SENSORYEVALUATIONofFOOD-HRSBSTAFFHomePage.ppt

SENSORY EVALUATION of FOOD Why we eat? Hunger Fuel our bodies Psychological ( emotional eating) Boredom Nutrient-- “to nourish” Chemicals the body needs to function, grow, repair itself and creates energy. Basic Nutrients Proteins Carbohydrates Fats Vitamins Minerals Water Influences on our food choices Culture Geography Psychology and emotions Beliefs and religion Health concerns Costs Social, friends Advertising, current food trends Technology Likes and dislikes Special occasions We taste with all of our senses. our flavor perception is actually determined by the: Smell Taste Appearance sound Texture play a big role in our appreciation of foodstuffs: just think how unappealing food tastes when it is accidentally served at the wrong temperature (such as food served cold, when it should be hot or vice versa). Superadditive personalities The human brain actually combines the information from each of our senses according to a number of very specific rules. So, for example, our brains tend to combine weak signals (such as the combination of a very weak taste with a very faint odour) in a superadditive way that gives rise to a perception of flavour. Sensory cues If you get the combination of sensory cues wrong then the brain will not be impressed and it will give a subadditive response. That is, a response that is far lower than would have been elicited by either of the sensory triggers had they been presented in isolation. Example: Combining the taste of strawberry with the incongruent smell of a savoury chicken soup Where you grew up matters to your brain! The combinations (smell and taste) that the brain will put together in a superadditive manner will depend upon where you grew up. So, for example, those people who have grown up in the UK, experienced the combination of a sweet taste together with the smell of almond in their diet, will tend to integrate the smell of almond and the sweet taste of sugar in a superadditive manner. The brain of s