ABSTRACT
The choice of terms may be broad or narrow according to the panel’s objective — only aroma characteristics, or all sensory modalities. However, the method requires that all terminology is developed and described by a panel which has been exposed to the underlying technical principles of each modality to be described. For example, a panel describing color must understand color intensity, hue, and chroma. A panel involved in oral, skinfeel, and/or fabric texture needs to understand what the tactile effects of rheology and mechanical characteristics are and how these in turn are affected by moisture level and particle size. The chemical senses pose an even greater challenge in requiring panelists to demonstrate a valid response to changes in ingredients and processing. Words such as vanilla, cocoa, and distilled orange oil require separate terms and references. If the panel hopes to attain the status of “expert panel” in a given field, it must demonstrate that it can use a concrete list of descriptors based on an understanding of the underlying technical differences among the attributes of a product.
