How do we judge food fairly using our senses, and how is sensory testing carried out and recorded?
Describe how the senses are used to evaluate food and carry out and record simple sensory tests fairly
A simple, focused answer on sensory evaluation for N(A)-Level Nutrition and Food Science: the senses used to judge food, sensory describing words, how to run a fair sensory test, and how to record results with a chart, for the coursework evaluation.
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What this dot point is asking
SEAB wants you to describe how the senses are used to evaluate food and to carry out and record simple sensory tests fairly. This is an important skill for the coursework evaluation, where you judge your dishes and trials. The big idea is that food is judged with all five senses, and that a sensory test only gives useful results if it is run as a fair test and the results are recorded clearly. The marks come from the senses, the fair-test controls, and a sensible way to present results.
The answer
The senses used to evaluate food
We judge food with all five senses:
- Sight: the appearance, colour, shape and how appetising it looks.
- Smell: the aroma, which strongly affects how appealing food is.
- Taste: the flavour, such as sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savoury.
- Touch: the texture and mouthfeel, such as crunchy, smooth or chewy.
- Hearing: the sound, such as the crunch of a crisp or the sizzle of a hot dish.
Sensory describing words
To describe food clearly, use sensory words:
- Taste: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, savoury, spicy.
- Texture: crunchy, crispy, smooth, soft, chewy, moist, dry.
- Appearance: golden, colourful, glossy, dull.
- Smell: fragrant, fresh, strong, mild.
Running a fair sensory test
A sensory test must be fair so the results reflect the food, not other factors. To make it fair:
- Give each taster an equal-sized sample, served at the same temperature.
- Code the samples with random numbers or letters so tasters do not know which is which (a blind test), removing bias.
- Test in a quiet, well-lit place free of strong smells.
- Give plain water (or a plain cracker) to clear the mouth between samples.
- Use a clear scoring sheet and enough tasters for a useful result.
Recording and presenting the results
Record results clearly so they can be analysed:
- A tally or table of scores or preferences.
- A bar chart comparing preferences.
- A star diagram (rating profile), where each arm scores a quality such as appearance, smell, taste and texture, giving a quick picture of a food's profile.
Examples in context
Example 1. Testing a healthier recipe for coursework. A student who has reduced the sugar in a kueh runs a blind taste test of the original and the lower-sugar version, scoring appearance, taste and texture on a star diagram. The fair test shows whether the healthier version is still acceptable, exactly the kind of evaluation the coursework rewards.
Example 2. Choosing the best version of a sauce. Comparing two chilli sauces for a dish, a cook codes the samples, serves equal amounts with water in between, and asks several tasters to rate them. Recording the scores in a table and a bar chart shows which sauce is preferred, a practical use of sensory evaluation to improve a dish.
Try this
Q1. Name the senses used to evaluate food. [2 marks]
- Cue. Sight (appearance), smell (aroma), taste (flavour), touch (texture) and hearing (sound).
Q2. Describe three things that make a sensory test fair. [3 marks]
- Cue. Any three of: equal-sized samples, same temperature, coded (blind) samples, good conditions, plain water between samples, a clear scoring sheet.
Q3. Suggest a suitable way to record the results of a sensory test. [1 mark]
- Cue. Any one of: a table or tally of scores, a bar chart, or a star diagram (rating profile).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SEAB exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Original6 marksA student has made two versions of a muffin and wants to find out which tasters prefer. (a) Name the senses used to evaluate food. (b) Describe three things the student should do to make the sensory test fair. (c) Suggest a suitable way to record the results. (Section B style)Show worked answer →
(a) Sight (appearance and colour), smell (aroma), taste (flavour), touch (texture and mouthfeel) and hearing (sound, for example crunch).
(b) Any three of: give each taster an equal-sized sample; serve the samples at the same temperature; code the samples with random numbers or letters so tasters do not know which is which; test in a quiet, well-lit place free of strong smells; give plain water (or a plain cracker) to clear the mouth between samples; and use a clear scoring sheet.
(c) A suitable record such as a tally or table of scores, a bar chart of preferences, or a star diagram (rating profile) showing scores for appearance, smell, taste and texture.
What markers reward: the five senses linked to food qualities, three genuine fair-test controls (equal samples, coded, same conditions, palate cleanser), and a sensible way to record and present the results.
Original4 marks(a) Explain why a sensory test should be done 'blind', with the samples coded. (b) Suggest two describing words each for the taste and the texture of a food. (Section B style)Show worked answer →
(a) Coding the samples (a blind test) stops the tasters being influenced by knowing which sample is which, for example by a brand name or which one the cook made. This keeps the results fair and based only on the food itself.
(b) Taste words such as sweet, sour, salty, bitter, savoury or spicy; texture words such as crunchy, crispy, smooth, soft, chewy or moist (any two each).
What markers reward: explaining that blind, coded testing removes bias so results are fair, and two suitable taste words and two suitable texture words.
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