Paige Luck - Laboratory Research Specialist

"What originally attracted me to food science was the chemistry in the kitchen.  Why is caramel smooth and sticky and fudge is crumbly?  What is happening to make those blueberry muffins rise?  Why is garlic more pungent when chopped fine as compared to eaten sliced or cooked whole?  Those interest allowed me to be involved in developing and teaching FS 330, The Science of Food Preparation, where we answer those questions and more.

In addition to my initial interest, I am currently maintaining and designing experiments for a descriptive sensory analysis panel conducting research on low pH whey protein beverage astringency.   In addition to sensory work, our lab is interested in controlling aggregation of proteins.  Whether it is to have a desired solid texture or to prevent particulate matter in beverages, protein aggregation is controlled by ionic and pH conditions, protein types and concentrations, and processing conditions.  Figuring out how to get a product with the texture we want is a complex process.  Making the process more complicated is the interpretation of the texture by humans.  To understand the human element of texture perception, our lab is correlating instrumental rheological measurements, descriptive sensory analysis and muscle impulses and jaw movements during oral processing of samples."

Ikeda, S.; Foegeding, E. A.; Hagiwara, T. Rheological study on fractal nature of protein gel structure. Langmuir 1999, 15, 8584-8589.

Morr, C. V.; Foegeding, E. A. Compositiona and functionality of commercial whey and milk protein concentrates and isolates: A status report. Fodd Technol. 1990, 44, 100-112.