Assignment # 3

Effective Color and Flavor Evaluation

Submitted by: Kanza Imran

Registration # FA18-FSN-016

Department: Biosciences

Course: Sensory Evaluation of Foods

Submitted to: Sir Kamran Ashraf

Date: 14-12-20

Effective Color and Flavor Evaluation

Introduction

Color is derived from the natural pigments in fruits and vegetables, many of which change as the
plant proceeds through maturation and ripening. The primary pigments imparting color quality
are the fat soluble chlorophylls (green) and carotenoids (yellow, orange, and red) and the water
soluble anthocyanins (red, blue), flavonoids (yellow), and betalains (red). In addition, enzymatic
and non-enzymatic browning reactions may result in the formation of water soluble brown, gray,
and black colored pigments.

Color and appearance attract the consumer to a product and can help in impulse purchases. At
the point of purchase the consumer uses appearance factors to provide an indication of freshness
and flavor quality. External appearance of a whole fruit is used as an indicator of ripeness,
although it can be a misleading one. Consumers have a preferred color for a specific item.
Bananas are supposed to be yellow with no brown spots, tomatoes red not orange, cherries red
not yellow, and kiwifruit green-fleshed not yellow.

Flavor has been defined as: A mingled but unitary experience which includes sensations of taste,
smell, and pressure, and often cutaneous sensations such as warmth, color, or mild pain. Flavor is
typically described by aroma (odor) and taste. Aroma compounds are volatile, they are perceived
primarily with the nose, while taste receptors exist in the mouth and are impacted when the food
is chewed. While color and appearance may be the initial quality attributes that attract us to a
fruit or vegetable product, the flavor may have the largest impact on acceptability and desire to
consume it again.

Taste has been divided into five primary tastes—sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Umami
can be described as a taste associated with salts of amino acids and nucleotides. Odors are much
more diverse and difficult to classify, but an attempt by Henning includes the following— spicy,
flowery, fruity, resinous or balsamic, burnt, and foul.

Color Evaluation
Color may be determined using nondestructive methods founded on visual or physical
measurements. These methods are based on evaluation of either the light reflected from the
surface of a product or transmitted through it. There are three components necessary to the
perception of color— 1) a source of light, 2) an object that modifies light by reflection or
transmission and 3) the eye/brain combination of an observer. Simple color charts and
dictionaries are routinely used in the field, packing house, fresh-cut processor facility or retail
store.

Visual Color Evaluation

Visual analysis of food color is the evaluation of their characteristics by means of the senses.
Visual color measurement involves observing a sample without instruments, but under controlled
conditions of illumination, along with reference to a set of color standards with which to
compare the sample colors observed. It involves observing the color of a sample and comparing
it against defined color standards under identical conditions of illumination. This is called
finding a color match and falls into the category of organoleptic (sensory) methods of food
quality analysis.

Visual assessment of color can also be carried out by means of color scales or atlases containing
comparative standards, which are very cheap in comparison to the instrumentation used for
objective measurement of color. It is important to note that, despite the human eye being good at
discriminating between different colors, the capacity of the brain for remembering them is poor.
This is not such an important problem in some industries (paint, textiles) because stable
standards can be stored for comparison. In the food industry, samples have to be matched to a
color chip from a color order system.

When doing sensory color evaluation it is even more important than usual to standardize all
factors that can affect the perceived color. In general the sensory scientist performing color
assessment should carefully standardize, control, and report the following:

(a) The background color in the viewing area. Ideally the background color should be non-
reflective and neutral, usually a matte gray, cream, or off-white is used.
 (b) The light source in Kelvin and its intensity (in lux or foot candles) at the product surface.
Recommended light intensity is between 750 and 1,200 lux. Also, the light source (if it is
not a standard illuminant) should be chosen to have a high color rendering index.
(c) The panelists’ viewing angle and the angle of light incidence on the sample. These should
not be the same since that leads to specular reflection of the incident light and a potential
glossiness that may be an artifact of the method. Usually the booth area is set up with the
light source vertically above the samples and the panelists viewing angle when they are
seated is about 45◦ to the sample, this minimizes specular reflection effects.
(d) The distance from the light source and the product. This will affect the amount of light
incident on the sample. The light intensity should be measured at the product surface.
(e) Whether the sample is lit with reflected or transmitted light.

