Selection and Training of Sensory Panelists and Methods of Sensory Evaluation

We have already learnt the definition of sensory evaluation and its uses, the primary senses and their role in evaluating the quality of a food, and the design and requirements of a sensory laboratory. We also understood that consumers accept or reject a food product on the basis of eating quality that includes aroma, taste, texture, colour and appearance. They evaluate these attributes with the help of their primary senses. Therefore, it is inevitable that, modern food processing units should examine the quality of food before packaging and marketing their products adopting the same analytical tools, i.e. sensory methods. Analysis of sensory properties of food involves the use of human subjects in the laboratory/processing plant environment. The sensitivity and experience of an evaluator (panelist) influence the accuracy of results. The evaluator should work like a calibrated instrument and provide reproducible results. The selection of most stable and sensitive panel members and their training, is therefore, very essential for efficient conduct of sensory analysis of dairy products.