SENSORY EVALUATION

DEFINITION
SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINE USED TO EVOKE, MEASURE, ANALYSE AND INTERPRET REACTIONS TO THOSE CHARACTERISTICS OF FOODS AND
MATERIALS AS THEY ARE PERCERVID BY THE SENSES OF SIGHT, SMELL, TASTE, TOUCH AND HEARING (SENSORY EVALUATION DIVISION, INSTITUTE OF
FOOD TECHNOLOGIST, 1975)

SENSORY TERMS
FLAVOUR OLFACTORY TACTILE PUNGENCY = BLENDING OF TASTE AND AROMA

OTHER SENSORY FACTORS VISUAL SOUND MOUTHFEEL

SENSORY EVALUATION = SUBJECTIVE EVALUATION (SCORES FROM INDIVIDUALS USING A SCORING SYSTEM)

IN-HOUSE TESTING – PRIOR TO FIELD TESTING (WITH CONSUMERS) AND TEST MARKETING

OBJECTIVE EVALUATION – USE OF MECHANICAL DEVICES TO MEASURE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

BASIC TOOLS FOR FOOD MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY AND INSTITUTIONAL FOOD SERVICE
ANALYTICAL SENSORY EVALUATION

Uses humans as analytical instruments.

Panellists must undergo extensive formalised training = analytical approach to product evaluation.

A descriptive test – numerous judgements for each product.

Require 10 – 20 panellists – preferably always an odd number.

Potential panellists must be screened for selected personal traits:

Interest
Ability to discriminate or
Identify differences = reproducible results.

Further training familiarises panellists with test procedures and increase ability to recognise, identify and recall
sensory characteristics.

WILL COVER SELECTION AND TRAINING OF PANELLISTS LATER.

CONSUMER SENSORY EVALUATION

Affective sensory evaluation – relates to mood / feelings / attitudes

Valuable and necessary component of every sensory analysis programme

➢ Identify consumer needs (not met current available food products)

➢ Anticipate future needs
➢ Identification of new markets
➢ Identification of new business opportunities
➢ Help to prevent costly errors of producing and marketing food products to a dream target group which does not exist

Must use a large number of consumers

Untrained
Inexperienced
Representative of the target population of users of the product under study
Small panel test = 50 – 100

Like / dislike
Prefer
Accept
Reject
Predict sales / use
MAIN USES OF SENSORY EVALUATION

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
❑ New products
❑ Ingredients substitutions
❑ Create products similar to those made by competitors

QUALITY ASSURANCE

❑ Maintain standards
❑ Prevent variation
❑ Shelf-life testing
❑ Processing changes
❑ Packaging changes

FIVE LARGE SUBSECTIONS IN SENSORY ANALYSIS

1) Difference tests – recognition of small and minute differences

2) Threshold and dilution tests – recognition of specific odour, taste or flavour components + differences in
odour and flavour profiles
3) Ranking tests – classification of samples according to differences in one or more specific quality components
4) Descriptive and rating test methods – used for quality testing on a daily basis
5) Hedonic tests – subjective hedonic preference of consumer or taste panel is rated
THE USE OF SENSORY EVALUATION IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY

Most companies = a daily practice

❖ Maintains awareness of company or competitor products

❖ Promote products to potential customers
❖ Make changes to products
❖ Check that products match specifications

BENEFITS:

✓ Shortens development lead times

✓ Contributes to a better understanding of product behaviour
✓ Portrays professionalism
TYPES OF PRODUCTS THAT CAN BE SOLVED USING SENSORY ANALYSIS

TYPE OF PROBLEM TESTS APPLICABLE

1. New product development: The product development team needs information Several
on the sensory quality characteristics and also on consumer acceptability of
experimental products as compared to existing products on the market.

2. Product matching: Proving that no difference exists between an existing and a Difference tests
developmental product.
Similarity tests

3. Product improvement: Difference tests

Define exactly which sensory characteristics need improvement. Affective tests

Determine that the experimental product is indeed different.

Confirm that experimental product is preferred to the control.

4. Process change: Difference tests

Confirm that no difference exists. Affective tests

If a difference does exist, determine how consumers view the difference.

5. Cost reduction / Selection of a new source of supply: Difference tests

Confirm that no difference exists. Affective tests

If a difference does exist, determine how consumers view the difference.

6. Quality control: Difference tests

Products sampled during production, distribution and marketing are tested to Descriptive tests
ensure that they are a good as the standard. (Well-trained panel can monitor
many attributes simultaneously.)
7. Storage stability: Difference tests

Testing of current and experimental products after standard ageing tests. Descriptive tests

Ascertain when differences become noticeable. Affective tests

Descriptive tests (trained panel) can monitor many attributes simultaneously.

Affective tests can determine the relative acceptance of stored products.

8. Product rating or grading: Grading

Used where there are methods of grading which have been accepted by
agreement between producer and user, often with government supervision.

9. Consumer acceptance and opinions: Affective tests

After laboratory screening, it may be desirable to submit product to central-

location or home-use tests to determine consumer reaction. Acceptance tests
will indicate whether the current product can be marketed or if improvement is
needed.

10. Consumer preference: Affective tests

Full scale consumer preference tests are the last step before test marketing.
Employee preference studies cannot replace consumer tests but can reduce
their number and cost whenever the desirability of key attributes of the product
is known from previous consumer tests.

11. Panellist selection and training: Sensitivity tests

May consist of interview, sensitivity tests, difference test and descriptive tests. Difference tests

Descriptive tests

12. Correlation of sensory with chemical and physical tests: Descriptive tests

Correlation studies are needed (1) to lessen the load of samples on the panel Attribute difference tests
by replacing a part of the tests with laboratory analysis; (2) to develop
background knowledge of the chemical and physical causes of each sensory
attribute.

13. Threshold of added substance: Threshold tests

Required in (1) trouble shooting to confirm suspected sources of off-flavours; Descriptive tests
(2) to develop background knowledge of the chemical causes of sensory
attributes and consumer preferences. Attribute difference tests
HOMEWORK EXCERCISE

The company for which you are going to work manufactures a range of fresh convenience foods. The owner
of the company is of the opinion that sensory evaluation is not of any significance to the company.

Defend your position as product developer and provide the owner with reasons as to why it is of great
importance that the company should have a sensory evaluation facility.