Sensory testing has been in existence ever since man started to use his senses to judge the quality and safety of drinking water and foodstuffs. With the onset of trading, there were several developments that led to more formalized testing, involving professional tasters and grading systems. Many of these grading systems are still in existence today and continue to serve a useful purpose, for example in assessing tea, coffee, and wines. However, there has also been a growing need for methods for well-repli cated, objective, unbiased sensory assessment, which can be applied rou tinely across a wide range of foods. Sensory analysis seeks to satisfy this need. Sensory analysis is not new to the food industry, but its application as a basic tool in food product development and quality control has not always been given the recognition and acceptance it deserves. This, we believe, is largely due to the lack of understanding about what sensory analysis can offer in product research, development, and marketing and a fear that the discipline is "too scientific" to be practical. To some extent, sensory scien tists have perpetuated this fear by failing to recognize the industrial con straints to implementing sensory testing procedures. These Guidelines are an attempt to redress the balance.

Sensory analysis is not new to the food industry, but its application as a basic tool in food product development and quality control has not been given the recognition and acceptance it deserves. This, we believe, is largely due to the lack of understanding about what sensory analysis can offer in product research, development and marketing, and a fear that the discipline is 'too scientific' to be practical. To some extent, sensory scientists have perpetuated this fear with a failure to recognize the constraints of industry in implementing sensory testing procedures. These guidelines are an attempt to redress the balance. Of course, product 'tasting' is carried out in every food company: it may be the morning tasting session by the managing director, competitor comparisons by the marketeers, tasting by a product 'expert' giving a quality opinion, comparison of new recipes from the product development kitchen, or on-line checking during pro duction. Most relevant, though, is that the people respon sible for the tasting session should know why the work is being done, and fully realize that if it is not done well, then the results and conclusions drawn, and their implications, are likely to be misleading. If, through the production of these guidelines, we have influenced some people suffi ciently for them to re-evaluate what they are doing, and why, we believe our efforts have been worthwhile.

A comprehensive review of the techniques and applications of descriptive analysis Sensory evaluation is a scientific discipline used to evoke, measure, analyse and interpret responses to products perceived through the senses of sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing. It is used to reveal insights into the ways in which sensory properties drive consumer acceptance and behaviour, and to design products that best deliver what the consumer wants. Descriptive analysis is one of the most sophisticated, flexible and widely used tools in the field of sensory analysis. It enables objective description of the nature and magnitude of sensory characteristics for use in consumer-driven product design, manufacture and communication. Descriptive Analysis in Sensory Evaluation provides a comprehensive overview of a wide range of traditional and recently-developed descriptive techniques, including history, theory, practical considerations, statistical analysis, applications, case studies and future directions. This important reference, written by academic and industrial sensory scientist, traces the evolution of descriptive analysis, and addresses general considerations, including panel set-up, training, monitoring and performance; psychological factors relevant to assessment; and statistical analysis. Descriptive Analysis in Sensory Evaluation is a valuable resource for sensory professionals working in academia and industry, including sensory scientists, practitioners, trainers and students, and industry-based researchers in quality assurance, research and development, and marketing.

Sensory analysis and consumer research are relevant tools in innovation andnew product development, from design to commercialization. This Special Issuehas collected 13 valuable scientific contributions, including 1 review, 12 originalresearch articles and an editorial. The SI provides an interesting outlookand better understanding of sensorial analysis with the different techniques andconsumer research on new product development. Important practical applicationshave been reported on the development of different novel, functional andenhanced products (meat, fish, biscuits, yogurt, porridge, hybrid meat, molecularproducts, etc.), which helps increase knowledge in this field. This SI isvery useful for both present and future uses for the different players involved inthis kind of product development (industry, companies, researchers, scientists,marketing, merchandising, consumers, etc.).

Explains the basics of food technology and new product development from initial planning through formulation, market research, manufacturing and product launchCarefully outlined test protocols plus quantified sensory, financial and feasibility analysisRecaps key technical concepts across the entire food science curriculum Developed as a comprehensive guide to how food products are planned, budgeted, manufactured and launched, this original textbook forms a cohesive introduction to all phases of food product development. A unique feature of the book is that it reviews the main concepts of food chemistry, ingredient functionality, additives, processing, quality control, safety, package labeling and more-—virtually the entire food technology curriculum. With this specialized information as context, the book spells out the procedures needed to formulate, cost-justify and test market safe and profitable new products that meet regulatory guidelines and consumer expectations. The technical exposition is highlighted by case studies of novel food items introduced by U.S. companies. Syllabus-ready and furnished with back-of-chapter questions and projects, the volume is highly suited for university courses, including the capstone, as well as in-house and team training short courses in industry.

