Professor Heather Smyth
Professor

Heather Smyth

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+61 7 344 32469

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

Analytical chemistry Chemical Sciences Engineering Food chemistry and food sensory science Food sciences

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science, University of Adelaide
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Adelaide

Research interests

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

Search Professor Heather Smyth’s works on UQ eSpace

228 works between 2003 and 2025
All (228) Journal Article (103) Book Chapter (4) Conference Publication (119) Book (1) Other Outputs (1)

201 - 220 of 228 works

2012

Book Chapter

Quality control of honey using spectroscopic methods

Cozzolino, D., Corbella, E. and Smyth, H. (2012). Quality control of honey using spectroscopic methods. Honey : production, consumption, and health benefits. (pp. 113-132) edited by Gilles Bondurand and Hernan Bosch. Hauppauge NY, USA: Nova Science Publisher.

Quality control of honey using spectroscopic methods

2012

Conference Publication

Flavour profiling of prawns: a regional approach to marketing

Smyth, Heather Eunice (2012). Flavour profiling of prawns: a regional approach to marketing. Ridley Aqua-Feed Prawn and Barramundi Conference, Cairns, QLD, Australia, 31 July - 2 August 2012.

Flavour profiling of prawns: a regional approach to marketing

2011

Journal Article

Quality control of honey using infrared spectroscopy: a review

Cozzolino, D., Corbella, E. and Smyth, H. E. (2011). Quality control of honey using infrared spectroscopy: a review. Applied Spectroscopy Reviews, 46 (7), 523-538. doi: 10.1080/05704928.2011.587857

Quality control of honey using infrared spectroscopy: a review

2011

Journal Article

Increasing vegetable consumption: A means-end chain approach

Kirchhoff, Stephanie, Smyth, Heather, Sanderson, Jessica, Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Gething, Katrina (2011). Increasing vegetable consumption: A means-end chain approach. British Food Journal, 113 (8), 1031-1044. doi: 10.1108/00070701111153779

Increasing vegetable consumption: A means-end chain approach

2011

Journal Article

Applications of infrared spectroscopy for quantitative analysis of volatile and secondary metabolites in plant materials

Smyth, H. and Cozzolino, D. (2011). Applications of infrared spectroscopy for quantitative analysis of volatile and secondary metabolites in plant materials. Current Bioactive Compounds, 7 (2), 66-74. doi: 10.2174/157340711796011160

Applications of infrared spectroscopy for quantitative analysis of volatile and secondary metabolites in plant materials

2011

Journal Article

The formation of wine lactone from grape-derived secondary metabolites

Giaccio, Joanne, Capone, Dimitra L., Håkansson, Anders E., Smyth, Heather E., Elsey, Gordon M., Sefton, Mark A. and Taylor, Dennis K. (2011). The formation of wine lactone from grape-derived secondary metabolites. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 59 (2), 660-664. doi: 10.1021/jf1038162

The formation of wine lactone from grape-derived secondary metabolites

2011

Conference Publication

Fruit quality and flavour profile of fresh-cut papaya

Liu, Dianna, Chatelard, Antoine, Cusack, Andrew, Abberton, Kerrie, Currie, Margaret, Sultanbawa, Yasmina and Smyth, Heather (2011). Fruit quality and flavour profile of fresh-cut papaya. 12th Government Food Analysts Conference, Brisbane, Australia, 22-24 February 2011. Brisbane, Australia: The State of Queensland (Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation).

Fruit quality and flavour profile of fresh-cut papaya

2010

Conference Publication

Demystifying Australian flavours - a new lexicon

Smyth, H. E. (2010). Demystifying Australian flavours - a new lexicon. Wild Flavours of Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 3 May 2010.

Demystifying Australian flavours - a new lexicon

2009

Conference Publication

Profiling Australian flavours

Smyth, H. E., Sanderson, J., Sultanbawa, Y. and Davis, C. (2009). Profiling Australian flavours. 42nd Annual AIFST Convention, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 13-16 July 2009.

Profiling Australian flavours

2009

Conference Publication

Demystifying Australian flavours

Smyth, Heather Eunice, Sanderson, Jessica and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2009). Demystifying Australian flavours. AIFST Convention, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, July.

Demystifying Australian flavours

2009

Conference Publication

Consumer expectations behind health and wellness promises from vegetable consumption

Sanderson, Jessica, Kirchhoff, Stephanie, Smyth, Heather E. and Sultanbawa, Yasmina (2009). Consumer expectations behind health and wellness promises from vegetable consumption. Australian Vegetable Industry Conference, Melbourme, VIC Australia, May 2009.

Consumer expectations behind health and wellness promises from vegetable consumption

2009

Conference Publication

Consumer drivers for vegetable consumption

Kirchhoff, Stephanie, Sanderson, Jessica, Reid, Clare and Smyth, Heather E. (2009). Consumer drivers for vegetable consumption. AIFST Convention, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, July.

Consumer drivers for vegetable consumption

2008

Journal Article

Improved approach for analyzing bromophenols in seafood using stable isotope dilution analysis in combination with SPME

Fuller, Steve C., Frank, Damian C., Fitzhenry, Matthew J., Smyth, Heather E. and Poole, Sue E. (2008). Improved approach for analyzing bromophenols in seafood using stable isotope dilution analysis in combination with SPME. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 56 (18), 8248-8254. doi: 10.1021/jf801126b

Improved approach for analyzing bromophenols in seafood using stable isotope dilution analysis in combination with SPME

2008

Journal Article

Near infrared spectroscopy as a rapid tool to measure volatile aroma compounds in Riesling wine: possibilities and limits

Smyth, H. E., Cozzolino, D., Cynkar, W. U., Dambergs, R. G., Sefton, M. and Gishen, M. (2008). Near infrared spectroscopy as a rapid tool to measure volatile aroma compounds in Riesling wine: possibilities and limits. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 390 (7), 1911-1916. doi: 10.1007/s00216-008-1940-0

Near infrared spectroscopy as a rapid tool to measure volatile aroma compounds in Riesling wine: possibilities and limits

2008

Conference Publication

Tropical flavours to tempt consumers

Smyth,H. E., Kirchhoff, S., Fuller, S., Abberton, K., Davis, C., Bally, I. and Dietzgen, R.G. (2008). Tropical flavours to tempt consumers. Tropical Fruit in Human Nutrition and Health, Gold Coast, Qld, 8th-11th November 2008.

