Got a taste for different foods? The Food Science Sensory Laboratory is offering cash for taste buds willing to experience different food products.

The Sensory Lab conducts taste-testing research used to provide crucial product information about foods developed by BYU students and industrial food companies.

Students from the Product Development Lab at BYU develop a new food product each semester that is given to the Sensory Lab for testing, said Hollie Alvarez, assistant manager of the Sensory Lab.

The lab serves a half-dozen clients from private food companies that carry products likely to be seen on the local grocery store shelf.

"Sometimes there are abnormal foods, but not usually," Alvarez said. The types of foods tested vary from high-end restaurant style to fast food.

To be statistically accurate, research participants are all ages and from all walks of life. However, some clients prefer a specific age, sex or origin.

"A few years ago we tested a type of cookie for a private company," said Wade Ipson, a senior from Hurricane majoring in dietetics. "Since it was a cookie, they wanted elementary students to test them."

The Sensory Lab particularly looks for women in their 30s and men and women in their 60s.

"Thirty-year-old women are usually staying at home with children, and the men and women in their 60s are retired," Alvarez said. "So there aren't as many who participate."

All testing is done by appointment and usually lasts 15 minutes. Participants enter the lab and are assigned one of seven available booths. Each booth is equipped with a computer and a silver drawer.

Participants test each food item in the silver drawer and answer questions given on the computer-based presentation. They are asked to rate the food's overall taste, appearance, texture, smell and color, giving ratings from "extremely dislike" to "extremely like."

Dr. Lynn Ogden, associate professor of food science, conducts all statistical research for the lab, which includes three types of information.

First, opinion information is gathered to compare acceptability of products used for product development and advertising claims. Then the tasters pick which, if any, product is different. Finally, tasters are asked to describe characteristics to create a "finger print profile" of the food.

The information received from describing a food's characteristics is especially helpful for food science students.

"The students need to know how to use the descriptive testing when they get out in the industry," Ogden said. "This sensory analysis is very important."

Food science students at BYU are required to earn one thousand hours of experience before receiving an internship.

"The Sensory Lab is a good resource here at BYU," said Sara Murdock, a senior from Dubois, Idaho, majoring in dietetics. "It's a great way to get experience in our field."

"It's a great way to put our learning to work," Ipson said.

Safety is a top priority at the lab. The Sensory Lab is approved by the Institutional Review Board, which regulates all studies involving human participants. The board verifies that all studies are safe and participants will not suffer from psychological or physical harm. All products must be produced in a safe, healthy manner.

More information about testing is available at the Sensory Lab, located in S-103 of the Eyring Science Center.



Copyright Brigham Young University 17 Sep 2003