12/07/2019

Consumer Focused Product Development through

Sensory Evaluation

A product developer or entrepreneur wanted to ensure that consumers will be delighted

• Graduate of BS Food Technology from UP Diliman
with the product they will offer. Sensory Evaluation is a scientific approach important in
product development and consumer research. It involves measuring characteristics of
• Joined FNRI Dec. 2004
food perceived by human senses (such as appearance, taste, odor, touch, and mouthfeel.
Sensory evaluation is a tool that will measure the consumer responses and translate
• Started as analyst of Food
these it to ideas that will make a product successful in the market. Microbiological Laboratory
The program is designed to meet the needs of a product developer who requires sound • Currently, project leader of
understanding of sensory evaluation concepts and procedures. The participants will be “Strengthening Sensory Evaluation Laboratory
equipped with knowledge in how they can better understand the perception of the
consumer, the preferences and their decision making process in terms of what they like Towards ISO 17025 Accreditation
or what they will buy.
• Certificate in Elementary Food Hygiene
TRAINING STYLE makes use of a series of lectures, forum discussions and role playing • Sensory Manager, Internal Auditor of FNRI-SEL
during conduct of sensory evaluation in food R&D.

Program Objectives

To give participants an understanding of sensory evaluation;

To discuss the types of sensory evaluation procedures and the applications to product
CLAIRE S. MALIBIRAN
development;
To give participants an overview of the physical and human requirements of sensory
Science Research Specialist II
evaluation;
To equip participants with the necessary skill to conduct sensory evaluation; and
FRDS-FNRI
To give hands-on experience in conduct of sensory evaluation, data collection, data Department of Science and Technology
analysis and interpretation of results (Hedonic Rating for Consumer Acceptability).

Prepared by:

CLAIRE S. MALIBIRAN
SRS II, Sensory Manager

• Graduate of BS Food Technology from UP Los

Baños, Laguna
• Joined FNRI January 2014
• Currently, the document controller and panel
Consumer Focused Product leader of FNRI Sensory Evaluation Laboratory
• Conducts sensory evaluation and design/testing of
Development through the eSEL® software

Sensory Evaluation • Worked in a Flavor company as quality technician

August 7, 2019 JESELLE PAOLA Y. BELEN

DOST Regional Office, CSU Campus, Project Assistant II
Ampayon, Butuan City FRDS-FNRI
Department of Science and Technology

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Outline What is sensory evaluation?

I. Sensory evaluation in
product development A scientific discipline used to evoke, measure,
process analyze and interpret reactions to those
II. Virtual tour of SEL characteristics of foods and materials as they
are perceived by the senses…
III. How to become a
sensory panelist
-Institute of Food Technologist (IFT), USA
ODOR

TASTE
COLOR

Lawless & Heymann, 1998

• Sensory evaluation comprises a set of
techniques for accurate measurements of
Product Development Process human responses to foods and minimizes
and Sensory Evaluation the potentially biasing effects of brand
identity
• Quality of food products is described by
sensory characteristics comprising of
appearance, odour, taste and texture

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Product Development Process and Sensory Evaluation

The Flavor Experience
IDEA GENERATION
•Trial recipe/formulation
•Ingredient substitution
•Benchmarking with
existing products
Focus Group Discussion
• Getting consumer insights
Difference Test
• Is there an overall difference if
plain rice is use in place of basmati
rice?

OPTIMIZATION
•Standardization of recipe
•Prototype Blueprint
•Product specification
•Market analysis
Descriptive test
• What is the nature of Toasted rice wraps in 3 varieties
difference 1. Basmati Rice Salsa
Consumer Test 2. Spicy Chicken Wrap
• Is the variants acceptable by 3. Chicken and Jalapeno Wrap
-by KFC Malaysia
consumer.

