Capabilites
While today’s consumers have more options than ever to satisfy their dietary needs, MSU’s Muscle Foods and Sensory Lab helps ensure commercial food products offer the best nutritional profile, sensory attributes, and value. Our scientists explore the intricate statistical relationships between sensory attributes, volatile flavor compounds, shelf life, and consumer acceptability in a wide range of food products—particularly those of muscle foods. We also emphasize investigating the impact of various processing methods on food quality while seeking opportunities to enhance the value and quality of processed products. Through our research, we strive to advance knowledge, improve product development, and contribute to the ongoing evolution of the food industry…making an impact that matters.
Sensory Analysis
Sensory testing plays a crucial role in understanding consumer preferences, product attributes, and overall sensory experiences. Our scientists conduct several common sensory tests:
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Discrimination Tests help determine perceivable similarities and differences between products. Examples include the duo-trio test, triangle test, and paired comparison test.
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Descriptive Analysis involves a panel of 6-12 trained individuals who systematically evaluate and describe the sensory attributes of a product — taste, aroma, texture, and appearance through techniques like flavor profile or texture profile analysis.
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Hedonic Testing assesses consumer preferences and acceptance of products. They often employ rating scales, such as the 9-point hedonic scale, to measure overall liking or specific attributes like sweetness or texture.
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Consumer preference tests involve a larger sample of consumers who evaluate and rank multiple products to determine their preferences. Examples include the ranking test and the preference mapping method.
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Time-intensity testing measures the intensity of a sensory attribute over time. Panelists continuously rate the perceived intensity of a specific attribute from the moment they taste the product until it fades away.
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Texture analysis assesses properties like hardness, chewiness, or crispiness. Instruments like the texture analyzer or sensory panelists may perform tests including compression or shear.
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Affective tests measure emotional responses to products, focusing on factors such as satisfaction, emotions, or willingness to purchase.
Each of these sensory tests provides valuable data and insights into the sensory characteristics, consumer preferences, and overall quality of food products. We conduct such tests to help manufacturers make informed decisions about developing new products, marketing strategies, and quality control measures.
Omics and microbiome includes the field of omics—genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and other "omics" disciplines—is highly beneficial to food science. Omics technologies enable comprehensive analysis of the molecular components in food, providing insights into the composition, quality, safety, and nutritional aspects of food products. This information aids in product development, quality control, authenticity testing, and understanding the impact of food on human health—facilitating advancements in the field of food science. Our research focuses on quantifying bacterial species, which helps poultry producers apply tested solutions to extend shelf life, control bacterial species, and enhance product quality.
Rheological Measurements involve the study of rheology or how materials flow and deform under applied forces. In food science, rheological measurements help characterize the viscosity, elasticity, and flow behavior of food products—properties that affect how food behaves when processed or prepared. Techniques like shear rheometry and rotational viscometry are utilized to determine the rheological properties of liquids, semi-solids, and viscoelastic materials such as dough or gels.
Texture Analysis measure the mechanical properties of food products—particularly their firmness, chewiness, springiness, and brittleness. Instruments like texture analyzers apply controlled forces to assess attributes such as hardness, cohesiveness, and adhesiveness. We use these tools along with techniques like compression, puncture, or tensile tests to quantify the textural characteristics of foods.
Physicochemical analysis scientifically examines, measure, and evaluates the physical and chemical properties of food attributes including color; pH; moisture, fat, and protein; texture, and more. Typically, we pair these results with our sensory data to provide a more detailed evaluation of a food product.
Sensory and microbial shelf-life studies help determine the shelf life of your food—how long it will be fit to eat. Sensory shelf-life studies assess the changes in sensory attributes (taste, aroma, texture, and appearance) over time to determine how long a food product maintains its sensory quality and consumer acceptability. Microbial shelf-life studies, on the other hand, focus on monitoring the growth of microorganisms and the presence of pathogens. Microbial studies establish how long a food product remains safe for consumption, ensuring it meets microbiological safety standards. These tests include Aerobic Plate Count (APC), Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB), E. coli coliforms, vibrio, yeast, mold, and more.