Novel Techniques in Sensory Characterization and Consumer Profiling

Paula Varela is a food engineer from Universidad de la República, Uruguay. She earned her PhD in food science and technology from Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Spain. She has wide experience both in academic and industrial research in sensory and consumer science, having worked in collaboration with various research groups from Europe, Asia, and South America. She recently joined Nofima – The food Research Institute (Norway) as senior scientist. Dr. Varela has published more than 60 SCI papers and various book chapters, and has made several contributions to international symposiums. Dr. Varela collaborates as reviewer in various journals in this field and is a member of the editorial board of Food Research International. In recent years, her research has focused on the exploration of new methodologies to further the understanding of consumer perception, in particular sensory descriptive techniques with the use of consumers and the influence of non-sensory parameters in consumer food choice. Gastón Ares is a food engineer. He received his PhD in chemistry, with a focus on sensory and consumer science, from Universidad de la República, Uruguay. He works as professor and researcher in the Food Science and Technology Department of the Chemistry Faculty at the same university. He has authored more than 80 articles in international refereed journals and numerous presentations in scientific meetings. He was awarded the 2007 Rose Marie Pangborn Sensory Science Scholarship, granted to PhD students in sensory science worldwide. In 2011, he won the Food Quality and Preference Award for a young researcher for his contributions to sensory and consumer science. He is a member of the editorial boards of both the Journal of Sensory Studies and Food Quality and Preference, as well as an associate editor of Food Research International.

Introduction. Classical Descriptive Analysis. Introduction to Multivariate Statistical Techniques for Sensory Characterization. Ideal Profiling. Use of Just-About-Right Scales in Consumer Research. Free-Choice Profile Combined with Repertory Grid Method. Flash Profile. Free Sorting Task. Projective Mapping and Napping. Polarized Sensory Positioning Methodologies. Check-All-That-Apply Questions. Open-Ended Questions. Dynamic Sensory Descriptive Methodologies: Time–Intensity and Temporal Dominance of Sensations. Comparison of Novel Methodologies for Sensory Characterization. Index.