Tropical flavours to tempt consumers

2008

Conference Publication

Use of direct headspace-mass spectrometry coupled with chemometrics to predict aroma properties in Australian Riesling wine

Cozzolino, Daniel, Smyth, Heather E., Cynkar, Wies, Janik, Les, Dambergs, Robert G. and Gishen, Mark (2008). Use of direct headspace-mass spectrometry coupled with chemometrics to predict aroma properties in Australian Riesling wine. 5th Symposium In Vino Analytica Scientia (In Vino 2007), Melbourne, Australia, 22-25 July 2007. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier BV. doi: 10.1016/j.aca.2007.09.036

Use of direct headspace-mass spectrometry coupled with chemometrics to predict aroma properties in Australian Riesling wine

2007

Conference Publication

Flavour dictates consumer preference for prawn and barramundi

Smyth, H.E., Poole, S., Mayze, J., Kirchhoff, S. and Fuller, S. (2007). Flavour dictates consumer preference for prawn and barramundi. Ridley AquaFeed 2007 Australian Prawn and Barramundi Conference, Brisbane QLD, Australia, 25-26th July, 2007.

Flavour dictates consumer preference for prawn and barramundi

2007

Journal Article

Apple scab resistance breeding in Australia

Zeppa, A., Middleton, S., McWaters, A., Bell, G., Forrest, A. and Smyth, H. (2007). Apple scab resistance breeding in Australia. The Compact Fruit Tree, 40 (2), 27-29.

Apple scab resistance breeding in Australia

2007

Conference Publication

Genomics approaches to mango varietal improvement

Dietzgen, R. G., Bally, I., Devitt, L. C., Dillon, N., Holton, T. A., Gidley, M., Karan, M., Smyth, H. E., Sunarharum, W. and Wilkinson, A. (2007). Genomics approaches to mango varietal improvement. Amistar Sixth Australian Mango Conference, Cairns, QLD, Australia, 22-25 May 2007. Sydney, NSW, Australia: Horticulture Australia Limited; Australian Mango Industry Association.

Genomics approaches to mango varietal improvement

2006

Conference Publication

Potential of VIS-NIR spectroscopy to predict perceived ‘muddy’ taint in Australian farmed barramundi

Smyth, H. E., Drasch, P., Cozzolino, D., Fox, G. and Percival, S. (2006). Potential of VIS-NIR spectroscopy to predict perceived ‘muddy’ taint in Australian farmed barramundi. 12th Australian Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference: NIR a Fruitful Science, Rockhampton, QLD, Australia, 9-10th May 2006.

Potential of VIS-NIR spectroscopy to predict perceived ‘muddy’ taint in Australian farmed barramundi

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2029
    ARC Training Centre in Predictive Breeding for Agricultural Futures
    ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centres
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2028
    National Passionfruit Breeding and Evaluation Program
    Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2026
    Genetics of Fruit Sensory Preferences (HIA project administered by DAF)
    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2025
    Plant based foods: Towards sustainable and acceptable meat analogues
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2026
    Genetics of Fruit Sensory Preferences
    Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023
    Reduced enteric emissions of Grainfed Wagyu Cattle through feeding of red Asparagopsis for 300 days - Sensory Evaluation (AACo administered MLA grant)
    A. A. COMPANY PTY. LTD.
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2022
    Measurement of pH in high intramuscular fat samples and existing technology validation
    Meat & Livestock Australia
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    Emulsion gels and sensory perception
    Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    Plant-based meat analogues
    Motif FoodWorks
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    National Papaya Breeding and Evaluation Program (Hort Innovation Grant administered by Griffith University)
    Griffith University
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2024
    ARC Training Centre for Uniquely Australian Foods
    ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centres
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    Improving the efficiency of Kakadu Plum value chains to grow a robust and sustainable industry
    CRC for Developing Northern Australia
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2020
    A situational analysis for developing a Rice industry in Northern Australia
    CRC for Developing Northern Australia
    Open grant
  • 2019
    Advanced Nanoparticle, Colloid and Microparticle Characterisation and Precision Engineering Nanosystems Facility
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2019
    Dietary manipulation of pork fatty acid profiles to develop an Australian pork flavour signature relevant to Chinese consumers
    Australian Pork
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2020
    Food structure design
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Value added bakery products using native plants as functional ingredients
    Innovation Connections
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2021
    Naturally Nutritious
    Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2016
    Australian native foods as natural additives to improve quality and shelf life of frozen meals
    Research Connections
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2017
    Understanding Coffee Quality
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2018
    Agents of change: Transforming the food industry for Australia, Asia and beyond
    ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centres
    Open grant
  • 2013
    Chemical methods to underpin an understanding of coffee quality
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2017
    Use of plant derived compounds to condition piglet intake at weaning and reduce post-weaning use of therapeutics
    CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    Tactical Research Fund: Developing a dynamic regional brand - focus on flavour
    Fisheries Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2013
    Prevention of muddy taints in farmed barramundi
    Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Heather Smyth is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

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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