Introduction

The relations existing between the results of food sensory analyses and the data obtained from physical and chemical measurements constitute the basis on which the development of instrumental methods for quality control must be sustained. The general process for the selection and development of instrumental methods is comprised of a) identifying the food characteristic or property responsible for the stimulus of human perception; b) selecting the best method to measure this characteristic or property; c) using the most appropriate sensory test to quantify the human sensation resulting from the perceived stimulus; and d) studying the relationship between variations in stimulus and sensation magnitudes (Costell and Duran, 1981).