Budapest Business University Hospitality Course work 2016-2017 Part 2

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The research activity presented in the previous period (1993–2004) in this period (2005–2017) also focused primarily on educational activity and its development, which was based on personal international (Finland, France, Italy, Switzerland, etc.) primary and secondary research.
Among the research topics from the 2005–2017 period, it is worth mentioning my own PhD work, “The Gastronomic Geography of Hungary,” which spans a six-year period (2006–2012). I will report on this research in a separate chapter.

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In 2010, we developed a complex research plan for the students, which can be read below.

“Applied Research Techniques in Gastronomy and Hospitality

1. Natural Science Aspects (nutrition, food)

1.1. General methodology of research

1.2. Possibilities and methods of literature review

1.3. Visit to the National Meat Industry Research Institute

1.4. Visit to the National Institute of Food and Nutrition Science

1.5. Innovations in nutritional science and kitchen technology

1.6. Ingredients used in the ‘Practical Food Preparation’ block

1.7. Preparation for individual research work

(topic and method selection, scheduling)

1.8. Discussion of papers to be written based on workshop sessions, and preparation of the versions to be submitted for the Students’ Scientific Conference (TDK)

2. Applied Economic Aspects (planning and management)

2.1. Analysis of consumer behavior in hospitality

2.2. Examination of entrepreneurial behavior in hospitality

2.3. Return on investment analysis based on a fictional case study

3. Practical Food Preparation

3.1. Examination of salmon fillet confit (measurement of different temperatures and heating durations, followed by organoleptic evaluation)

3.2. Examination of tenderloin cooking (measurement of different temperatures and heating durations, followed by organoleptic evaluation)

3.3. Possibilities of vegetarian food preparation (ingredients and their practical use)

3.4. Possibilities of applying sous-vide technology (ingredients and their practical use)

Evaluation: Each student, based on what they have learned during the talent development workshop sessions, prepares a short report on a topic of their choice. These papers are partly bound and distributed, and also serve as a basis for participation in the autumn Students’ Scientific Conference (TDK).”

Among the above topics, my colleagues and I deeply explored the “confit of salmon fillet,” the “possibilities of heat treatment of tenderloin,” and the “application of sous-vide technology.”
These studies were primarily managed by my colleague Hedvig Hidvégi, as she chose the optimization of heat treatment of various animal-based products, primarily meats, as the topic for her PhD studies.

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Accordingly, in 2014 we conducted a meat research as follows, which was followed by several similar studies.

“Food Safety Grant Research

The current research of the Department of Hospitality is literally running at full steam based on the ‘Food Safety Grant.’ In November and December 2014, analyses of two types of meat samples are being conducted: Australian aged tenderloin and Hungarian roast duck breast sous-vide treated (heat-treated using vacuum technology).

The kitchen technology examinations of the meats are carried out by instructors Hedvig Hidvégi and Dr. Dénes Sándor, microbiological tests by retired associate professor dr. Katalin Schmidt and technician Veronika Farkas, the texture examinations at the NAIK Food Science Research Institute with the assistance of Zsuzsanna Cserhalmi and József Fehér, while the chemical background analyses are performed by KÉKI staff. The entire research is overseen and coordinated by department head Dr. Andrea Lugasi.

During the research, the meat samples are sous-vided at three different temperatures, with varying core temperatures and two time durations, then evaluated organoleptically based on color, smell, texture, and taste quality parameters.

Additionally, the given meat samples are also prepared using traditional technology, i.e., grilled on a rack and heat-treated in an oven, and the test results are compared with those of the sous-vide samples.

According to the rules of natural science research, all heat treatments and durations, as well as microbiological, texture, and chemical examinations, are performed on three samples each, ensuring professional credibility and scientific acceptability of the results.”

The images of the research: