Resumen

SEVERIANO-PEREZ, Patricia. What is and how is the sensory evaluation used?. Inter disciplina [online]. 2019, vol.7, n.19, pp.47-68.  Epub 25-Ene-2021. ISSN 2448-5705.  https://doi.org/10.22201/ceiich.24485705e.2019.19.70287.

The senses are the only means of communication of human beings with their environment; they allow us to perceive what surrounds us, to feel the pleasure, but also for example warn us when a food is decomposed. Throughout history, humans have made use of them even unconsciously, by trying foods and selecting the ones they liked. Nowadays there are gastronomic fairs where consumers taste different dishes, but without following a specific methodology and without analyzing the information obtained, this is a tasting of food, and then, what is sensory evaluation? It is not until the 1940s when a name was given to a series of well-defined and validated methodologies that allow us to study the responses of the human body through the senses, to different stimuli. This science is the sensory evaluation (SE); its application is quite broad, being mainly used in the food industry, but also in others, such as pharmaceutical, textile or automotive, among others.

In recent years it was also found that perception through senses such as smell, is linked to the memory loss caused by neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, we will focus on two aspects of the use of SE in this article, the first one related to the study of the sensory characteristics of foods and how they influence the taste of consumers, as well as the emotional impact that its consumption causes, and, secondly, on the clinical diagnosis specifically the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, aspects such as the variables involved and the considerations that should be taken into account in order to address sensory studies will be reviewed, along with the results that can be obtained through this science.

Palabras llave : sensory evaluation; senses; olfactory perception; sensory characteristics of the foods.