CAHNRS > School of Food Science > Carolyn Ross

Carolyn Ross

Professor and Director of the WSU Sensory Science Center

Picture of Carolyn Ross

Education

  • 2003   Certificate in University Teaching, Department of Teaching Resources and Continuing Education, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.
  • 1998 – 2001   Doctorate of Philosophy in Food Science/Environmental Toxicology, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
  • 1995 – 1997 Master of Science in Food Science, Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON.
  • 1991 – 1995  Bachelor of Human Ecology in Foods and Nutrition, Department of Human Ecology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB.

Professional Experience

  • 2023 Fulbright Scholar, CASS Food Research Centre, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences. Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia.
  • 2021 – now   Member, Down syndrome Medical Interest Group.
  • 2018 – now   Affiliate Professor, Elson Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA.
  • 2016 – now   Professor, School of Food Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
  • 2004 – now Director, WSU Sensory Science Center, School of Food Science, Pullman, WA.
  • 2017  Visiting Researcher, School of Biosciences. International Centre for Brewing Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
  • 2010 – 2016  Associate Professor, School of Food Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
  • 2011  Visiting Researcher, Department of Wine, Food and Molecular Biosciences, Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand.
  • 2004 – 2010 Assistant Professor, School of Food Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
  • 2004 Post-doctoral Fellow, Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON.
  • 2003 Director of Research, CC Technology, Laramie, WY.
  • 2003 Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.
  • 2003 Laboratory Manager, InFARel (Industrially Focused Analytical Research Laboratory), University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.
  • 2002 – 2003 Post-doctoral Fellow, Food Processing Technology Division, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta, GA.
  • 2001 Administrative Assistant, Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
  • 1998 – 2001 Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
  • 1995 – 1997 Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON.

Research Activities

The overall objective of my research and graduate education program is to understand the theoretical basis underpinning the sensory perception (aural, oral, and tactile) of foods and correlate these psychophysical attributes with quantifiable characteristics. This research has results in <150 published peer-reviewed research articles and <160 presentations at technical and academic meetings.

My scientific contributions are in five major areas:

  1. Understanding the food texture experience in children
  2. Exploring the intersection between health and food
  3. Enhancement of food quality through studies of consumer perception
  4. Application of innovative analytical and sensory techniques to increase understanding of fundamental physical and chemical properties of food and wine quality
  5. Influence of agronomic and environmental conditions on the chemical and sensory profiles of foods and wines

Honors and Awards

  • 2024 Smith Teaching and Learning Grant. Washington State University. Pullman, WA.
  • 2022 – 2023 Fulbright U.S. Senior Scholar Award. Australian-American Fulbright Commission. Research at Deakin University, Melbourne, AU.
  • 2022 Tanner Award for most highly-cited paper (published in 2019). Institute of Food Technologists. Journal of Food Science: Sensory and Food Quality section.
  • 2021 WSU President’s Faculty Excellence Award for Instruction (Sahlin Award). Washington State University.
  • 2020 Tanner Award for most highly-cited paper (published in 2017). Institute of Food Technologists. Journal of Food Science: Sensory and Food Quality section.
  • 2019 Tanner Award for most highly-cited paper (published in 2016). Institute of Food Technologists. Journal of Food Science: Sensory and Food Quality section.
  • 2016 Outstanding Service Award. Institute of Food Technologists, Sensory and Consumer Sciences Division.
  • 2015 Leader Travel Award. Institute of Food Technologists, Sensory and Consumer Sciences Division.
  • 2015 Interdisciplinary Team Award, Quinoa Research and Extension team, College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Resource Science, WSU.
  • 2014 Early Career Excellence Award, College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Resource Science, WSU.
  • 2007 Certificate of Honor, Outstanding Mentor, Women & Leadership Alliance Forum, WSU.
  • 2006 Certificate of Honor, Outstanding Mentor, Women & Leadership Alliance Forum, WSU.

