Sensory Analysis For Food And Beverage Quality Control

Producing products of reliable quality is vitally important to the food and beverage industry. In particular, companies often fail to ensure that the sensory quality of their products remains consistent, leading to the sale of goods which fail to meet the desired specifications or are rejected by the consumer. This book is a practical guide for all those tasked with using sensory analysis for quality control (QC) of food and beverages. Chapters in part one cover the key aspects to consider when designing a sensory QC program. The second part of the book focuses on methods for sensory QC and statistical data analysis. Establishing product sensory specifications and combining instrumental and sensory methods are also covered. The final part of the book reviews the use of sensory QC programs in the food and beverage industry. Chapters on sensory QC for taint prevention and the application of sensory techniques for shelf-life assessment are followed by contributions reviewing sensory QC programs for different products, including ready meals, wine and fish. A chapter on sensory QC of products such as textiles, cosmetics and cars completes the volume. Sensory analysis for food and beverage quality control is an essential reference for anyone setting up or operating a sensory QC program, or researching sensory QC. Highlights key aspects to consider when designing a quality control program including sensory targets and proficiency testing Examines methods for sensory quality control and statistical data analysis Reviews the use of sensory quality control programs in the food and beverage industry featuring ready meals, wine and fish

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.

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.

Instrumental measurements of the sensory quality of food and drink are of growing importance in both complementing data provided by sensory panels and in providing valuable data in situations in which the use of human subjects is not feasible. Instrumental assessment of food sensory quality reviews the range and use of instrumental methods for measuring sensory quality. After an introductory chapter, part one goes on to explore the principles and practice of the assessment and analysis of food appearance, flavour, texture and viscosity. Part two reviews advances in methods for instrumental assessment of food sensory quality and includes chapters on food colour measurement using computer vision, gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O), electronic noses and tongues for in vivo food flavour measurement, and non-destructive methods for food texture assessment. Further chapters highlight in-mouth measurement of food quality and emerging flavour analysis methods for food authentication. Finally, chapters in part three focus on the instrumental assessment of the sensory quality of particular foods and beverages including meat, poultry and fish, baked goods, dry crisp products, dairy products, and fruit and vegetables. The instrumental assessment of the sensory quality of wine, beer, and juices is also discussed. Instrumental assessment of food sensory quality is a comprehensive technical resource for quality managers and research and development personnel in the food industry and researchers in academia interested in instrumental food quality measurement. Reviews the range and use of instrumental methods for measuring sensory quality Explores the principles and practice of the assessment and analysis of food appearance, flavour, texture and viscosity Reviews advances in methods for instrumental assessment of food sensory quality

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.

During the past thirty years, companies have recognized the consumer as the key driver for business and product success. This recognition has, in turn, generated its own drivers: sensory analysis and marketing research, leading first to a culture promoting the expert and then evolving into the systematic acquisition of consumer-relevant information to build businesses. Sensory and Consumer Research in Food Product Design and Development is the first book to present, from the business viewpoint, the critical issues faced by business leaders from both the research development and business development perspective. This popular volume, now in an updated and expanded second edition, presents a unique perspective afforded by the author team of Moskowitz, Beckley, and Resurreccion: three leading practitioners in the field who each possess both academic and business acumen. Newcomers to the field will be introduced to systematic experimentation at the very early stages, to newly emerging methods for data acquisition/knowledge development, and to points of view employed by successful food and beverage companies. The advanced reader will find new ideas, backed up by illustrative case histories, to provide another perspective on commonly encountered problems and their practical solutions. This book is aimed at professionals in all sectors of the food and beverage industry. Sensory and Consumer Research in Food Product Design and Development is especially important for those business and research professionals involved in the early stages of product development, where business opportunity is often the greatest.

The ?eld of sensory science has grown exponentially since the publication of the p- vious version of this work. Fifteen years ago the journal Food Quality and Preference was fairly new. Now it holds an eminent position as a venue for research on sensory test methods (among many other topics). Hundreds of articles relevant to sensory testing have appeared in that and in other journals such as the Journal of Sensory Studies. Knowledge of the intricate cellular processes in chemoreception, as well as their genetic basis, has undergone nothing less than a revolution, culminating in the award of the Nobel Prize to Buck and Axel in 2004 for their discovery of the olfactory receptor gene super family. Advances in statistical methodology have accelerated as well. Sensometrics meetings are now vigorous and well-attended annual events. Ideas like Thurstonian modeling were not widely embraced 15 years ago, but now seem to be part of the everyday thought process of many sensory scientists. And yet, some things stay the same. Sensory testing will always involve human participants. Humans are tough measuring instruments to work with. They come with varying degrees of acumen, training, experiences, differing genetic equipment, sensory capabilities, and of course, different preferences. Human foibles and their associated error variance will continue to place a limitation on sensory tests and actionable results. Reducing, controlling, partitioning, and explaining error variance are all at the heart of good test methods and practices.