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Training Agenda
Purpose of Sensory Training Common Off-Tastes & Causes Prerequisites for Sensory Tests Organization of Test Panel Off-Taste Training Off-Taste Testing
a scientific discipline to evoke, measure, analyze and interpret reactions to those characteristics of foods and materials as they are perceived by our basic senses .
TASTE - tongue taste buds (sour, salty, bitter, sweet) SMELL - Aromatic, sweet, sour, spicy HEAR - noise, perceptions SIGHT - color, freshness TOUCH - temperature
What is Flavor ? A sensory impression of both taste and olfaction perceived when food is placed in the mouth and reduced it for swallowing. Aromatic portion - sensed by nose Non-Aromatic portion - chemical feeling factors and basic taste
utilization of a uniform vocabulary for the description of sensorial impressions improvement of the sensory relevant memory repetition of typical off-flavor compounds
Samples
identical conditions of:
temperature : room temperature carbonation : according to formula appearance : clear glasses volume : about 30mL
Test Duration
Sample Preparation
coding of samples
no physical load (stress, illness) no hunger ( best time: 9-11 am) no smell at hands or clothing/strong smelling cosmetics no smoking/no food consumption (min 30 minutes before test) no strong spiced meals (at day before)/no lollys, chewing gum (before test)
voluntary participation on the tests interest in working with the human senses motivation capability for concentration at the tests availability at the planned dates kind of approval of the superiors of the testers low susceptibility for getting a cold (allergies)
Off-Taste Training
Off-taste Beverages two off-taste levels are used in this training program Level 2 produces a large degree of off-taste and is used in the initial familiarization phase of the training (FAMILIARIZATION) Level 1 produces a moderate degree of off-taste and is used in the secondary familiarization phase and in the reinforcement phase of the training (REINFORCEMENT)
Off-Taste Training
Familiarization
You will be presented with known samples to introduce each off-taste paired with a control sample. Compare the off-taste sample s aroma and taste to that of the control. Describe the off-taste in ways that create a sensory image of it. Discuss the sample s attributes among yourselves. Repeat the test as appropriate to learn each off-taste.
Off-Taste Training
Reinforcement
Tasters will be separated from each other to ensure independent judgments. A set of five unidentified, coded samples (one set for Coke, Coke Light, Sprite, Carbonated Water and Treated Water) will be presented to you. One or more of the five samples may be controls. Each person must identify the off-taste samples and nature of the off-taste and record it on a reinforcement ballot. Record the taster s performance: differentiating controls from samples with off-tastes, and characterizing the nature (such as chlorine) of the off-taste.
Off-Taste Training
Qualification
Only those trainees who achieve 75% or more correct judgements during the Reinforcement Phase are qualified to judge off-tastes in trade samples. Trainees who achieve a record of less than 75%correct judgements must repeat the entire program (Familiarization and Reinforcement) and achieve 75% correct judgements before being allowed to judge off-tastes in trade samples. For overall qualification purposes, a correct judgement is one where the trainee properly identified the off-taste sample, even if (s)he incorrectly characterized it.
Off-Taste Training
Qualification
There are cases where otherwise excellent tasters are unable to discern a individual off-taste. Performance during the Reinforcement Phase must be used to identify these individuals and to disqualify them from evaluating certain types of trade samples: Someone incapable of detecting metallic off-tastes must not taste canned products. Someone incapable of detecting sunstruct off-taste must not taste bottled products. Someone incapable of detecting fermented off-taste must not judge microbiologically sensitive products.