A groundbreaking collaboration between Singapore’s A*STAR SIFBI and Philadelphia’s Monell Chemical Senses Center aims to decode Asian food preferences, addressing cultural and genetic differences to boost the uptake of novel foods like alternative proteins. By leveraging sensory science and nutrition research, this partnership seeks to transform food and nutrition for Asian populations, with a focus on strengthening food security and health by 2030.
Insights & Strategic Moves:
Cultural and Genetic Influences on Food Preferences: Sensory innovations are critical to bridging the gap between Asian and Western food preferences. While biological systems are similar, cultural and environmental factors shape how people perceive taste, texture, and smell. For example, Asians exhibit higher sensitivity to bitterness, while Caucasians tend to prefer sweeter flavours.
Alternative Proteins and Food Security: In regions like Singapore, alternative proteins such as plant-based and cultivated meats are key to addressing food security and nutrition challenges. However, consumer acceptance remains low due to mismatches in taste, texture, and cultural expectations.
The Role of Sensory Science: The collaboration will explore the connections between sensory perceptions, eating experiences, and health outcomes, including gut-brain signalling and appetite regulation. By understanding how food influences well-being, the partnership aims to advance the “food as medicine” concept.
Standardisation and Data-Driven Solutions: Standardising sensory science research across regions will generate valuable data to correlate food formulations with cultural preferences. This approach will enable more efficient and targeted product development, ensuring novel foods align with local tastes and traditions.
Future Outlook
The partnership between A*STAR SIFBI and Monell has the potential to revolutionise the food industry by creating culturally acceptable, nutritionally optimised products. As the world becomes more interconnected, understanding regional food preferences will be crucial for addressing global food challenges and catering to diverse populations.
By bridging cultural and genetic differences in food preferences, this collaboration paves the way for innovative solutions to enhance food security, nutrition, and consumer acceptance in Asia and beyond.
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