In color and appearance evaluations the light source is usually specified by its color temperature.
The color temperature is determined from the temperature in Kelvin to which a black body that
absorbs all energy that falls onto it needs to be heated to emit light of a spectral distribution
characteristic of the specific light source. The light emitted by the black body changes as the
color temperature changes.

At lower temperatures (2,000 K) the light emitted is redder, at higher temperatures (about 4,000–
5,000 K) the light is whiter, and at high temperatures (8,000– 10,000 K) the light becomes bluer.
Standard lights used in food color evaluation tend to be illuminants A (with a color temperature
of 2,856 K), C (6,774 K), D65 (6,500 K), and D (7,500 K).

Analytical sensory methods of evaluating color, as described above, are faster and easier in many
ways than instrumental methods. They have the advantage of requiring no specialized
equipment, but may be standardized through the use of color charts or discs. The disadvantages
are that these methods may vary considerably due to human differences in perception and human
error. Inadequate or poor quality available light may also affect accuracy.

Instrumental methods for Color evaluation

Color is subject to perception. Different people interpret the expressions of color in many
different ways. Thus, subjective expression of color may not be accurate enough to communicate
the color. Objective approaches in color measurement and expression would help minimize color
related problems, and color communication between processors and buyers would be much
simpler and exact. In the case of instrumental measurement, color is expressed by means of the
color coordinates. Color may be determined instrumentally using either colorimeters or
spectrophotometers.

Colorimeters

Colorimeters measure the color of primary radiation sources, which emit light, and secondary
radiation sources, which are those that reflect or transmit external light. Tri-stimulus values X, Y
and Z are optically, not mathematically, obtained. Colorimeters simulate the response of only a
standard observer and a standard illuminant, so the values obtained differ as a function of the
apparatus used.

Based on the three types of cones in the retina of the human eye, color-measuring instruments
have been developed with three filters that function like each of the three types of cones. A tri-
stimulus colorimeter has three main components:

(1) Source of illumination,

(2) Combination of filters used to modify the energy distribution of the incident/ reflected light

(3) Photoelectric detector that converts the reflected light into an electrical output.

Measurements made on a tri-stimulus colorimeter are normally comparative.

Therefore, it is necessary to use calibrated standards of similar colors to the materials to be

measured to achieve the most accurate measurements. Colorimeters are the most commonly used
instruments in the color measurement of food and other products, presumably due to their ease of
use and interpretation of color data.

Spectrophotometers

Spectrophotometers measure the spectral distribution of transmittance or reflectance of the

sample. From these measurements, color is calculated under different conditions. The X, Y and Z
values obtained depend on the illuminant, the measurement geometry and the observer. Both
transmittance and reflectance are inherent and relative properties of the objects which do not
depend on either the illumination or the observer, whereas, as has been mentioned before, color
does depend on both of them. Transmittance measurements, by means of a spectrophotometer,
are the ratio between the response when the sample is in the optical pathway of the instrument
and the response when the sample is not present.

Spectrophotometers provide wavelength-by- wavelength spectral analysis of the reflecting and/or

transmitting properties of objects and are more commonly used in research and development
laboratories. The advantage of spectrophotometers over colorimeters is that adequate information
can be obtained to calculate color values for any illuminant and metamerism (the difference in
color under different lighting). Spectrophotometers can also automatically detect color
measurement at different angles.

Computer Vision System

Computer vision is an alternative technique for color evaluation and quantification. Computer
vision has been used to objectively measure the color of different foods since they provide some
obvious advantages over a conventional colorimeter, namely, the possibility of analysing each
pixel of the entire surface of the food and quantifying surface characteristics and defects.

