Definition, Application of

UNIT 9 DEFINITION, APPLICATION Sensory Quality Parameters

and Sensory Lab
OF SENSORY QUALITY Requirements

PARAMETERS AND SENSORY

LAB REQUIREMENTS
Structure

9.0 Objectives
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Definition Importance and Uses of Sensory Evaluation
9.3 Sensory Receptors and their Roles in Sensory Evaluation
l Taste Receptors

l Odour/Smell Receptors

9.4 Role of Primary Senses in Judging of Dairy Products

9.5 Requirements for Sensory Evaluation
9.6 Factors Affecting Sensory Evaluation
9.7 Let Us Sum Up
9.8 Key Words
9.9 Some Useful Books
9.10 Answers to Check Your Progress

9.0 OBJECTIVES
After reading unit we should be able to:

l Define sensory evaluation and apply it for different uses;

l State the role of different receptors/senses in sensory evaluation;

l Control the different factors for proper conduct of sensory evaluation; and

l Design and develop a sensory laboratory.

9.1 INTRODUCTION
We, as consumers, eat only that food which is palatable and enjoyable. Palatability
means the quality of food should be appealing and appetizing and we crave for
more. The primary consideration for selecting and eating a food commodity is
thus the palatability or eating quality, and other quality parameters, such as nutrition
and wholesomeness are secondary. For the consumers the eating quality attributes
– aroma, taste, aftertaste, tactual properties and appearance are the deciding
factors in food acceptance. Thus quality is that “which the consumer likes best”
and the grades of quality are understood more by the degree of desirable attributes
and absence of undesirable characteristics. All these attributes are detected by
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Sensory Evaluation our sensory organs, hence this method of deciding quality of a food is called as
sensory evaluation.

In our country, the dairy industry so far considers the chemical and microbiological
quality as the sole criteria of deciding food quality. With the availability of more
milk, increased competition and consumers’ awareness about quality, the
significance of sensory evaluation is being realized and it is emerging as an important
analytical tool in fast growing dairy industry.

9.2 DEFINITION, IMPORTANCE AND USES

OF SENSORY EVALUATION
i. Definition

Sensory evaluation may be defined as a scientific discipline used to evoke, measure,

analyze and interpret results of those characteristics of foods and materials as they
are perceived by the senses of sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing.

ii. Importance

A number of quality assurance procedures are used to examine and maintain

quality of a dairy product. The testing starts from reception of raw material, for
example, milk, to close examination of finished product. These tests are physical,
chemical, microbiological and sensory. The sensory evaluation is very important
in product evaluation on account of following advantages:

i) It is a simple analytical tool,

ii) It identifies the presence or absence of perceptible differences in terms of flavour,

texture, colour and appearance,

iii) These important quality attributes are measured in a fast and quantifiable manner
employing sensory techniques. The use of chemical and instrumental methods
for examining sensory characteristics are time consuming, complicated and
expensive,

iv) It enables identification of a particular problem or defect that cannot be detected

by other analytical techniques,

v) Sensory evaluation techniques help in ensuring that the consumers get a non
defective and enjoyable product.

In recent years, the competition in food/dairy corporate has tremendously increased.

The companies are making very fast changes in their existing product in terms of
ingredients, value addition, packaging etc. or developing new products to grab
larger market share. In all these situations, sensory evaluation plays a critical role.
You can adopt sensory evaluation for following uses.

i) Inspection of Raw Materials: The main raw material for dairy industry is
milk. Any defect in quality of milk related to colour, appearance, aroma and
taste can be quickly detected on the reception dock by the senses of smell, taste
and sight. This will help producing final product of good quality. The other raw
materials, such as, sugar, stabilizer, emulsifiers, flavouring and colouring substances
6 and other additives are also examined for colour and flavour.
ii) New Product Development or Improvement of Existing Product: Definition, Application of
Sensory Quality Parameters
According to a survey more than 90% of the new products developed result and Sensory Lab
into failure mainly because of poor sensory attributes and rejection by the Requirements
consumers. The adoption of appropriate sensory methods during new product
development is thus inevitable.

iii) Cost Reduction: In addition to eating quality of a dairy product, the cost is
also an important consideration for selection of the product by consumers. Hence,
dairy product manufacturers always try to reduce the cost by either using low
cost ingredients or adopting good management skills. The use of low cost or
alterative ingredients may adversely influence the sensory characteristics of the
product and may not find good acceptability. The sensory evaluation of product
during these modifications is, therefore, highly advantageous.

