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The sensory characteristics of a wine are critical in determining its acceptability, and particularly repeat purchases. Assessments of wines are often made by expert wine tasters, however the use of sensory analysis methods offers an alternative approach that is less reliant on the expertise of one individual. This paper outlines a number of different sensory analysis methods, and gives examples of situations in which the methods might be used. These include the use of triangle tests to evaluate packaging materials, the use of scaling methods to evaluate changes in particular sensory characteristics as a result of changes in processing parameters, the use of sensory profiling to characterise a wine and determine changes that occur during storage, and the use of consumer testing to determine the key sensory characteristics of importance to a particular market segment.

The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare consumer perceptions of unpolished pigmented rice and milled white rice between unfamiliar and typical consumers.

This study first employed focus groups to explore attitudes and habits relating to rice consumption among British subjects. A sensory descriptive analysis method, flash profiling (FP), was then applied on consumer panels in the UK and Thailand to gain perceived sensory quality of unfamiliar and typical rice samples. The sensory profiles generated by British and Thai panellists were analysed by generalised procrustean analysis (GPA) and compared based on perceived attributes, dominant characteristics and repeatability.

Focus group results suggested that consumer familiarity with rice might influence preferred rice textural quality. The prominent textures of stickiness and bittiness of unpolished pigmented rice were negatively associated with perceived quality in the UK participants. The sensory profiles generated by GPA consisted of similarity with darkness of colour and sweet/earthy type odours that are key dominant characteristics of the Thai pigmented rice.

The research has provided sensory information of the unpolished pigmented rice as compared with milled white rice. The information gives insights on product development directions for export and further research on rice processing and cooking instructions.

This study is the first to apply sensory evaluation in a cross-cultural comparison of pigmented rice.

This chapter opens with the current thinking about sensory processing difficulties acknowledging the works, opposing stand points of the Sensory Integration Community, Ayres and APA and discussing implications for current assessment, treatment options and provision.

An experiential perspective is then presented from Graves’ work as an occupational therapist in CAMHS, from identification of commonly recognised presentations which can indicate sensory processing difficulties which include: ASD, ADHD, ‘fussy eater’, ‘emotional dysregulation’ and ‘meltdowns’ to detailing how these difficulties can be assessed and formulated with use of the sensory profile. Then the authors provide the practical examples of how to screen for these difficulties, explain them to young people, parents and schools and manage them through esnsory activities and environmental adaptations. The contributions from Howl’s experiences by working in the African Caribbean Community Initiative and as a specialist psychological wellbeing ractitioner improve access to psychological therapies for the ‘hard to reach’ population, consideration has been given to adapting these resources with the intention of them being more acceptable and accessible for use in work within BAME communities.

The chapter concludes with questions about the future implications for service provisions for people with sensory processing difficulties and how raised awareness of these difficulties might impact on other evidence-based diagnoses and treatments such as cognitive behaviour therapy (drawing on the authors recent learning on the CYP IAPT CBT course) for anxiety presentations.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the classic (static) and dynamic sensory profile of different bottled mineral water samples, and to evaluate the consumer’s liking of the products.

Classic quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) and temporal dominance of sensations (TDS) were applied to four brands of bottled mineral water and the liking of the products was evaluated by consumers.

The dissolved mineral concentration is highly correlated to the liking and influences the sensory profile of the samples in a substantial way. The higher the mineral content, the lowest is the liking. Refreshing, residual plastic taste, musty, metallic taste, medicine taste and viscosity were relevant attributes to the samples differentiation through the static evaluation, while refreshing and viscosity were dominant in the dynamic monitoring. Some information might have been lost by the nature of the TDS method, based on dominance concept. Sweet taste contributed positively and musty taste negatively to the acceptance.

This paper demonstrated that TDS can be used as a complementary tool to the QDA, contributing to a deeper comprehension of the differences among samples, even in products with low differences, such as bottled mineral water.

This paper aims to investigate if a sensory intervention of moderate pressure touch of children with sensory processing disorder (SPD) affects sleep behaviours and sensory processing behaviours.

A total of 50 children, aged 5–11 years with both SPD and sleep difficulties in Israel, were randomly divided into an experimental and a control group, nonblinded. Participants in the experimental group received three weeks of nightly massage by their parents, with a baseline week on both ends. Parents filled out questionnaires reporting on sensory and sleep behaviours and filled out a nightly sleep log. Parents determined outcome goals using goal attainment scoring. The assessment tools used were the short sensory profile and the child sleep habits questionnaire (Dunn, 1999; Owens et al., 2000).

Significant improvement was found in the total and subgroup scores of sleep participation measures including sleep onset, sleep anxiety, parasomnias, sleep duration, daytime sleepiness, as well as the total sleep score (F (1,48) = 24.71, p < 0.001).

Results of this study suggest that consistent application of moderate pressure touch as advised or trained by an occupational therapist may be used in clinical practice to improve sleep participation in children with SPD.

Innovation cannot come without in‐depth understanding of the product and its consumer perception. This paper aims to show the approach for consumer‐centric re‐development strategy, from design of the experiment to execution, analysis, modeling and strategies for implementation.

The approach described uses a relatively large‐scale experimental design of ingredients (12 variables) to vary sensory attributes and conduct sensitivity analysis with consumers.

The resulting product was a big marketing success for the producer. A disciplined experimentation based on statistically sound experimental designs produces much better food products with increased acceptability by consumers.

Statisticians have turned their attention to modeling the relations between physical variables and subjective consumer responses. The resulting products are optimized to meet sensory preferences of the consumers including varied sensory segmentation of the markets.

