Professor

Foods and Nutrition

Contact Information

Purdue University
Stone Hall, Rm 212
700 West State St.
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2059
Phone: (765) 494-0662
Fax: (765) 494-0674
E-mail: mattes@purdue.edu
Webpage: http://taz.cfs.purdue.edu/lsis

Education Background

• B.S. in Biology at University of Michigan in 1975
• M.P.H. in Public Health Nutrition at Univ. of Michigan School of Public Health in 1978
• Ph.D. in Human Nutrition at Cornell University in 1981

Certificates and Licenses

• R.D. in Dietetics in 1982

Awards and Honors

• 1997 Trout Memorial Lecturer, Michigan State University
• 1999 University Faculty Scholar, Purdue University
• 2000 Award of Merit for Research, Gamma Sigma Delta
• 2003 J.R. Vicker Lecturer, Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology
• 2004 Acorn Award, Purdue University
• 2005 Acorn Award, Purdue University
• 2006 Provost’s Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award, Purdue University
• 2008 Elaine R Monsen Award for Outstanding Research Literature, American Dietetic Association

Discovery

The overall aim of work in our group is to better understand the independent and interactive influences of neural, genetic, metabolic, hormonal, cognitive, cultural and especially sensory factors on human dietary behavior, nutrient utilization and energy balance in healthy and clinical populations. Our approach involves naturalistic feeding studies to metabolic assessments with individuals spanning the life cycle.

Hunger, satiety and thirst have inherent and leaned components. These sensations influence food choice, meal patterns and probably energy balance. However, the factors that modify them are poorly characterized. Current studies in our laboratory are exploring the roles of various properties of foods and beverages (e.g., energy density, volume, weight, sensory characteristics, rheology, fiber and macronutrient content) as well as human characteristics (e.g., personality traits, BMI status, physical activity patterns) on these sensations. We are especially interested in rheological properties as recent findings from our group indicate that fluids elicit a weaker satiety effect than solid foods. We are also exploring the effects of various products with purported appetite enhancing or suppressive properties (e.g., nuts, antioxidants, irritants). A better understanding of these issues should aid in dietary management of body weight.

It is widely accepted that the fat content of foods influences their overall sensory properties, palatability and consumption. Less well understood is the role or oral fat exposure on lipid metabolism. The prevailing view is that dietary fats are detected by their contribution to a food’s texture, appearance and, possibly, odor. Recently we have demonstrated that humans can detect free fatty acids by taste cues and that these cues specifically alter postprandial lipid concentrations. The mechanism of this effect and its nutritional implications for people consuming products that mimic the sensory properties of fats with reduced levels of the macronutrient are currently under study.

There is increasing evidence of health benefits associated with nut consumption. However, nuts are energy dense and high in fat leading to concerns that recommendations to increase their consumption may exacerbate the global problem or overweight/obesity. Work in our lab suggests this may not be a problem due to their high satiety value, inefficient absorption and possible stimulation of energy expenditure. Nuts may also help to modify post-prandial glycemia so aid in management of diabetes. In collaboration with partners in Brazil and Ghana are exploring the role of nuts in a healthy diet to better understand the influence of consumption of energy dense foods, generally, and nuts, in particular, on energy balance and disease risk.

Discovery Publications (selected)

Mattes RD. Oral detection of short, medium and long chain fatty acids in humans, Chem Senses DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.2008.26792.

Allison DB, Mattes RD. Nutritively-sweetened beverage consumption and obesity: The need for solid evidence on a fluid issue. JAMA 2009;301:318-320.

Mattes RD, Popkin BM. Non-nutritive sweetener consumption in humans: Effects on appetite and food intake and their putative mechanisms. Am J Clin Nutr doi: 10:3945/ajcn.2008.26792.

Mattes RD. Brief oral Stimulation, but especially oral fat exposure, reliably elevates serum triglycerides in humans. Am J Physiol (in press).

