Advanced Sensory

Evaluation and
Product Development
(FST 658)
Course objectives:
At the end of this course, students are expected to be able to:
1. Explain the stages of product development. Assessment:
2. Understand the concept of sensory evaluation Tests: 20%
(test, product and panelist controls).
3. Conduct, analyse and interpret sensory evaluation Lab:10%
data.
4. Devise sensory tests appropriate to specific Mini project: 10%
applications. Product Launching: 30%
5. Develop a new food product.
Final Examination: 30%
References:
1. Stone, H. and Sidel, J.L. Second edition. Academic Press,
Inc.California.
2. Lawless, H.T. and Haymann, H. 1998. Chapman and Hall,
International Thompson Publishing, New York.
3. Carpenter, R.P., Lyon, D.H., Hasdell, T.A. 2000. Guidelines for
sensory analysis in food product development and quality
control. 2nd ed. Maryland Aspen Publication.
4. Meilgaard, M., Civille, G.V. and Carr, B.T. 1999. Sensory
Evaluation Techniques. 3rd ed. CRC Press, Boca Raton.
5. Earle, M., Earle, R. and Anderson, A. 2001. Food Product
Development. CRC Press, Boca Raton.
6. Moskowitz, H.R., Poretta, S. and Silcher, M. 2005. Concept
research in food product design and development.
7. Side, C. 2002. Food Product Development: Based on
experience. IFT Basic Symposium Series.
 1.
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Definition
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT:
Developing “new” or “improved” foods
by formulating, processing, handling or
packaging technology.
2. CRITERIA FOR GOOD NEW PRODUCTS

 Give profit for its investment.

 Gain consumer interest, needs and
priorities.
 Have desirable quality.
 Posses some technological
innovation that competitors will
need to compete.
3. THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE NEW FOOD
PRODUCT CAN BE INTRODUCED TO MARKETPLACE:

1. Technical feasibility to make

- Can be manufactures in mass quantity
- Maintain a consistent standard of
quality
2. Product must be commercially feasible
- Able to sell it to consumer at
acceptable price & still make profit
3. Product is feasible from market point of view
- consumer can accept it
- market testing is most important
 REASONS FOR FAILURE OF NEW
FOOD PRODUCTS IN MARKET PLACE.
1. Inadequate market analysis
2. Poor product perfomance
Insignificant difference - no different between new
products & products already in the market.
3. Higher costs than anticipated
4. Poor timing:
- simultaneous introduction of many new products can
cause a new product to fail.
- Product been launched during recession, economy down
5. Competitor reaction
6. Insufficient marketing effort
7. Weakness in distribution
8. Inadequate sales force
 Capital? Novel/
Unique ‘me
? too’?

NEW Profit?
Technology
?
PRODUCT
???
Satisfy
Fit with company
customer
production, marketing
need?
skills & complement
existing product line?
TRENDS OF FUTURE FOOD
What will we eat? - Food trends of the future

a. Anti-fat food
One approach to lose weight.
b. Call food
Dinner that is only a mouse click or a call aways
c. Cheap basics
Buying your staples as economically as possible so
you have more money for luxury products
d. Convenience cooking
The easy way to cook
e. Clean food
Non-allergenic products
f. DOC (Details Origin Country) food
Food with labels that state its country of origin.
g. Ethic food
Products which were created in compliance
with moral guidelines.
h. Fast casual
Quick but sophisticated snacks.
i.Functional food
Food that has additional features which are
good for your health.
j. Hand-held food
One-hand dishes for people who eat on the run or like
to multitask.
k. Mood food
High-carbohydrate dishes which help you get
through bad patches.
l. Nature food
Eating things that are natural, healthy and
politically correct.
m. Slow food
Meals which you take your time and savor; meals
featuring ingredients with traditionally- produced authentic
character.
7. Classification and Characterisation
of New Food Products

1. Line extention
2. Repositioned existing product
3. New form of existing product
4. Reformulation of existing product
5. New packaging of existing product
6. Innovative product
7. Creative product
a. Line extension
A new variant of an established line of food products.
 Little time and effort for development.
 No major manufacturing changes in processing
lines or major equipment purchases.
 Relatively little change in marketing strategy.
 No new purchasing skills (commodity trading) or
raw materials sources.
 No new storage or handling techniques for raw
ingredients or final products.
 Regular distribution system can be used.

Eg:
1. New variety of canned ready-to-serve soup.
2. New flavour-potato chip
3. New flavour-milk drink
b. Repositioned existing products

 New use for existing product.

