Sensory Analysis of Food
A.Y. 2020/2021
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide the student with the most appropriate cultural tools to apply sensory methodologies and to address and resolve, in a business setting, problems such as products shelf life, products and meals optimization, improvement of typical products sensory properties.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will acquire expertise to perform a tasting session, to design and manage a sensory laboratory, to select the most appropriate sensory methodology based on specific objectives, to monitor the errors that affect sensory evaluation, to analyse sensory data, to draft an analysis report and to communicate with all corporate executives, especially those involved in product marketing.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
TEACHING METHODS
The lessons will be held on the Microsoft Teams platform (MTeams) and can be followed both synchronously on the basis of the first semester timetable and asynchronously as they are recorded and left available to students on MTeams and/or on the Ariel teaching site. Depending on the situation related to the evolution of the coronavirus health emergency, some lessons will be given in presence. The sensory labs will be organized partly in presence and partly synchronously (MTeams) and asynchronous (video tutorials). The rules and criteria for attending lessons and labs in presence, requiring reservation through a suitable app, will be published in due time on the Ariel page of the course as well as all the above materials and any notice related to Covid-19 regulation changes.
PROGRAM AND REFERENCE MATERIAL
The program and the reference material will not change.
LEARNING VERIFICATION METHODS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA
The exam will consist of an online oral examination using the MTeams platform or of an oral in presence only if permitted by regulation. The exam, in particular, will be aimed at:
- ascertain the achievement of objectives in terms of knowledge and understanding;
- ascertain the ability to apply knowledge and understanding through the discussion and solution of sensory problems pertaining food companies and food services management
- ascertain the mastery of the specific language pertaining sensory science and the ability to present the topics clearly.
The lessons will be held on the Microsoft Teams platform (MTeams) and can be followed both synchronously on the basis of the first semester timetable and asynchronously as they are recorded and left available to students on MTeams and/or on the Ariel teaching site. Depending on the situation related to the evolution of the coronavirus health emergency, some lessons will be given in presence. The sensory labs will be organized partly in presence and partly synchronously (MTeams) and asynchronous (video tutorials). The rules and criteria for attending lessons and labs in presence, requiring reservation through a suitable app, will be published in due time on the Ariel page of the course as well as all the above materials and any notice related to Covid-19 regulation changes.
PROGRAM AND REFERENCE MATERIAL
The program and the reference material will not change.
LEARNING VERIFICATION METHODS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA
The exam will consist of an online oral examination using the MTeams platform or of an oral in presence only if permitted by regulation. The exam, in particular, will be aimed at:
- ascertain the achievement of objectives in terms of knowledge and understanding;
- ascertain the ability to apply knowledge and understanding through the discussion and solution of sensory problems pertaining food companies and food services management
- ascertain the mastery of the specific language pertaining sensory science and the ability to present the topics clearly.
Course syllabus
The topics of the course, listed in chronological order, are the following:
- Introduction to sensory analysis - Sensory perception mechanisms - The sensory lab, the panel of judges and the official sensory analysis methods - The psychophysiology of perception and the methods to minimize physiological and psychological errors - Methods for the selection, recruitment and trainig of judges (with practical activities in the sensory lab) - Experimental design and statistical processing of results for discriminant and descriptive methodologies (with practical activities in the sensory lab) - Applications of sensory evaluation and research questions in food industries and food services management (case studies).
- Introduction to sensory analysis - Sensory perception mechanisms - The sensory lab, the panel of judges and the official sensory analysis methods - The psychophysiology of perception and the methods to minimize physiological and psychological errors - Methods for the selection, recruitment and trainig of judges (with practical activities in the sensory lab) - Experimental design and statistical processing of results for discriminant and descriptive methodologies (with practical activities in the sensory lab) - Applications of sensory evaluation and research questions in food industries and food services management (case studies).
Prerequisites for admission
Students must have already attended the courses of mathematics and statistics.
Teaching methods
The course will be provided in the following ways: lectures, practical laboratory activities, exercises
Teaching Resources
Text book: E. Pagliarini, Valutazione sensoriale: Aspetti teorici, pratici e metodologici, Hoepli, Milano, 2002.
Supplementary teaching material can be found on the Ariel website.
Supplementary teaching material can be found on the Ariel website.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final test consists of an oral examination including a series of questions related to the topics discussed during frontal and practical lessons. The evaluation parameters that will be considered are the correctness of the answers, the appropriateness of the language and the ability to summarize the concept in relation to the solution of sensory problems in the food sector. The evaluation is in thirtieths. There are no intermediate tests. In order to take the final exam, students must register within the deadline set on SIFA (http://www.unimi.it/).
The mark is communicated to each student by automated e-mail by the university's verbalization system.
The mark is communicated to each student by automated e-mail by the university's verbalization system.
AGR/15 - FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
M-PSI/05 - SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
M-PSI/05 - SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Laboratories: 8 hours
Lessons: 44 hours
Lessons: 44 hours
Professor:
Laureati Monica
Professor(s)