Basque Culinary Center Presents the First Doctor in Gastronomic Sciences at the International Level
Elena Romeo Arroyo has become the first Doctor in Gastronomic Sciences at the international level after defending her doctoral thesis at Basque Culinary Center today. Her thesis focused on studying sugar perception and designing multimodal strategies to reduce sugar consumption, and it has received the highest distinction, "sobresaliente cum laude."
Titled "Cut Down on Sugar, Not on Taste! A Research Project on Sweetness Perception and Multimodal Approaches to Reduce Sugar Consumption," Elena Romeo's thesis aims to generate knowledge about the processes of choosing sweet foods and to design multimodal strategies for the formulation of foods and experiences that satisfy consumers' desire for sweetness while reducing added sugar consumption.
Elena Romeo, Doctor in Gastronomic Sciences, stated, "I hope to continue learning and contributing to the advancement of research in gastronomic sciences and sensory science, adding value to dietary habits and, therefore, the quality of life for people and our environment. My doctorate is just a small contribution to a larger issue where there is still much to do and investigate. Gastronomy is undoubtedly a vehicle for generating positive change and impact on society."
The thesis was co-directed by Laura Vázquez Araújo and María Mora Gijón, doctors and researchers in the sensory area of BCC Innovation, the Technological Center in Gastronomy at Basque Culinary Center. "Being directors of the first doctoral thesis in gastronomic sciences has been a significant challenge because we had to step out of our comfort zone to introduce ideas and working methods from other areas of knowledge beyond sensory sciences. Through Elena's thesis, not only she but also the entire team she had to interact with has learned to work in the field of 'gastronomy' and better understand the interactions required for the development of this science."
Romeo defended her thesis before an expert tribunal composed of Paula Varela Tomasco, a senior researcher in sensory sciences and consumer sciences at Nofima and president of the tribunal; María Amparo Tárrega, Doctor in Food Science and Technology and Scientific Researcher at the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (CSIC); and Lucía Gayoso Morandeira, a doctor and researcher in the Health Area of BCC Innovation.
As part of the program, Romeo conducted a three-month stay at the University of Davis in the United States, where she furthered her study on multimodal strategies for sugar reduction. She has thus achieved an International Doctorate mention.
Joxe Mari Aizega, the General Director of Basque Culinary Center, stated, "The Doctorate program in Gastronomic Sciences, launched in 2019, has once again placed the Basque Country at the forefront of gastronomy by promoting the growth and research of the sector. Three years later, we reap the rewards as we introduce the first Doctor in Gastronomic Sciences. At Basque Culinary Center, we seek to promote research and the generation of value through an academic offering that educates and helps professionals transform the food and gastronomy sector. The thesis presented today by Elena Romeo reaffirms our commitment to this goal."
Elena Romeo (1993, Zaragoza) has worked as a sensory analysis researcher at BCC Innovation since 2019. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology at the University of Zaragoza. She graduated with a Master's degree in Forensic Science in Criminal Analysis from the Autonomous University of Madrid. In 2019, she graduated from the Master's program in Gastronomic Sciences at Basque Culinary Center, where she specialized in studying the effect of symmetry, curvature, and color on the packaging of premium foods. In 2020, she began the Doctorate program in Gastronomic Sciences, specializing in Food Sciences and, specifically, in the field of Sensory Analysis.
BCC Doctorate Program
The Doctorate Program in Gastronomic Sciences is a collaborative effort between three technological centers in the Basque Country: AZTI, NEIKER, and BCC Innovation. It began its first edition in January 2020 with the aim of training researchers in the field of gastronomic sciences, generating and transferring knowledge to the various actors in the food and gastronomy value chain. The program encompasses two research groups: Food Sciences and Management, Society, and Culture. Framed within the Basque Government's Strategic Plan for Gastronomy and Food (PEGA), it also has the participation of the University of Copenhagen.