sensory testing methods

• use a quiet area away from food prepartion and cooking activities --> to avoid food taster being disturbed and influenced by other people
• use 5-10 people as testers, they should work on their own --> to ensure realistic results and make sure they are not influenced by other people's opinions
• use hygenic conditions --> to avoid contamination by micro-organisms
• give clear instructions to the testers --> so they know exactly what they need to do
• give charts to food taster so they can fill them in as they taste the food --> to keep results accurate
• give tasters water or plain crackers to drink or eat between the food samples --> to clear the tastebuds so they don't get confused between samples
• food samples should be coded randomly with numbers, only person setting up should know the different food samples --> so food taster don't know what they are tasting to ensure a fair test
• give tasters small samples + same size --> prevent food taster filling up and not tasting smaple properly
• samples should by presented at the same temperature --> to prevent flavours being affected so they taste them comfortably
• samples should be presented on same colour plate --> to prevent taster's senses from being distracted or influenced