Emerging Methods for the Evaluation of Sensory Quality of Food: Technology at Service

Abstract

Purpose of Review Sensory evaluation holds vital significance in the food sector. Typically, humans conduct sensory analysis. Humans, being the ultimate consumers, assess food traits effectively. However, human judgment is influenced by various factors. Hence, countering subjectivity is crucial for objective evaluation while retaining hedonic insights. Recent Findings Food’s sensory assessment primarily employs humans. Various techniques differentiate, depict, or rank food. Modern sensory tools, aiming to enhance objectivity and reliability, are emerging to supplement or supplant human assessment. This advance can bolster quality, consistency, and safety by mimicking human senses such as smell, taste, and vision, mitigating risks tied to human assessors. Summary This paper provides a review about sensory analysis of food using technological methodologies. A review of different technological tools to analyze sensory characteristics of food, as well as a discussion of how those technological tools can relate to humans’ perception of food is presented.

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“…Initially considered a complement to technological and microbiological assessments, sensory analysis has become a cornerstone of innovation and product development. Traditional techniques such as discrimination tests, descriptive analysis, and consumer tests laid the foundation for more advanced methodologies, including check-all-that-apply (CATA), napping (N), and flash profile (FP), each offering unique insights into product characteristics [160][161][162].…”

“…Facial expression analysis, heart rate monitoring, skin conductance assessment, and eye-tracking technologies offer valuable data on emotional and physiological reactions to food and beverage products. These innovative tools shed light on consumer preferences, helping researchers and industry professionals tailor products to meet evolving tastes and preferences [161,163].…”

“…Meanwhile, the E-tongue quantifies basic tastes like sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami, generating comprehensive fingerprints of food and beverage products. These capabilities facilitate quality control measures and consumer satisfaction initiatives [160,161,163].…”