消费者喜欢的奶油的特征的证明
A.J.Krause, K.Lopetcharat和M.A.Drake进行了一项旨在寻找促使消费者喜欢的奶油的特征的研究。一个感官评价小组使用明确的感官评价语言对市场上的27种奶油进行了评价。两个焦点组以消费者消费习惯和为赢得消费者的理解。6个代表奶油和2个植物油陈列被选择为进行消费者可接受度测试。使用内部和外部的preference mapping techniques分析消费者数据。奶油的重要区别特征包括：颜色饱和度、双乙酰浓度、cooked、grassy, 乳脂肪风味及咸淡度。 从焦点组和一定量的消费者测试来看，奶油关键的风味是自然状态和渴望的风味。负面的特征包括，价格和胆固醇。5个消费者群对奶油的风味给出了清晰的喜欢和不喜欢的评价。奶油是消费者乐于接受的一种产品，在不同消费者中感官期望的变化，以及具有特殊风味特征的奶油能够作为分割特殊的目标市场的标志。
Sensory analysis
Sensory analysis (or sensory evaluation) is a scientific discipline that applies principles of experimental design and statistical analysis to the use of human senses (sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing) for the purposes of evaluating consumer products. The discipline requires panels of human assessors, on whom the products are tested, and recording the responses made by them. By applying statistical techniques to the results it is possible to make inferences and insights about the products under test. Most large consumer goods companies have departments dedicated to sensory analysis.
Sensory analysis can generally be broken down into three sub-sections:
* Effective testing (dealing with objective facts about products)
* Affective testing (dealing with subjective facts such as preferences)
* Perception (the biochemical and psychological aspects of sensation)
Effective testing
This type of testing is concerned with obtaining objective facts about products. This could range from basic discrimination testing (e.g. Do two or more products differ from each other?) to descriptive profiling (e.g. What are the characteristics of two or more products?). The type of panel required for this type of testing would normally be a trained panel.
Affective testing
Otherwise known as consumer testing, this type of testing is concerned with obtaining subjective data, or how well products are likely to be accepted. Usually large (50 or more) panels of untrained personnel are recruited for this type of testing, although smaller focus groups can be utilised to gain insights into products. The range of testing can vary from simple comparative testing (e.g. Which do you prefer, A or B?) to structured questioning regarding the magnitude of acceptance of individual characteristics (e.g. Please rate the “fruity aroma”: dislike|neither|like).
Perception
Perception involves the biochemical and psychological theories relating to human (and animal) sensations. By understanding the mechanisms involved it may be possible to explain why certain characteristics are preferred over others.
Descriptive analysis involves trained panels (6-30 people) who evaluate products by rating the intensity of various characteristics on a scale. Statistical analyses are applied to look for differences among various products for characteristics of interest.
Consumer testing (sometimes called ‘hedonic testing’) involves having potential consumers of a product evaluate various products and a small number of items on a ballot.