iv) Quality Control: The modern day concept of “Total-Quality-Control” (TQM)

involves sensory evaluation at all stages of product flow. This includes, not only
the sensory quality of raw material, but also quality of product during processing
and storage. The changes in product quality in terms of colour, flavour and
texture during processing and storage has to be regularly monitored using sensory
techniques.

v) Selection of Packaging Material: Now the consumers have become very

quality conscious and prefer to buy properly packaged processed food. This
has resulted into development of various types of packaging materials for
food applications. The newer types of packaging materials, particularly in
forms of flexible films/pouches/laminates are being extensively used. The
suitability of these films for packaging a particular dairy product in respect of
containment of product, its non-reactiveness with food ingredients and
compatibility to storage conditions has to be examined adopting sensory analysis
along with some chemical/ instrumental method.

vi) Shelf Life Studies: Dairy products during storage undergo many types of
changes, for example, chemical, bacterial, enzymatic, physical, etc. All these
alter the sensory properties, such as taste, colour, flavour, texture and
appearance. Application of sensory evaluation not only monitors these changes
but also determine the nature and extent of the defects in dairy product during
storage so that corrective measures can be adopted. As per the existing rules,
the mention of ‘manufacture date’ and “expiry date or use before date” on
the label are mandatory. The expiry date has to be determined by using
chemical and sensory techniques together.

vii) Establishing Analytical/ Instrumental/ Sensory Relationships: Such

relationships are highly useful for quick evaluation of the product quality and
for designing new equipment for product manufacturing. Some relationships
between sensory properties of milk and dairy products with that of analytical
or instrumental techniques have already been established, for example, the
titratable acidity of fresh milk ranges between 0.14 to 0.16%, and at 0.17%and
above it may impart sour flavour. Similarly the free fatty acid (as oleic acid)
in ghee of good quality (no rancidity) should be less than 2.8%. Relationship
between sensory textural attributes, hardness, stickiness, chewiness, gumminess
and elasticity/ sponginess with that measured by an instrument can also be
established.
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Sensory Evaluation Check Your Progress - 1

1) What are the important parameters for deciding eating quality of a food?

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2) Define sensory evaluation in your own words.

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3) Describe the advantages of sensory evaluation in comparison with of other

analytical methods

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4) List the major applications of sensory evaluation.

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9.3 SENSORY RECEPTORS AND THEIR

ROLE IN SENSORY EVALUATION
Sensory receptors are detectors (or senses), which indicate about the physical
and chemical changes in our environment, Psychologists recognize 22 special
senses, out of which 5 are primary senses and perceive stimuli. These senses are
sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. Other senses include: temperature, pain,
visceral, hunger, thirst, fatigue, sex (drive) and equilibrium.

In human beings at least three different senses respond to specific chemical stimuli:
taste, smell and common chemical or pain sense. The sense organs consist of
sensory cells or group of cells, which respond to stimuli and transmit an impulse
via the nervous system to the brain. Human nervous system constitute of chemical
senses, somatic senses and auditory. The type of stimulus, corresponding receptors
and human experience exhibited by these senses is shown in Table 9.1.

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 Table 9.1 Definition, Application of
Sensory Quality Parameters
and Sensory Lab
Type of Senses Stimulus Type/ Receptor Human Experience
Requirements
Reaction

1. Chemical
Gustatory Chemicals (water Taste buds Tastes
soluble)
Olfactory Chemicals (gas Olfactory cells Odours
soluble/ volatile)
2. Somesthetic (Body)
Cutaneous Temperature change Cells in skin Warmth/ coldness
Mechanical pressure Cells in skin Pain
Intense energy/ heat Free nerve endings Pain
Kinesthetic Mechanical pressure Cells in tendons, Deep pressure
muscles
Vestibular Heat movement Cells in semi- Balance
(static) cellular canals
and vestibule
Organic Chemical or Cells in viscera Pressure, Hunger,
mechanical action Nausea
3. Distance
Visual Light waves Rods and cones Colour
of retina
Auditory Sound waves Hair cells of corti Sound/ pitch

i. Taste Receptors

The tongue serves as the major organ of taste. The raised portions on the tongue,
known as papillae, are considered to be sites of taste buds, the receptors of taste.
The tongue is insensitive to taste in the regions where there are no papillae.
Gustatory (taste) sensibility is mainly confined to the tip and edges of the tongue
and absent in middle of the tongue.

