enabling innovation getting started with sensory evaluation · golden rules for sensory people: 1....

Enabling

Innovation

Getting Started

With Sensory

Evaluation

Introduction

I want to do some sensory….

What do you want to find out ?

What will you use data for?

What actions will you take in response to data?

Introduction

TasteSoundTrigeminal

sensations

Aromas

Sight

Mouthfeel

&

SENSORY

RESPONSES

SUBJECTIVE

Opinions

Preferences

Expectations

OBJECTIVE

Differences /similarities

Descriptions

Intensity

Goods in

Market awareness / competitor analysis

CONSUMERS

Existing Product Development (EPD)

Manufacturing process

Quality Monitoring (QA / QC)

New Product Development (NPD)

Storage

Sales

Purchasing

Shelf life determination

FACTORY

CONSUMERS

Preference Tests

Descriptive Test

Benchmarking Test

Discrimination Tests

Descriptive Tests

Discrimination /Descriptive Tests

Raw material spec: Sensory parameters

Product Sensory spec

Focus group

Preference Tests

Marketing Descriptive Test

Process Control

FACTORY

CONSUMERS


Acceptance Tests Discrimination Tests

Customer Sensory spec

Label descriptions /advertisingDifference from control tests

Can people notice the change

made?

CONSUMERS

Goods in

Market awareness / competitor analysis

CONSUMERS

Existing Product Development (EPD)

Manufacturing process

Quality Monitoring (QA / QC)

New Product Development (NPD)

Storage

Sales

Purchasing

Shelf life determination

FACTORY

CONSUMERS

Preference Tests

Descriptive Test

Benchmarking Test

Discrimination Tests

Raw material spec: Sensory parameters


Focus group

Preference Tests

Marketing Descriptive Test

Process Control

FACTORYProduct Sensory spec

Acceptance Tests Discrimination Tests

Customer Sensory spec

Label descriptions /advertising

What are consumer

expectations? How does my product taste

compared to the

competition?

Which does the consumer

prefer?

Does the consumer like this

? And by how much ?

Which does the consumer

prefer?

Can people notice the change

made?

Discrimination /Descriptive TestsHow long before it tastes

different?

Is it consistent to last batch?

Descriptive TestsHow is it different? Informs

root cause analysis.

Difference from control tests

Is this adequate quality? Hold

/ release decisions.

How is my product

effected by the supply

chain? ‘Buy backs’

How to use sensory as a

selling point ?

Research & Controlled Studies

Sensory evaluation for SMEs – market awareness

Benchmarking posh

chocolates - Christmas

Market:

Sensory evaluation for SMEs – sorting based on sensory profile

Cider “Napping” –

Dad’s Dining Room

Table

Sensory evaluation for SMEs – looking for a difference

Discrimination Test, Apple Juice - Bramley

Apple Festival Southwell Minister

Sensory evaluation for SMEs – checking there’s no difference

Triangle Test, Botanical

Extracts –

At a grower / supplier’s farm office,

Hungary

Sensory evaluation for SMEs – Descriptive Profile & Ranking Test

Part 1: Beer Profiling

– Pub in Derby (local

beer drinkers)

Part 2: Beer Ranking

– My Dining Room

Table!

Practical – Basic Taste Recognition

You will taste solutions of the basic tastes using store cupboard

ingredients.

Do not contain:

• any of the official allergens as listed in 1169/2011

• alcohol

Vegan and vegetarian-friendly.

IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE YOU DON’T WANT TO CONSUME

TELL ME NOW …

Basic Tastes - Recognition Test

Answers

658

705

319

548

536

310

Discrimination Tests – THE TRIANGLE TEST

Scenario: Artisan Elderflower drink

Production Manager: “I can make an efficiency saving by changing the process”.

Owner: “Great, but won’t that affect the flavour of the drink…. ?”

Technical Manager: “The difference from trial runs is certainly not that huge…”

Golden Rules for Sensory

PEOPLE:

1. Use a group of people to make sensory assessments.

2. Be aware of individual differences in detection / perception.

3. Avoid coffee, mouth wash and smoking 2 hours before assessment.

4. Use palate cleansers:

(and leave time to palate

cleanse).

