THE FLAVOURTALK CONFERENCE 2026
‘The Psychology of Flavour – Multisensory Perception and its Importance for the Flavourist’
The Conference will be held on the last day of FlavourTalk 26 March at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel & Conference Centre, London. We have been able to line up an impressive list of international speakers dealing with the academic and practical aspects of this topic.
Synopsis
How we perceive flavour and taste is often taken for granted. We typically look for mechanistic explanations for our experiences of olfaction and gustation. Less explored is the importance of the consumer’s psychological and emotional response to flavour and taste and how their perceptions and expectations can override their rational response.
We have uncovered how oral food processing, and the laws of physics, deliver volatile and non-volatile flavour and taste compounds to receptors. The biochemistry of receptor function is being gradually revealed. We even have theories around structure-property relationships and with the help of AI, designer flavours are becoming more of a realistic prospect. In this incarnation of the FlavourTalk Conference we explore the psychology and neurology of flavour, and the influences on the sensory perception of flavour, how flavour and taste interact and how environmental factors influence our individual experience of the flavour and taste of the food and drink we consume.
Listen to experts at the forefront of flavour innovation and psychology discuss topics of key importance to the global flavour industry. Panels will discuss with the audience how a better understanding of the human mind may lead to better product design, and how this knowledge can improve how to better select ingredients with multimodal properties and turn them into healthier products.
The Programme
Talks will focus on the current understanding of how multimodal and cross-modal interactions affect our perception of flavour, how our brains respond to diverse stimuli unlocking nostalgic memories of pleasure or aversion to food types. The personal nature of liking can provide challenges for brand developers and marketeers when it comes to developing and launching new products. This programme will present the latest insights into a complex and often unpredictable topic. We will provide a better understanding of the inner workings of the mind and provide tools to maximise successful NPD.
Along with Q&A sessions and networking opportunities, panel sessions will address the current trends and opportunities. Audience participation in panel sessions is encouraged.
Panel 1: How will a better understanding of the human mind lead to better product design?
Panel 2: Where next for smart product design? Opportunities and Threats
We would advise booking early to ensure a place and avoid disappointment.
Who Should Attend
All those involved with the development of raw materials, formulation and the creation of flavours, flavourists, flavour technologists, sensory specialists, marketing and sales, buyers and all those interested in trends in the supply of flavour raw materials and technological developments. Technologists and marketeers in food manufacturing companies who want to understand what new flavouring ingredients and technologies are available for innovative new products.
Cost
CONFERENCE
Advance Ticket £380 until 16 January
(Full Price Ticket £480 from 17 January)
PACKAGES
Advance Ticket £650 until 16 January
(Full Price Ticket £800 from 17 January)
Includes the Conference, both Exhibition days and the Networking Dinner (Lunch and refreshments inclusive for the Conference & Exhibition)
(VAT will be charged at 20% where applicable)
Registration commences on-line on Friday 14 November
Provisional Conference Programme
Thursday 26 March 2026
9.30 Registration and Services Exhibition
10.25: Opening remarks: Flavour Horizons
Session 1: The Psychology of Flavour – Chair TBC
10.30 KEYNOTE Prof Charles Spence, Professor of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, UK.
11.10 Flavour is in the brain: How interactions within and between aromas and tastes shape what we perceive.
Dr Charlotte Sinding. Research Scientist, Flavour, Food Oral Processing, & Perception INRAE, Dijon, France.
11.40 What role does flavour play in everyday dietary decisions?
Prof Jeff Brunstrom, Professor of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, UK.
12.10 Questions/Panel Discussion – How will a better understanding of the human mind lead to better product design?
12.30 Lunch, Services Exhibition
Session 2: Regulations – Chair Craig Duckham
13.30 Consumer and Industry Perception of Flavour Regulations.
Dr Kalliopi Mylona, Scientific Consultant, Regulatory Affairs Food and Nutrition, Intertek, UK.
Session 3: The Marketplace – Chair Dr Kavita Bhatnagar
14.00 Sensory Semiotics: How Culture Informs Ice-cream Flavour Trends.
Dr Rachel Smith, Associate Director ‑ Sensory Qual, MMR, UK.
with Megan Bourner-Powell, Director of Semiotics & Culture, Huxley, UK.
14.30 Afternoon Tea and Services Exhibition
Session 4: Ingredients to Products – Chair TBC
15.10 KEYNOTE NeuroFoodScience: How to apply taste and smell neuroscience to create taste modulators?
Dr Alex Woo, Independent Consultant at W2O, USA.