Four kinds of papillae are found on the human tongue as shown in Fig. 9.1 These
are Foliate, Circumvallate, Fungi form, and Filli form.

Fig. 9.1: Front View of Tongue Showing Differert Papillae and The Regions Where 9
BasicTastes are Perceived
Sensory Evaluation Filli form papillae, evenly distributed on the anterior 2/3 of the tongue are most
numerous but have no taste buds. Fungi form papillae, large and round and
mushroom-like in appearance are large in number at the tip and sides of the
tongue. Foliate papillae are found on the posterior one third of the tongue, usually
in folds on the sides. These are also not well developed in man and have little
function. The circumvallate papillae present in form of “V-shape” on the back of
the tongue are large and easily visible.

Human taste buds are located on moist surfaces within the oral cavity and pharynx.
A few non-papillae associated taste buds may also be found in such locations as
the Soft palate, Pharynx and Larynx. These taste buds are simply embedded
within the epithelium of the mucous membrane. The group of epithelium cells,
some of which are supporting cells and other taste cells are innervated (stimulated)
by sensory nerve endings. When a taste bud is exposed to the taste stimulus,
strong taste signals are transmitted by taste nerves into the central nervous system
and finally taste reflexes are integrated into the brain stem directly into superior
and inferior nuclei. Based on transmission of these impulses to the sub maxillary,
sublingual and parotid glands, excretion of saliva is controlled during ingestion of
food.

Taste perception: Taste buds differ somewhat in their response to stimuli. The
four basic taste solutions are perceived by different regions of the tongue (Fig.9.1).

l Sour taste may be noted chiefly along the sides of the tongue

l Saltiness along the sides and tip

l Sweet taste generally at the tip

l Bitter taste perceived at the base of the tongue.

ii. Odour/ Smell Receptors

The sense of smell is far more sensitive than the sense of taste. An average person
requires relatively concentrated solution to perceive taste sensation. In contrast an
odoriferous substance, e.g. mercaptan may be diluted to the extent of 0.43 x 10-15
mg/litre of air and yet be recognized as such by the sense of smell.

The nose equipped with olfactory nerves, is the special organ of smell. The
olfactory receptors are located mainly in the uppermost region (roof) of the nasal
cavity and are lined with so-called olfactory epithelium, which is yellowish in
colour with pink respiratory epitherial cells around it. The surface of the olfactory
epithelium is coated with a layer of mucous. Embedded in the mucous layer is a
mat of fine hair-like appendages of the olfactory cells called cilica. The cilia are
excited by molecules of odorous substances. The olfactory area, about 2.5 cm
size, is reached chiefly by eddy currents rather than the direct passage of air
during inhalation. The odorous substance must, therefore, be sniffed or whiffed
rather slowly but strongly. The molecules of odorous substances also reach the
olfactory area from the mouth during mastication of the food. Therefore, during
the tasting of dairy products the judge/ evaluator actually is sensing the odour and
taste of the product at the same time. The overall physiological concept of odour
perception is schematically shown in Fig. 9.2.

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 Definition, Application of
Sensory Quality Parameters
and Sensory Lab
Requirements
Olfactory receptor Brain

Olfactory receptor

Olfactory receptor

Olfactory receptor Olfactory

Odorous material Nerve Olfactory Olfactory
CILIA Bulb Area

Fig 9.2. Physiological concept of odour perception

Odour Perception: In order to properly perceive the odour of a substance, the

following aspects are important and should be kept in mind.

i) The prospective odorous substance/chemical must be volatile. The volatility of

a substance depends on its molecular weight and molecular bonding properties.
The upper limit of a ‘smellability’ is usually a molecular weight of about 300,
although a compound of molecular weight, 394 has odour. This means that
substances with heavier molecular weight, such as proteins, fats, starches and
sugars are too heavy to be airborne. The breakdown of these heavy molecular
weight compounds produces low molecular weight substances, which impart
desirable and undesirable flavours in dairy products. The volatility of chemical
substances also increases with the increase in temperature.

ii) The odour-laden air must reach the olfactory receptors. The substance must,
therefore, be strongly sniffed.

iii) Odorous substances must be adsorbed or adhered to the chemoreceptors

sites in the nose. To be absorbed, the volatile substance must be soluble to
some extent in the receptor cell membrane, which consists of lipids, proteins
and water.

iv) The evaluator should have normal smelling capacity. People with obstructed
nasal passage, brain lesions or injured olfactory nerve are unable to smell,
either partially or of have a particular substance or group of substances. The
situation is called as “anosmia”.

