Food Technology
Sensory Analysis
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Learning objectives
Learning objectives
To understand about the use of sensory analysis to guide
decisions about food products.
To know how to produce accurate and fair results when
carrying out sensory analysis.
To learn about the different types of tests which can be
used in sensory analysis.
To understand how sensory analysis is used by food
manufacturers.
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Describing a product
What statements do people
usually make when they taste
and try out food?
Urgh,
This isIvery
don’t
like
nice!
this!
If food is being tasted as part of research
to help develop food products, such
statements should not be used – in fact
they are banned!
This is because they do not tell you any detail
about the product being tasted – for example,
how you could make it nicer or less horrible.
Instead, descriptive adjectives should be used
to describe the product.
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What sensory organs are used?
Hear the
snap of a
crunchy
biscuit and
the fizz of a
drink.
Touch a
ripe pear
and
crusty
bread.
Taste
lemons,
chocolate
and blue
cheese.
Smell
coffee
and
bread
freshly
made.
See a ripe
banana
and a trifle
decorated
with piped
cream.
When tasting food and describing what the food
is like, descriptive adjectives should be used.
This is done by using all five sensory organs.
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Can you guess the food being described?
a crumbly and fatty base with a yellow,
rich,
fatty,
sweet,
light
brown
with
a
ajuicy,
fragrant,
meaty,
juicy,
a
little
orange,
spicy,
sweet
a
little
and
smooth,
tangy
and
sweet
filling
as
well
yeasty, crumbly, doughy
bit
of
a crunch
then
smooth
fruit
aoval
longbut
thin
shape
as achewy,
light,
sweet,
fluffy
and
eggy
topping
lemon
meringue
mango
bread
chocolate
sausage
pie
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How is sensory analysis carried out?
How can sensory analysis be carried out so that it is fair?
Three different types of test (descriptive, preference
and discrimination) are used in sensory analysis.
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What are descriptive tests?
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What are preference tests?
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What are discrimination tests?
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Sensory analysis quiz
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How is sensory analysis used in industry?
Food manufacturers use sensory analysis to develop new
products and check the quality of existing products. Sensory
analysis is used to:
monitor regular samples from the production line
measure the shelf life of a product
find out if people can distinguish between a ‘new improved’
product and the original one
monitor the development of a new product
check that a new product is liked by consumers.
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Key points
Key points
Sensory analysis is a key activity as it guides
decisions about food products.
Sensory analysis uses all the senses to
systematically taste food and record the
experience.
There are descriptive, preference and
discrimination tests.
Each test is suitable for different purposes and
situations.
Descriptive tests are used for evaluating food
against a specification.
Tests should be fair to get accurate results.
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