15.50 From Molecules to Minds: Neural Mechanisms of Retronasal Taste Modulation.
Jingang (Jack) Shi, President and Chief Technical Officer, EPC Natural Products, China.
16.20 The Psychology of Scotch Whisky: innovation opportunities for changing consumer tendencies.
Kami Newton, Owner/Director, The Sensory Advantage, UK
16.50 Questions/Panel Discussion – Where next for smart product design? Opportunities and Threats.
17.10 END
FlavourTalk 2026 speakers
The Psychology of Flavour:
Multisensory Perception and its Importance for the Flavourist
26 March 2026
Dr Alex Woo
W20, USA
NeuroFoodScience: How to Apply Taste and Smell Neuroscience to Create Taste Modulators?
Dr Charlotte Sinding
INRAE, Dijon, France.
Flavour is in the brain: How interactions within and between aromas and tastes shape what we perceive
Prof Jeff Brunstrom
University of Bristol, uk
What Role Does Flavour Play in Everyday Dietary Decisions?
Kalliopi Mylona
Intertek, uk
Consumer and Industry Perception of Flavour Regulations
Dr Rachel Smith
MMR, UK
Sensory Semiotics: how culture informs ice-cream flavour trends
Megan Bourner-Powell
Huxly Global, UK
Sensory Semiotics: how culture informs ice-cream flavour trends
Jingang (Jack) Shi
ceo epc natural products
From Molecules to Minds: Neural Mechanisms of Retronasal Taste Modulation
Kemi Newton
the sensory advantage
The Psychology of Scotch Whisky: Innovation Opportunities for Changing Consumer Demands
Dr Alex Woo
Talk Title
NeuroFoodScience: How to Apply Taste and Smell Neuroscience to Create Taste Modulators?
Synopsis
Recent advances in taste and smell neuroscience have fundamentally changed our understanding of human flavours perception.
Flavour should be re-defined as including all five senses: taste, smell, sight, sound and touch.
NeuroFoodScience, the application of neuroscience in food science, can be an approach to create natural taste modulators that are better for you and our planet. Actionable examples of modulators for sweet, bitter, salty, umami and kokumi tastes will be highlighted.
NeuroFoodScience is the future of flavour technology.
Biography
Alex is the founder and CEO for W2O, a flavour technology firm for the past fifteen years based in the USA. He specializes in creating Better Food with niche expertise in contemporary taste & smell neuroscience and state of art clean label plant-based ingredients.
Food and beverage companies hire him to bring food science to their new product development efforts on topics such as sugar reduction, salt reduction and multisensory eating experience. Food ingredient firms retain him to lead the creation of plant-based ingredients particularly taste modulators.
Alex also served as Chief Science Officer Sweeteners for Amyris a precision fermentation clean ingredient company (2019-2021), and as Chief Innovation Officer for Nascent a stevia sweetener leader (2017-2019). He is currently on the board for World Taste & Smell Association an art and science organization, on the science advisory board for Olfactive Biosolutions a food aroma as medicine startup, and Advance International a marine protein startup.
Prior to that, Alex had held various R&D leadership positions in companies including Pepsi, Starbucks, and Wrigley. He led technical teams to achieve business results. Alex holds a PhD in Food Science from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Prof Jeff Brunstrom
Nutrition and Behaviour Unit, School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, UK.
Talk Title
What Role Does Flavour Play in Everyday Dietary Decisions?
Synopsis
The social and cultural significance of food is woven into every aspect of our dietary behaviour, and it contributes to our complex interaction with food. To find order within this complexity scientists often look for dietary ‘universals’ – phenomena or basic principles that guide our food choice and meal size, irrespective of the wider context. One idea is that sensory characteristics provide a signal for dietary composition (e.g., sweet taste signals carbohydrate). Others have suggested that behaviour is guided by learning and is based on associations that form between the flavour of a food and its post-ingestive effects. Despite a large body of research, evidence supporting both processes is equivocal, leading some to conclude that humans are largely indifferent to food composition. Here, I will propose an alternative interpretation – that human abilities to gauge the nutritional composition or value of food have been underestimated, and that these abilities reflect a complex form of social learning, in which flavour-nutrient associations are not only formed but are communicated and amplified across individuals in the form of a shared cuisine.
