The Zhao Food Chemistry Lab

The Zhao Food Chemistry Lab at San Diego State University studies protein chemistry, flavor chemistry, alternative proteins, and data-driven tools for food science. Our research explores how food proteins and flavor compounds influence functionality, sensory quality, stability, and overall food performance.

Our current research focuses on the functional characterization of novel food proteins, flavor improvement of alternative protein ingredients and products, bitterness prediction, molecular dynamics simulations of food proteins, and the application of machine learning, deep learning, and artificial intelligence to predict protein functionality and food quality.

By combining laboratory experiments, molecular-level analysis, curated datasets, and computational modeling, our lab aims to support the development of sustainable, nutritious, and high-quality protein-based foods.