Sensory Evaluation methods for food and beverage products

SENSORY EVALUATION METHODS FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRODUCTS An Academic presentation by Dr. Nancy Agnes, Head, Technical Operations, FoodResearchLab Group: www.foodresearchlab.com Email: info@foodresearchlab.com

Introduction Shelf Life: A scientific discipline used to evoke, measure, analyze, and interpret reactions to those characteristics of foods and materials as they are perceived by the senses of sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing.

5 S's The 5 S's should always be addressed when developing a sensory test: • Subjects • Site • Samples • Statistical Analysis • Sensory Method.

What Problems Does Sensory Testing Solve?

Sensory assessment is a necessary method in the following five categories of problems: • • • • •

Development of new products Cost-cutting measures Increasing the level of quality Product acceptability Quality assurance and control

1. DISCRIMINATIVE TESTS These tests are used to perceive if there is a difference between two food products.

Panelists should be familiar with the product in question for a simple choice.

Each participant must select one meal item from a list of options. It is advised that 10-50 panelists participate in these examinations.

Types

Triangular Test This test usually uses three samples when assessing the overall variance between two food samples.

Two of the three samples are comparable, but the third is different.

Individual three-digit numbers must be assigned to the samples, and the taster must choose a distinct model from the rest.

Duo-Trio Test A Duo-Trio Test is an overall difference test which will determine whether or not a sensory difference exists between two samples.

This method is particularly useful: To determine whether product differences result from a change in ingredients, processing, packaging, or storage.

R

A

B

Taste R and then circle which of the A and B samples is similar to R

Paired Comparison Test Paired comparison tests are used to indicate which of two samples has more of an attribute being tested, or to indicate which of two samples is preferred. In the latter application, it is considered to be an acceptance test. It is one of the most used attribute difference tests, and is easy for panelists to understand.

2. DESCRIPTIVE TESTS Sensory qualities of items are tiered in order of appearance in these tests, and relative intensities are allocated.

They provide more comprehensive product profiles by recognizing and enumerating the product's many qualities.

Compared to discriminative tests, descriptive tests are more systematic and sophisticated.

They serve to map product similarities and differences and determine which sensory features are fundamental to acceptability.

It is usually carried out by 6 to 15 well-trained and qualified panelists.

Panelists are taught to evaluate products the same way any automatic instrument would.

Free Choice Profiling Free-choice profiling is a method for determining the quality of a thing by having a large number of subjects experience (view, taste, read, etc.) it and then allowing them to describe the thing in their own words, as opposed to posing them a set of "yes-no-maybe" questions.

Quantitative Descriptive Analysis Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) is a behavioral sensory evaluation approach that uses descriptive panels to measure a product's sensory characteristics.

Flavor-profile Analysis Flavor-profile analysis (FPA) is a sensory method utilizing a trained panel of four to six individuals. Reference materials are used to establish a common vocabulary for different odors found in drinking water.

Texture Profile Analysis A texture profile is defined as the organoleptic analysis of the texture complex of a food in terms of its mechanical, geometrical, fat, and moisture characteristics, the degree of each present, and the order in which they appear from first bite through complete mastication.

Time–Intensity Analysis

Multiple Time–Intensity Analysis (MTI) is a way of graphically representing in a simultaneous way, the dynamic profiles of two or more sensory attributes of a single sample, different from the normal procedure in which each attribute is analyzed separately, grouping all the samples on a single graph.

3. Affective/ Consumer Acceptance Test These are quite beneficial for determining whether or not a food is acceptable or desired (liked or preferred). Normally, about 50 to 150 people must answer. Panelists are chosen based on previous product use, socioeconomic status, and geographic location but are not trained.

Preference Ranking Test A multiple-samples ranking test is a quick, simple, and useful tool to assess differences in preference or sensory attribute intensity among multiple products.

In this test, each panelist evaluates and ranks a complete set of samples once, generating one vector of multiple dependent data.

A

B

C

D

Rank the samples from most preferred to least preferred

E

Hedonic Scale Test This is a broadly used sensory evaluation approach for determining how much people like the food product. The 9-point Hedonic scale, 7-point Hedonic scale, and 5-point Hedonic scale are used in practice. The 9-point Hedonic scale ranges from 'very like to 'extremely dislike. In the course, at least five points are suggested.

Food Research Lab offerings Food Research Lab offers sensory Evaluation services utilizing our inhouse trained sensory panelists and food technologists.

We analyze the food or beverage products using relevant tests and select the product with the best overall acceptance rating.

Many of our clienteles have advanced in their businesses from the detailed sensory evaluation reports that our experts have provided and our selections have helped them create a customer base.

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