SENSORY EVALUATION BASED ON VERBAL JUDGMENTS

Studies of the repeatability and the homogeneity of expert panel scores in sensory profiling show that lasting and reliable evaluations of food products are difficult to obtain: strong inter- and intra-individual differences are commonly observed. Our hypothesis is that this variability is due to quantification methods that consist of asking panelists to furnish quantitative values (by attributing a numerical point to perceived intensity) and that using natural language in the form of verbal judgements in a hierarchical tree would allow improving the reliability of sensory evaluations. This hypothesis was tested by comparing a numerical value scale and a specific hierarchical semantic scale that subjects devised themselves prior to the experiment. The products (chocolate dessert creams) were evaluated using each of the two methods. The results show that the capacity to discriminate between products is better when verbal judgements are used. We discuss the advantages of hierarchical semantic scales for sensory profiling.     

NOTE ON COMPUTERIZED DATA COLLECTION IN CONSUMER SENSORY EVALUATION

Panelists with computer experience (n = 24) and without (n = 26) rated three foods representing liked, neutral and disliked categories using a 9-point hedonic scale on computer and paper ballots. In paired t-test results between computer and ballot ratings, no differences were found in overall acceptance, flavor and appearance attributes. Regression analysis indicated a significant (p<0.01) linear relationship between computer and paper ballot ratings. Computer ballot ratings for overall acceptance were comparable to paper ballot ratings in a consumer sensory evaluation test. Slight differences in overall acceptance were found between computer and paper ballot responses from panelists with and without computer experience. GLM indicated the group without computer experience rated overall acceptance and flavor attributes for cereal, and appearance and flavor attributes for potato chips significantly higher (p<0.05) than panelists with computer experience.     

COMPARING TRANS-FAT AND TRANS-FAT-FREE DOUGHNUT SHORTENINGS BASED ON SENSORY EVALUATION AND OIL DEGRADATION

This is an initiative study on the use of trans -fat-free products in the bakery industry. A standardized doughnut product was cooked in three doughnut shortenings, one containing trans fat and two that were trans fat-free. Six hundred forty-one panelists, students, faculty and staff of a large northeastern university rated each of the three doughnuts on a variety of categories, including texture, moisture content and overall liking. Results showed that there were no significant differences between doughnuts cooked in the three shortenings – this was true for all attributes tested.
The results from this study have many significant implications for the foodservice industry, as they work to cut down or eliminate the use of trans fats in their establishments because of the significant health risks they have been proven to cause.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

This study demonstrates the variances on texture, taste, appearance and overall liking characteristics of doughnuts fried in different doughnut shortenings. The nutritional breakdown of the doughnuts and the shortenings are also addressed. In the case of shortenings, the ideal type of fat is a mixture of canola, soybean and hydrogenated cottonseed. This shortening mixture, which is trans fat-free, produced the most preferred doughnut.     

SENSORY EVALUATION OF IRRADIATED BEEF AND BACON

Vacuum-packed beef and bacon were treated with gamma- radiation (1–10 KGy) from CO⁶⁰ and stored for 3 months at + 4°C. The samples were evaluated by a trained sensory laboratory panel, directly after irradiation, and after 3 months. Samples given 1.0 KGy and higher doses were found to be significant different from nonirradiated samples at both times of testing. A higher intensity of off-taste, rancidity, metallic taste and sweetness, and a lower intensity of juiciness and color saturation were found in all the irradiated samples. Off-taste and rancidity were found to increase with increasing doses, and were best explained when analyzed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA).     

SENSORY EVALUATION OF MANGO DRINKS USING FUZZY LOGIC

Three brands of ready to serve mango drinks namely 'Frooti', 'Real'and 'Slice'that are available in the market were used for sensory evaluation along with the vacuum dried reconstituted mango powder drink. Mango powder was produced from mango pulp of 'Totapuri'variety with addition of Maltodextrin, Glycerol monostearate and Tri calcium phosphate at rate of 0.62, 0.015 and 0.015 kg per kg dry mango solid, respectively. These ingredients were added for getting a nonsticky free flowing powder. The pulp along with the ingredients was dried in a vacuum drier at 70 ± 2C and 710–750 mm Hg vacuum. Fuzzy logic analysis was used for finding out the best of the three market mango drinks. BrimA index (a criterion for acceptance of fruit juice) and total solid (kg per kg drink) of the reconstituted mango drink was adjusted based on the BrimA index and total solid values of the best market drink. The reconstituted mango drink satisfied the quality criteria set for 'mouth feel'but not the color, smell and taste.     

