Chapter 3: Sensory Evaluation: The Human Factor

The analysis of the taste, smell, sound, feel, and appearance of food.

Valid and reliable tests, which provide data on which sound decisions regarding food attributes can be made

• Physical

• Psychological

• Cultural

• Environmental

Odour results from volatile particles coming in contact with the olfactory bulb.

The brain links various nerve stimulations with specific foods and experiences

Sight, odor, taste, touch, sound

1) Appearance
2) Flavour
3) Texture

The shape, size, condition, colour of a food.

A colorimeter can measure the hue, value, and chroma of a food.

Combined effect of taste, odor, mouth feel, and trigeminal perception.

Mouth feel: sensations on the palate, throat, tongue

Trigeminal perception: sensations when biting/chewing

Bitter, salty, sour, savoury, and sweet

Temperature, ability to recognize odours, and taking the time to savour (chew and smell) the food

How a food product feels to the fingers, tongue, teeth, and palate.

• Chewiness

• Graininess

• Firmness

• Consistency

When positive, or negative, experiences cause individuals to possess a preconceived idea of a certain food.

Taste & Aroma

Trained test panelists: product’s development - subtle differences must be identified
Untrained consumers: products already in the marketplace - represent the buying public

1) Controlling Influences from Other Testers
2) Controlling Environmental Factors
3) Controlling Psychological Bias
4) Creating an Evaluation Form

1) Affective
2) Discrimination
3) Descriptive

• Sometimes trained

- Panelists are screened for sensory activity, oriented for test methods

• HIGHLY trained

- Panelists are screened for sensory activity, and motivation

• NO training

- Panelists are screened for product use

Formal: within a company (descriptive) - McDonald’s
Informal: small food branch (affective) - developing a new menu

To evaluate food flavour, texture, appearance and aroma.
Trained: discern subtle differences
Untrained: avg consumer review

• Numerical scoring system

• Verbal label to describe attributes

• Universal form with images (kids)

Given that taste begins in the mouth with the taste buds on the tongue, if they are affected by a burn, the perception of the taste by the brain will be altered.

Catching a cold will prevent odours to reach the olfactory bulb. So, since it is less stimulated, the flavour will be less intense.

Loss of olfactory function is a result of aging. People with olfactory loss taste the sweet and sourness of fruits without perceiving the orange, lemon, or strawberry flavour.

Basic colours: red, blue or green

Lightness or darkness of a colour

How intense the colour is

Astringency

The ability of a substance to draw up the muscles in your mouth