Publications

For the most updated list of publications, please visit https://sfs.wsu.edu/ross/publications/

Refereed Journal Articles

Sivabalan, S., Ross, C.F., Tang, J. and Sablani, S. 2024. Physical, thermal, and storage stability of multilayered emulsion loaded with β-carotene. Food Innovation and Advances. http://doi.org/10.48130/fia-0024-0022

Pepito, Bryan Michael and Ross, C.F. 2024. Identifying Desirable Attributes in Dairy-Rich Breakfast and Desserts for Older Adults. Journal of Food Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.17127

Potter, R., Lee, J., Warren, C.A. and Ross, C.F.  2024. Comparative Assessment of Riesling Wine Fault Development by the Electronic Tongue and a Sensory Panel. Journal of Food Science. March. http://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.17036

Montero, M.L., Duizer, L. and Ross, C.F.  2024. Sensory perception and food-evoked emotions of older adults assessing meals with different salt concentrations.  Foods. 13(4): 631. http://doi.org/10.3390/foods13040631

Paup, V.D., Montero, M.L., Ross, C.F. and Lee, J.  2024. Influence of saliva on the sensory properties of US commercial smoke exposed wines: Preliminary findings. Food Science and Nutrition. January. http://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3954

Montero, M.L., Colonna, A.E., Gallardo, R.K. and Ross, C.F. 2024. Sensory profiling of pears from the Pacific Northwest: Consumers’ perceptions and descriptive analysis. Journal of Food Science. 89(2); 1225-1242. http://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16913

Ross, C.F., Bernhard, C.B., Surette, V.A., Wakeling, I., Hasted, A. and Smith-Simpson, S.  2024. The influence of food sensory properties on eating behaviours in children with Down syndrome. Food Research International. 175: 113749. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113749

Lee, J., Keast, R., Ross, C.F. and Russell, C.G. 2024. Development and validation of child’s food texture preference questionnaire and associations with oral tactile sensitivity and food fussiness in children.  Food Quality and Preference. 113: 105065. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2023.105065

Richter, J., Montero, M., Ikuse, M., Wagner, C., Ross, C.F., Saunders, S.R. and Ganjyal, G. 2024.  The interaction between wheat and pea protein influences the final chemical and sensory characteristics of extruded high moisture meat analogs. Journal of Food Science.  89(1): 104-120. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16815

Qu, Z., Shah, D., Shyam, S. Ross, C.F., Sankaran, S. and Tang. J.  2024.  Thermal inactivation kinetics of Salmonella and Campylobacter in chicken livers.  Poultry Science. 103(8): 103961. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2024.103961

Chaffee, O. R., Montero, M.L., Keast, R. and Ross, C.F.  2023. Oral acuity, particle size sensitivity, and food texture preferences in an older adult population. Food Quality and Preference. 112: 105031. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2023.105031

Ross, C.F. 2023. The Texture Factor: Food product development for discrete populations including orally compromised elderly consumers and children with Down syndrome.  International Journal of Food Science and Technology. 58(12):  6151-6157. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.16696

Gallardo, R.K., Ma, X., Colonna, A., Montero, M.L and Ross, C.F. 2023. Consumers’ preferences for novel and traditional pear varieties: Evidence from sensory evaluation and willingness to pay elicitation. HortScience. 58(12):1474-1483. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI17317-23

Surette, V.A., Smith-Simpson, S., Fries, L. R., Forde, C.G. and Ross, C.F. 2023. Observations of Feeding Practices of U.S. Parents of Young Children with Down Syndrome.  Maternal and Child Health. 19(4): e13548. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13548

Chaffee, O. R. and Ross, C.F. 2023. Older Adults’ Acceptance of Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Meals in Relation to Food Choice and Sensory Ability. Journal of Food Science. 88(6): 2611-2628. http://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16573

Ross, C.F., Sablani, S. and Tang, J. 2023. Ready-to-eat meals for future space programs. Foods. 12(6): 1322. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12061322

Dey, D., Ek, P., Gu, B.,, Saunders, S., Ross, C.F. and Ganjyal, G. 2023.  Influence of modified fiber inclusion with varying particle size on expansion of corn starch-based extrudate expansion. Journal of Food Science. 88(2): 784-794. http://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16432