6. Don’t do too many

samples / have breaks.

7. Due diligence –

food safety.

Samples type tested Palate cleanser

Most products

Products with strong flavours or tastes that might persiste.g.: beer bitterness / spicy food / artificial sweeteners

Still, unchlorinated water (not mineral water).

+ Plain crackers/ water biscuits. Unflavoured, no salt.

For spicy food – milk.

Fatty /creamy / oily products Slice bland apple (e.g: Gala)

Products high in astringency

e.g.: tea (other products high in polyphenols –cider, rhubarb, cranberry juice)

0.1% pectin solution

Piece of melon

Golden Rules for Sensory

SAMPLES

4. CONSISTENT – size / shape / format / sample container / temperature

5. REPRESENTATIVE of batch / product

ENVIRONMENT

6. Avoid distraction

odours

conferring

7. Get out of factory wherever possible.

Golden Rules for Sensory - Sample Presentation

Create your own Random 3 digit numbers in Excel:

=RANDBETWEEN(1,999)

Triangle Test:


Labelling is inconsistent, draws attention to one sample.


Again different manner of labelling - font, colour, number of digits.

Different sample sizes – bias / not enough to evaluate for some

samples, too much to drink in others.



Same cups

Same labels

Same label position

3 digit random codes

All contain same amount:

30ml.

Practical – Triangle Test

Elderflower drink contains:

Water, sugar, lemon juice, fresh elderflowers, citric acid.

Does not contain:


• alcohol


Discrimination Tests – THE TRIANGLE TEST

• Often called a DISCRIMINATION / OVERALL DIFFERENCE TEST.

• “In general (using all senses) can you tell a difference between 2 samples”.

• Common situations: INGREDIENT CHANGE. PROCESS CHANGE.

• Allows you to declare if the samples are SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT or not.

• Does NOT allow you to say the samples are ‘SIMILAR’ where a significant

difference is found.

• Typically you have already determined that the samples pretty close in profile

and you want some data to decide one way or the other.

• Good number of people to use: 24 – 30 (most balanced : nos. divisible by 6)

Discrimination Tests – THE TRIANGLE TEST: Set up

• BALANCED DESIGN reduces bias.

• 6 possible orders of presentation:

where A = test sample

B = control sample

• BEST PRATICE:

Give first 6 people one each of the above; then repeat each presentation

order an equal number of times.

• Get organised – make a plan….

A A B

A B A

B A A

B B A

B A B

A B B

Discrimination Tests – THE TRIANGLE TEST: Results Analysis

Number of respondents from your test Number of people needed to correctly

identify the different sample in order to

declare a significant difference (p =

0.05; 95% confidence level)

6 5

7 5

8 6

9 6

10 7

11 7

12 8

13 8

14 9

15 9

16 9

17 10

18 10

19 11

20 11

21 12

22 12

23 12

24 13

25 13

26 14

27 14

28 15

29 15

30 15

31 16

32 16

33 17

34 17

35 17

36 18

… …

Critical Value Table for Triangle Test Data AnalysisData source: BS ISO 4120:2004 Triangle Test

95% confidence level • Typical for food industry sensory

• Only a 5% risk that you wrongly conclude the samples are different.

orYou are 95% confident of the conclusion fromthe test.

Discrimination Tests – A SME Difference from Control Test

QA during production

- e.g: raw materials /

intermediates

…preventative

QC finished product

…hold / release decision

IS THE PRODUCT / RAW MATERIAL

‘IN SPECIFICATION’ ?

IS THE PRODUCT / RAW

MATERIAL CONSISTENT WITH

PREVIOUS BATCHES?

IS THERE A DETECTABLE FAULT?

} Shelf – life testing NPD /

EPD

…determine BBE

Buy back testing

….QC once in supply chain

…pick up misuse / abuse

IS THE PRODUCT STILL RECOGNISABLE /

REPRESENTATIVE OF BRAND?

Discrimination Tests – A SME Difference from Control Test

Control / Reference Point Test samples

….Brand std.

Sample

OR

Documented

Standard

- Spec.