 Development time minimal.
 Marketing department: design and print new
labels, new packaging, new advertising
strategies and new promotional materials.
 Manufacturing unaffected.

Tradionally New
used for use
c. New forms of existing products
• Putting an existing product into a new form
• instantized, solubilised, granulated, tableted, powdered,
foamed, concentrated, spreadable, frozen.
• Modified version of an existing food product.
Disadvantage:
a) extensive development time, major equipment
purchases(manufacturing , packaging).
b) Processing, support system for processing maybe
different.
c) Consumer does not always appreciate the so-called
improvement, there must be perceived advantage to the
new form over the old
(eg: dried sprinkle on version of condiment sauce may not be
appreciated over the traditional liquid form.
- But some products were successful like instant coffee and
spreadable margarine. Other examples ????
 Frozen
karipap Water soluble
paprica
oleoresin

Dried spice Soup

cube
d. Reformulation of existing products
“ The new, improved …product”
 Reformulation of product to make some improvements (better
colour, better flavour, more fiber, less fat, greater stability).
 High probability of technical success.
 Usually inexpensive and short development time.

 Why need reformulation?

 Raw material not available anymore
 New source of ingredient
 Lower cost to meet the cheaper competitors
 Usage of ingredients with improved characteristics and
properties.
 Satisfy consumer’s demand for healthier products (eg: high
fiber bread, low fat ice-cream, lactose free milk products,
baked goods free from hardened vegetable fats).
e. New packaging of existing products
i) MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging)
 lower the amount of oxygen (O2), moving it from 20% to 0%, In order to
slow down the growth of aerobic organisms and the speed of oxidation
reactions.
 The removed oxygen can be replaced with nitrogen (N2), commonly
acknowledged as an inert gas, or carbon dioxide (CO2), which can lower
the pH or inhibit the growth of bacteria.
 Extended shelf life.

ii) The packaging and brand labeling of products and meats

 eg: Banana “Montel”
 No name food, now display sticker of well known company.
 Manufacturing: purchasing, inspection, grading, cleaning, trimming,
storage, weighing, packaging and distribution.

iii) A new package for existing product

■ expensive packaging equipment have to be purchased.
■ Example: plastic squeeze bottles with snap-cap lids for dispersing mustard,
ketchup.
f. innovative/creative products
Innovative products: One resulting of making
changes in an existing product.

Creative products: One newly brought into

existence; the rare, never before seen product.

Pyramid watermelon,
cone pizza
Squeeze bacon
Sushi popper Gold food spray

Buddha pear Canned cheese burger

DEVELOPING A
NEW PRODUCT
Steps involved in developing a new product

1. Idea and 3. Taste- 4.

2.
market paneling/ Consumer
Development
feasibility stage sensory sampling
stage stage stage

9.
6. 7. 8. Market
5. Shelf life Commercialization
Packaging Production testing
stage stage
stage stage stage
1. IDEA STAGE
■Involved R&D staffs, top managements,
marketing group and consumer.
Aim, Objectives & Constraints of Project
Aims:
set direction of a project.
 Market led – new product, range extension
 Consumer led – improve formulation, convenience &
packaging
 Technology push – apply “new technology” to food
production
 Production push – utilise raw materials & machine
availability

2
Constraints:
factors which limit area of the project
Can be:
a) Product constraints, eg. specific nutritional quality
b) processing, eg. using certain equipment.
c) marketing, eg. using existing distribution channel.
d) financial, eg. not exceeding RM1,000,000 on new
equipment with government restrictions.
e) company, eg. having expertise available in the company.
f) Environmental, eg. compliance with government
restrictions
Constraints must be established before product development
begins. 2
Sources of idea for idea generation
a) Direct search
- patents, inventions, competitor’s product range , complaints, trade show and
trade journals.

b) Consumer studies
 Market survey
 Used to draw out ideas, communication with consumers.
 Aims:
- To establish consumer’s opinion.
- Usage and use patterns and processes.
- Attitude towards product, including perceived deficiencies.
- Advantage: from the discussion, possible to generate substantial no
- of ideas.
- Disadvantages: number of people is small, not accurate.
c) Creative methods
d) Trend techniques/ forecasting
c. Creative methods
Within organization
a. Individual creative methods
b. Group creative methods

Popular and commonly used method for

problem solving and idea generation.
Types of group creative methods:
a. Brainstorming
-Frequently used technique
-Involves a group of 6-10 people
generating ideas in unstructured
ways but under the control of a
group leader.
-Leader stimulate the process and
ensure rules are observed.

