IFT Nutrition Division’s Post

Hi, IFT Nutrition Division members, and welcome to our last installment for this spring's Meet the Volunteers feature. Today we are featuring a new volunteer to our division, Xiaoyan (Cassie) Hu! 1. Why are you interested in nutrition/food? I always think about what's behind the food every time I go grocery shopping. Just because I have all the ingredients doesn't mean I can replicate the product. And considering the way food is converted into nutrients in our body sounds super exciting, so I started my undergrad with a food science major. 2. Where do you work/go to school and what is your role/program? I am currently a PhD candidate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, planning to graduate this year and looking for a position in industry! My research focuses on the texture and mechanisms of plant-based emulsions, emulsion gels, and protein gels, which I hope may contribute to improving the taste and nutrition profile of plant-based meat. 3. What do you find most exciting about food science? The most exciting thing about food science is that you can find it anywhere, anytime, because we need to eat, and understanding how it works in our body is fascinating. One of my research projects started after I ate a plant-based burger that tasted terrible. I can be inspired by the little things in daily life and then dive into the deep science behind them. 4. How did you get involved in IFT and the Nutrition Division, and why? I have known about IFT since my undergraduate years and participated in competitions with them. I found that IFT has given me so much insight that I wanted to connect more deeply. Nutrition is also closely related to my research topic, so I volunteered to connect with all these great people. 5. Describe one thing you ate last week.  I recently have been enjoying rice pudding with baked sesame. It has such a layered flavor that starts plain and then reveals more complexity. #iftnutrition #ift

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