Paul Smeets

Paul Smeets is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sensory Science and Eating Behaviour at Wageningen University & Research. His research focuses on the intersection of food science, neuroscience, and gastrointestinal physiology, particularly using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional MRI (fMRI) to study gastric digestion processes, sensory perception, and neural responses to food. He leads projects exploring topics such as protein digestion dynamics in plant-based meat analogues, olfactory fat discrimination, and the neural processing of food-flavored e-cigarettes. His work emphasizes understanding how food structure, microstructure, and processing influence digestion and satiety. Collaborations span clinical nutrition, biotechnology, and sensory science.

Key research areas include:

• MRI-Based Digestive Studies: Non-invasive monitoring of gastric emptying, pH changes, and protein breakdown in humans and in vitro systems.
• Sensory Neuroscience: Investigating brain activation patterns linked to taste, olfactory perception, and food-related reward mechanisms.
• Plant-Based Foods: Evaluating the digestive behavior and nutritional impact of plant-based meat analogues and textured vegetable proteins.
• Clinical Applications: Studies on gastrointestinal symptoms post-bariatric surgery, infant formula design, and olfactory dysfunction in clinical populations.

Dr. Smeets has supervised/co-supervised eight PhD candidates, including projects on gastric digestion mechanics, obesity-related neural inhibition, and olfactory bulb volume analysis. His research has garnered attention in media outlets and has contributed datasets to platforms like OSF and Wageningen University repositories. Over 115 peer-reviewed articles and 13 active projects highlight his prolific output and interdisciplinary impact.