McKiernan F, Houchins JA, Mattes RD. Relationships between human thirst, hunger, drinking, and feeding. Physiol & Behav 2008;94:700-708.

McKiernan F, Hollis JH, Mattes RD. Short-term dietary compensation in free-living adults. Physiol & Behav 2008;93:975-983.

Mattes RD, Kris-Etherton PM, Foster GD. Impact of peanuts and tree nuts on body weight and health weight loss. J Nutr 2008;138:1741S-1745S.

Frecka JM, Mattes RD. Possible entrainment of ghrelin to habitual meal patterns in humans. Am J Physiol: Gastrointestinal Liver Physiol 2008;294:G699-G707.

Hollis JH, Mattes RD. Effect of chronic consumption of almonds on body weight in healthy humans. Br J Nutr 2007;98:651-656.

Mourao DM, Bressen J, Campbell WW, Mattes RD. Effects of food form on appetite and energy intake in lean and obese young adults. Intl J Obes 2007;31:1688-1695.

Books, Chapters, and Monographs Publications

Mattes RD. Dietary approaches to exploit energy balance utilities for body weight management. In: Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease 2nd Ed, (Coulston CA, Boushey C eds.). Elsevier: San Diego, CA, 2008.

Mattes RD, Hollis JH. Research methods in appetite assessment. In: Monson, ER, Van Horn L. (eds.), Research: Successful Approaches. American Dietetic Association, Diana Faulhaber Pub. 2008, Pp. 267-278.

Mattes RD., Cowart BJ. Research methods for human sensory system analysis and food evaluation. In: Monson, ER, Van Horn L. (eds.), Research: Successful Approaches. American Dietetic Association, Diana Faulhaber Pub. 2008, Pp. 249-266.

Harris RBS, Mattes RD (Co-Editors). Appetite and Food Intake: Behavioral and Physiological Considerations. Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, FL., 2008.

Mattes RD. Alcohol, energy balance and obesity. In: Mela DJ (ed), Food, Diet and Obesity, Woodhead Pub 2005. Pp. 264-280.

Mattes RD. Nutrition and the chemical senses. In: Shils ME, Olson JA, Shike M, Ross CA (eds.), Modern nutrition in health and disease 10th edition. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger 2005. Pp. 695-706.

Mattes RD. PROP status: Dietary modifier, marker or misleader. In: Prescott J, Tepper, BJ. Genetic Variation in Taste Sensitivity. Marcel Dekker, Inc: NY, 2004. Pp. 229-250.

Mattes RD. Nutritional implications of taste and smell. In: Doty RL (ed.), Handbook of Olfaction and Gustation 2nd Edition. Marcel Dekker, Inc: New York 2003. Pp. 881-903.

Mattes RD. Nutritional implications of taste and smell. In: Doty RL (ed.), Handbook of Olfaction and Gustation 2nd Edition. Marcel Dekker, Inc: New York 2003. Pp. 881-903.

Mattes RD. Innate and acquired taste preferences for the macronutrients and salt. In: Guy-Grand et al., (eds.), Progress in Obesity Research 8th ed.. John Libby & Co: London 2000. Pp. 173-185.

Learning

Courses

Sensory Evaluation of Foods (F&N 534) - Principles and methods of subjective evaluation of foods; statistical evaluation and interpretation of data; correlation of subjective and objective methods.

Human Feeding (F&N 640) - Critical review of the genetic, neural, metabolic, endocrine, sensory, cognitive, and cultural determinants of appetite, food selection, and energy balance.

Issues in Nutrition and Food Safety (F&N 105) - Basic nutrition and its application in meeting nutritional needs of all ages.

Special Topics (F&N 590) - Advanced seminar on topics related to ingestive behavior.

International Programs and Activites

We are collaborating with researchers at the Food Research Institute in Accra, Ghana and the University of Vicosa in Vicosa, Brazil on a project exploring the effects of peanut consumption on appetite, food choice, energy balance and cardiovascular disease risk. The work is supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development.