Sensory analysis

Sensory Analysis is a scientific discipline that applies principles of experimental design and statistical analysis to the use of human senses (sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing) for the purposes of evaluating consumer products. The field of sensory analysis has applications in areas such as food science, wine and beer production, cosmetics, and environmental studies.

Overview

Sensory analysis can be used to evaluate a product's properties such as the color, smell, taste, texture, and sound. The information obtained can be used in product development, quality control, and marketing. Sensory analysis techniques can be divided into three main categories: Discriminative testing, Descriptive analysis, and Affective testing.

Discriminative Testing

Discriminative testing is used to determine whether a difference exists between two or more products. This type of testing does not provide information about the nature or magnitude of any differences, only whether a difference is detectable. Common methods used in discriminative testing include the paired comparison test, the triangle test, and the duo-trio test.

Descriptive Analysis

Descriptive analysis provides a detailed profile of a product's sensory characteristics. Trained sensory panelists are used to identify and quantify the sensory attributes of a product. Common methods used in descriptive analysis include the quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA), the texture profile analysis (TPA), and the flavor profile analysis (FPA).

Affective Testing

Affective testing is used to determine the preferences of consumers. This type of testing can provide information about which product is preferred, and why it is preferred. Common methods used in affective testing include the preference test, the acceptance test, and the hedonic rating test.

Applications

Sensory analysis is used in a variety of industries to evaluate the sensory attributes of products. In the food and beverage industry, sensory analysis is used to evaluate the taste, smell, texture, and appearance of food and drink. In the cosmetics industry, sensory analysis is used to evaluate the smell, texture, and appearance of cosmetics. In environmental studies, sensory analysis is used to evaluate the smell and appearance of environments.

See Also

• Food science
• Consumer research
• Product development
• Quality control
• Marketing