CFTC carries out sensory analysis in a special laboratory, where it creates optimal test conditions. The up-to-date equipment enables a panel of tasting specialists to carry out tests in an ideal environment.

CFTC has performed research in a wide range of areas for the Cosun business groups and their clients for twenty-five years. Its areas of expertise are process technology, product development and product analysis. Over the years, CFTC has become a Cosun-wide centre of knowledge and expertise.

CFTC often works together with R&D personnel from the Cosun companies and their customers (the food industry) to jointly develop new products and tackle problems of process technology. Sensory analysis is an essential component of product development.

Sensory analysis
CFTC carries out sensory analysis by means of discriminative and descriptive tests. Discriminative tests include the triangle test, paired comparison and ranking. Quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) is a well-known descriptive test method.

Test booths
Our reaction to a food product is based on our perception of smell, taste, sight, hearing and touch. There is also a cultural component to this reaction. CFTC has a panel of experts who evaluate aspects such as sweetness, mouth-feel, etc. This panel carries out tests in the sensory laboratory. For example, a customer may pose the question: ‘If I carry out minor changes to the recipe, will this taint the taste of my product?’ 

Panel members take their places in six separate test booths. The sensory laboratory has an air conditioning system with which the temperature and humidity can be maintained at the correct level.

External odours are kept out by maintaining the pressure inside the laboratory at a slightly higher level than outside. In this way, CFTC creates optimal test conditions.

The test booths are provided with lighting in 4 colours (red, green, yellow and blue). These lights can be used to mask any colour differences between products. Panel members can therefore concentrate totally on differences in smell and taste. 'Daylight' lamps are also present, so that a natural environment can be simulated.

Direct statistics
A new dimension in CTFC's sensory analysis is the use of a software system, with which findings can be immediately subjected to statistical processing and analysis. Panel members see the questions on a flat screen in front of them and enter their answers. The software system saves time and offers a wide range of options with regard to the sensory test method, data acquisition, statistical processing methods and panel monitoring.