Sensory Evaluation

Sensory evaluation-a scientific method used to evoke, measure, analyze, and interpret those responses to
products as perceived through the senses of sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing (Stone H. and Sidel JL,
1993).
Stone H, Sidel JL. Sensory Evaluation Practices, 2nd ed. San Diego, CA: Academic
Press, 1993.
Sensory methods may be used to determine:

1. whether foods differ in taste, odor, juiciness, tenderness, texture, and so on.
2. to what extent foods differ.
3. to ascertain consumer preferences and to determine whether a certain food is acceptable to a specific
consumer group.
3 TEST
1. Discrimination or difference tests are designed to determine whether there is a difference
between products;
a. Such tests would be used if a company was changing the source of one of its ingredients
or substituting one ingredient for another.
b. Can be used to see if the quality of a product changes over time or to compare the shelf
life of a particular product packaged in different packaging materials.
c. For example, a difference test could be used to determine if juices keep their flavor better
when stored in glass bottles rather than in plastic ones.
 Small group of trained panelist is required to recognize and describe the differences likely to
occur in the products being tested.
 Difference tests often are conducted using larger panels of untrained panelists know if small
differences in a product can be detected by untrained consumers, who simply like the product and
use it on a regular basis.
 Two of the most frequently used difference tests are the triangle test and the duo–trio test.
TRIANGLE TEST
 each panelist is given three samples, two of which are alike, and is asked to indicate the odd
sample
 The panelists are asked to taste the samples from left to right, cleansing their palate before
each sample by taking a bite of cracker and a sip of water. Then they circle the number on the
ballot sheet that corresponds to the sample they believe to be different. If they cannot tell,
they must guess.
2. descriptive tests determine the extent of difference in specific sensory characteristics;
a.
3. affective or acceptance/preference tests determine how well the products are liked or which
products are preferred.
Sensory Testing Procedure

 Sensory testing is carried out by members of a taste panel.
 All distractions, bias, and adverse psychological factors must be minimized so that the evaluation
is truly an evaluation of the sample being tested and not a reaction to adverse circumstances,
cultural prejudice, or the opinions of other testers.
 The noise level must be controlled to avoid distractions, temperature and humidity should be
within an acceptable range, and lighting within the booth also must be monitored.
 In addition, there should be no extraneous smells, which may distract people from making
judgments about the product under test.
 Because color has a significant effect on subjective evaluation of a product, color differences may
need to be masked. This is achieved by using red lights in the booths when necessary. It is
important that people rate samples that may have different color intensities on flavor and not
simply on the fact that they look different. For example, two brands of cheese puffs may look
different because one is a deeper shade of orange than the other, and so one could tell the
difference between them simply because of their color. However, there may not be a difference in
the taste. If the color difference is masked by conducting the tests under red light, any differences
detected could then be attributed to flavor differences and not to color differences.
 The samples usually are placed on a tray and passed to each panelist through a hatch in front of
the testing booth. The tray should contain a ballot that gives specific instructions on how to
evaluate the samples and a place for the panelist’s response. A cracker and water are provided, in
order to cleanse the palate before tasting the samples. It is important that tasters have not eaten
spicy or highly flavored food before tasting food samples or their judgment may be impaired.
 Preferably, panelists should not have eaten anything immediately prior to carrying out a taste test.

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Sensory evaluation-a scientific method used to evoke, measure, analyze, and interpret those responses to

Sensory methods may be used to determine:

Sensory Testing Procedure

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