In Europe, as in much of the Western world, the number of citizens aged 65 and over has grown at an unprecedented rate and is expected to account for over 30% of the total population by 2060. Coupled with a steady increase in life expectancy, this massive demographic change calls for a major effort to ensure quality of life in our older population. A thorough understanding of the elderly as food consumers, their nutritional needs, and their food perception and preferences is increasingly recognized as key areas for future research.

Food perception change at a later age as a result of the psychophysiological changes that occur with aging, such as decreased appetite and chemosensory acuity. The latter generally decrease food intake and the pleasure that the elderly derive from their meals, making the identification of possible compensation strategies (e.g., flavor enhancement, textural changes, etc.) essential to food producers interested in developing products for this increasingly important segment. Promoting food satisfaction among the elderly is also paramount to ensuring adequate nutritional intake. This aspect has major public health implications, such as preventing malnutrition and sarcopenia, which are leading causes of decreased independence and lower quality of life. Additionally, the importance of social and psychological factors is increasingly recognized. Many conditions related to aging (e.g., tiredness, loneliness) may prevent elderly people from preparing and enjoying meals, calling for alternative vehicles – such as tailor-made distribution channels, social food preparation and eating situations – for promoting healthy eating.

In this workshop, a range of international speakers with relevant professional experience will present their latest work. More generally, it is our intention with this workshop to raise awareness of how sensory and consumer research can contribute to promote well-being among the elderly, and ultimately to expand the number of healthy life years as we age.