SENSORY AND INSTRUMENTAL EVALUATION OF STRAWBERRY YOGURT COLOR

Eleven samples of strawberry yogurt prepared with different red color concentrations using Ponceau 4R (E-124) were evaluated by instrumental and sensory methods. Color intensity evaluation was carried out by a panel of eight assessors specifically trained to measure strawberry color in yogurt. Color acceptability was measured with 120 regular and frequent consumers of yogurt. Color was measured with a Minolta Chroma Meter CR-200b, obtaining parameters L*, a* and b*. Principal component analysis was performed on the instrumental variables. Regression models between the instrumental first principal component, red color concentration, sensory intensity, and acceptability allowed determining quality control limits for red color attribute. These limits may be controlled by selecting either instrumental or sensory methods, being the latter easy to implement and providing dependable results.     

SENSORY EVALUATION METHODS FOR TACTILE PROPERTIES OF FABRICS

Sensory evaluation of tactile properties of fabrics is a subject many researchers have studied for years and which still has importance and is also open to improvements. Particularly for suitings, the sensory evaluation of fabric handle or of other tactile properties has a greater importance. This article explains sensory evaluation techniques for stiffness, thickness and smoothness, which are the components of fabric handle of suitings. These sensory techniques are introduced by the authors and studied in 100% worsted wool suitings. The concordances of sensory test results are investigated by Kendall's concordance test, and correlation analyses are carried out to examine the relations between sensory results.     

跨太平洋生物入侵研究展望

跨太平洋生物入侵是当代最受关注、最具影响的生物学现象之一 ,这一过程导致并促进了新东亚 -北美间断分布格局 (与许多众所周知的古间断分布相对应 )的形成。为了更好地了解这一现象以及相关的生物类群 ,我们探讨了以下几个问题 :1)哪些类型的物种参与或可能会参与跨太平洋生物入侵 ,2 )这些入侵种在入侵之后会发生什么变化以及会导致什么样的后果 ,3)为了有效地监控生物入侵 ,我们应该从哪些方面着手研究入侵种及其原生和非原生生境。为了解决这些问题 ,我们应该对原产地和入侵地的这些物种进行比较研究 ,这些研究包括 :1)遗传学 ,2 )生活史 /形态学 (如 :个体大小、种子大小等 ) ,3)生态学 (如 :生活型 /生长型、传粉媒介和竞争对手等 ) ,4 )在原产地和入侵地的地理分布 (如 :分布区的大小、形状以及纬度等 ) ,5 )物理影响因子 (如土壤、水分和气候等 )。这些研究的目的在于 :1)确定外来种在其原生生境中影响其分布的限制因子 ,2 )了解入侵种能够在入侵地成功的原因 ,3)预测可能进一步发生的生物入侵 ,4 )为有效地监控和管理生物入侵提供资料。     

TASTE GROUP THRESHOLDS AND SENSORY EVALUATION OF SPANISH WINE VINEGARS

Wine vinegar is a product obtained from wine acidification which contains at least 5% by wt. of acetic acid, in general without any additives or colorings.
Aspects studied in this work include: the determination of the taste group thresholds (geometric mean of the individual best-estimate thresholds "BET") of two different acids (citric and acetic acids) in aqueous solution and spanish vinegars produced from table and sherry wines. The results obtained suggest that wine vinegar can be considered something more than just an acidulant agent.
In order to evaluate differences among wine vinegars, discriminant tests for twenty-five spanish vinegars (sherry, table and flavored vinegars) were applied. Six of the twelve attributes freely chosen by assessors allowed grouping of the spanish wine vinegars according to their sensory aspects.     

WHEELCHAIR-MODIFIED SENSORY BOOTHS DO NOT INFLUENCE EVALUATION OF CHOCOLATE PUDDING

The objective of this study was to demonstrate that the dimensions of a sensory booth modified to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) guidelines have no impact on consumer evaluations of chocolate pudding. One set of booths each were constructed per ASTM and ADA guidelines. Control pudding was prepared according to package directions with 2% fat milk; other treatments were modified with red food coloring, sugar or nonfat milk. Twenty-four panelists evaluated instant chocolate puddings in directional difference and hedonic tests in each type of booth. Booth type and test date had no effect on judgments.