Biography
Jeff Brunstrom was awarded his Ph.D. from the University of Birmingham (UK). In 1999 he became a lecturer in the Department of Human Sciences at Loughborough University (UK) and in 2005 he moved to the University of Bristol (UK). His current position is Professor of Experimental Psychology. Jeff co-leads the Nutrition and Behaviour Unit in the School of Psychological Science. Major research themes include appetite, memory and cognition, expected satiety, dietary learning, eating behaviour, portion size, and food choice, and Jeff has published over 150 papers on these topics. His research has been supported by a range of funding agencies, including the BBSRC, MRC, ESRC, EU-FP7, and NIHR. Jeff serves several advisory roles, and he leads ‘Consumer Lab’, which fosters collaboration between industry and academic researchers and forms part of the BBSRC-OIRC network. He has been recognised by the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior as a recipient of both the Alan N. Epstein Research Award (2011) and the Hoebel Prize for Creativity (2023).
Jingang Shi
Talk Title
From Molecules to Minds: Neural Mechanisms of Retronasal Taste Modulation
Synopsis
Taste stimuli, including non-nutrient sweeteners and taste modulators, can be delivered via aerosol into the retronasal olfactory cavity, contributing to flavour perception beyond the oral cavity. Flavour perception is a sequential, multisensory process integrating taste, aroma, and somatosensory cues. Using fMRI in healthy adults, we demonstrate that blocking retronasal pathways reduces neural activity in regions associated with taste, olfaction, reward, and attention, including the insula, olfactory cortex, anterior cingulate, and nucleus accumbens. Adding taste modulators to non-nutrient sweeteners, such as stevia or sucralose, produces synergistic neural effects in brain areas linked to taste intensity, multisensory integration, and cognitive processing. These findings reveal that retronasal sensation plays a critical role in shaping flavour contours and sequential flavour cognition. Understanding these mechanisms opens new opportunities to enhance palatability in reduced-sugar, reduced-salt, reduced-fat, and plant-based protein foods by leveraging taste modulators and aroma pathways, providing a novel framework for designing healthier and more enjoyable foods.
Biography
Jingang is founder and CEO of EPC Natural Products Co., Ltd., a leading food ingredients company specializing in innovative natural sweeteners and taste modulators, including stevia, thaumatin, and sweet tea (blackberry leaves extract). A respected inventor, he has played a pivotal role in enhancing the appeal of stevia. He holds a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Beijing University of Chemical Technology and an EMBA from Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business. Jingang co-founded and served as Chairman of Sweet Green Fields, a top stevia producer acquired by Tate & Lyle in 2020.
He is renowned for his groundbreaking hypothesis that taste stimuli can be perceived via retronasal olfaction. EPC has supported research led by distinguished scientists, including Professor Ciara MacCabe (University of Reading) and Professor Jianshe Chen (Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation), elucidating the neural mechanisms of retronasal taste perception. These studies, published in journals such as Chemical Senses and Food Quality and Preference etc., advance the understanding of flavour perception and hold potential for addressing COVID-19-related taste loss.
Jingang serves as member of China’s National Standardization Technical Committees of Sensory Analysis, is Director of Science and Application at the China National Stevia Association, and advises Ph.D. students, reflecting his commitment to advancing sensory science and food innovation.
Kami Newton
Talk Title
The Psychology of Scotch Whisky: Innovation Opportunities for Changing Consumer Demands
Synopsis
Scotch whisky is a global case study in the psychology of flavour. Bottles have evolved into luxury objects commanding astonishing prices and cultural prestige. Yet this market success has highlighted a gap: while the packaging and scarcity narrative have changed dramatically, the way whisky flavour is experienced has barely moved beyond the controlled lexicons and flavour wheels of the last century.
Whisky flavour is full of eccentricity, and it’s supposed to be. Flavours that on paper read like sensory disasters – blue cheese, farmyard manure, engine grease – become cult classics in the right context. Traditional sensory analysis, by stripping away the psychology of the drinking experience, cannot account for why eccentric profiles resonate so powerfully in the real world. Flavour, after all, is never experienced in isolation; it is constructed through multisensory integration, memory, and emotion.
For flavourists, the lessons from scotch whisky are invaluable. It’s often the case that products are created in a covert bubble that is far removed from the real-world flavour experience. Opportunity lies in shaping how flavour is actually lived and felt. This requires moving beyond designing molecules and towards designing experiences – marrying molecular precision with psychological and contextual insight to create products that are not just premium, but profoundly memorable.
