Role of Sensory Evaluation in Health and Wellness Food Products

Sensory evaluation is both a fascinating and confusing tool for food industry researchers, which uses a series of objective measurements and analyses to predict a subjective human reaction. All sensory tests use human assessors as the instrument to evaluate product properties, consumer preferences, and emotional feedback. This chapter will first introduce the historical and conceptual development of sensory and consumer science. Secondly, an overview of the measurement principles and key factors in conducting sensory tests will be presented, followed by the illustration and classification of these important sensory methods. The third part of this chapter will discuss the application role of frequently used methods and fit them into each product development stage. Lastly, we will focus on the new trends and current limitations of sensory evaluation methods, and we would like to share our perspective on this science discipline concerning future food product design to better meet health and wellness needs.