Training a sensory panel for TI: a case study

Time-intensity (TI) is an increasingly used sensory method, however, no proper guidelines for training panellists with TI seem to have been set up, hence comparison of results from different TI studies is difficult. In this paper a three steps approach is proposed: (1) introduction to the method; (2) training for the TI task through a simple product assessment: basic taste beverages; (3) running a TI pilot experiment. The loadings from a principal components analysis (PCA) on TI data have proved to be useful in assessing panel agreement and providing information about individual differences. Pilot profiling proved useful for choosing the attributes to be used in the TI study. This minimises the chance of performing a TI study with irrelevant attributes. It is concluded that, following the steps in this study, most panellists are able to learn to perform a TI task reliably. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.