26 protocols · One standard

Sensory Quality System™

Dairy Products

Yoghurt, butter, cream and milk — freshness, body, acidity and clean dairy notes.

Dairy Products Sensory Quality System™

What sensory evaluation techniques are necessary to identify and measure dairy products excellence?

To identify the excellence of dairy products through sensory analysis, panels systematically assess appearance, aroma, flavor, texture/mouthfeel, and sometimes sound, using a blend of descriptive, discriminative, and hedonic methods, using protocols from international standards and trained sensory panels.

Some of the sensory attributes evaluated

Calibrated lexicons & scales

Tasters rate the intensity and quality of sensory attributes using calibrated lexicons and scales.

Appearance

Color, uniformity, surface, gloss, and visual presence of defects.

Aroma

Intensity and typicity (milky, creamy, buttery, fruity, cooked, sour, yeasty, off-odors).

Taste

Sweetness, sourness, bitterness, saltiness, umami, aftertaste, and overall balance.

Texture & mouthfeel

Smoothness, creaminess, viscosity, cohesiveness, graininess, stickiness, firmness; sound (crunch in crisps, effervescence).

Implementation

  • Panels typically consist of at least 4–6 trained tasters.

These methods and criteria allow for a comprehensive sensory identification and grading of dairy products excellence, supporting effective product evaluation and differentiation.

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