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Sensory
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Ever been lost and late for an appointment? If so, you've probably weighed the question of just driving onward versus stopping to ask for directions.
That's sort of the issue facing new product developers who may often feel they're trying to beat the clock to introduce a new product in record time. Meanwhile, there can be a heightened level of stress while trying to perform the usual battery of sensory tests. After all, every processor still wants to ensure a certain degree of product success.
So what's the answer? When it comes to sensory testing, many processors say they are taking the time to get help from outside labs. Likewise, processors including Sara Lee Bakery say they also are conducting more consumer panel sensory tests (than descrimination or descriptive tests) to ensure the product is on target.
”We test with [panels of] consumers for all types of reasons including product improvements, new developments, cost reductions and even new suppliers,” says Marcia Young, Sara Lee's senior manager for consumer research in Arlington Heights, Ill.
Ms. Young adds that although Sara Lee has access to its own in-house sensory research, the company is turning to outside firms for focus group and simulated home environment testing. Sara Lee likewise uses outside firms for demographic tests outside the Chicago area.
Dan Kroll is vice president of Chicago's Peryam & Kroll Market & Sensory Research Corp., just one of many sensory research firms in the industry. ”Sensory testing provides the processor with more information to develop a product quicker,” he says. ”The process helps processors make sure that the quality of the finished product is high.”
Mr. Kroll and others say the need for speed in new product development makes sensory research more critical. Meanwhile, the area of consumer testing is taking on a more important role, although still in conjunction with trained panel tests.
It's
important to remember that consumer and trained panels are used at different
stages of new product development. For example, trained panels are used
primarily for initial descriptive sensory testing: to quantify and describe
differences between samples. Consumer panels, on the other hand, give
an indication of overall product acceptance.
Trained panelists can be taught to identify four basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Beyond that, advanced training can help a group hone in on one specific product area, such as frozen pies. Once a panelist has been trained for one specific product, it is relatively easy to train him for a different product.
Mona Reinhard, scientist, sensory evaluation for Mid-America Farms, (a division of Mid-America Dairymen Inc.), Springfield, Mo., uses trained panels as part of the product development process for Mid- America's industrial cheese powders and other ingredients. Using employees, the training begins with a basic screening of bitter, sour, sweet and salty solutions.
Panelists that pass this screening go on to training for a specific product. This stage involves looking at important attributes and standards, and developing references for the particular product being studied. ”Spiked” samples (samples that have been intentionally altered) are also evaluated. The panelists then learn to score these products on acceptability scales, rating the degree of difference of a test sample from the reference sample on a scale of 1-10.
In order to keep a trained panel “trained,” they must be utilized on a fairly regular basis. Ms. Reinhard says she works with her trained panels periodically, but sometimes a review or ”recalibration” is necessary.
Julie Ann Olson, business development manager for Tragon Corp., Redwood City, Calif., admits that most processors rely on in-house sensory testing. She cautions, however, that in-house panels can unknowingly lead to biases. Sometimes employee panelists can figure out what samples they are tasting, and respond ”as they think they should.”
She concludes, ”By using an outside testing lab to compare to in- house results, processors can get a better read on the market.” Barbara Klein, professor of foods and nutrition at the University of Illinois, also advocates get- ting a good read on the market.
On the subject of consumer panels, Professor Klein recommends using consumer panels over the expected shelf-life of a particular product.
It's a particularly critical issue for refrigerated items, she notes. A product with a six-month shelf-life, for example, may test well at two months, but needs to be verified again at the end of the six-month period. ”It's easy to test for color and texture in the lab, but a product also needs to be given to a taste panel to be evaluated for flavor changes over time,” she says. ”Ultimately, only sensory testing will tell if a product is well-liked.”
Reprinted
with permission of Stagnito Communications Inc. / An MWC Company, 1935
Shermer Road, Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 205-5660. ©1997 Refrigerated & Frozen Foods.