1. Topic 3: Diet Evaluation & Food Selection
1. Many factors influence our food selection

2. Prior Learning
We will recognise senses play a pivotal role in determining our food preferences; however, we acknowledge other factors are also involved. These include:
previous experiences with food;
hunger and satiety;
mood;
where you eat (home, canteen, picnic)
beliefs and values (religion, culture and tradition)
social aspects (special occasions, events)

3. The Impact of Senses on Food Selection
Food is not just eaten for its nutrient value; for many people it is a source of pleasure, an enjoyable experience and even a comforting activity.
The properties of individual foods, such as taste, texture, quality, smell and appearance, play an important role in whether a person will choose to consume an item.

4. What is Sensory Evaluation?
‘Sensory evaluation is a scientific discipline that analyses and measures human responses to the composition of food and drink (Food – a fact of life 2010).
‘…used to evoke, measure, analyse and interpret reactions to those characteristics of foods and materials as they are perceived by the senses of sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing’ 2(Home Economics Support Service 2003)
This is a widely used definition as it describes exactly what happens in Sensory Analysis. The definition highlights that all the senses are involved in the process so Sensory Analysis involves more than just food tasting.
During the Second World War, food was restricted to the mass population. However, following the cessation of food rationing in 1955, the focus shifted to food quality rather than quantity. As availability of food increased people became more discerning (Home Economics Support Service 2003)

5. Simply… A range of senses are used when eating food. These senses are:
Sight
Smell
Hearing
Taste
Touch
A combination of these senses enables you to evaluate food

6. Using the Senses in Sensory Evaluation
We use the five senses to examine the characteristics of a food. This we do all the time, either consciously or unconsciously, when we look at food that we are buying and choosing, or when we are eating food. In other words we can look at the characteristics of a food under the headings:
Diagram retrieved from Home Economics Support Service 2003

7. Appearance - Sight
‘Sight is used to judge and evaluate the appearance and colour of food.’ (Home Economics Support Service 2003)
‘The size, shape, colour, temperature and surface texture all play an important part in helping to determine your first reaction to a food.’
If a food does not look appetising, then you will not eat it.

8. Useful Words to Describe Appearance
stringy firm dry
heavy flaky crumbly
flat crisp lumpy
creamy fluffy smooth
burnt hard mushy
watery sticky fragile
dull fresh opaque
British Nutrition Foundation 2010 & Home Economics Support Service 2003

9. What words would you use to
describe these foods? ?
British Nutrition Foundation 2010

10. Sound - Hearing
‘The sounds of food being prepared, cooked, served and eaten all help to influence our preferences.’ (British Nutrition Foundation 2010)

11. Useful Words to Describe Sound
Bubbling Crackly Crunch Fizzy Sizzling Snapping Popping

12. What words would you use to
describe these foods? ?
British Nutrition Foundation 2010
© British Nutrition Foundation 2010

13. Texture - Touch
Different sensations are felt as the food is chewed. The resistance to chewing also affects texture. For example, chewiness, springiness.
Viscosity is also a factor. For example, runny, thick.
The mouth also detects temperature. For example, cold ice-cream, warm bread, hot soup.
A key quality for many foods. For example, the tenderness of meat or the softness of bread.

14. Useful Words to Describe Texture
brittle rubbery short grainy clammy close stodgy juicy slimy tacky tender waxy open soft firm flaky crisp fluffy dry crumbly lumpy smooth hard mushy sticky greasy moist tough
British Nutrition Foundation 2010 & Home Economics Support Service 2003

15. What words would you use to
describe these foods? ?
British Nutrition Foundation 2010

16. Flavour - Smell Flavour has three components:
‘Smell evaluates the aroma of food… A pleasant aroma makes food appetising and smell is important in the appreciation of flavour.’ (Home Economics Support Service 2003)
Odour and taste work together to produce flavour; hence, people with a blocked nose find it difficult to determine the flavours of foods.
Flavour has three components:
Odour – contributes to the pleasure of eating
Taste – helps recognise, accept and appreciate food
Mouthfeel – Stimulated by thermal and chemical reactions

17. Useful Words to Describe Odour
aromatic pungent spicy
floral bland coffee
burnt rancid savoury
rotten tart citrus
acrid strong mild
musty weak roasted
fragrant fruity
British Nutrition Foundation & Home Economics Support Service 2003

18. What words would you use to
describe these foods? ?
British Nutrition Foundation 2010

19. Taste Taste is sensed by the taste buds on the tongue.
Bitter, Salt, Sour, Sweet and Umami.
Taste may be described by association with a particular food. For example, meaty, minty or fruity.
The intensity can also be recorded. For example, mild or strong Cheddar.

20. Useful Words to Describe Taste
sweet stale bitter cold
zesty fatty hot tangy
sour sharp rich salty
burnt bland tart acidic
strong citrus mild savoury
spicy tainted weak herby
British Nutrition Foundation 2010 & Home Economics Support Service 2003

21. What words would you use to
describe these foods? ?
© British Nutrition Foundation 2010
British Nutrition Foundation 2010

22. Sensory Tests Three main categories of sensory analysis tests are:
Preference Tests
Supply information about people’s likes and dislikes
Not intended to evaluate specific characteristics
Difference Tests – Discrimination Tests
Used to detect differences among foods
Descriptive Tests
Describes the sensory characteristics of a product

23. Preference Tests – Hedonic, Paired Preference & Ranking
Hedonic – Taster tastes each sample and ticks using a 5 point scale
Paired Preference Test
Taster is presented with two coded samples and decides which one they prefer
Ranking
Food samples are scored on a scale. For example, like/dislike

24. Difference Tests Triangle Test, Ranking and Paired Comparison
Tasters evaluate samples and ranks them in order according to the presence of an attribute. For example, crispiness, crunchiness.
Triangle Test
The aim is to establish if people can tell the difference between two foods.
Tasters must distinguish which of the samples is the odd one out.
Paired Comparison
Compare an attribute of two samples. For example, what sample is smoother? What sample is saltier?
Triangle Tests
The food industry often designs one food to taste like another, e.g. own brand products versus a branded product.

25. Star Profile Evaluates the intensity of a range of attributes (6-8)
A Single dish or a range of food dishes may be recorded