NeuroGastronomy
Our Neurogastronomy Working Group is an interdisciplinary research platform aimed at uncovering the neurobiological mechanisms underlying food perception, sensory experience, and consumer behavior, and translating the acquired scientific knowledge into healthy nutrition, food innovation, and personalized consumer experiences. Food selection is not merely a process driven by physiological hunger; rather, it is a complex decision-making mechanism shaped by visual attention, cognitive evaluation, memory, emotional state, expectations, cultural experiences, and environmental stimuli. Today, global challenges such as obesity, sustainable nutrition, an aging population, neurodegenerative diseases, and changing consumer expectations necessitate addressing food preferences not only from a sensory perspective but also through a neuroscience lens. Bringing together neuroscience, gastronomy, nutritional sciences, psychology, artificial intelligence, data science, and bioengineering within the same research ecosystem, our working group adopts a holistic research approach extending from "sensory stimulus to brain response, and from brain response to consumer behavior." In our research, methods such as eye tracking, electroencephalography (EEG), biometric measurements, sensory analyses, virtual reality applications, experimental consumer studies, and AI-supported data analysis are used jointly to investigate multidimensionally how individuals perceive, evaluate, and prefer foods. Within this scope, research is conducted on the following subjects: • Evaluating the effects of food visuals, plating, color, symmetry, shape, packaging, and other visual design elements on attention, perception, preference, and purchasing behavior using neuroscience methods; • Investigating the effects of taste, aroma, texture, sound, and multisensory stimuli on brain activity and consumer decision mechanisms; • Identifying environmental cues that support healthy and sustainable nutrition and developing scientific intervention models aimed at behavioral change; • Modeling consumer behaviors and establishing predictive decision-support systems using big data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence methods; • Integrating neurophysiological, behavioral, and sensory data to incorporate them into personalized nutrition, clinical nutrition, elderly and patient nutrition, and food product development studies; • Developing innovative methods, digital platforms, and applications that will ensure knowledge and technology transfer between academia, the health sector, and the food industry.
Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Master's Student Cem BİLGİÇ
Akay, E., & Yılmaz, İ. (2026). Investigation of FOODIE Index of Gastronomy Culinary Arts and Cookery Students: The Case of Istanbul. Journal of Sensory Studies, 41(3), e70153. https://doi.org/10.1111/joss.70153
Yılmaz, İ., Akay, E., & Er, A. (2021). Nörogastronomi. Aydın Gastronomy, 5(2), 143-156. https://izlik.org/JA54JR27UN
Albustanlıoğlu, T., Güney, S. K., Beyter, N., & Yılmaz, İ. (2023). Antik Zeugma Kenti Seramik Kap Örnekleri Kullanılarak Yapılan Roma Yemeği ve Duyusal Analizleri (Roman food and sensory analysis using the ancient cıty of zeugma ceramic vessel samples). Journal of Tourism & Gastronomy Studies, 11(1), 794-816. https://doi.org/10.21325/jotags.2023.1218
Aydın, A., & Yılmaz, İ. (2024). Müziğin Tadı: Duyular Arası Etkileşim Müziğin Tat Algısına Etkisi (Taste of Music: Intersensory Interaction The Influence of Music on the Perception of Taste). Journal of Tourism & Gastronomy Studies, 12(4), 2493-2510. 10.21325/jotags.2024.1496
Doğan, G., & Yılmaz, İ. (2023). Product Development and Sensory Evaluation of Dark Chocolate Filled with Chestnut Honey. Black Sea Journal of Agriculture, 6(5), 452-458. https://doi.org/10.47115/bsagriculture.1293710
Doğan, S. N., & Yılmaz, İ. (2024). Physicochemical and sensory properties of vegetarian pasta produced with pea (Pisum sativum) protein powder. Harran Tarım ve Gıda Bilimleri Dergisi, 28(2), 267-279. https://doi.org/10.29050/harranziraat.1382823
