Sensory perceptions, profile

From the baseline information, C02, VOCs and ventilation rate profiles have been identified. Although the levels do not generally exceed local threshold levels (ENV, 1996), it is important to understand how these profiles come to be, what their potential effects on sensory perception and health may be, what emission strengths they have and how they may be apportioned to various sources such as humans and human-related activities, building materials and the ventilation system. 

Methods of objective measurement of cereal foam structures are reviewed, including image analysis, confocal microscopy and x-ray tomography. The analysis of foam structures and their relationship with mechanical and rheological properties is described, and also the relationships between these structures and sensory descriptors such as crispness, crunchiness and texture. The size, shape and anisotropy of bubbles and their cell walls in foams are seen as critical in determining their fracture properties and sensory perception of crispness. Techniques for measuring crispness using acoustic emission and force-deformation profiles are discussed. 

Most mechanical tests developed for fats are empirical in nature and are usually designed for quality control purposes, and they attempt to simulate consumer sensory perception (3, 4). These large-deformation tests measure hardness-related parameters, which are then compared with textural attributes evaluated by a sensory panel (3, 5). These tests include penetrometry using cone, pin, cylinder and several other geometries (3, 6-12), compression (13), extrusion (13, 14), spreadability (15, 16), texture profile analysis (2), shear tests (13), and sectility measurements (14). These methods are usually simple and rapid, and they require relatively inexpensive equipment (3, 4, 17). The majority of these tests are based on the breakdown of structure and usually yield single-parameter measurements such as hardness, yield stress, and spreadability, among others (4, 17-20). The relationship between these mechanical tests and the structure of a fat has, however, not been established. The ultimate aim of any materials science endeavor is to examine the relationship between structure and macroscopic properties. 

Let us turn the problem around, 180 degrees, and reverse the question. Let us specify a profile of sensory perceptions, and estimate what concentrations of the two components which, in concert, produce the goal profile perceptions, or at least come as close as possible to doing so. 

Delarue, J., Danzart, M. and Sieffermann, J.-M. (2004). Flash profile gives insights into human sensory perception. 5th International Multisensory Research Forum, Barcelona, Spain. 

The second example is directly focused on the measurement of sensory perceptions of food products. It is a pedagogical example that illustrates perfectly well how sorted Napping can be used as a sensory profiling technique. In this example, eight smoothies were chosen according to two main factors the type of manufacturer (two categories) and the flavour (four categories). 

Although these two types of data - sensory profiles and hedonic ratings for the same set of products - contain valuable information for product developers, they are not very actionable in isolation. However, once combined, this information becomes really powerful. If product developers gain insight into how the sensory perception relates to the appreciation of the products, they can try to apply this information to improve the products (Moskowitz and Sidel, 1971 Moskowitz et al, 1977). More particularly, if one can tell product developers which sensory characteristics (and at which intensity) are influencing consumers appreciation, or why some products are more liked than others in terms of sensory attributes, R D can start to create new potentially successful products (product development), or improve existing products (product optimization). 

Using consumers with the Flash Profile methodology proved to be an effective way to understand specific consumer sensory perceptions (Ballay et al, 2004). It allowed us not only to correlate specific perfumers attributes with major consumers impressions, but also to identify consumers semantic attributes which still need to be investigated and fully understood. It also allowed us to reduce the time limit of the studies and therefore to be more reactive and operational. 

For an international company such as LVMH, cultural diversity is a key issue that needs to be addressed. Naturally, we would expect this diversity to be even larger when measuring emotions, images and lifestyle compared to the strict sensory perception. In the fragrance industry, there is usually a distinction to be made between the European market and its expectations and those of the American and Asian markets, even if obviously there are intra-continental differences. Therefore, we decided to conduct this study of an extended version of Hash Profile with consumers in three countries China, France and the United States. 

Applying simplified profiling techniques to children (Giacalone et al 2013 Jaeger et al, 2013), such as CATA techniques developed to explore consumers sensory perceptions of products, may prove an interesting direction when evaluation of a product s sensory characteristics through the eyes of a child is considered necessary. 

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