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Altered Taste Symposium – Gastronomic solutions for sensory loss & alteration.
The 3rd edition of the Altered Taste International Symposium, organized by Institut Lyfe, took place in Lyon France, 14 & 15 Sept. The conference focussed on research that considers the psychosocial and cultural dimensions of altered taste and eating, as well as addressing solutions to these problems, from the gastronomic to the social, to see how people cope with and compensate for altered taste.
The symposium gathered contributions from various disciplines as well as expert knowledge and particularly supported interdisciplinary research. The symposium brought together scientists, chefs and professionals interested in the topic of altered taste and potential food solutions. On the first day (which coincided with World and Smell Day 2023), there was a summerschool for PhD students, focussing on scientific writing, stress management and science communication to a lay audience. Afterwards, the symposium started with a tour of the Institut Lyfe (who’s founder was the inspiration for the Disney movie Ratatouille!), a workshop on “Chocolate as a solution to compensate for Altered Taste”, and a dinner prepared by the culinary students of the Institut.
The next day was filled with a wide variety of keynotes, presentations, posters and discussions on different topics regarding altered taste and smell perception. Birgit van Dijk from the SSEB chairgroup presented her preliminary results of the COVORTS study, focussing on persistent smell dysfunction due to COVID-19 infection and its effects on eating behaviour and quality of life. The conference ended with a visit to the Banquet exhibition from the Paris Science Museum, which portrayed culinary experiences in an interactive way.
It was a relatively smaller conference (~ 40 people), which allowed good networking and discussion opportunities.
