason Stokes
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
A Systematic Approach to Understand Wine Astringency and Mouthfeel
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jason Stokes
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Wattleseeds for nutritional foods
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Bernadine Flanagan, Professor Mike Gidley
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Effects of Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Australian Native Plants (Kakadu plum and Davidson plum) on the Safety and Quality of Value-added Meat Products
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Michael Netzel, Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa, Professor Louw Hoffman
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Processing routes for enhancing the value chain of Indigenous Australian bunya nuts (Araucaria bidwillii)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Heather Shewan, Professor Jason Stokes
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Influence of saliva-dairy protein interaction on oral processing
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jason Stokes, Dr Heather Shewan
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Characterising the potential of the green plum (Buchanania obovata) as a native Australian fruit
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Food and human factors contributing to food intake & appetite (satiation and satiety)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Daniel Cozzolino, Professor Mike Gidley
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Identifying natural products for improving shelf life of mayonnaise
Associate Advisor
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Mechanistic insights into the texture/mouthfeel perceptions of model beverages
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jason Stokes
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Canopy Position Influences on Gene Expression and Coffee Quality
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Agnelo Furtado, Professor Robert Henry
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Exploring the bioactive potential of Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu Plum) - a native plant of Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Genomic studies of biochemical compounds determining arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) quality
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Agnelo Furtado, Professor Robert Henry
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
LENTICEL DISCOLOURATION, UNDER-SKIN BROWNING AND RESIN CANAL DISORDER IN AUSTRALIAN MANGO FRUIT CULTIVARS
Associate Advisor
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Grain quality of Australian wild rice (compared to domesticated rice)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Robert Henry, Dr Agnelo Furtado
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Heather Smyth directly for media enquiries about:
- aroma
- beef
- coffee
- consumer research
- flavour
- food quality
- human senses
- premium food
- sensory science
- smell
- taste
- taste panels
- wine
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