The system generally consists of five basic components: the illuminant, a digital camera, an
image capture board (frame grabber or digitizer), and computer hardware and software to process
the images. Image acquisition is the first step in computer vision, and data quality is the main
concern during acquisition. Correct acquisition equipment precision is essential as precision must
be fine enough to see the required details and coarse enough for rapid image processing. Correct
camera exposure and focus are required for good contrast and exclusion of blurring.

Flavor Evaluation

Flavor includes:

 The aromatics, i.e., olfactory perceptions caused by volatile substances released from a
product in the mouth via the posterior nares
 The tastes, i.e., gustatory perceptions (salty, sweet, sour, bitter) caused by soluble
substances in the mouth
  The chemical feeling factors that stimulate nerve ends in the soft membranes of the
buccal and nasal cavities (astringency, spice heat, cooling, bite, metallic flavor, umami
taste)

Humans’ world is what they perceive through their senses. The human senses usually work
differently in different circumstances. Every person has its own qualitative and quantitative
thresholds. Flavor is such a complex phenomenon that it cannot be assessed objectively. Flavor
is highly subjective.

Human senses receive the message and screen it along with comparing it with existing memory.
Then this message is engraved in our brain. Human beings chose food mostly on the basis of
their preference. They do not generally identify each characteristics rather the whole effect. So,
the concept of hedonism is most common in evaluation.

Usually the sensory measurement is done through the following methods:

 Yes/No decisions
 Ranking
 Scoring
 Intensity measurement
 Verbal description or analysis

Quality of data/information obtained through sensory evaluation depends on the scale used, the
accuracy on the number of judgements, the performance of the judges, the data treatment and on
the chosen level of significance.

Guidelines

Effective evaluation of flavor can be carried out by following the given techniques or guidelines:

1. The panelist must be skilled and have scale adapted to human abilities. Environment
should also be regulated.
2. The sample should be only 10-20 g of the total sample.
3. Neighbor effects should be minimized by placing random sample one-by-one.
4. Communication should be avoided between the panelists to get independent data.
 5. Panelists must be motivated enough to provide valuable response.

Flavor Profile Method

The Flavor Profile method is one of a group of methods used to describe sensory characteristics
and is thought of as the “mother” of many other descriptive methods. It was originally developed
by scientists at Arthur D. Little in the late 1940’s and has been used extensively to describe
the Flavor of foods.

In essence the flavor profile describes flavor in terms of 5 major components: character notes or
attributes, intensities of those attributes, the order of appearance of the attributes, aftertaste, and
amplitude. The original scale for the flavor profile was 5 points: not present, threshold , slight,
moderate, strong, but in practice, attributes that were not present were not given zeros, they
simply were not mentioned in the profile. Over time the scale has be adapted to more points (e.g.
7, 15) to accommodate more differentiation of the intensity.

A major component of the profile method is a highly trained panel of 4-6 (usually) members who
individually evaluate the products and then work in discussion as a group to determine a
consensus profile. This consensus leads to data that acts as a mean value. Authorities on the
method argue that the appropriate selection of panelists, the extensive training involved, and the
blind nature of the testing provide adequate insurance that the method is not biased.

References:

Barrett, D. M., Beaulieu, J. C., & Shewfelt, R. (2010). Color, flavor, texture, and nutritional

quality of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables: Desirable levels, instrumental and sensory

measurement, and the effects of processing. Critical Reviews in Food Science and

Nutrition, 50(5), 369-389. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408391003626322

Lawless, H. T., & Heymann, H. (2010). Sensory evaluation of food: Principles and practices.

Springer Science & Business Media.

Meilgaard, M. C., Carr, B. T., & Civille, G. V. (2006). Sensory evaluation techniques (4th ed.).

CRC Press.

Pathare, P. B., Opara, U. L., & Al-Said, F. A. (2012). Color measurement and analysis in fresh

and processed foods: A review. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 6(1), 36-

60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-012-0867-9

Dürr, P. (1994). Sensory analysis of flavours. Understanding Natural Flavors, 21-

28. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2143-3_2