Biography
Having spent 30 years in the wine and spirits industry, Kami brings a wealth of experiential flavour insight through his work in leading sensory panels, representing influential brands, and educating industry teams on perceptual science. Kami is passionate about combining multidisciplinary research to help shape more meaningful and insightful flavour experiences that benefit both brands and consumers.
Through The Sensory Advantage, Kami is tackling a fundamental gap in flavour science: how molecular stimuli become cognitive perception. By working with producers, brand ambassadors, and flavourists, his goal is to clarify the psychophysical, neurological, and psychological pathways that underlie the abstract experience of flavour. This evidence‑based approach dispels entrenched misconceptions and informs product development with progressive sensory insights.
Kalliopi Mylona
Talk Title
Consumer and Industry Perception of Flavour Regulations
Synopsis
What consumers/industry perceive as “flavour” may not always be accurate from the regulatory perspective. This can be the case when sensory data are misinterpreted leading to the incorrect classification of an ingredient as a flavour vs. for example an additive.
In other cases, even if the sensory data are correctly interpreted, the regulatory classification of flavours may differ between jurisdictions (e.g. flavour modification vs flavour enhancement between EU/US). Additionally, the consumer/industry favourable perception of “natural”, “clean”, etc. ingredients may not always align with the regulatory interpretation/classification and may even lead to regulatory action by the authorities.
Finally, are consumers/industry ready for “alternative” ingredients in flavour production and is the regulation of such ingredients expected to be more complex?
Biography
Kalliopi is a Scientific and Regulatory Consultant 2 within Intertek’s Food and Nutrition Group with almost 20 years of expertise.
Kalliopi is responsible for the development of regulatory strategies for new ingredients in the EU, due diligence scientific substantiation for foodstuffs, and support with the regulatory compliance of product formulations including food supplements. She oversees the compilation of scientific dossiers for the authorisation of regulated food products (such as food additives, novel foods, and flavourings) and the stewardship of applications through the approval process. Kalliopi provides bespoke regulatory advice tailored to clients’ needs and bespoke scientific support with stability, efficacy and organoleptic studies required for the authorisation of regulated products.
Kalliopi has a first degree in Chemistry, a Master’s in Food Technology and Quality Assurance and a PhD in Applied Mycology. She has held regulatory roles directly in the food industry and as a consultant. She has conducted research in food safety and regulations, providing scientific advice for policy making (DG JRC/SANTE) and advising on the impact of regulations on food value chains. Kalliopi has authored a number of original scientific articles and policy papers.
Dr Charlotte Sinding
Talk Title
Flavour is in the brain: How interactions within and between aromas and tastes shape what we perceive
Synopsis
Flavour isn’t just in our food — it’s in our brain. What we experience as flavour comes from complex interactions between aroma and taste, processed mostly outside our conscious awareness. By studying brain activity, we can uncover how these aroma–aroma and aroma–taste interactions shape our overall perception of food. In this session, I will share key insights into how the brain combines sensory signals to create flavour experiences, and how this understanding can inspire new approaches to product formulation, from enhancing pleasure to supporting healthier choices.
Biography
Dr Charlotte Sinding is a Research Scientist in Neurosciences at the Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation (CSGA, INRAE, Dijon, France). Her work explores how the brain processes aromas and tastes to create our perception of flavour. Combining neuroscience and sensory science, she investigates how interactions between smell and taste influence food perception. After completing her PhD in Dijon and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Smell and Taste Clinic in Dresden, she has led several research projects on flavour perception and brain imaging. Her current research aims to translate these insights into healthier and enjoyable food experiences.
Dr Rachel Smith
Megan Bourner-Powell
Talk Title
Sensory Semiotics: how culture informs ice-cream flavour trends
Synopsis
Pending
Biographies
Rachel Smith
Rachel has a PhD in consumer psychology, and has conducted research within commercial and academic contexts to optimise eating experiences. She is an Associate Director within the Sensory Qual team at MMR, a team which overlays a unique lens to qualitative research, to find the meaning consumers give to the sensory attributes of a product.
MMR has experience across food and drink, household and personal care and beyond, and designs qualitative and quantitative solutions that address business issues – fuelling creativity to create products and brands that people love. Their heartland is the interface between brand, pack and product, leveraging the power of the human senses to create more engaging propositions.
Megan Bourner-Powell
Megan is a brand strategist and semiotician at Huxly, UK. consulting for FMCG brands. She specialises in finding the meaningful overlap between brand positioning, culture & society and consumer insights. She does this through decoding the hidden meaning behind food labels and brand comms, and contextualises them in wider culture to help brands build distinctive experiences.