Advances in consumer-oriented product design engineering of foods

This text reviews briefly the main methodologies of consumer-oriented design engineering used by the Food Industry. The most relevant implications of the recent developments in cognitive and neuro-science in this context are then analysed and it is concluded that incorporating the human, cognitive, dimension and its influence in food choice is the major challenge for further improvements. A vision of the "ideal final result" of a product design engineering system for foods is outlined and it is stressed that the development of kansei engineering in Japan seems a most promising emerging concept to be followed in this respect.