Shen, Xi., Su, Y., Hua, Z., Zhu, H., Unlu, G., Ross, C.F., Mendoza, M., Hanrahan, I., Tang, J. and Zhu, M. 2023. Listeria monocytogenes cross-contamination during apple waxing and subsequent survival under different storage conditions. Food Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2022.104166

Paup, V.D., Barton, T.L., Edwards, C.G., Lange, I., Lange, B.M., Lee, J. and Ross, C.F. 2022. Improving the chemical and sensory characteristics of red and white wines with pectinase producing non-Saccharomyces yeasts.  Journal of Food Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16371

Ross, C. F., Bernhard, C.B., Surette, V., Hasted, A., Wakeling, I and Smith-Simpson, S.  2022. Eating behaviors in children with Down syndrome: Results of a home-use test  Journal of Texture Studies. https://doi.org/10.1111/jtxs.12703

Chaffee, O., McGillivray, A., Duizer, L. and Ross, C.F. 2022. Identifying Elements of a Ready-To-Eat Meal Desired by Older Adults.  Food Research International. 111353. doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111353

Romaniw, O., Montero, M., Sharma, M., Ross, C.F. and Duizer, L.M.  2022.  Creating foods for older adults: Emotional responses and liking of microwave-assisted thermal sterilization processed meals.  Journal of Food Science. doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16200

Craine, E.B., Bramwell, S., Ross, C.F. and Murphy, K. 2022. From ground to glass: Evaluation of unique barley varieties for craft malting, craft brewing, and consumer sensory.  Beverages. 8 (2): 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/beverages8020030

Montero, M.L and Ross, C. F. 2022.  Saltiness perception in white sauce formulations as tested in older adults.  Food Quality and Preference.  98: 104529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2022.104529

Surette, V.M., Smith-Simpson, S., Fries, L. R. and Ross, C.F.  2022. Food texture experiences across age groups in young children.  Journal of Texture Studies.  53(1): 18-30. https://doi.org/10.1111/jtxs.12649

Castura, J., Rutledge, D., Ross, C.F and Næs, T. 2022. Discriminability and uncertainty in principal component analysis (PCA) of temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA) data.  Food Quality and Preference. 96: 104370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2021.104370

Ross, C.F., Surette, V., Bernhard, C.B., Smith-Simpson, S., Lee, J., Russell, C.G. and Keast. R.S.  2021.  Development and application of specific questions to classify a child as food texture sensitive.  Journal of Texture Studies, 53 (1): 3-17. http://doi.org/10.1111/jtxs.12627

Paup, V. D., Cook-Barton, T., Diako, C., Edwards, C. G., & Ross, C. F.  2021. Detection of red wine faults over time with flash profiling and the electronic tongue. Beverages, 7(3): 52-60. https://doi.org/10.3390/beverages7030052

Aplin, J. J., Paup, V. D., Ross, C. F., & Edwards, C. G.  2021.  Chemical and sensory profiles of Merlot wines produced by sequential inoculation of Metschnikowia pulcherrima or Meyerzyma guilliermondii. Fermentation, 7(3): 126-132. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation7030126

Montero, M. L., Garrido, D., Gallardo, R. K., Tang, J., & Ross, C. F. 2021. Consumer acceptance of a ready-to-eat meal during storage as evaluated with a home-use test. Foods, 10(7): 1623-1633. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10071623

Garrido, D., Gallardo, K., Ross, C.F.  Montero, M. and Tang, J. 2021.  Does the order of presentation of extrinsic and intrinsic quality attributes matter when eliciting willingness to pay?  Journal of Food Science.  86 (8): 3658-3671. http://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.15825

Qu, Z., Tang, J., Sablani, S., Ross, C. F., Sankaran, S., and Shah, D.  2021.  Quality changes in chicken livers during cooking.  Poultry Science. 100)9): 101316. 101316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2021.101316

Garrido, D., Gallardo, K., Montero, M. and Ross, C.F.  2021.  The effect of intrinsic and extrinsic quality on the willingness to pay for a convenient meal: A combination of home-use test with online auctions.  Journal of Sensory Studies. http://doi.org/10.1111/joss.12682