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b.Analogy
Use related or personal situation to provide new
inspiration.
Eg: milk powder usually produced using spray drying
method. Try with coconut milk.

c. Synetics
Techniques designed to arrive at new solution, through a
process of freeing from constrains and allowing/forcing
the mind to wonder.
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Rules for creative group sessions

a. Suspend judgement of any idea/comment. Do not criticize

idea/person.
b. Be as wild as you can.
c. Use others’ idea to build on, quantity of idea is important.
d. Listen and understand participant views, don’t evaluate.
e. Do not expect for justification/ comments
f. Keep the group moving by introducing new concepts, do not
let it stagnate.
g. Ensure all members participate.
h. Keep watch on those who tries to dominate.

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d. Trend Techniques/Forecasting
• Assess future trend
• Then have specific idea generation sessions to stimulate
new product ideas in directions which would fit perceived
our office

future needs.
• Frequently used in larger food companies to aid decision
making
Disadvantage:
-cannot predict future with certainty.
 Idea Screening
■Involves the evaluation of new
product ideas to ensure only those
ideas with real potential are carried
through development stage to final
product launch.
■The most important stage in new
product development.

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Factors to be used in screening
a. Marketing
- Compatibility of market image with existing
product
- Compatibility with existing distribution
channels
- Access to suitable physical distribution
systems.
- Potential market size.
- Promotional market size.
- Promotional expenditure.
b) Production

-Availability of processing equipment

-Compatibility with existing product lines
-Availability of technical skills to produce
products
-Availability of production space.
c. Financial
- Funds available for development
- Funds available for new equipment
- Funds available for market launch and on-
going product support.

d. Technical
- Availability of technical skills
- Cost of development
- Availability of on-going QC skills to monitor
product quality.
 Introduction to Feasibility Study
A feasibility study is the preliminary
evaluation of a business idea,
conducted for the purpose of determining
whether the idea is viable or worth
pursuing.
Composition of a Feasibility Study
A Feasibility Study is a composite of the following
evaluation or studies:

•Market Feasibility Study

•Organisational Feasibility Study

•Technical Feasibility Study

•Financial Feasibility Study

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 MARKET

TECHNICAL Determination
New Of Feasibility
Venture of Proposed
Idea New Idea
ORGANISATIONAL

FINANCIAL

42
 A feasibility study will provide various information to the entrepreneur such as follows:

• Is there a demand for the product? Determination of market opportunities and

risks
• Who else are producing similar
products?
Analysis of the technical feasibility of the
• What is needed to make the product?
product
• What are the equipment and
technology needs for the proposed
venture?

• Who will manage the business? Analysis of organizational capabilities and

personnel requirements
• What managerial requirements are
needed?

• What is the cost of producing the Analysis of financial feasibility and

product? resources
• What is the likely profit?
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 MARKET

Market share
Product/Service
Competitors
Customers Market Demand

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 Example of consumers’ opinion for market feasibility study
1 2 3 4 5
Questions Very good Good Average Bad Very bad

1. Which brand of sauce do you buy most often? Write names of sauce(s)

2. What do you think about the colour of the sauce you buy? Tick in the appropriate place

3. What do you think about the seeds being present in the

sauce?
4. Do you like the thickness of the sauce?

5. What do you think about the flavour of the sauce?

6. Do you like the bottle?

7. What do you think about the label?
8. What do you think about the price of the sauce?

9. Is there anything else that you think is good about the sauce Write answers
that you buy at present?

10. Is there anything else about the sauce that you buy that you Write answers
would like to see improved?
 Data collected about consumers' opinions of the quality of a product
Question Summary of 50 replies
1 2 3 4 5 Total
Very good Good Average Bad Very
bad
1. What do you think about the colour of the 12 32 5 1 0 50
sauce you buy?

2. What do you think about the seeds being 5 6 16 14 9 50

present in the sauce?

3. Do you like the thickness of the sauce? 10 20 12 7 1 50

4. What do you think about the flavour of the 42 8 0 0 0 50

sauce?
5. Do you like the bottle? 40 10 0 0 0 50
6. What do you think about the label? 10 11 20 9 0 50

7. What do you think about the price of the 5 7 12 25 1 50

sauce?
 Results
Items %
Color of the sauce to be better than average 88%

Did not like having seeds in the sauce 78%

found the flavor to be good or very good. 60%

Other information that can be gained by analyzing the data includes:

