Quality and Sensory Evaluation of Food

Abstract

When evaluating the quality of foods, many attributes must be considered. Whole-someness of the food should be included as a quality factor and is most important to food safety (see Chapter 4). The nutritional value (see Chapter 2) is considered by some to be a quality factor in many foods, especially those purchased as low-calorie or low-fat. Quality has been defined as “degree of excellence” with appearance, texture, and flavor becoming major factors. If a food doesn’t look, feel, and taste good, most consumers in countries where food is abundant will not purchase it a second time, even if the price is right, and the food is wholesome and nutritious. Testing these sensory attributes in food is quite subjective but methods have been developed to standardize this measurement.