Quantifying crispness using acoustic analysis (KRAK)

With the support of:

Crispness is a crucial texture attribute in certain food products, but measuring it objectively remains a challenge. The KRAK project combines acoustic measurements and sensory analysis to map texture attributes such as crispness and snap. The aim of this TETRA project is to provide practical knowledge and tools for measuring texture attributes such as crispness and snap in food products using acoustic measurements.

Why this project?

Crispness is a crucial quality attribute of many food products. A biscuit should be crispy and crack when it is broken; a chocolate bar, or the chocolate coating of an ice cream, should make a sound when you bite into it; granola should be crunchy… Textural perceptions are physical sensations involving touch, but often also hearing. Texture attributes can be mapped through sensory analyses by a selected and trained sensory panel (expert panel). Texture analysers are used for instrumental texture measurements (including fracture tests) to measure hardness or elasticity, but objectively measuring crispness and snap using instrumental techniques remains a challenge.

Research approach and expected results

During this two-year TETRA project, both the acoustic measurement method for various categories of food products and the audio analysis techniques will be developed. The aim of the KRAK project is to provide hands-on knowledge and tools for recording and processing advanced audio analyses (with and/or without data-driven techniques). The acoustic measurements are carried out in the Audiolab of VIVES in Roeselare.

The companies in the advisory group have selected a number of product categories on which the advanced sound measurements will be carried out (crisps, chips, biscuits, (baguette) bread, chocolate and breaded products). The researchers will develop methods using DoE (design of experiments). In the next project phase, the developed methods will be validated and the acoustic data will be correlated with sensory data from expert panels and/or in-house company sensory panels.

Target group

The target audience for this project is very broad: food companies (producers of crispy products), ingredient suppliers, large-scale catering companies, technology companies (equipment manufacturers), AI companies and packaging companies.

Project partners

Katholieke Hogeschool VIVES:

Research group Food Processing of VIVES – Michaël Verlinden (michael.verlinden@vives.be)
Research group Mechatronics of VIVES – Jonas Lannoo (jonas.lannoo@vives.be)

KU Leuven:

Research group Mechatronica, Biostatistiek and Sensors (MeBioS) – Bart De Ketelaere

Flanders’ FOOD is subcontracteor in this KRAK project.

Keen to join?

You can join the project via the Advisory Group until the end of the project.

Participation fee and terms and conditions

Participation in the project requires a financial contribution. If you join at a later stage of the project, the project contribution will be charged retroactively.

Small enterprise: € 1,000 for the 2-year KRAK-project
Medium-sized enterprise: € 2,000 for the 2-year KRAK-project
Large enterprise: € 3,000 for the 2-year KRAK-project