SHELF LIFE STUDY
•Best-before date
•Consumer acceptability
•Process quality monitoring
Difference Test
• Is the product the same as
those tested during development trial.
Consumer Test
• Is the variants acceptable by consumer.
Descriptive test
• Quality Assurance

How is sensory evaluation used? Idea Generation

• To identify the
• Partners with R&D and marketing, to important sensory
provide insights to help guide development attributes driving
and commercial strategy consumer
acceptability
• Result of sensory evaluation is consulted • Analyse competitor
for decision-making during the stages of a products and evaluate
product’s life cycle.
Brainstorming sessions conducted
by sensory scientist, innovation
new concepts through
specialist or market researcher benchmarking

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Optimization The Human Senses

• Does changes in raw Sight or Vision

ingredient or
modifications to the -The eyes received
process will have the initial quality of
impact on sensory food as information on
From kitchen
to
quality or product color, size, shape,
Large scale acceptability. consistency, and
production
opacity.

Quality Monitoring Smell

Limits for sensory • Volatile molecules are
specifications used during sensed by olfactory
quality testing (eg. level of receptors on the millions
off-odor, rancid products or of
Determination of discoloration) • hair-like cilia that cover
best-before date
the nasal epithelium
(located in the roof of the
• nasal cavity).
Grading of wine by expert
panelist

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Taste TEXTURE
• Perception of non-
Taste is mostly Properties Sensation Receptor Description
volatile substances perceived by the taste Mechanical Muscle of the hands, Hardness, firmness,
• Flavor compounds buds fingers, tongue, jaw or lip adhesiveness,
dissolved in water, oil gumminess,
chewiness, and
or saliva viscosity
• Attached to taste Geometric Tactile nerves in surface Particle size,
receptors (taste buds of skin, hands, lips or graininess,
tongue crumbliness
located on the tongue,
Mouthfeel Teeth and tactile nerve Oiliness, moistness,
and other areas of the cells on the tongue and wetness or dryness
mouth or throat) palate

TOUCH & MOUTHFEEL Perception Leads to Action

• Texture is a perception
through oral sensation or
the skin.
• It is related to food
structure and their reaction
to stress during these three
phases:
I. initial phase (first bite)
II.masticatory phase
(chewing) and STIMULUS/SIGNAL INSTRUMENT Perception Action
III.residual phase (after
swallowing).

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Conference Room

DOST-FNRI • Area for group work

Sensory Evaluation Laboratory – Briefing
– Group Discussion
Located at – Meeting
2nd Floor, Room 214
• Waiting area

Sensory Evaluation Laboratory Sample Preparation Room

• Testing area intended for the conduct of • Well ventilated

sensory analysis • Odor-free
– Controlled conditions with minimum • Easy-to-clean floors,
distractions
walls, ceilings and
– Reduce psychological factors and physical
furnishings
conditions that can affect human judgement

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Panel Room Panel Room

• Located near the Booth accessories

sample preparation • Signal lights
room
– GREEN: switch ON
• Minimized noise when ready to
• Provision for individual evaluate
booths for panelists – RED: switch ON
• Provision for a wash when finished or
bin when you have
questions

Panel Room Booth accessories

Panel Booths
– Sliding sample window • Computers
– Controlled noise & lighting • Data collection
(eSEL
software)

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Types of Panelist
Sensory Panelists
– do not have to meet any criterion (naïve)
– have already participated in sensory tests (initiated)

Selected Panelists
– Chosen for their ability to perform a sensory test
– Trained panelists

Expert assessor
‐ selected assessor who demonstrated sensory
sensitivity
‐ those who can make consistent and
repeatable sensory evaluation.

Recruitment, screening, selection

Human Requirement and training of panelists
 A sensory panel must be treated as a Recruitment of
Conduct Seek consent from
scientific instrument interested
orientation/seminar participants
participants

Screening of Pre-screening of
panelists participants

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1st
Screening Tests Tray

• To determine impairment (colorblindness)

• To determine acuity or the lack of
sensitivity Coded samples are presented as reference
to sensory panelists to familiarized
2nd
• To evaluate ability to communicate Tray
themselves

sensory perception
MATCHING TEST FOR
TASTE RECOGNITION

Test samples are matched to

the original set

Screening of Panelists Training of Panelists

Screening Test Passing • Develop ability to detect, recognize,

Score describe and discriminate
Taste recognition test (matching test) 80%
• Familiarize and become proficient in
Ishihara’s test for color vision deficiency 17 out of 21 procedures used in sensory analysis with
particular products
Odor recognition test (matching test) 80%