9.4 ROLE OF PRIMARY SENSES IN JUDGING

DAIRY PRODUCTS
The relationship of five primary senses with different attributes of dairy products
is shown in Fig. 9.3 below.

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Sensory Evaluation

Stimulus Senses Sensory Properties

of foods Sight
Appearance

Smell

Food Flavour
Taste
Trigeminal
Touch Pressure
Kinaesthesis Texture
Hearing
Fig. 9.3 Relationship of the Five Primary Senses with Sensory Attributes of a Food Product

a) Sight: The characteristics of a diary product that can be evaluated by sense of

sight are: style, neatness and cleanliness of package exterior, attractiveness of
product finish, package closures, colour consistency, body and texture and overall
appearance. The labeling of the packaging has also to be examined. Colour and
appearance aspects of dairy products should not be overlooked because these
features may render the product acceptable/ unacceptable.

b) Smell (Aroma): This sense plays paramount role in evaluation of quality of

dairy products. The role of olfactory perception is greater in overall flavour than
the taste. Milk and dairy products are smelled for aroma perception immediately
after the opening of closure/ package and earlier than the taste.

c) Taste: It is a companion sense with aroma in establishing the overall flavour of

diary products. In some of the products, particularly frozen dairy product where
volatile compounds are not perceived by sense of smell at very low temperature,
the sense of taste plays deciding role for evaluating the flavour.

d) Touch: Tactual and mouth feel play an important role in examining the body
and texture characteristics. The tongue and palate evaluate feeling of meatiness
and grittiness in butter and sandy defect in ice cream and sweetened condensed
milk. The pressure between the teeth and jaws determine the hardness, chewiness
and gumminess. The fingertips and ball of the thump help in determining other
textural attributes, notably stickiness, elasticity/ sponginess and brittleness.

e) Sound: The evaluator can detect the presence of ice crystals while drawing
a ice cream sample with spoon. The relative size and distribution of holes in
Swiss cheese can be felt by the gentle tapping of the outside of the cheese.

Check Your Progress – 2

1) Name the primary senses of human beings.

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2) List the different receptors that detect the quality parameters in a food.
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 ……………………………..…………………………………………...... Definition, Application of
Sensory Quality Parameters
……………………………..…………………………………………...... and Sensory Lab
Requirements
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3) Which conditions are important for a substance to be perceived by the sense of

taste and sense of smell?

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9.5 REQUIREMENTS FOR SENSORY

EVALUATION
A successful implementation of sensory evaluation programme requires three major
components:

i) Proper laboratory facilities

ii) Sensory panels/evaluators, and

iii) Rigrous training programme

The first requirement, that is, proper laboratory facilities is discussed in this unit,
and the other two will be dealt in unit 2.

i. Sensory Evaluation Laboratory

Many designs of the sensory evaluation laboratory are available. One such designs
has been shown in Fig. 9.4. Generally sensory laboratory should include a briefing
room, an office, testing booths and sample preparation room. Irrespective of the
design, the most important considerations for a sensory laboratory are location,
ventilation, lighting, traffic pattern, sample preparation and presentation, evaluators
communications and experimental comfort.

Fig. 9.4: Design of a Sensory Evaluation Laboratory

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Sensory Evaluation a) Briefing Room: All the sensory evaluators are first assembled here. They are
briefed by the organizer/leader of the project about the objective of the sensory
work, scorecard and its use and give other instructions. This room should be
adjoining to testing booths and have facilities for comfortable sittings. If enough
space is not available for a separate office for sensory leader or organizer, briefing
room should also serve as office.

b) Testing Booths/Area: This is the area where panel members carry out actual
sensory evaluation of dairy products. Testing area shall be located separately
but in the immediate vicinity of the preparation area. This area is normally divided
in to small booths (number of booths between 5 to 10) so that each panel
member can independently evaluate the product. Following conditions have to
be maintained in testing area for obtaining best results:

- The temperature and relative humidity shall be constant, controllable and

comfortable for evaluators. A temperature of about 20oC and 62% relative
humidity are considered to be optimum.