İmam, B. Y., & Yılmaz, İ. (2025). Sıcak Turşu ile Geleneksel Turşuların Mikrofloralarının ve Duyusal Özelliklerinin Karşılaştırılması. Euroasia Matematik, Mühendislik, Doğa ve Tıp Bilimleri Dergisi Medical Sciences, 12(1), 119-139. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16732533
Kahraman Ilıkkan, Ö., Bağdat, E. Ş., Yılmaz, İ., Beyter, N., & Yüzay, I. E. (2024). A novel synbiotic edible film based on aquafaba, psyllium husk powder, PEG 400, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v and applicability on Kashar cheese. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 18(12), 10166-10181. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-024-02959-z
Tabak, T., Yılmaz, İ., & Tekiner, İ. H. (2021). Investigation of the changes in volatile composition and amino acid profile of a gala-dinner dish by GC-Ms and LC-MS/MS analyses. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 25, 100398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2021.100398
Tokat, P., & Yilmaz, I. (2023). Neurogastronomy: factors affecting the taste perception of food. International Journal of Gastronomy Research, 2(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.56479/ayed.2022.10261
Üner, M. H., & Yılmaz, İ. (2025). Lif, Çinko ve Bakır Yönünden Zenginleştirilmiş Ekmeğin Duyusal Özelliklerinin İncelenmesi (Investigatıon of The Sensory Properties of Bread Enriched in Fiber, Zinc and Copper). Journal of Tourism & Gastronomy Studies, 13(4), 3854-3883. https://doi.org/10.21325/jotags.2025.1742
Yalçıner, C. C., & Yılmaz, İ. (2025). Hardaliyenin Ticari İşletmelerde Et Yemekleri Yanında Eşlikçi Olarak Kullanılmasının Beğeni Düzeyinin Araştırılması. Turkish Journal of Agriculture-Food Science and Technology, 13(7), 1800-1806. https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v13i7.1800-1806.7573
Yıldırım, E., Yalçıner, C. C., & Yılmaz, İ. (2025). Lyophilization and Sensory Analysis of Traditional Artisan Turkish Cheeses. International Journal of Gastronomy Research, 4(1), 20-33. https://doi.org/10.56479/ijgr-48
Yılmaz, İ., & Altuntaş, N. (2022). Kokumi tat algısı üzerine bir değerlendirme. Gıda ve Yem Bilimi Teknolojisi Dergisi, (27), 13-19. https://izlik.org/JA98UF57HC
Yılmaz, İ., & Şen, B. B. (2021). Keçiboynuzu unu (Ceratonia siliqua L.) kullanımının eriştelerin fiziksel, kimyasal ve duyusal özelliklerine etkisi. Harran Tarım ve Gıda Bilimleri Dergisi, 25(3), 377-389. https://doi.org/10.29050/harranziraat.864946
Yılmaz, İ., & Yalçın, E. (2022). Evaluation of individuals' perspectives and preferences for entomophagy. Gıda ve Yem Bilimi Teknolojisi Dergisi, (28), 38-46. https://izlik.org/JA66NM46NT
Yilmaz, İ., & Akay, E. (2026). Gastronomide Gıda Eşleşmesi. Gaziantep University Journal of Social Sciences, 25(2), 900. 10.21547/jss.1864114
Güldemir, O., & Özdemir, S. S. (2026). The effect of using slaked limewater (calcium hydroxide) on sensory perception in traditional pumpkin dessert. Journal of Tourism and Gastronomy Studies, 14(1), 417–427. https://doi.org/10.63556/jotags.2026.1798
Özdemir, S. S., & Uçuk, C. (2022). Is the modern or classical presentation of Turkish cuisine more acceptable? A study on the visual senses of Europeans. Journal of Tourismology, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.26650/jot.2022.8.2.1148129
Uçuk, C., Kahraman, A. G., & Özdemir, S. S. (2022). Tabak prezantasyonunun kötü görünümlü yiyeceklerin kabulüne etkisi: Şırdan örneği. Journal of Tourism and Gastronomy Studies, 10(1), 171–192. https://doi.org/10.21325/jotags.2022.985 (Uçuk, C., Kahraman, A. G., & Özdemir, S. S. (2022). The effect of plate presentation on the acceptance of visually unappealing foods: The case of şırdan. Journal of Tourism and Gastronomy Studies, 10(1), 171–192. https://doi.org/10.21325/jotags.2022.985)
Özdemir, S. S., & Kahraman, A. G. (2022). Olguların ağız tadıyla ifadesi: Türk halk kültüründe acı, tatlı, ekşi ve tuzlu. Milli Folklor, 17(135), 160–172. https://doi.org/10.46462/millifolklor.955570 (Özdemir, S. S., & Kahraman, A. G. (2022). Expressing phenomena through taste: Bitter, sweet, sour, and salty in Turkish folk culture. Milli Folklor, 17(135), 160–172. https://doi.org/10.46462/millifolklor.95557)
Tez Başlığı: Gastronomide menü görselleştirme tekniklerinin tüketici tercihlerine etkisi ve farklı tabaklama kompozisyonlarının nörogastronomik yöntemlerle analizi
Last Updated : 9.10.2026