Description of virgin olive oil: Descriptive evaluation by trained assessors vs flash profile using panels with diverse degrees of training

Abstract

Although a very robust and thorough sensory description of virgin olive oil can be obtained with highly specialized assessors, grouping well-trained panelists can be very expensive as it requires a long period of time. The fast descriptive methodologies developed in recent years could potentially be used to obtain the profiles of diverse products to be used, for example, in gastronomy.This study aimed to compare the conventional descriptive sensory characterization of virgin olive oil by trained judges and a faster descriptive methodology (Flash Profile) conducted by panelists with diverse degrees of training (experienced panelists, wine sommeliers, and consumers).Panels with diverse degrees of training were able to differentiate between virgin olive oil samples; however, the description given by the panelists depended on both the degree of knowledge of the technique used in testing and their product knowledge. Wine sommeliers and consumer groups could not describe the differences between products linked to quality.Experienced panelists seem to be a viable option for describing virgin olive oil samples using the Flash Profile methodology. Said use should not be considered as a replacement for trained judges, but rather as an approach to obtain fast descriptions of the products.