The sensory aspects (appearance, aroma, flavour and texture characteristics) of novel plant-based alternatives play an essential part in food choice and therefore new product development, which drives the green transition. Sensory Descriptive Analyses (DA) with a trained panel, is a methodology that has been recognised as the gold standard for profiling, since it can contribute with detailed, validated and high-quality data. However, the extensive process for the selection and training of panellists, along with the detailed execution, while contributing to the method’s validity, is also resulting to resource constraints (e.g. time, money), limiting thereby its agility and widespread application. In response to this, rapid sensory characterization methods can provide a solution, since they have shown to provide good quality data while they can be applied with untrained or semi-trained panellists.
This MSc project will examine methodological aspects of sensory science application with a focus on examining the quality of data obtained by fast sensory methods, and especially those using a reference for comparison, depending on the research aim (such as sensory characterization, product discrimination etc.). This will involve planning and preparation of the sensory study design, executing the sensory evaluation with consumers or semi trained panellists and conducting the analyses of data.
The project is aligned to UN's SGD:
