Sensory
Evaluation
Methods for
Quality Control
and Research
Sheryllene Aguilera
FST 111 – Introduction to Food Technology
The Concept of Sensory Evaluation
Sensory Evaluation
• simply the process of passing judgement with the use of
the human senses on the object of study
• Greatly use in research and product development,
quality control, consumer acceptance surveys and
related activities
• Important in grading and standardization, storage studies
and product attribute analysis
• Most efficient in the characterization of consumer
products be it food or non-food items
• Considered important tools specifically in:
– Characterization of sensory changes in food ( fresh, in process
or manufacture, storage).
– Development of grades and standard of raw materials and
products to some agreed quality classification system.
– Establishment of possible relationships between instrumental
data and sensory test results.
– Assignment of simple numerical index
– Collection of information on the level of customer acceptability
https://twitter.com/trademe/status/753079402838327296
Application of Sensory Evaluation
• Sensory Evaluation in Research
• Can be used as a basis of decision making in relation to the fate
of a consumer product ( improvement, development, continuous
comparative evaluation against competitors)
a. Product Improvement
1. Removal of certain ingredients in a formulation which may
either cause undesirable effects on the product, or can be harmful
to consumers
e.g removal of green food coloring from canned green
beans (due to Europian Common Market requirement of no artificial
colors in vegetable products), removal of MSG from baby foods,
use of sulfite in processed fruits is prohibited
2. Substitution or addition of ingredients
e.g. used of aspartame ( a sweetener), 160 times sweeter than
sucrose on orange sherbet to reduce soluble solids and addition of
xanthan gum as a stabilizer that resulted to a new and improved
low – caloric orange sherbet
dehydration of fruits without adding sugar or sulphite
curing of meats without the use of nitrite/ nitrates
3. Take on the form of process changes, involve development of
short-cut procedures in product manufacture without accompanying
reduction in quality.
e.g removal of pulping steps from the process of mango juice
production
b. Product Development
- birth of a new ideas to create new product from the process of either
improving or evaluating the product through marketing and sales activities
- one of the major activities of the research department in the industry
- anchored against positive consumer reactions ( measured through
sensory evaluation methods.
c. Product Evaluation
- conduct preference tests between the company product and those of
competitions or assurance of a place in the market or to check for a possible
shift in consumer acceptance
- also include development of objective test procedures on the basis of
sensory data
Product Cycle
1. Product Development
2. Evaluation and tests for acceptance
3. Sale
4. Consumer Reactions or Complaints
5. Product improvement and further development to meet consumer
requirements
d. Basic Studies
- both done in industrial sector and in academic and research institutions
- done for the purpose of solving their own industrial problems
Sensory Evaluation in Quality Control
Activities in Quality Control that Require Sensory Evaluation
a. Product Matching
b. Grading and Standardization
c. Development of Test Procedures
Attributes for Evaluation
1. Qualitative or
Sensory Attributes
2. Quantitative Quality
Attributes – measured by the use of balance, ruler or tapes
a. Size
b. Weight of the raw materials
c. Yield
d. Proportion of ingredients
e. Net and drained weight of finished products
Attributes for Evaluation
3. Hidden Quality Attributes
- can be measured only by standard chemical or
microbiological procedures
a. nutritive value
b. presence of harmful adulterants
c. presence of harmful substances
Sensory Tests for Quality Control
Two Types of Tests
1. Test for Difference – useful when the interest is to determine
detectable differences between a given set of samples without
regard to one`s like or dislikes
a. Triangle Test/ Paired Comparison/ Duo-Trio Test
Sensory Tests for Quality
Control
2. Test for Preference – requires
that one states his preference for a
given product or products
presented for evaluation
a. Paired Comparison Preference
Test / Hedonic Scaling/
Ranking
Factors to be Considered in Sensory Evaluation
a. The choice and training of panelists
b. The methods of product sampling, coding and presentation
c. Selection of experimental designs and statistical techniques
d. Preparation of adequate testing atmosphere and conditions in the
laboratory
Requirements for Sensory Evaluation
a. Physical and Environmental
Requirements for Sensory Evaluation
a. Physical and Environmental
Requirements for Sensory
Evaluation
b. Types of Panelist
1. Consumer Panel - judges are not given any training nor
are tests expected to be replicated
- mainly utilized to measure product acceptability or
preference
2. Consumer –type Panel - a group of individuals selected
by a business or organization to provide input and opinion on
products and services for research on consumer behavior.
- Individuals on consumer test panels may be
chosen for a variety of reasons depending on the particular product.
( https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/consumer-panel)
Requirements for Sensory
Evaluation
3. Laboratory Panel – useful for discriminatory tests and
identification of specific product attributes, qualities or
characteristics
- trained panel that developed the ability to perceive the
minute differences between characteristics of the given commodity
4. The Expert Tester – supposed to be so thoroughly
knowledgeable about the product that his judgement is well
respected and can be used for decision making
- utilized in products like wine, coffee, tea and tobacco
Screening and Selection of Panel
Sensory panelists can be screened and selected by adopting several
tests. The followings are the most commonly used tests:
1. Determine impairment of primary senses (colour, vision, taste and
smell)
2. Matching test for taste and odour substances
3. Ability to detect basic taste and odour
4. Determine ability to characterized texture
5. Performance in comparison with other candidates
• ..\Videos for Lesson\Food Processing Center Sensory Lab.mp4
• ..\Videos for Lesson\Developing A New Food Product A Final Taste
Test.mp4
References
• Food Processing Center: Sensory Lab (2016, June 16). Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QupZlmliekM.
• FNH Teaching Lab (2017, June 30). Sensory Analysis. Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDyfzUb3Np4&t=240s.
• Gatchalian, M.M. De Leon S.Y. (1992). Introduction to Food
Technology. Manila. Merriam & Webster, Inc.
• Harvest Public Media (2015, May 15).Developing A New Food
Product: A Final Taste Test. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsrqNwTwJJc.