- Noise level shall be kept to a minimum during the tests. The movement of
persons shall also be restricted in the area.

- The testing area shall keep free from odours. A slight positive pressure may
be created in the testing area to reduce inflow of odorous air from other
area.

- Lighting is very important in all sensory testing. It is particularly important in

colour examination of dairy products. Lighting particularly in testing booths
shall be uniform, shadow free, controllable and of sufficient intensity to permit
effective evaluation of the colour and appearance of samples. In most cases,
lights having a correlated colour temperature of 6500 K (or 110 candle foot
light) are desirable. In order to mask differences in colour and other
appearance characteristics special lighting devices, such as a dimmer device,
colored lamps/filters or sodium vapour lamps, may be provided.

- The size of each testing booth shall be sufficiently large to accommodate

the samples, utensils, sink, rinsing agents and score sheet/card. An area
of 0.9 m wide and 0.6 m deep is considered optimum for this purpose.
The height of working space in the booth should be appropriate to allow
comfort to the evaluator.

- A counter on the serving/distribution area side shall be provided. Openings,

covered by sliding doors, of convenient size may be provided for supplying
samples into the booths from the serving counter. A system, such as light
bulb on the counter side, is devised for evaluator to signal to the operator
when he is ready for a sample.

c) Preparation Room: A laboratory (or kitchen) for the preparation of samples

shall be located adjacent to the testing area. Its location shall be such that the
evaluators do not have to pass through testing area. The preparation area shall
be well ventilated so that odours emanating from the samples preparation are
removed. The type of equipment required in this area depends on the range of
products, which will be processed here. The main components of the preparation
room for dairy products are: working space, sink, cooking range, oven,
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 refrigerator, deep freeze, blender, scoops, knives, balance, dishes, spoons, and Definition, Application of
Sensory Quality Parameters
cleaning and storage facilities. Utensils and cutlery used in sample preparation and Sensory Lab
and presentation shall be of the materials, which do not impart any odour or Requirements
taste to the product.

9.6 FACTORS AFFECTING SENSORY

EVALUATION
i) Health of Evaluator: The evaluator should be physically and mentally in good
health. The sensitivity for evaluator in respect of sense of smell and taste should
be normal. He/she should not be suffering from anosmia and ageusia.

ii) Age: Evaluators should preferably be in the age group of 18-50 years. Persons
of younger age are unable to properly interpret and communicate the sensory
results, whereas at older age the memory decreases. Sharp memory of evaluator
is considered highly useful in judging of dairy products, particularly for quality
control applications.

iii) Interest and Motivation: Sensory evaluation work is very time consuming
and sometimes fatigue also. The evaluator should, therefore, have interest and
be motivated.

iv) Adaptation: Continuous exposure of evaluator to a particular stimulus,

particularly at high concentration for long time, leads to decrease in his sensitivity
(also called as fatigue). It is therefore desirable either to give sufficient time
between the samples or use taste sanitizers, such as brine solutions, fruits and
mild acids. The taste sanitizers improve the taste sensitivity or bring it back to
normal level.

v) Sampling: The sample should be representative of the lot. Care shall be taken
that no loss of flavour occurs and no foreign tastes or odours are imparted
during the sample presentation. The sample should be drawn from a bulk lot in
such a way that body and texture characteristics are not changed.

vi) Sample Numbers and Quantity: For economic efficiency of sensory testing,
larger the number of samples per session, the better it will be. However, the
size and quantity of sample for each judging session vary from product to
product. Normally 5-8 samples with average intensity of flavour for each
sitting are optimum. Number of samples may be increased in case of odorous
material of low intensity. The amount of each sample should be about 25-50
ml or gm, which is sufficient for one full sip or bite.

vii) Score Card: The evaluation card should be simple, brief, easy to follow and
all important sensory attributes included in it. It should be clearly printed and
the matter should be arranged in logical sequence. Terminology used shall be
clear and understandable.

viii) Miscellaneous Factors: The temperature of serving should be close to

that recommended for each product (Unit 3). The test should be carried out
preferably one hour before or after lunch. Use of materials, which are likely
to vitiate results, such as smoking, chewing pan and taking intoxicants by the
evaluator should have a time lapse of atleast 30 minutes before the test. Use
15
Sensory Evaluation of strong odoriferous substances such as cosmetics, flavours, hair oil should
be avoided by the evaluator as well as in the testing area.

