Conventional descriptive analysis

Campo, E., Ballester, J., Langlois, J., Dacremont, C. and Valentin, D. (2010), Comparison of conventional descriptive analysis and a citation frequency-based descriptive method for odor profiling An application to Burgundy Pinot noir wines, Food Qual Prefer, 21, 44-55. 

Conventional descriptive analysis, such as Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) or Spectrum, has been successfully implemented and used for years in many food companies as a standard measurement tool to assist product development. When we decided to implement sensory analysis methods in our company in 2001, we soon realized that we faced several constraints that made the implementation of such methodologies rather difficult in our situation. 

Consequently, using conventional descriptive analysis methodologies, which would require training panellists on all our applications to answer short-term requests, did not seem practically realistic. Moreover, our needs in terms of sensory desalption were primarily to highlight the main differences between our products, rather than to get a very fine sensory description of each product. From this perspective, conventional sensory descriptive techniques did not appear to be the optimal choice. 

From our point of view. Flash Profile cannot replace conventional descriptive analysis methodologies. As it does not allow a precise quantification of the intensity of sensory attributes, it does not seem suitable for tracking in time the evolution of the sensory properties of products. However, Flash Profile can be seen as a powerful complement or alternative to conventional sensory profiling techniques at the earlier stages of product development, for sensory benchmarking or rapid characterization of a product set. Its rapidity also offers an incontestable advantage over conventional methods in a business environment. 

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