Sensory: taste, texture, odour, colour, hearing

Sensory analysis concentrates on the use of human senses and instruments for the measurement of sensory characteristics of foodstuffs and their effect on final food acceptance. The course is intended for both students interested in technical and marketing issues of food stuffs. The interaction between the R&D and marketing departments are gaining importance in food companies.

1. Introduction
        1.1. Introduction to sensory science: definition, history, the senses, methods
        1.2. The senses: taste-gustation, olfaction and tactile, vision and audition
        1.3. Physiological and psychological aspects
        1.4. Role of sensory science in marketing, product development, quality assurance
2. Discriminative and descriptive analysis
        2.1. Trained panel - general requirements related to samples, panellists, environment
        2.2. Discrimination theory and difference tests
        2.3. Selection of rating or other scales
        2.4. Descriptive analysis methods (Quantitative Descriptive Analysis, Flavour Profile Analysis, Texture Profile Analysis)
        2.5. Time-intensity measurements
        2.6. Statistical data analysis, interpreting and reporting
3. Consumer preferences in food sensory evaluation
        3.1. Consumer panel - requirements related to recruitment, screening and training
        3.2. Qualitative (in-depth interviews) versus quantitative methods
        3.3. Sensory test methods: acceptance and preference tests, just-right scales, other acceptance rating scales
        3.4. Special conditions: experimental design and context effects
        3.5. Questionnaire design and data collection methods
        3.6. Statistical methods of data evaluation, interpretation and reporting
        3.7. Relating consumer and sensory data: internal and external preference mapping
        3.8. Application of sensory evaluation in consumer testing principles: new product development principles, product improvement and optimisation
4. Instrumental measurement
        4.1. Appearance: colorimeter and spectrophotometer
        4.2. Taste: HPLC
        4.3. Flavour and aroma: GC-MS, electronic nose
        4.4. Texture: texture analyser and rheometer

Ba with background in (bio)-chemistry.

TThe student should be able to understand the basics of sensory science, to identify a sensory problem and to tackle it in term of research method, data collection and analysis, and reporting.

Syllabus is available & slides via Minerva.

Stone, H. & Sidel J.L. (2004). Sensory Evaluation Practices. Third Edition, Elsevier Academic Press: San Diego
Resurreccion A.V.A. (1998). Consumer sensory testing for product development. Maryland: Aspen Publishers Inc
Gellynck, X. & Viaene, J. (2002). Market-oriented positioning of on-farm processed foods as a condition for successful farm diversification. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 53(3), 531-548

Academic Assistant Personnel is available.

Theory: oral lectures
Exercises: workshops/labwork and the final project (in groups)

Theory: non-period aligned evaluation
Exercises: non-period aligned evaluation

Students who eschew period aligned and/or non-period aligned evaluations for this course unit may be failed by the examiner.

Final project presentation with peer assessment (100%)