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Understanding Sensory Thresholds in Food

This document discusses sensory thresholds as they relate to the food industry. It defines various types of thresholds, including detection thresholds, recognition thresholds, and preference thresholds. Detection thresholds refer to the lowest concentration at which a substance can be detected through taste or smell. Recognition thresholds are slightly higher and refer to the ability to correctly identify a sensation. Preference thresholds indicate the level at which consumers show aversion to a substance. The document also discusses methods for measuring thresholds, including using ascending and descending series to find the point where a person's response changes from detecting nothing to detecting something. It notes challenges in threshold measurement and problems with traditional methods.

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AprilJoyBascos
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59 views3 pages

Understanding Sensory Thresholds in Food

This document discusses sensory thresholds as they relate to the food industry. It defines various types of thresholds, including detection thresholds, recognition thresholds, and preference thresholds. Detection thresholds refer to the lowest concentration at which a substance can be detected through taste or smell. Recognition thresholds are slightly higher and refer to the ability to correctly identify a sensation. Preference thresholds indicate the level at which consumers show aversion to a substance. The document also discusses methods for measuring thresholds, including using ascending and descending series to find the point where a person's response changes from detecting nothing to detecting something. It notes challenges in threshold measurement and problems with traditional methods.

Uploaded by

AprilJoyBascos
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

A concentration range exists below where there is no

perceived odor and taste of a food material and


above which there is a detectable taste/smell of a
particular substance.
Types of Threshold (5)
Point @ which substance is differentiated from
bg;
Level below w/c no sensation would be
produced and above which sensation would
reach consciousness
Smallest amt of substance reqd to produce a
sensation that can be recognized
Is the quality present?
Stimulus vs blank/water
Relevance of _ to food industry (3)
Point at which change in concentration
noticed
Represents min. phys change needed for a
person to sense a change 50% of time
Can I detect anything?
Determined by presenting a standard stimulus
that is then compared to a variable,
weaker/stronger stimulus
Just-noticable-difference (JND) = smallest
detectable change
Relevance of _ to food industry (1-4)
Point @ which substance is correctly named
Can I detect specific sensation (e.g.
sweetness)?
Often bit higher than detection thresholds;
e.g. dilute NaCl perceived as sweet just above
detection threshold
Requires: (a) discrimination from diluents;
(b)assignment of appropriate descriptor word
for stimulus
Point at which no further intensity increase is
found with increasing conc.
Sensory response has reached some
saturation level; beyond which no further
stimulation is possible due to maximal
response (limited no. of receptors available to
stimulus in terms of neurophysiology)
Above this level, pain/discomfort/irritation
may occur = inhibit sensitivity or perception

Not so simple saturation level obscured by


addition of new sensation
Is reducing sweetness perception due to
saturation of sweetness OR inhibiting effect of
bitter side-taste?
(Bitter side-taste of saccharin - @ high levels,
bitterness will overtake sweet sensation for
some individuals)
Relatively new type
Applicable to taint and off-flavor
Point at which consumer preference occurs for
sample not containing substance
E.g. Examining the levels @ w/c consumers
show aversion to cork taint from
trichloroanisole in wines
Threshold Measurement (2)
Physical stimulus changed by successive
discrete steps until change in response (No
sensation I detect something)
When stimulus decreasing in intensity, at
some step response will change back to no
sensation
Over many trials, average point of change be
taken as persons absolute threshold
May use an ascending series and forcing
participants to choose among alternative
samples @ each step

TS is always compared against a constant


reference level, usually the middle point on
series of physical intensity levels
Subjects job is to respond to each item as >
or < std
Many replications of each intensity lvl
presented
% of > response produce S-shaped curve
Difference threshold is difference between
50% and 75% pts interpolated on the fxn
Challenges of Threshold measurement (2)
Stimulus raised in ascending then lowered in
descending series to find pts at which
observers response changed from a (-) to a
(+) response or (+) (-)
Done in several runs (reversals)

Average changing pt is taken as best estimate


of threshold (BET)
Problems with traditional version (2)
Based on std method ASTM E-679
Conc. Of taste/odor chemical raised in
specified steps until substance detected
Method adds forced-choice task
Set-up includes a _ (stimulus w/ tase/odor
chemical) and _ (stimulus w/o chemical)
Various combinations of blanks and targets
can be used but common set-up is 2 blanks
and 1 target (3-AFC)

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