NZOZ 2026 Sensory and Consumer Science Symposium
The vision of the 20th NZOZ Sensory and Consumer Science Symposium is to provide a vibrant, welcoming, and collaborative platform that unites the Sensory & Consumer Science communities across Australia, New Zealand and the wider South Asian region. Our goal is to foster networking, exchange ideas, and keep the community up to date with the latest developments, supporting both students and professionals. The theme for the 20th Symposium, “Explore the Experience,” is designed to inspire discussion, broaden perspectives, and uncover new angles in sensory and consumer science. Our keynote speaker, Professor Liesbeth Zandstra, brings unique expertise from both academia and industry, working to understand food reward behaviour and how multisensory product experiences can shape healthier choices. The workshop series complements this by offering perspectives from different lenses including historians, coffee specialists, and dietitians, expanding how we think about sensory science in practice. Our discipline thrives on collaboration: uniting cross-disciplinary perspectives, connecting research with practice, and building partnerships between universities and industry. Whether it is partnering with chefs to understand consumer responses, aligning sensory measures with roasters’ quality attributes in coffee, or learning from food historians and industrial engineers about how eating practices have evolved, collaboration drives innovation and impact. This milestone 20th anniversary highlights not only the strength of the Australian and New Zealand community but also a growing number of international participants from neighbouring Asian regions. The Symposium provides an excellent platform to:
Keynote speaker: Professor Liesbeth Zandstra, is the Consumer Science Capability Lead at Unilever Foods Innovation Centre Wageningen and Professor of Food Reward and Behaviour at Wageningen University and Research (The Netherlands). Her research focuses on scientific challenges to find new ways to make the healthy and sustainable choice the preferred choice.
Workshops: Elizabeth Anya-Petrivna, National Trust of Australia Sensory through an Australian Senior Curator Lens Exploring how cultural perspectives shape our experience of dining in multisensory environments. Understanding dining as a cultural and sensory experience through history and curation. Allan Yeh, Code Black Coffee Roasters Sensory through a Coffee Specialist Lens Demonstrating practical ways in which Code Black Coffee maintains consistency, upholds quality and pushes quality standards higher than our competitors. Emma Stirling, Australia Catholic University Sensory through a culinary nutrition lens. Explore how sensory and consumer science can inform culinary nutrition interventions across diverse populations. Drawing on global learnings and case studies, this session bridges food science with culinary nutrition. The program will feature keynote speakers, presentations, and interactive workshops. We strongly encourage participation from students, who form the next generation of our field. NZOZ Registration includes: full symposium access, meals during the event, and two dinners (10th & 11th February). Call for Abstracts have now closed. 2026 NZOZ Sensory and Consumer Science SymposiumWhen: The Conference will be held across 3 days 10th - 12th February 2026 Where: Batman's Hill on Collins, 623 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 To register for this event, please click the link below: REGISTRATIONS FOR THIS EVENT WILL CLOSE 31 JANUARY 2026 Registration costs are as follows (in AUD)
The price includes full access to the conference and catering throughout, including two conference dinners. Accomodation: Accommodation is not included in your registration, but you are welcome to book accommodation at the venue. Here is a link to the venue: Batman's Hill on Collins. Please ensure you call them to make a booking so you can let them know you are attending the conference, and a discounted rate will be applied for a limited time. Our contact is Elaine Borja on (03) 9614 6344. | ||||||||||||
