Sensory analysis of foods as a tool for education in healthy food choices: a service learning experience (APS)

Resumen

Developed societies are facing nowadays a global health problem derived from imbalanced diets together with disordered eating which is reflected in the obesity epidemic that exists in different countries such as the United States and that is spreading to other European countries. Obesity is considered a factor that causes the death of 2.8 million people/year (WHO, 2021).In order to improve the eating habits of citizens and optimize their level of health, current and useful strategies must be applied with a view to allowing citizens to know in depth the food they consume. This project is aimed at introducing sensory analysis activities or also called gastronomic activities today, as a tool to promote healthy eating, through a conscious reflection regarding the direct relationship between adequate food and the role that consumers can play choosing quality products in a healthy way.The general objective of this work is to design, program and develop healthy food choices promotion activities based on sensory food science using open audiovisual resources in Spanish and English aimed at university environment, as well as consumers, as a service-learning experience. Postgraduate students of different degrees of the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) Degrees in Pharmacy, Human Nutrition and Dietetics and Food Science and Technology, will conduct it in collaboration with professors. This project is based on the service-learning methodology including the idea of Learning by doing and Experiential Learning area (Smith-Tolken, A., & McKay, M. 2019).This value is even more important in this project since we are using experiential sensory tools as educational action to promote health and improve the quality of life of the population.Practical workshops using validated sensory and consumer science tools will be performed by postgraduate students of the Degrees of Pharmacy, Human Nutrition and Dietetics and Food Science and Technology in different cultural and scientific meetings. Students in their task of helping the understanding of food sensory characteristics and health will manage the following aspects:- Color of food and health- Aromas, Flavors and off flavors of food and health- Adding new flavors to the diet- Acceptance and rejection of foodSensory characteristics of food products and validated sensory and consumer science tools constitute a useful toolbox to help consumers make more conscious and informed choices about the food they buy and eat. In addition, it can help instill healthier lifestyle habits (selecting more rigorously the food they consume) and play an important role in the healthy food choice education.This work is part of the following UCM project: “Generación de recursos audiovisuales español/inglés en abierto para el aprendizaje sobre el análisis sensorial de los alimentos como herramienta para la educación en una alimentación saludable, a través de la metodología ApS” (#ref. UCM 234/21).