Check Your Progress – 3

1) Name the most important area of a sensory evaluation laboratory and write the
conditions to be required in this area.

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2) What facilities in a testing booth can be provided to mask colour effect while
judging dairy products?

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3) Define adaptation. What is its importance in sensory evaluation?

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4) Write important Do’s and Don’ts for proper judging of dairy products.

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9.7 LET US SUM UP

The measurement of the eating quality of food, such as colour, appearance,
aroma, taste and texture with the use of our primary senses is referred to as
sensory evaluation. In a modern food processing unit, sensory evaluation plays a
critical role starting from the reception of raw material till the processed food
reaches to the consumers. In fact the success of a food processing unit is based
on the acceptability (sale) of their product by the end users i.e. consumers.
Sensory evaluation as an analytical tool is simple, measures the quality attributes
in fastest manner and ensures that consumers get palatable and enjoyable food.
The important applications of sensory evaluation are: inspection of raw materials,
new product development, improvement of existing product, cost reduction, quality
control, selection of packaging materials, study of shelf life of product and
16 establishing relationship between sensory, analytic and instrumental methods.
Sensory attributes of dairy products or any food are measured mainly by our five Definition, Application of
Sensory Quality Parameters
primary senses, namely sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. Rods and cones of and Sensory Lab
retina in our eyes determine the colour and its intensity. Hair cells of corti relate Requirements
to auditory sense and perceive the food characteristics related to sound. The cells
in skin, free nerve endings, tendons, muscles and joints (in mouth) help us to
determine the textural properties, warmth/coldness and pain. Olfactory cells are
the receptors for aroma/odour detection and taste buds located on papillae of our
tongue recognize the taste characteristics of foods.

Sensory evaluation laboratory should be properly designed and equipped with all
the basic facilities needed for smooth conduct of sensory evaluation. Briefing
room shall be adjacent to the testing area and have an environment of comfortable
sitting to the evaluators. Sensory booths located in the testing area are important
parts of a sensory laboratory where evaluators do actual testing of products
independently. It should have sufficient ventilation, working space and lighting
facilities and should be free from odours and outside noise. All facilities related
to sample preparation, presentation and storage of dairy products should be
provided in preparation room.

9.8 KEY WORDS

Adaptation : Loss of or change in sensitivity of a given stimulus as
a result of continuous exposure to that stimulus. Also
known as fatigue.

Ageusia : Lack or impairment of sensitivity to taste stimuli.

Anosmia : Inability to smell either totally or a particular substance.

Aroma : The fragrance or odour of food perceived by the nose

of sniffing.

Cilia : Fine hair-like appendages of the olfactory cells, that

are excited by the molecules of odoriferous substance
and transmit to olfactory bulb.

Cutaneous : Sensory system consisting of cells in skin and free nerve

endings responding to warmth, cold, pressure and pain.

Evaluator : Person who is evaluating the sensory quality of a food.

Its synonyms are Assessor, Judge, Panelist.

Flavour : Total impression about a product as a result of

combined smell (aroma), taste and after taste
perceptions.

Gustatory : The sense of taste.

Kinesthesis : The sense whose end organs lie in the muscles, tendons
and joints and are stimulated by bodily tensions.

Olfactory : The sense of smell.

Palate : The roof of the mouth. 17

Sensory Evaluation Perception : The process of becoming aware of objects, qualities,
or relations by way of the sense organs.

Quality Control : Means maintenance of quality of the product at par

with certain defined limits of attributes or parameters.

Quality : It is the combination of attributes or characteristics of

a product that have significance in determining the
degree of acceptability of the product to a user.

Score Card : A tabulated list of various attributes or characteristics

(like colour, flavour, texture, etc.) with a numerical value
assigned to each for assessing the sensory quality.

Sensory Receptors : These are detectors, which inform us about the physical
and chemical change in our environment.

Shelf Life : Defined as the period between manufacture and retail

purchase of a food product during which the product
is of satisfactory quality.

