5 - Discrimination Testing

Abstract

This chapter discusses the discrimination testing, which is a powerful sensory evaluation method in terms of its sensitivity and providing reliable and valid results. The test method has evolved in response to a greater appreciation for the perceptual processes involved in the discrimination task. The chapter discusses three types of discrimination tests: paired comparison test, duo–trio test, and triangle test. The paired-comparison test is a two-product test, and the subject's task is to indicate, by circling or by some similar means, the one product that has more of a designated characteristic such as sweetness, tenderness, or shininess, with the designated characteristic having been identified before the test and stated on the scorecard. In duo–trio test, the subject's task is to indicate which product is most similar to the reference and was found to be useful for products that had relatively intense taste, odor, and kinesthetic effects. The triangle test is a three-product test in which all three products are coded and the subject's task is to determine which two are most similar or which one is most different from the other two. The results of discrimination testing have proven effective and have saved companies' substantial amounts of time, money, and effort.