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Training of Panelists Code of Behavior for Panelists

 30 minutes before and during
Screening Test Passing measurement panel members shall
A session is
Score conducted not be allowed to smoke, eat, drink
30 minutes (except water) or use chewing gum
Triangle test 65%
before and
after a meal or sweets;
Ranking test 65%
Avoid  panel members shall take great care
smelly not to cause any interference with
Description test 50% perfumes
and lotion that of others in the sensory room by
Development of descriptors and use of 50% lack of personal hygiene or the use
Avoid
scale (i.e. Consensus Profiling and QDA) talking that of perfumes, deodorants, body
can distract lotions or cosmetics;
fellow
panelists

Recruitment, screening, selection Code of Behavior for Panelists

and training of panelists  panel members with cold or any
other ailment shall be excluded from
Sickness
Recruitment of
Conduct Seek consent from contribute participating
interested to loss in
orientation/seminar participants
participants appetite  pregnant women have different
sensitivity to taste and odor
When
pregnant,
 panel members are given palate
estrogen levels
may affect the cleanser (water, unsalted cracker or
Training of Screening of Pre-screening of sense of taste
panelists panelists participants and smell bread) to remove left over taste
 For samples more than 4, have a 2
Practice rest or minute break to prevent taste fatigue
Sensory rinse of water
panelists in between
samples

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Acceptability of Fortified Fruit Juice

168 374
Instruction: Please evaluate the coded
samples in the order presented. Indicate
how much you like or dislike the COLOR of
each sample by marking with check () the
appropriate phrase.
168 374
Sensory Evaluation Methods
QUESTIONNAIRE
FOR CONSUMER ACCEPTABILITY
Sample 168: orange juice-Control
Sample 374: orange juice fortified with
iron

Consumer Acceptability Test General Requirements in the

Panelists' task:
Conduct of Sensory Evaluation
Panelists are asked to evaluate coded  Test must be conducted under controlled
samples for the degree of liking using a 9- environmental condition
point scale.  A sensory panel must be treated as a
Panel type and size: scientific instrument
• Potential users  Good laboratory practices are key to
• Representative consumer (>100) accurate and reliable results
• Untrained in-house panels (>50)

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Good Laboratory Practices for  Palate cleanser should be of the

Sensory Analysts
 Maintain cleanliness of the lab
 Ensure that lights and air
conditioning units are working
properly
 Screen-out participants with
possible food restrictions
 Record T0 and Humidity of rooms
and samples. Adjust to maintain
desirable reading
same temperature as sample
evaluated
 Apply good hygiene practices
(GHP) during preparation &
service of food
 Stay courteous and thankful to the
panelists . Provide token of
appreciation after the session

 Prepare filtered/distilled water as

palate cleanser or unsalted cracker
for oily and fatty samples
 Orient panelists on the use of
eSEL® software, light signals,
spitting jar, score sheets, etc.

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Token of • Sign-up in our

References Appreciation
Recruitment and collect
a. PNS ISO 3972:2014. ISO Published 2011 with Cor. 1:2012.
Sensory analysis-determination of sensitivity of taste. International all buttons to be FNRI’s
Organization for Standardization, Geneva. http://www.iso.org.
Sensory Panelists
b. Gatchalian, Milflora M. 1989. Sensory Evaluation Methods.
College of Home Economics, UP Diliman, Quezon City
c. Lawless, H.T., Heymann, H. 2010. Sensory Evaluation of Food,
Food Science Text Series, Springer Science, Business Media,
LLC., pp-19-58. doi 10.1007/978-1-4419-6488-5_2
d. Meilgaard, Morten and Civille, Gail Vance. 2000. Sensory
Evaluation Techniques: Third edition. CRC Press LLC, N.W.
Corporate Blvd., Boca Raton, Florida.
e. Watts, M.B, et al. 1989. Basic sensory methods for food
evaluation. Ottawa, Ont., IDRC.
f. Manual on descriptive analysis testing for sensory evaluation.
1992. ASTM MNL 13.

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