Food Quality Perception

Food has some of the most common textures that we perceive on a daily basis. Understanding human behavior when food quality is perceived can reveal the mechanisms that closely relate sensory processing to perceptual experience. Indeed, food quality perception is cross-modal and reflect complex associations among sensory modalities learned through experience.

The purpose of the project is to model the effects of specific characteristics of sensory information on the perception of food quality. Our research methodology will consist of employing carefully designed sensory stimuli and perform psychophysical experimentation to test the human ability to decide about the quality of food. We focus on visual information, such as luminance and color distribution, visual patterns, shape, shading, and glossiness perception.

Our experimental results have allowed developing technology that can control food perception and eating behavior. Moreover, understanding consumer’s food choices and quality perception can have a direct impact on the design and display of food in the industry. Also, results may translate into a better understanding of fundamental visual perception mechanisms such as pattern and material recognition.

Vegetable Freshness Perception

Cabbage Degradation Process.

Selected Publications

1. Arce-Lopera, C. A., Okajima, K., Wada, Y. (2020). XYZ color data on the visual degradation of vegetables.
2. Arboleda, A. M., Arce-Lopera, C. A. (2017). The French, German, and Spanish sound of eating fresh fruits and vegetables.
3. Okuda, S., Okajima, K., Arce-Lopera, C. A. (2015). Visual Palatability of Food Dishes in Color Appearance, Glossiness and Convexo-concave Perception Depending on Light Source.
4. Arce-Lopera, C. A., Masuda, T., Kimura, A., Wada, Y., Okajima, K. (2015). Model of Vegetable Freshness Perception using Luminance Cues.
5. Sandoval, N., Potes, A., Arboleda, A. M., Salamanca García, J. M., Arce-Lopera, C. A. (2014). Image Information Influencing the Online Purchase Intention of Vegetables Products.
6. Arce-Lopera, C. A., Masuda, T., Kimura, A., Wada, Y., Okajima, K. (2013). Luminance Distribution as a Determinant for Visual Freshness Perception: Evidence from Image Analysis of a Cabbage Leaf.
7. Arce-Lopera, C. A., Masuda, T., Kimura, A., Wada, Y., Okajima, K. (2012). Luminance Distribution Modifies the Perceived Freshness of Strawberries.
8. Wada, Y., Arce-Lopera, C. A., Masuda, T., Kimura, A., Dan, I., Goto, S.-i., Tsuzuki, D., Okajima, K. (2010). Influence of Luminance Distribution on the Appetizingly Fresh Appearance of Cabbage.

Bottle Package Perception

Selected Publications

1. Arboleda, A. M., Arce-Lopera, C. A. (2020). The perceived sweetness and price of bottled drinks’ silhouettes.
2. Arboleda, A. M., Arce-Lopera, C. A. (2019). Code and Data on the categorization of soft-drink bottles using image silhouettes.
3. Arboleda, A. M., Arce-Lopera, C. A. (2015). Quantitative Analysis of Product Categorization in Soft Drinks Using Bottle Silhouettes.

Invited Talks

1. Arce-Lopera, C. A. (2021). Color distribution of fresh and ripe fruits.

Ongoing Projects

• Ripeness estimation system for tropical fruits (2020-)
• Light and display system for palatability enhancement of food (2019-)
• Multicultural perception of bottle shapes (2019-)

Clients and Collaborators

• Okajima Lab, Yokohama National University
• Sensory Science Unit, NFRI
• Marketing department, Universidad Icesi

For any questions, please contact me.