Surette, V.A., Bernhard, C.B., Smith-Simpson, S. and Ross, C.F. 2021.  Development of a home-use method for the evaluation of food products by children with and without Down syndrome.  Journal of Texture Studies. https://doi.org/10.1111/jtxs.12601

Craine, E., Bramwell, S., Ross, C.F., Fisk, S. and Murphy, K.  2021. Strategic malting barley improvement for craft brewers through consumer sensory evaluation of malt and beer.  Journal of Food Science. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.15786

Qu, Z., Tang, J. Liu, F., Sablani, S., Ross, C. F., Sankaran, S. and Tang, J. 2021.  Quality of green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) influenced by microwave and hot water pasteurization.  Food Control.  124: 107936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2021.107936

Ross, C.F.  2021. Considerations of the use of the electronic tongue in sensory science.  (Invited submission).  Current Opinion in Food Science.  40: 87-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cofs.2021.01.011

Montero, M., Sablani, S., Tang, J, and Ross, C.F.  2020.  Characterization of the sensory, chemical and microbial quality of microwave-assisted, thermally pasteurized fried rice during storage.  Journal of Food Science.  85(9): 2711-2719.  https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.15384

Zad Bagher Seighalani, F., Ross, C.F., Joyner, H. 2020.  Relationships Among Rheological, Sensory, and Wear Behaviors of Cheeses.  Journal of Texture Studies.  51 (5): 702-721. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jtxs.12547

Barnett, S.M., Tang, J., Sablani, S. and Ross, C.F. 2020.  The potential for microwave processing technology and the ideal profile method to aid in salt reduction. Journal of Food Science. 85(3): 600-610. doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.15034

Schlossareck, S. and Ross, C.F. 2020.  Consumer sensory evaluation of aftertaste intensity and liking of spicy paneer cheese. International Journal of Food Science and Technology. 55(7): 2710-2718. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.14524

Walsh, E., Diako, C., Smith, D.M. and Ross, C.F. 2020.  Influence of storage time and elevated ripening temperature on the chemical and sensory properties of white Cheddar cheese. Journal of Food Science.  85(2): 268-278. doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.14998

Griffiths, L.E., Diako, C., Miller, L.E., Neilson, A.P., Ross, C.F., and Stewart, A.C. 2020. Preference for and sensitivity to flavanol mean degree of polymerization in model wines is correlated with body composition. Appetite. 144(1): 104442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2019.104442

Book Chapters

Montero, M. and Ross, C.F. 2023.  Physiology of Sensory Perception. In The Sensory Evaluation of Dairy Products, Third Edition. Clark, S., Drake, and Bodyfelt, C., Eds. New York, NY, Springer.

Castura, J. C., McMahon, K. M., and Ross, C. F. 2018. Effect of carbonation level on the perception of sourness in sparkling wine. In B. Siegmund & E. Leitner (eds.): 15th Weurman Flavour Research Symposium (pp. 217-220). 18-22 September 2017. Graz, Austria: Verlag der Technischen Universität Graz.

Ross, C.F. Headspace Analysis. 2011. In Sampling and Sample Preparation. Lord, H. and Pawliszyn, J., Eds. Elsevier.

Ross, C.F and Hoye, C.J. Breakage and Mastication of Solid Foods. 2011. In Food Oral Processing. Chen, J. and Engeln, L., Eds. London, Blackwell.

Ross, C.F. Physiology of Sensory Perception. 2008. In The Sensory Evaluation of Dairy Products, Second Edition. Clark, S., Drake, Costello, M. and Bodyfelt, C., Eds. New York, NY, Springer.

Ross, C.F. and Pawliszyn, J. 2005. Solid-phase microextraction. In Encyclopedia of Analytical Science, Second Edition. Worsfold, P., Townshend, A. and Poole, C., Eds. Oxford, United Kingdom, Elsevier, Vol. 2, p. 608- 616.

Ross, C.F. and Carron, K.T. 2005. Raman spectroscopy: Near-infrared. In Encyclopedia of Analytical Science, Second Edition. Worsfold, P., Townshend, A. and Poole, C., Eds. Oxford, United Kingdom, Elsevier, Vol. 8, p. 105-110.