The most common method for assessing the properties of the product is the sensory evaluation performed by the senses, which are used as the measuring apparatus, while maintaining appropriate conditions for assessment by specially trained team of people.
Sensory examination involves checking the product for: taste, smell, appearance, colour and texture.
We explore the taste with taste buds, which are a collection of taste receptors. They are located on the tongue, palate, in the epithelium of throat ,epiglottis and upper esophagus. Taste buds located on the tongue are concentrated in the visible bulges called papillae. Some of them are being destroyed after 10 days, but in their place new ones appear.
Sensitivity to various tastes, especially bitter and sweet is genetically determined, and therefore, different in each person.
Humans have about 10 000 taste buds and the number of taste receptors in each cup is 50-150
There are six kinds of taste:
Sweet - receiving receptors are located on the tip of the tongue,
Salty - receptors are scattered throughout the tongue,
Sour - most receptors occur on the sides of the tongue,
Bitter - characteristic for the alkaloids and inorganic salts. The receptors that receive this taste are at the root of the tongue
Umami - (sweet and salty) characteristic for monosodium glutamate and perceptible in the vicinity of the salivary glands
Metallic-prevalent in sterilized products or stored in metal containers. Receptors are located in the central part of the tongue.
Flavours distinguishing can be learned by frequent sampling.
Due to the individual preferences and sensitivity of taste the correct sensory evaluation should be carried out with the participation of group (10-12 people).
Sensory evaluation carried out individually by a single person is not repeatable or reproducible, because it depends on the sensitivity of sensory evaluation, one’s physiological and mental state and the conditions, in which the assessment is carried out.