Basic Training Course on Sensory Analysis OFF-TASTE TRAINING

Training Agenda
Purpose of Sensory Training Common Off-Tastes & Causes Prerequisites for Sensory Tests Organization of Test Panel Off-Taste Training Off-Taste Testing

What is Sensory Evaluation ?

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 .

What are the 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

 strengthening of the sensorial perceptions and determination of the differences

 familiarization with the properties of the test

Purpose of Sensory Training / Taste Testing

products

determination of the sensorial quality criteria

common tests for odor & flavor impressions

 utilization of a uniform vocabulary for the description of sensorial impressions  improvement of the sensory relevant memory repetition of typical off-flavor compounds

Purpose of Sensory Training / Taste Testing

Consistent product standard Shelf-life determination Consumer Satisfaction / Preference Determine factors that directly affect beverage quality Determine off-taste

Common Off-Taste & Causes

Coca-Cola fermented oxidized chlorine metallic salty plastic Coke light chlorine oxidized sulfide low-aspartame high alkalinity flavor carry-over Sprite chlorine soda water plastic chlorine musty treated water chlorine metallic

Common Off-Taste & Causes Fermented

live yeasts and other organisms in water or beverage live yeasts in primary containers

Common Off-Taste & Causes Oxidized

effect intense in beverage containing juice & vitamin fortification intense sunlight exposure causing general loss of flavor and character Gas exchange in NRPET ; CO2 escapes out and O2 diffuses in causing vital flavoring components to oxidize producing off-flavors and rapid product aging

Common Off-Taste & Causes Chlorine / Chlorinated

bitter taste caused by chlorinated water or incomplete rinsing after sanitation chlorine combining with impurities in destroying delicate flavors & pleasing odors of beverage may combine with phenols in water to form chlorophenols excessive chlorination also leads to more THM

Common Off-Taste & Causes Metallic

presence of iron, lead, or manganese in water exposure of highly acidified syrups or carbonated water to corrosive materials such as brass, copper, lead or galvanized / black iron.

Common Off-Taste & Causes Salty

high mineral content of water sodium combined with chlorides in water medicinal taste caused by sulfates in water bitter taste with excessive foaming when sulfates combine with sodium in water

Common Off-Taste & Causes Others

Plastic immediate container Sulfide Low Aspartame High Alkalinity Flavor Carry-over

Prerequisites for Sensory Tests

Test Room
 separate room  neutral bright  air conditioned  no noise distractions  no optical distractions  adequate distance of the testers (booths)  apertures for passing of sensory glasses

Prerequisites for Sensory Tests

Samples
 identical conditions of:
    temperature : room temperature carbonation : according to formula appearance : clear glasses volume : about 30mL

Test Duration

 maximum 30 minutes  in case of large sample numbers : intermissions

Sample Preparation
 coding of samples

Prerequisites for Sensory Tests

Equipment of the working places  glass expectorant cup

 carbon-filtered (chlorine-free) water  unsalted plain crackers

Prerequisites for Sensory Tests

Test Persons
 no psychological pressure (time lack, anxiety)/

 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)

Organization of a Test Panel

Criteria for the selection of the test panel
      

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 What to do during Taste Test?

Check color or appearance of samples very closely. Watch particularly for any off-color, sediment, floating particles, or oil slick Smell each sample with short, full sniffs. Taste each sample by sipping a small amount. Move the sample around the tongue to contact all areas. At the same time, draw in small amounts of air to carry aromas to your nose After tasting a sample, wait until all after-tastes are gone before proceeding to the next sample. If you wish, shuffle the samples and repeat tasting with your eyes closed. Remember that first judgments are usually the most reliable. Do not rush taste testing.

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.

QUALITY SHOWS IN OUR EVERY ACTION

QUALITY RESIDES IN OUR SOULS