Using advanced multivariate experimental design for sensory optimization has proved many times its advantages although still not universally used. The approach could help the marketers and developers create better products that consumers like.

The assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in childhood has two essential aspects: the identification of the risk (under 30 months of age) and the definition of a diagnosis that takes into account its core areas as well as further non-specific aspects. The purpose of this paper is to present an approach that considers the combination of clinical evaluation with the use of tools that analyse the various levels of the child’s functioning as fundamental.

The comprehensive assessment at the Institute of Ortofonologia in Rome provides the ADOS-2 and the Leiter-R for the evaluation of the symptomatology, the severity level, the non-verbal cognitive functioning and the fluid reasoning; the TCE and the UOI are used to identify, respectively, the child’s emotional skills and the ability to understand the intentions of others, as precursors of the theory of mind. Within this assessment, the Brief-P, the Short Sensory Profile and the RBS are also included for the evaluation of executive functions, sensory pattern and of restricted and repetitive behaviours, as observed by parents.

How to define a reliable development profile, which allows to plan a specific intervention calibrated on the potential of the child and on his development trajectory, is described. Two clinical cases are also presented.

The entire process is aimed both at a detailed assessment of the child’s functioning and at identifying a specific therapeutic project and predictive factors for achieving an optimal outcome.

Staling, the progressive non‐microbial deterioration of quality, is influenced by baked product fat, sugar and moisture levels. Although 50 percent sugar replacement with an acesulfame‐K‐dextrose blend, and/or 50 percent fat replacement with dried plum puree, produces acceptable oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies within one day of baking, flavor and texture changes with continued storage are unknown. The purpose of this paper is to profile three oatmeal and chocolate chip cookie formulations.

Three oatmeal and chocolate chip cookie formulations (control, reduced‐in‐fat (50 percent) and reduced‐in‐fat and sugar (50 percent)) were profiled 1, 3, 5 and 7 days post‐bake by a trained sensory panel (n=8) using the Spectrum®‐approach on 0‐15 point linescales; three replicates were obtained. Water activity was determined on six replicates. Data were analyzed with PROC Mixed and PDIFF (p<0.05).

Water activity increased with modification; increases (aW<0.60) do not support microbial growth. Day 1 flavor and texture reformulation effects mirror those previously reported. Storage effects across all formulations (p<0.05) on oatmeal and chocolate chip cookie sensory attributes are within one linescale unit. Different significant (p<0.05) formulation×storage interactions suggest staling patterns differ with cookie type. Water activity increased during storage for chocolate chip cookies only; practical significance is questionable. Panelists' comments suggesting oxidative effects for both controls by day 5 are consistent with water activity.

Consumption of products with improved nutritional profiles can assist consumers in bringing their diets in‐line with dietary recommendations. Maximizing benefits requires continued selection of modified rather than non‐modified products. Technical issues (sensory characteristics, nutritional profile and storage convenience) do not appear to limit consumer selection of these reformulated cookies.

This study aims to propose and demonstrate a practical application of a new three-part holistic sensory evaluation (HSE) method for textiles and apparel based on the senses of sight, touch, hearing and smell. HSE method development was carefully documented, described and successfully applied to evaluate sensory characteristics and consumer perceptions and acceptance of bacterial cellulose (BC), a novel sustainable material for apparel.

In Part One of the HSE method, research participants described the material in their own words based on the senses of sight, touch, hearing and smell. In Part Two, they rated the intensities and their linking for 25 predetermined attributes describing BC. Part Three measured participants’ overall liking of BC and its perceived suitability for apparel and accessories.

Application of the HSE method resulted in an in-depth understanding of BC material. Areas for material improvements and positive characteristics were identified, providing direction for further development. Consumers found BC suitable for accessories and outer-layer garments but not for apparel.

Sensory evaluation of textiles and apparel has traditionally focused on the senses of touch and sight. The new HSE method allows evaluating the full range of sensory characteristics of materials/products and holistically assessing consumer perceptions. The method is especially useful for novel materials and wearable technology. BC has gained increased interests as a novel sustainable material, yet consumer studies have been lacking. This study reports a comprehensive evaluation of BC material from consumer perspective.

This paper aims to assess the effect of natural antioxidants (Tulsi, Lemon grass and Aloevera) on sensory and microbiological quality as well as on Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values of Redplum and Sahiwal-based milk smoothies stored under refrigeration.

The smoothies were developed by incorporating optimum level of natural antioxidants, fresh red plum and Sahiwal milk. They were aerobically packaged in low-density polyethylene pouches and stored under refrigeration (4 ± 2°C) till its spoilage. These smoothies were assessed for various storage quality parameters like sensory parameters, microbiological quality and TBA values at regular interval of two days.

Smoothies made without using natural antioxidants were in good condition for four days, and treated smoothies were stored well for six days. The microbial profile showed significant (p < 0.05) increase in SPC and psychrophilic counts on advancement of storage days. However, no coliform and yeast and mould were detected in all variants of smoothies during storage. TBA values were also increased during storage. But microbial counts and TBA both were under the prescribed limit as described by various organizations. Smoothies treated with Tulsi were found best followed by lemongrass- and aloevera-treated products.

Amino acid and fatty acid profiling may be incorporated to known how the exact nutritional value.

Developed milk smoothies using natural antioxidants may serve the purpose of functional food.

As per the authors, today, world is seeking for health providing components with longer product shelf life. Therefore, the product may serve the purpose.

The paper has demonstrated that the Sahiwal milk and red plum-based smoothies were of high acceptability. Their shelf life was found best when treated with Tulsi, Lemon grass and Aloevera natural antioxidants. It was better in all spectrums like lower microbial counts, higher sensory attributes and lower TBA counts as compared to untreated products.