20th NZOZ Sensory and Consumer Science Symposium
10–12 February 2026 · Melbourne
The vision of the NZOZ Sensory 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:
• Interact with international leaders in sensory and consumer science
• Learn about the latest developments in research methods and applications
• Network, share ideas, and strengthen professional connections
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
- From perception to behaviour: Designing multisensory product experiences to drive healthy choices.
- From lab to real-life: Understanding product experience and choice across time and contexts
The program will feature keynote speakers, presentations, and interactive workshops. We strongly encourage participation from students, who form the next generation of our field.
Registration includes: full symposium access, meals during the event, and two dinners (10th & 11th February). Exact locations in the CBD will be announced very soon. Accommodation is not included.
Call for Abstracts is open until Friday, 26th September 2025. APPLY HERE
Event registrations close 31 January 2026