This book addresses an important, but so far neglected, topic: the application of sensory evaluation to quality control. Although several articles have been pub lished that have discussed concepts of quality control/sensory evaluation (QC/sen sory) programs, Sensory Evaluation in Quality Control is the first publication that addresses this topic in a comprehensive and practical way. This book is com prehensive, in that it presents the sensory and statistical information that is needed to design and implement several types of QCfsensory programs at the plant level. The book is practical, in that it provides a step-by-step description of the complete process to implement such programs, and it illustrates this process through real examples encountered by various consumer products companies (e. g. , foods, personal care products, paper products). With this practical information, sensory and quality professionals can design and implement sound QC/sensory programs at the plant level. This book was developed to provide the sensory and quality professional with an overview and guide to apply, in a production facility, the unique techniques that are used to measure sensory responses. Therefore, the book is intended for QC and/or R&D personnel (e. g. , sensory managers and analysts, and quality profes sionals) in charge of implementing an in-plant program, as well as for the plant management and plant technical personnel (sensory coordinator and quality pro fessionals) who are ultimately responsible for the routine operation of the estab lished program.

The Sensory Evaluation of Dairy Products, Second Edition is for all who seek a book entirely devoted to sensory evaluation of dairy products and modern applications of the science. It is an excellent scientific reference for training in dairy product evaluation and is a practical guide to the preparation of samples for sensory evaluation. The book contains updates of the original text of the well-received first edition, as well as brand new material. This unique book is designed for professionals involved in many aspects of dairy production, including academic teaching and research, processing, quality assurance, product development and marketing. It is an invaluable tool for those who compete in the annual Collegiate Dairy Product Evaluation Contest.

Sensory Evaluation Practices examines the principles and practices of sensory evaluation. It describes methods and procedures for the analysis of results from sensory tests; explains the reasons for selecting a particular procedure or test method; and discusses the organization and operation of a testing program, the design of a test facility, and the interpretation of results. Comprised of three parts encompassing nine chapters, this volume begins with an overview of sensory evaluation: what it does; how, where, and for whom; and its origin in physiology and psychology. It then discusses measurement, psychological errors in testing, statistics, test strategy, and experimental design. The reader is also introduced to the discrimination, descriptive, and affective methods of testing, along with the criteria used to select a specific method, procedures for data analysis, and the communication of actionable results. The book concludes by looking at problems where sensory evaluation is applicable, including correlation of instrumental and sensory data, measurement of perceived efficacy, storage testing, and product optimization. This book is a valuable resource for sensory professionals, product development and production specialists, research directors, technical managers, and professionals involved in marketing, marketing research, and advertising.

Manual describing the factors influencing sensory measurements; physical facilities needed; sample preparation; selection and training of panellists; experimental design; statistical tests; sensory analysis test methods; discriminative tests, descriptive tests, affective tests, and the production of a sensory analysis report.

Discrimination Testing in Sensory Science: A Practical Handbook is a one-stop-shop for practical advice and guidance on the performance and analysis of discrimination testing in sensory science. The book covers all aspects of difference testing: the history and origin of different methods, the practicalities of setting up a difference test, replications, the statistics behind each test, dealing with the analysis, action standards, and the statistical analysis of results with R. The book is written by sensory science experts from both academia and industry, and edited by an independent sensory scientist with over twenty years of experience in planning, running and analyzing discrimination tests. This is an essential text for academics in sensory and consumer science and any sensory scientist working in research and development in food, home, and personal care products, new product development, or quality control. - Contains practical guidance on the performance and analysis of discrimination testing in sensory and consumer science for both food and non-food products - Includes the latest developments in difference testing, including both new methods and state-of-the-art approaches - Features extensive coverage of analysis with a variety of software systems - Provides essential insight for academics in sensory and consumer science and any sensory scientist working in research and development in food, home, and personal care products, new product development, or quality control