Sensory Evaluation

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Course Details

Course Name: Sensory Evaluation
Course Code: LF0606CA24
Date of Most Recent Offering: November 8 and 9, 2023 (Cancelled)

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Course Overview

Great food products delight many senses all at once. In fact, the sensory quality of a food product is the single most important factor influencing its success in the marketplace. You can increase the chances of a product’s success in today’s food and pharmaceutical markets if you can understand and measure the sensory quality of foods.

Through lectures and demonstrations, you will:

• Examine the pros and cons of different food sensory tests, set up testing procedures, and evaluate real products.
• Develop the practical skills necessary to set up your own discrimination tests, create testing protocol, apply real test procedures, and interpret what the results mean for your food product.
• Learn how to evaluate the sensory quality of food products using statistical descriptive analysis.
• Perform statistical tests using easy-to-learn steps and then progress to more complex assessment techniques.

NOTE: A background in statistics is NOT required for this course. For more advanced food science statistical training, be sure to register for Making Sense of the Numbers: Statistics for Food Scientists.

Featured Topics

• Discrimination Tests: Since there is no universal test method, each problem must be thoroughly analyzed before a specific test method is selected. Come learn the discrimination test methods designed to determine whether there is a perceived difference between samples.
• Descriptive Analysis: Learn the analysis method models used to determine specific issues. Learn the types of panels, issues involved in the development of program, what to demonstrate, and the specific description analysis methods.
• Consumer Testing Procedures and Issues: Learn the methods used to assess consumer responses to products, product ideas, and specific product characteristics that give a snapshot of the potential success of a product.
• Statistical Discussion: Learn the statistical analysis of rating scale data, how to monitor the sensory panelist performance, how to design and analyze discrimination tests, how to sample serve order designs, product formulation designs, and methods relating variables. Don’t worry – a background in statistics is NOT required!
• Sensory Data Relations: Learn why it’s important to validate data, how to validate it using different testing methods, and understand the product, the processes and the consumer response.
• Flavor Descriptive Terminology and Time Intensity Measurement: Learn the different flavor profiles, methods, different descriptive terminology, and how flavor is enhanced by the environment. The key to making a food taste great? Making the product delight many of the senses at once.
• Recent Developments in Sensory Research: Learn the most recent developments in the field of Sensory Research.

Who Should Attend?

Any food industry professional who wants to better understand the sensory characteristics of food will benefit from participating in this training course. Past attendees have included:

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Speakers

Corby Bacco, PepsiCo

Corby Bacco is a senior product and consumer researcher with 20+ years of experience in diverse product categories. In his current role, Corby leads research for key business and innovation initiatives globally for PepsiCo. This includes both qualitative and quantitative consumer research as well as sensory panel research to provide holistic understanding of the consumer and product experience. He earned his BS degree from Colorado State University in Food Science and, later, his MS degree in Sensory Science from Kansas State University.

Kristen Marchetti, McCormick & Company Inc.

Kristen Marchetti is a Sensory & Consumer Scientist at McCormick & Company where she leads research to support product and packaging development efforts as they relate to the holistic consumer eating experience. She has conducted and published research on the impact that emotions have on food choice as well as the consumer emotional response to specific food products and categories. Kristen earned two BS degrees in Biology and Food Science and an MS in Food Science with a focus on Sensory from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (i.e., Virginia Tech).

Viktor Mirtchev, CVS

Viktor is a Director of Data and Analytics Strategy in the area of AI and Big Data at CVS.  Viktor is the former AI Team leader for Boston Consulting Group, where he provided consulting to industry leading companies in AI.  Prior to BCG, as a Senior Manager of Marketing Analytics and R&D for the Kraft Heinz Company, he supported marketing, product development, and quality efforts. He obtained two BS degrees in Statistics and Computer Science, an MS in Applied Statistics, and an MBA.

Neeta Y. Yousaf, Ph.D., Curion Partnership Solutions

Neeta holds a Ph.D. in Food Science with a focus on sensory and consumer science from Rutgers University. She has conducted and published research on individual differences in human perception of astringency and trained at PepsiCo and Nestle Health Sciences as part of her industry experience. She is passionate about teaching sensory science and in her professional role, the application of sensory science principles into categories beyond foods and beverages. She currently manages the sensory claims testing and research program at SC Johnson as part of Curion’s Onsite Partnership Solutions Program in Racine, Wisconsin. Neeta is the 2019 recipient of the prestigious Rose Marie Pangborn Scholarship Award. She is an active member of IFT, SSP, and AChemS and in the past has served various volunteer roles in the IFTSA Board of Directors and local IFT chapters.

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