Findings Implications
A large majority of consumers liked This information helps to show a new
having sauce in a bottle and producer what type of packaging must be
that they were happy with existing used if he/she is to compete effectively
labels. with existing manufacturers or imported
foods.
A majority of consumers (52%) were This indicates that a potential market share
unhappy with the price of the sauce exists, if a new product having a similar
quality can be sold more cheaply.
Product development proposal presentation
15 minutes presentation
a) Product background
- Product name
- target group
- Product definition
b) Formulation/ingredients
c) Processing (flow chart)
d) Novelty
e) Price (per unit, per package)
f) Packaging
g) Market Feasibility Study
 2. Development Stage
Refers to work involved in creating
the design & nature of the product
(compositional, processing,
packaging & marketing)
Questions often addressed during development
stage include:
Is the formulation reproducible or are changes
needed?
What are the storage requirements of the product
and its shelf life?
Will spoilage due to yeasts, molds, or bacteria be a
problem?
Does the product require special packaging?
What is required to scale up for commercial
production of this product?
Benchmarking
A process of continuous evaluation to achieve a competitive edge. It
measures a company’s products against those of its best competitors.
Categories of benchmarking partners:
a) Internal
- departments, factories of the same companies
Eg: Raja Muda Nestle with Shah Alam Nestle
- Best starting point .
b) Competitive
- Direct competitors, quite difficult to set up. Most leading
competitor will not divulge their ‘trade secret’ to enable a
competitor to catch-up.
c) Functional
- Best in class organizations who are in the same field or activities.
d) Generic
- Leading organization from various fields and industries.
Steps involved in developing a new product

1. Idea and 3. Taste- 4.

2.
market paneling/ Consumer
Development
feasibility stage sensory sampling
stage stage stage

9.
6. 7. 8. Market
5. Shelf life Commercialization
Packaging Production testing
stage stage
stage stage stage
4. Consumer sampling stage

 To obtain information by checking a

small population to see what they think
of the product.
 Give indication of the product’s
potential success.
 To make changes in the product, if any.

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Consumer Testing Methods
1) Home testing via mail.

• Panel size: 50-200.

Advantages:
• Sample served at meal time in a fairly normal manner.
• Evaluated by several ages of family members.
• Disadvantages:
• Lose control of preparation, maybe wrongly prepared.
• Lose contact, no way to judge facial expression.
• Easy for consumer to misinterpret questionnaire / preparation.
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 2) Food action rating scale
• A sample of product given to consumer, told researchers
will be back in a few days.
• Most people co-operative if they get something for free.
• Consumer are asked to rate the action he/she would take
with respect to the product.

Eg:
• I would eat this product every chance.
• I would eat this product very often.
• I would eat this product is available.
• I would eat this product if there is no choice.
• I would hardly eat this product.
• I would only eat this product if only force to.
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3. Paired Comparison Test
 A experimental product and another product for
comparison are presented to consumers.
 2 samples are coded and all identification eliminated.
 Questionnaire worded in term of comparison.

4. Single simple
 Coded sample sent alone with preparation instruction.
 Rating scale: hedonic scale.
 Number of panelist at least 100.

5. Facial hedonic scale

- For children and for those with language problem
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5. Shelf life stage
5. Shelf life stage
1. Fresh pasta
■ 2 years
■ Flavour and texture of pasta will
deteriorate after 2 years.
1. Bread
■ 1-3 weeks
■ Usually contain anti fungal agents: calcium
propionate and potassium sorbate.
■ Average loaf last for 1 week.
■ The enzyme –softening agent and flour improvers-
makes bread soft and squidgy. 5
C. Fresh milk
■ 10 days
■ Vitamins reduced during storage.

D. Orange juice
■ 2 years.

E. Apples
■ 1 year old.
■ Treated with chemical preservatives, kept in computer control
chambers for several months.
■ Routinely waxed to make them look shiny and red.
■ Missing stalk can indicate rotting inside.
■ Rinse apple before eating.
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F. Biscuits
• Six months
G. Eggs
• 6 weeks old
• Fresh eggs: yolk –round and whole
• egg white- thick, jelly like.
• egg in a bowl of water:
• Fresh-rest on the bottom
• Old-float
 PACKAGING STAGE
What is a food label?
Label includes any tag, brand, mark pictorial
or other descriptive matter, written, marked,
painted, embossed or impressed on, or
attached to or included in, belonging to, or
accompanying any food
Important Attributes of
Packaging:
1. Attractive
2. Convenience
3. Protective
4. Not imparting flavour
5. Resistance to tearing
6. Ease of application
7. Lightness of weight
8. Not reacting chemically with food
9. Economical
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Why we need food labelling?
1. To provide information
- Nature of the food
- Ingredients and characteristics
- Nutrition
- Food safety: conditions of use, storage

2. To protect consumers and producers against fraud

3. To ensure fair practices in food trade
4. To enable consumers to make choice
5. To prevent fraud through misleading labels
6. To assist the authorities in identifying the sources of food
poisoning /food recall.
Labels
Labelling Regulations in Malaysia
■ Under the Food Act & the Food Regulations, certain information
must be stated in the label of a food product.