Stimulus : Any substance that incites or excites the receptors, for

example an odorous substance or a rapid solution or
even an electric current. Stimuli is plural.

Texture : Properties of a food stuff apprehended both by the

eyes and by the skin and muscle senses in the mouth,
embracing roughness, smoothness, graininess, etc.

9.9 SOME USEFUL BOOKS

Amerine, M.A., Pangborn, R.M. and Roessler, E.B. (1965). Principles of Sensory
Evaluation of Food, Academic Press, New York.

Bodyfelt, F.W., Bobias, J. and Trout, G.M. (1988). The Sensory Evaluation of
Dairy Products, AVI Publ. Co., New York.

Eggert, J. and Zook, K. (1986). Physical requirement guidelines for sensory

evaluation laboratories. ASTM STP 913. American Soc. Testing Materials,
Philadelphia.

Nelson, J.A. and Troat, G.M. (1964). Judging of Dairy Products, AVI Publ. Co.,
New York.

Stone, H. and Sidel, J. (1993). Sensory Evaluation Practices, Academic Press, Inc.
London.

9.10 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Your answer should include the following points:

Check Your Progress – 1

18 1) The eating quality of a food is decided on the basis of sensory attributes –

aroma, taste, feel, tactual property, colour and appearance.
2) An objective method of determining those attributes or characteristic, which Definition, Application of
Sensory Quality Parameters
are perceived by the sense of smell, taste, sight, touch and hearing. and Sensory Lab
Requirements
3) Advantages of sensory evaluation are:

l simple and quick technique of measuring quality of a food

l can identify those desirable and undesirable characteristics of a food which

can not be measured by chemical and instrumental methods.

l non-defective food can be provided to the consumers and thus sensory

evaluation helps increasing acceptability and sale of the product..

You may mention the more important applications of sensory evaluation, e.g.
inspection of raw materials and finished product, new product development, quality
control, determination of self life, selection of packaging materials, cost reduction
etc.

Check Your Progress – 2

1) Primary senses in human beings are smell, taste, sight, touch and hearing.

2) The main receptors and the corresponding human experience are:

a) Taste buds – detect types of taste.

b) Olfactory cells – recognize odours.

c) Cells in skin and free nerve endings – warmth, coldness, pain and textural
characteristics.

d) Cells in tendons, muscles and joints – texture of foods such as hardness,

chewiness, gumminess etc.

e) Hair cells of corti – sound/ pitch.

f) Rods and cones of retina – colour and hue of foods.

3) For a substance to be perceived by sense of smell, it must be air borne (odorous),

preferably having low molecular weight (about 300) and should be brought to
the olfactory cells and to bulb. A chemical substance should be sapid (in liquid
form) and make contact with the taste buds.

Check Your Progress – 3

1) The most important area of a sensory evaluation lab is testing area. The necessary
conditions is testing are: a) humidity about 60%; b) temperature about 20oC; c)
lighting – sufficient (correlated colour temp. 6500 K), uniform and shadow free;
d) sensory booths – facilities of sink, writing space, colour masking device,
comfortable sitting facilities etc.; and e) sufficient space (0.9 m wide x 0.6 m
deep)

2) In some experiments or situations, the influence of colour of the product has to

be masked or ignored. The colour masking facilities in sensory booths are,
therefore, provided. This can be achieved by providing a dimmer device, coloured
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Sensory Evaluation lamps/filters (normally red and green are more effective) or sodium vapour lamps
in the sensory booths.

3) The decrease or loss of sensitivity of a evaluator due to continuous exposure

to a particular stimulus or substance or use of high concentration of the
stimulus is called as adaptation. Under this condition the evaluator is unable
to either completely detect the sense reactions or cannot detect the problem
at low concentration. Therefore to overcome this condition, sufficient gap is
given between two samples, or proper mouth rinsing or conditioning has to
be done.

4) Do’s: For proper judging of dairy products, the laboratory conditions should
be favourable, size of sample should be sufficient, sample should be
representative and at proper temperature, numbers of samples at each session
should be 5-6.

Don’ts: Evaluator should not use perfumes, cosmetics or odoriferous substances;

should not smoke, chew pan or use intoxicants atleast 30 min before judging;
interval/gap between judging and lunch should not be less than one hour before
and after.

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