BASIC SENSORY EVALUATION METHODS CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS

Description: Food quality assessment will always remain a major problem for everyone engaged in food processing, research, product development and quality control. This is so because food characteristics are associated with the great variations in man's sensory perception. There is, therefore, that constant need to find the best measure of food attributes which is both precise and accurate. A scientific approach to sensory evaluation is the only answer to this need. This three-day seminar-workshop is expected to provide an overview on the concepts and applications of sensory evaluation as well as utilize different basic sensory evaluation methods that a company uses to measure a product's characteristics and acceptability.

Objectives. At the end of the 24-hr seminar/workshop, the participants shall be able to:
   - Learn the importance and uses of sensory evaluation methods;
   - Utilize basic sensory evaluation methods in the workshops; and
   - Know how to analyze and interpret sensory assessment results through
     properly designed statistical methods.

Who can benefit from the program. All individuals interested in measurement of customer satisfaction through determination of their level of acceptance or preferences of products or services and who has the desire to identify the features or characteristics of a product or service which are critical to the customers will benefit much from the program.

Methodology. A combination of lecture, discussion, group dynamics and workshops. There will be a pre- and post-tests, as well as participant's performance monitoring for the duration of the program.

Outline
DAY 1
  - Opening Program & Group Dynamics
  - Program Orientation
  - Pre-Test
  - Introduction to Sensory Evaluation
  - Concepts and Applications
  - Requirements for Sensory Evaluation
  - Types of Sensory Evaluators
  - Selection and Training of Sensory Panelists
  - Motivations for Sustaining Panelist Cooperation
  - Sensory Evaluation Methods (Basic)
  - Workshop Ia - Application of Sensory Evaluation Methods with
    Simplified Statistical Analysis and Interpretation
  - Workshop 1b - Recognition of Selected Basic Tastes (Optional)
  - Workshop Output Presentation by Teams and Processing of Results

   Expected Day 1 Output: Participants prepared and conducted sensory
   evaluation activities; collected and analyzed results statistically and
   prepared a report of the sensory evaluation activity.

DAY 2
  - Retention Test and Group Dynamics
  - Points of Clarification

  - Quality Assessment and Monitoring through Sensory Evaluation
  - Approaches to Difference Testing (simple, directional and paired)
  - Introduction to Statistical Analysis and Test of Hypothesis
  - Methods of Statistical Analysis (cont.)
  - Bi-variate Difference Tests
  - Multivariate (non-parametric)
  - Workshop IIa - Difference Testing and Statistical Analysis
     (simple, directional and Paired)
  - Workshop IIb - Differentiation of Selected Odor Sensations
     (optional, if time permits)
  - Presentation of Workshop Outputs and Processing

    Expected Day 2 Output:
       * Prepared and conducted selected Sensory Evaluation Method
       * Analyzed statistically collected data and interpreted results
       * Prepared a report of results of tests and analysis

DAY 3
  - Application Test and Group Dynamics
  - Affective Sensory Evaluation Tests (multi-sample tests)
       * Difference Tests
       * Preference Test
       * Multi-Sample Tests and Presentations
  - Tests of Hypothesis
       * Experimental Designs & their Matrices
       * Multi-variate Tests and Analysis
       * Duncan's Multiple Range Test
  - Post Test
  - Odor/Flavor Differentiation Test (optional)
  - Workshop III - Difference and Preference Tests (multi-sample)
                           Tests of Hypothesis Multi-variate Analysis
  - Workshop Output Presentation and Processing
  - Integration, Evaluation and Closing Program

     Expected Day 3 Output:
        * Prepared and conducted multi-sample tests
        * Statistically analyzed and interpreted results
        * Prepared a report of sensory evaluation activities
  

Duration: 24 hours