Foundations of Sensory Science explores how to use human senses to evaluate a wide variety of food, beverage, and non-food products. This specialization is for anyone interested in understanding and deepening their appreciation of products that are experienced with the senses. This may include people interested in sensory science as a profession, consumer product entrepreneurs, chefs, employees of consumer product companies, and serious food and beverage hobbyists.
You will study both physiological and psychological factors in sensory perception. We emphasize the chemical senses of taste and smell and cover vision, hearing, and the tactile senses. You will learn how the mind processes sensory information to understand how products are perceived, then you will see how sensory scientists work with panels of human subjects to provide a useful analytical instrument for sensory testing. The specialization will include assignments and projects that will help you understand the complexity of the human sensory system, discuss theories of sensory measurement, scales, quantitative research principles, and psychophysics used in the measurement of perception.
Overview
Syllabus
Course 1: Introduction to Sensory Science
- Offered by University of California, Davis. Did you know there's a science behind the flavors, textures, and aromas of the foods we eat, and ... Enroll for free.
Course 2: Sensory Science: The Senses
- Offered by University of California, Davis. Humans are amazing sensors! This course will help you understand our sensing capabilities ... Enroll for free.
Course 3: Sensory Science: Measuring the Senses
- Offered by University of California, Davis. The brain is the most sophisticated sensory interpreter that we know of. Our brain is like a ... Enroll for free.
Course 4: Sensory Science: Conducting Tests
- Offered by University of California, Davis. This course will introduce the sensory evaluation laboratory and will teach you best practices ... Enroll for free.
- Offered by University of California, Davis. Did you know there's a science behind the flavors, textures, and aromas of the foods we eat, and ... Enroll for free.
Course 2: Sensory Science: The Senses
- Offered by University of California, Davis. Humans are amazing sensors! This course will help you understand our sensing capabilities ... Enroll for free.
Course 3: Sensory Science: Measuring the Senses
- Offered by University of California, Davis. The brain is the most sophisticated sensory interpreter that we know of. Our brain is like a ... Enroll for free.
Course 4: Sensory Science: Conducting Tests
- Offered by University of California, Davis. This course will introduce the sensory evaluation laboratory and will teach you best practices ... Enroll for free.
Courses
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Did you know there's a science behind the flavors, textures, and aromas of the foods we eat, and why our favorite products look, feel, and smell the way that they do? In this course, we will provide a broad overview of the field of sensory science - its history, definition, and applications in academic research and in the consumer-packaged goods industry. We’ll also discuss how sensory science impacts other industries, including the medical sciences and information processing. We will also explore the roles of sensory evaluation in relation to the human instrument, marketing, product development, and quality assurance. Whether you are interested in better understanding your favorite foods or looking to expand your knowledge of the sensory sciences, this course is an excellent place to start.
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The brain is the most sophisticated sensory interpreter that we know of. Our brain is like a very powerful computer, but no engineered computer exists that can mimic our human sensory capabilities. This course will explore sensory science by examining how the senses are connected to the brain and how the brain makes meaning of the signals it receives. Various types of testing, scales, and measurements are described that allow scientists to quantify senses and the brain’s experience of senses. Through this course, you will learn to employ scientific approaches such as discrimination testing and Thurstonian Modeling to measure the senses.
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Humans are amazing sensors! This course will help you understand our sensing capabilities including taste, olfaction, tactile senses, vision, and audition. The course will explain at a high-level the anatomy, physiology, and chemistry of the senses and give you an appreciation of how senses are transmitted to, and experienced by, the brain. You’ll learn by experience to assess cases such as dysfunctions in olfaction or tactile temperature adaptation. Optional podcast conversations with experts in the field are included each week to provide additional insight on our senses and sensory research.
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This course will introduce the sensory evaluation laboratory and will teach you best practices for testing and documentation. We'll explore how various factors, especially the testing environment, can influence sensory experiments. Our main focus will be on two specific sensory tests: duo-trio discrimination and 3-product consumer testing. Through case studies, we’ll examine how these tests can address product challenges. For both test types, we’ll dive into how to develop an appropriate hypothesis, select products, execute a sensory test, decode collected data, and interpret the test results. Additionally, you’ll learn how to identify and select core and opportunity target groups of consumers. Each module in this course builds towards your final project where you will design a sensory test to conduct your own research experiment.
Taught by
Rebecca Bleibaum
