14 Training a Sensory Panel

• Stimulus detection (threshold). This is usually done using a stimulus perception test for each basic taste: caffeine/quinine (bitter), citric acid (sour), NaCl (salt), sucrose (sweet), MSG (umami).

• Recognition and differentiation based on taste intensity, texture, or colour. This can be done by for example by indirect testing of samples are selected for this training.

• Recognition of description and application of attributes so that every panellist rates the attribute in the same way (e.g., what does stickiness mean?).

• Application of scales: how to use the scale in different settings. When this step is done, every panellist should be able to rate a specific intensity of a sample on the same place on the scale.

Figure 14. Example of a panel training scheme. Source: Teo et al., (2018) ^[1].

After the training, this analytical panel can either be used as an instrument to discriminate between products based on attributes or to describe food products in terms of analytical attributes.

Analytical panels can be further trained to become expert panels with specific product training. Expert panels are better at describing small differences between products compared to analytical panels as they are trained on specific products and attributes that are important for that specific product.

Panels are usually monitored on their performance over time, and they will receive additional training if needed. Companies often keep their training programs and monitoring data of their panels to themselves. In Video 7, it is explained how a company can apply training programs to a sensory panel.

Video 7. an example of how a company can train and make use of an analytical panel to characterise and quantify products’ attributes.