Understanding how a product is perceived through the senses is crucial for success. In that regard, sensory profiling aims to provide an objective, detailed description of a product’s sensory characteristics.
Unlike consumer testing, which measures liking and preference, sensory profiling dissects the ‘what’ – the specific attributes and intensities that make up a product’s sensory fingerprint. Achieving this level of objective detail isn’t possible with just any group of people. It relies heavily on a specialised group: the trained sensory panel.
But what makes these panels different, and why are they indispensable for obtaining reliable sensory data that can truly guide product development and quality control?
Let’s explore the role and rigorous nature of trained sensory panels.
More Than Just Tasting: What Makes a Panel ‘Trained’?
Becoming part of a trained sensory panel involves much more than simply having functional senses. Potential panellists undergo screening to assess their sensory acuity (their ability to detect subtle differences in taste, smell, texture, etc.) and their ability to describe sensations accurately.
Those selected then participate in intensive training. This involves learning a specific, standardised vocabulary to describe sensory attributes relevant to the product category (e.g., food, beverages, personal care). They practice identifying and rating the intensity of these attributes consistently, often using reference standards.
Through calibration exercises, they learn to align their judgements with the rest of the panel, effectively becoming highly calibrated analytical instruments capable of providing objective measurements.
Objective Measurement: The Trained Panel Advantage
Using a trained panel offers distinct advantages for generating reliable sensory data:
Quantifying Specific Attributes
Trained panellists don’t just say if they like something. They evaluate and score the intensity of predefined characteristics. For a biscuit, this might include ‘crunchiness’, ‘sweetness’, ‘butter flavour intensity’, ‘crumbliness’, etc., using precise scales.
Detecting Subtle Nuances
Their heightened sensitivity, honed through training, allows them to perceive and reliably rate small differences between products that average consumers might struggle to articulate but could still influence their overall perception or preference.
Ensuring Consistency and Reliability
The rigorous training and use of standardised language and scales minimise variability between panellists and across different testing sessions. This leads to repeatable, dependable data essential for tracking changes or making comparisons.
Separating Description from Preference
The core task is objective description. Panellists are trained to set aside personal likes or dislikes and focus solely on identifying and quantifying the sensory properties present in the product.
How Objective Sensory Data Drives Product Strategy
The detailed, objective data generated by trained panels provides a powerful foundation for various strategic activities:
- Creating comprehensive sensory ‘fingerprints’ that define a product’s key characteristics.
- Objectively benchmarking products against key competitors to identify sensory gaps or advantages.
- Guiding reformulation efforts by providing specific attribute targets (e.g., “increase citrus aroma intensity by 1 point”).
- Monitoring product quality and consistency over time or across different manufacturing sites.
- Developing sensory specifications for ingredients or final products.
- Providing objective evidence to support specific product claims related to sensory attributes.
How Sensory Profiling and Consumer Testing Can Work Together Harmoniously to Guide Product Development
It’s important to recognise that trained panel sensory profiling and consumer testing serve different, yet complementary, purposes.
Sensory profiling provides the objective, diagnostic ‘what’ – a detailed map of the product’s sensory attributes. On the other hand, consumer testing provides the subjective ‘liking’ and ‘why’ – understanding how target consumers perceive the product and which attributes drive their preferences.
Using insights from both methodologies gives you a complete picture, allowing you to understand the technical sensory profile and its likely impact in the marketplace.
Leverage Expert Panels for Superior Product Insights with Wirral Sensory Services Today
Objective sensory profiling, powered by meticulously selected and trained panels, offers a level of detailed, reliable sensory information that consumer testing alone cannot provide. This data is invaluable for guiding product development, ensuring quality, understanding competitors, and making informed strategic decisions. The expertise required to recruit, train, and manage these panels, as well as to design effective studies and interpret the complex data, is significant.
At Wirral Sensory Services, we specialise in sensory profiling and have managed highly trained sensory panels for almost three decades. Our experience across food, beverage, personal care, and household goods allows us to generate the precise, objective sensory data needed to optimise your products and support your brand’s success.
If you need to understand the detailed sensory characteristics of your product or benchmark it against the competition, our expert team is ready to assist. Contact us today at +44 (0)151 346 2999 or email info@wssintl.com to discuss how our trained sensory panels can deliver the insights you need.
