Sensory Evalution
A Unit of Charles Viollette Research Institute
The expertise of ISA Lille’s Food Quality laboratory is focused on sensory analysis. The main research area of the team is based on a better understanding of the mechanisms of product evaluation.
We conduct experiments with different panelists to improve the training techniques used to make “experts”, and also to develop new methodologies for product sensory evaluation.
Students in our Food Science department conduct their own sensory evaluations and consumer tests, giving them extensive hands-on experience in real-world research and development of food products. By the end of their studies at ISA Lille, our Food Science students are well-versed in running consumer tests and analyzing the results.
The laboratory has, among others, developed a specific expertise on beers, sugars and milk sensory evaluation. The main problem in sensory analysis is to educate sensory “experts” who will be able to describe and compare products. This training of expert panelists needs time and represents a high level of investment, so it is important to understand how experts differ from untrained consumers during testing evaluations. Finally, it is also a way to see if one day experts could be replaced by non-expert panelists while keeping the same level of product evaluation performance.
