Sensory Analysis and Testing
Techniques
Programme Support Notes by: © Classroom Video Ltd 2011 Jane Waters
Produced by: Reproducing these support notes VEA Pty Ltd You may download and print one copy of these support notes from our website for your reference. Commissioning Editor: Further downloads, copying or printing MUST be Dee Powell reported to The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) as per the Copyright, Design and Patents
Act, 1988. Executive Producer: Edwina Baden-Powell
Sensory Analysis and Testing Techniques
For Teachers
Brief Summary of Programme
Sensory analysis is carried out in order to be able to evaluate the sensory qualities of food such as taste, texture, appearance and aroma. The results can be reflected upon and used to develop food products so that they better meet the needs of the target market.
This film will teach students how to select and use appropriate sensory analysis techniques during various stages of the design process. It will show them how to set up fair and effective tests and how to record results in a way which can be easily analyzed. This should allow students to create a detailed design solution which meets the design specification and the needs of the target market.
Film Timeline
00:00 Introduction 01.13 Good Practice 02:41 Preference Tests 05.34 Discrimination Tests 08.58 Difference Tests 10.19 Profile Tests 12.02 Designing a Product 16.38 The Final Design Idea 18.16 Credits
Other Background Information for Teachers
There are lots of different types of testing that students can carry out and this can be quite confusing. Different types of testing should be carried out at different points in the design process. At the initial ideas stage, when one whole product at a time is made, profiling is a good way of recording data and identifying what aspects of the product need to be improved. Once a number of ideas have been made a ranking test can put the ideas into an order of preference.
During development of a product, when one aspect of the design is focused on and small scale experimental type work takes place, preference and discrimination tests are very useful. For example, if a student wants to reduce the fat content of a pastry casing and has samples of pastry made with different ratios of fat, a preference or discrimination test will identify the most popular or suitable sample. If students want to carry out some blind testing, where the tester doesn’t know what the samples are, a difference test can be the most appropriate.
This film will explain the different tests and how and when they can be used. It also explains how to set up fair tests so that the data that is collected is not biased.
Useful Links http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/attachments/57f51aa6-d71c-44624dcb0049.pdf http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/attachments/15a63c96-f245-4cbb0d731be0.pdf http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=19§ionId=83&contentId=308 http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/attachments/db344022-7fa4-4a46b5c03972.pdf http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/attachments/276dbf05-695c-44942bb55825.pdf http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/attachments/ecbdbb13-3b55-485b8a1f9212.pdf
2 © Classroom Video Ltd www.ClassroomVideo.co.uk Reproducing or downloading this resource pack: You may download and print one copy of these support notes from our website for your reference. Further downloads, copying or printing MUST be reported to The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) as per the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988. Sensory Analysis and Testing Techniques
Initiate Prior Learning
1. In groups brainstorm all the reasons why you think sensory characteristic testing takes place in the food industry.
2. Identify all the points in the design process that you are following for your coursework where you think that you can carry out sensory characteristic testing.
3. Look at reviews of food products in magazines. What sensory characteristics have these reviews focused on? Have the reviews looked at any other issues such as portion size or cost?
3 © Classroom Video Ltd www.ClassroomVideo.co.uk Reproducing or downloading this resource pack: You may download and print one copy of these support notes from our website for your reference. Further downloads, copying or printing MUST be reported to The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) as per the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988. Sensory Analysis and Testing Techniques
Student Worksheet
Active Viewing Questions
1. How do you ensure fair testing?
______
______
______
2. What is a preference test?
______
3. What is a Hedonic Scale?
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4. In a ranking test why is it essential to hide the brand of product from the testers?
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5. What is a discrimination test?
______
6. What part of the design process would a discrimination test using rating be most useful?
______
7. What is difference testing?
______
8. How would you set up a triangle test?
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9. How do you record the results for a profile test?
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10. Why would you test your own products against similar products on the market?
______
11. When describing sensory characteristics, what language should you avoid?
______
12. What types of words would be useful to use when describing sensory characteristics?
______
4 © Classroom Video Ltd www.ClassroomVideo.co.uk Reproducing or downloading this resource pack: You may download and print one copy of these support notes from our website for your reference. Further downloads, copying or printing MUST be reported to The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) as per the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988. Sensory Analysis and Testing Techniques
Suggested Student Responses
1. How do you ensure fair testing? Make sure the tests are carried out in quiet area in a bright room, no strong smells, small samples of food, identical plain dishes and plates, provide water between each sample to cleanse the palette, codify the samples, have simple forms for testers to complete and have a reasonable number of testers.
2. What is a preference test? A comparison of two or more products.
3. What is a Hedonic Scale? You are still testing to see what people prefer but this time they choose from a range of possible responses e.g. like very much, dislike etc.
4. In a ranking test why is it essential to hide the brand of product from the testers? People may be swayed in their response by the brand and you will end up with biased data.
5. What is a discrimination test? You comment on an attribute of a product e.g. sweetness in carrots.
6. What part of the design process would a discrimination test using rating be most useful? During development.
7. What is difference testing? Aims to find out if there are clear distinctions between samples e.g. the triangle test.
8. How would you set up a triangle test? Of 3 samples 2 are the same. The other sample is the odd one out. Testers need to see if they can tell which is the odd one out.
9. How do you record the results for a profile test? On a star template.
10. Why would you test your own products against similar products on the market? You may find a way of improving the characteristics of your own product.
11. When describing sensory characteristics, what language should you avoid? Ok, nice, horrible, boring
12. What types of words would be useful to use when describing sensory characteristics? Use descriptive words to describe texture, smell, flavor and appearance e.g. tangy, bitter, sour, mushy, rich, stringy, and crumbly.
5 © Classroom Video Ltd www.ClassroomVideo.co.uk Reproducing or downloading this resource pack: You may download and print one copy of these support notes from our website for your reference. Further downloads, copying or printing MUST be reported to The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) as per the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988. Sensory Analysis and Testing Techniques
Extension Activities
1. Set up a preference test between 2 plain biscuit products. Ensure the test is fair. Follow the suggestions on the film for ensuring the test has no bias. Think about portion size, containers for presentation of samples, coding, location, lighting, noise and other food aromas that maybe present.
2. Carry out a preference ranking test for 6 different flavors of potato chips. Ask all the members in the class for their opinions. Which is the most popular chip flavor? Was it an outstanding winner or were the results between the flavors very close?
3. Carry out a triangle test for a famous brand breakfast cereal and a supermarkets own brand cereal such as cornflakes. Can the testers tell the difference between the samples?
4. Complete a profile test a product you have made. Ensure the words you use on the star template are descriptive words that describe flavor, appearance, texture or aroma. Use the results to explain how you could improve the product you have made.
6 © Classroom Video Ltd www.ClassroomVideo.co.uk Reproducing or downloading this resource pack: You may download and print one copy of these support notes from our website for your reference. Further downloads, copying or printing MUST be reported to The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) as per the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988.