- QAS

- Photos

People – know product well / trained

Discrimination Tests – A SME Difference from Control Test – Set up

IN SPECIFICATION ACCEPTABLE OUT OF SPECIFICATION

A scoring system : assesses & decision making

RELEASE REJECT

Sensory

profile

matches

control

Profile

close but

some

variation

Taint

Off flavour

Different

profile

RELEASE

Root Cause Analysis

PRACTICAL – Basic Different from Control Test

Scenario: Daily QA Taste Panel in Brewery

Sample ingredient list:

Water, BARLEY malt, rice, hops.

• Remember to include Hidden Controls sometimes.

Validates Method

Validates Panel Ability

• Include a space for descriptive comment.

• Can develop a number of scales for key attributes.

Discrimination Tests – summary

• Are OBJECTIVE TESTs – no opinions / emotions involved!

• Who ? People from the company.

• Triangle Test is a commonly used overall difference test when you have 2

samples to test for general differences.

• Difference from Control Test is commonly used in QA/QC. Compare multiple

samples to a reference (specification/control sample) for overall difference.

• Paired Comparison Test is used for a specific attribute test when you have 2

samples to test for a difference in specific attribute (eg: which sample is

sweeter?).

• Ranking Test is used to test for difference of specific attribute test when there

are 3 or more samples.

Consumer Testing - PRACTICAL

Scenario: Acceptance test – Cloudy premium apple juice

I’ve just inherited an orchard, there are loads of apples, I’ve had some juice

made. I think it tastes wonderful! I’m going to start a business…

1) Do consumers like the taste of my new juice? Why ? and by how much?

2) Is it sweet enough for them ? (I could store the fruit, press later; make it sweeter)

3) How does their opinion of my

juice compare to their opinion

for competitor juices?

4) Will people buy my juice?

Consumer tests – general rules

PEOPLE:

Who ? :

How many ? :

Everything we said on slide 15 about people applies.

ENVIRONMENT:

Where?:

SAMPLES & PRESENTATION:

Safe, representative, consistent, 3 digit random codes, balanced presentation

orders…

Branding ?/ Not?

TARGET MARKET CONSUMERS

THE MORE THE BETTER – AT LEAST 100

SPECIFIC VENUE WITH INVITES or SHOWS/FESTIVALS/MARKETS

Context will affect the result you get.

Consumer Testing - PRACTICAL

Shall I do a preference test against Copella ?

What would that show us?

Whether the consumers prefer mine more than Copella’s.

What wouldn’t it show us?

Whether they like my juice at all. Preferable = not necessarily likeable.

How much they do or don’t like my juice in its own right.

How big the difference is between their liking for mine and Copella’s.

If they’ll buy it. Whether the sweetness level is perfect; only if preferable/not.

Consumer Testing – PRACTICAL – ACCEPTANCE TEST

ACCEPTANCE TEST will allow me to:

See if & how much they like:

a) my juice.

b) Copella juice. …..in their own right /against expectations.

Ask some more questions to understand key attributes important to product.

Each sample 1 by 1 + 9 point category scale:

“Please taste the sample & indicate your opinion by ticking a box below”


Sample ingredient list:

Apples, ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

Does not contain:


• alcohol



Diagnosis questions:

2) Comment: “Please explain why you scored it as you did?”

(I have not yet influenced them).

3) Just About Right scale: Sweetness (specific attribute)

“Please indicate by circling below, your opinion on the sweetness of the juice?”

(I have now influenced them, but I captured their unbiased thoughts first! So OK to ask this at this

point).

Consumer Testing - PRACTICAL– ACCEPTANCE TEST

1) Do consumers like the taste of my new juice? Why ? and by how much?

2) Is it sweet enough for them ? (I could store the fruit, press later; make it sweeter)

3) How does their opinion of my

juice compare to their opinion

for competitor juices?

4) Will people buy my juice?

How to improve design?

Consumer Testing -– ACCEPTANCE TEST - Results

Basic analysis results:

1) FREQUENCY of responses to each LIKING or JAR CATEGORY added up.

2) CALCULATE MODAL CATEGORY most frequently selected category.

