EFFECT OF SAMPLE NUMBERS ON THE SENSORY ACUITY OF A TRAINED GROUND BEEF TEXTURE PANEL

Trained sensory panelists evaluated 8,12 or 18 samples of ground beef at each meeting to determine the effect of sample numbers on panelist perception of certain sensory properties. Six ground beef formulations were selected to represent a broad range of fat and connective tissue content. Panelists evaluated samples for tenderness, connective tissue amount and juiciness. Sensory ratings were affected by formulation, anticipation of sample numbers and actual number of samples (sample x session). Although panelists discriminated among formulations presented in the last six samples somewhat differently from the way they discriminated among the same formulations presented in the first six samples, there was little evidence that the panel became less sensitive.