XUC-30303 Sensory Analysis, Flavour and Colour

Course

Credits 3.00

Language of instruction:

English

Contents:

Colour pigments in foods; artificial colours; measurement of colour using instruments; colour perception. Non-volatile and volatile flavour composition of foods; measurement of flavour using instruments; flavour perception. Rheology, structure and texture perception. Interactions between colour, flavour and texture.
NOTE: this course is a specific part of the UCC-course FS3004.

Learning outcomes:

At the end of this course the student is able to:
- define sensory analysis as the scientific measurement of the attributes of a product perceived by the senses (sight, sound, smell, taste touch); discuss the problems associated with informal sensory sessions and explain why formalized sensory methodology should be used;
- explain how we use our senses to assess sensory attributes; describe how, and in what order, appearance, odour/aroma/fragrance (orthonasal), consistency/texture and flavour (retro-nasal aroma and taste) attributes are perceived; describe the taste system and the olfactory systems in detail; recognise the inherent variability in human perception and judgment, resulting from differences in sensitivity between people;
- distinguish between the three main areas of sensory methodology (discrimination tests; descriptive analysis; preference or hedonics tests); describe procedures used in design of sensory experiments and in collection and analysis of sensory data; apply principles of good practice when conducting laboratory experiments for the sensory evaluation of foods;
- describe how sensory methods are used to guide new product development;
- use magnitude estimation to obtain quantitative correlations between objective and perceived intensities of sensory stimuli, and describe how it has been applied in relating the rheology of thickened and gelled samples to perceived texture and flavour/taste release.

Examination:

- examination (90%);
- laboratory Sessions (10%).