3) PLOT GRAPHS

4) LOOK AT TRENDS - generally liking / disliking

5) TALLY COMMENTS > SEE TRENDS > USE TO EXPLAIN TRENDS

More advanced analysis:

• Statistical testing for significant difference can be applied.

Consumer Testing -– ACCEPTANCE TEST - Results

Consumer Testing - ACCEPTANCE TEST – Sum up

ACCEPTANCE TEST useful for:

1) Testing out NEW / NOVEL product on own or multiple recipes.

2) BENCHMARKING against competition.

3) Can add WHY? questions – discover KEY DRIVERS LIKING

….. drivers you weren’t thinking about

With packaging Do they like the

packaging and

branding ? How

much?

Will they try it ?

With packaging &

price & context

Is everything meeting

expectations?

Will they buy it?

Blind samples

No packaging

Do they like its

sensory properties?

How much?

Will they repeat

purchase ?

Wording & order

questions CRITICAL!

Descriptive Tests

• Putting words to sensory sensations, so you can

communicate about the product to others:

1) CHARACTERISE the product in detail

2) DEFINABLE

3) RELEVANT to those using the data

• Describes the facts ; no opinion.

• Sensory description important for: 1) specifications

2) quality attribute sheets

Often useful for marketing

Descriptive analysis – A qualitative profiling method for SMEs

PEOPLE:

Who ? :

How many ? :

Everything we said on slide 15 about people, sample presentation, consistency

applies.

Familiar / experienced with product.

Interested / willing.

People already good at verbalising sensations

6 - 8

Writing marketing material – consumers > consumer language.

Writing a specification – employees > language familiar to those in QA.

Pre-screening questionnaire


Scenario: Qualitative descriptive profiling – Crisps

A crisp manufacturer wants to characterise their new crisp product in order to

create a sensory description for a specification and quality attribute sheet.

Ingredient list/ special dietary info:

1st sample – Potatoes, sunflower oil, sea salt. Gluten free.

These chips are suitable for vegans.

2nd sample - Potato, high oleic sunflower oil (33%), salt.


1) GENERATE WORDS – ALONE – note down in grid provided.

2) DISCUSS as a group.

3) DEFINE the words.

Name reference benchmarks > training

4) REFINE TERMS – merge common descriptors.

5) KEEP A TALLY – no. of times a word is used by multiple people

Common usage > key attribute

A Basic Sensory Specification

Appearance:

Aroma:

Taste & flavour:

Mouthfeel/texture/trigeminal:

Aftertaste:

Basic Sensory Profile : X brand Ready Salted CrispsThis qualitative profile represents brand standard quality.

More Advanced Sensory Specification

Traffic Light Sensory Specification: X brand Ready Salted Crisps

BRAND STANDARD QUALITY ACCEPTABLE – for release UNACCEPTABLE – reject

Appearance

Aroma

Taste &

flavour

Trigeminal

sensations

Mouthfeel/

Texture

Aftertaste

Insert

photo

Insert

photo

Insert

photo


Descriptive

Profile

Key sensory properties

Acceptance

Test Data

How much liked

& why

Your product.

Competing

products

POWERFUL STUFF!!

• Market awareness.

• Informed product development.

properties to create

properties to avoid

In Summary

• You can get a lot of info. from some very simple tests, on a low budget.

• Have a clear objective and a good plan.

• Do everything possible to reduce bias in:

Samples

Way test is conducted

• Use the most appropriate people for each test & use as many as possible -

remember about individual differences in sensory acuity & perception.

• Give the people best possible environment to make good measurements for you.

• Practice required to aid descriptive ability – you & employees.

• Sensory evaluation has benefits operationally & commercially.

Other Sensory Workshops

For more detail:

19th September 2018

Sensory Evaluation Course

• Accredited by Institute of

Food Science and Technology.

• Exam to get an IFST certificate.

Please take a flyer ….

Further Work

For more information on sensory evaluation

or

bespoke sensory work

free to SMEs in

Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire

contact:

Alice Jones – Sensory Scientist

University of Nottingham

0115 951 6739

[email protected]

www.foodinnovationcentre.co.uk

mailto:[email protected]

enabling innovation getting started with sensory evaluation · golden rules for sensory people: 1....

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