SENSORY EVALUATION LABORATORY

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute Sensory Evaluation Laboratory (FNRI-SEL) consists of
Laboratory Manager, Sensory Panelist or the test designer, and Panelist or the respondents. The
structure is composed of preparation room equipped with a refrigerator, microwave oven, cooking
range with canopy hood and other tools and utensils for food sample preparation and serving; a
conference room that can be used for panel training and round table discussions; and ten individual
tasting booths with controlled lighting and environment equipped eleven (11) personal computers and a
server.
The FNRI-SEL caters to the sensory evaluation needs of its research and development group in support
to their process and product formulation/standardization, quality control and shelf life studies. Currently
the laboratory is improving its facilities to serve customers, apart from in-house researches, with
personalized sensory evaluation needs. A computer software was developed in 2010 for automatic data
collection from the tasting booth also called the Panelist Booth. The software includes a program for the
design of score sheets to assist analyst in the execution of test. Automatic data entry in computers
improves storage and retrieval of data and facilitates faster processing and analysis of sensory
evaluation data for timely results.
There are plans to enhance the software to include management of panelists performance, advance
statistical analysis and other improvement that is necessary to assist sensory analyst in the execution of
tests.