■ Compulsory for all process food products to state:

a. name of manufacturer & packer or the
importer.
b. weight @ volume
c. designation of food
d. brand
e. content or list of ingredients listed in accordance to proportion @
weight
f . additives and storage instructions 6
6
Language to be used
 Local product: must be labelled in Bahasa Malaysia and may
include translation

 Imported food: must be labelled in bahasa malaysia or english

and may include translation

Label must contain: description/designation

Examples:
1.F&N-susu isian sejat, evaporated filled milk
2.Dutch lady-strawberry flavoured drink
3. Sunquick-bes minuman buah blackcurrent
Particulars in labelling
The statement ‘CONTAINS BEEF, PORK AND LARD’ for food that contain it.
The words ‘CONTAINS ALCOHOL’ for food contains added alcohol
List of ingredients
-Must be included if food consists of two or more ingredients (excluding
water, food additives or added nutrients).
-Decending order (water can be excluded)
 Hypersensitivity (gluten, nuts, milk,fish, egg) must be included
 Additives; eg Contains permitted preservatives. Contains thickener as
permitted food conditioner.
 Net weight
 Address:
Local product- Name & add manufacture
Imported product- Name & add manufacture, Name & add Importer,
Country of origin.
Form and manner of labelling

 Fond size
- Not less than 10 point
a. Product description
b. Net weight
c. Statement on beef, pork and lard.

Others: 4 point
Date Marking

 Important safeguards against food which may be

unfit/unpleasant to eat.
a. USE BY
- For highly perishable foods which could become a food safety
risk.
eg: meat products, ready prepared meals
- Use product before the date.
- Keeping food beyond this date, may cause health at risk.
- Cannot rely on our senses alone to tell when the food is off. Not
always obvious food has become unsafe to eat.
- Cooking/ freezing food before ‘use by’ can extend its shelf life.

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b. BEST BEFORE
-Usually for food that can be safely be kept longer.
-When the date runs out, food may not be dangerous to
be consumed, but it may not be at its best.
-Even frozen, dried and canned foods start to deteriorate
in the end.
-So, if you want to enjoy food at its best, use it before
“best before”.

c. Foods with no datemarking

-Foods that are normally brought to use within a very
short period.
Eg: Fresh fruits, vegetables, meat.
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Types of food for which expiry date is mandatory
under Food Regulation 1985

■Biscuit, bread
■Canned foods for infant &
children, chocolate, white
chocolate & milk chocolate
■Coconut cream, coconut
milk powder & dessicated
coconut
■Edible fat & edible oil other
than margarine in 7
Nutrition Labelling

■4 mandatory nutrient:
-Energy
-Protein
-Carbohydrate
-Fat
 When compare
with other
products, check
serving size same

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Points to remember for labelling

 Cant claimed ‘reduced’ unless it is much lower in calories than the usual version.
Refer to “Guide to Nutrition Labelling and Claims (2010) –Food
Safety and Quality Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia”.

 Ingredients must be listed in decending order of weight.

 The ingredient list, additive must be listed with its function.

 The big e,
means that the average quantity must
be accurate, the weight of each pack may vary
slightly.
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 Brand name

Definition: Name, symbol or combination that

identifies product

Characteristics of good brand name:

-Short, simple, easy to read and write: eg Mamee.
-Easy to recognise and remember
-Pleasing to hear and read
-Pronounce in only one way.
-Always timely (not outdated)
-Adaptable to packaging. 7
Brand name

 The name cannot be misleading

 Name of a food that contain the word ‘flavour’ does not have to contain those ingredients
 Eg: Doritos chicken flavour, not necessarily real chicken in the product.
 Food labelled without the word ‘flavour’, must have the ingredients
 Eg: Cheese and onion pastry, the product must have cheese and onion.
 Food that had undergone any process, must mentioned in name.
 Eg:
- UHT milk
- Smoked Mackerel
- Dried apricots/mango
- Pictures must not misleading
eg: Strawberry flavoured yogurt cannot have real strawberry pictures with the yogurt.

Well known food are allowed to keep the name.

Eg: cream crackers
Swiss rolls

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Thanks!

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